CHRISTIAN WALK

THE MAJOR CHALLENGES THAT CHRISTIANS FACE IN THE 21ST CENTURY (FINAL PART)

5. PERSECUTION

Persecution is a deliberate mistreatment of an individual or group as a direct result of their Christian beliefs, by another individual or group.  A practising Christian, that is, someone who lives the Word is a light in the world.  However, the people of the world love darkness and this is simply because their works are evil.  The works of darkness of ungodly people are shown up by the lives of Christians who live the Word.  This very fact, in many cases, has attracted mistreatment or outright hatred to the child of God.  Christian persecution can take several forms.  These can include the denial of rights, abuse, ostracism, physical violence or even murder.  The early church and the church during the past centuries have endured persecution all the way.  If the people of God conform to the world, they would not be persecuted but Christians are not to conform to the world.  In the twelfth chapter of Paul's letter to the Romans, verse two states, 'And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.'

Our Lord Jesus Christ, the Master Himself, spoke extensively about persecution.  In John 15 verses 18 to 20, He said, ''If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.  Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord.  If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.''

Christians are not expected to deny their Lord and Master in the face of persecution as it is a test of their faith.  This is because if they deny the Lord, He too will deny them before His Father and before the holy angels.  Paul, the apostle, also wrote about the ordeals of the heroes and heroines of faith in Hebrews 11 verses 36, 37 and 38 thus, 'And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:  They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy;) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.'

At this very moment, children of God in several places around the world are being persecuted for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  This is bound to increase.  Christians everywhere should brace themselves for the coming serious waves of persecution.  We all need to spend time before the Lord to ask for the grace to be able to stand during times of persecution.  Christians at all times, with the help of the Holy Spirit, must resolve to live the Word in the face of persecution.  If we suffer with Him, we will also reign with Him.