Rejoice and Be Glad—A Call to Biblical Action
Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matt. 5:11-12).
It’s no secret that Christians are being persecuted around the world. In other countries believers are killed and imprisoned for their faith—something that, at first glance, would seem to be unthinkable in America or a Western democracy. Yet, we are moving toward that time very quickly in many ways. The attacks we see on Christians will only get worse.
Why should that surprise, shock, or anger us? The Lord Jesus told us that we would be hated because of Him:
If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me (John 15:19-21).
Perhaps we forgot His message. Perhaps we have grown too comfortable with the idea of a democracy, or the idea that “America was founded as a Christian nation.” We have been lulled into a false sense of security, which breeds spiritual complacency. We are not used to this because we have made America our home. This is not our home. The Kingdom of God, when it’s ushered in, will not be like America.
Many in the so-called ‘right’ say that we must fight. Agreed. The question is, “What fight must we join?” Paul reminds us that people are not our enemies: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). Our fight is not against America. It is not against the “liberal left” or the media, or the government. Our fight must be to keep our faith and a good conscience (1 Tim. 1:19; 1 Pet. 3:14-16). When we believers struggle for our “rights,” we spend so much time doing so that we fail to prepare our hearts for what is coming.
Know this, more is coming. Jesus told us that we would be persecuted on His account:
Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved (Matt. 24:9-13).
Are we not seeing the beginning of that now, even in this country? Who can doubt that a spirit of lawlessness is at work? Who can doubt that many false prophets are now present, leading many astray, or that the love of many has grown cold?
What must we do?
We must pray for our nation.
Even as we stand against the wicked forces behind people, we must pray for our nation and it’s leaders. We are commanded to do that (1 Tim. 2:1-2). We must pray that our leaders lead by godly example. Most of all, we must pray that our leaders come to know Christ and be saved.
We must strengthen our faith.
Even as we pray for our nation to come to Christ, we must be prepared when she does not. The Lord desires that we have a faith that will endure the hardest of trials, and endure them with a good heart and good conscience. Paul and Silas sang in prison. The three Hebrews endured the fire with a good heart, never speaking disrespectfully to the King. Paul maintained his dignity when standing before the Council and Roman governors. The faith to endure to the end is the birthright and inheritance of every believer. But it is our responsibility to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in producing that faith.
Brothers and sisters in the faith, mark these words well. There will come a time—and that time is fast approaching—when the Christian voice in government is silence. There will come a time—and that time is fast approaching—when Christians will not be allowed to own businesses, teach in schools, or worship in the open. We think these things will not happen in America. Jesus, however, said you will be persecuted for My sake. This is not a doom-and-gloom message. This is a call to wake up, heed His warnings, and prepare our hearts. In the end, we hold within us the Final Hope. Nothing this world can do to us can take that away.
