Charles Stanley - Persecuted (04/08/2017)
Dr. Stanley explains that Christianity can't be broken, stopped, destroyed or silenced despite fierce persecution, drawing from Matthew 5 Beatitudes where Jesus declares blessed those persecuted for righteousness' sake, concluding true believers shine as light in darkness and will face trials but gain great heavenly reward.
The Unbreakable Power of Christianity
Christianity was the world's most feared idea. It couldn't be broken, it was unstoppable, it could not be destroyed, and it could not be silenced. While many people faced it, they couldn't destroy it. Many didn't quite fully understand what it was all about. But there was something about Christianity that enabled it to survive all the persecution, all the heartache, all the bloodshed.
When Rome thought that Jesus was dead on the cross, what they didn't realize was that it was all just beginning. You see, Christianity cannot be broken, cannot be stopped under any condition, cannot be destroyed, and can never be silenced. The world doesn't quite understand that yet, but one of these days they will.
Attacked with everything imaginable, the Christian faith is still growing. And as the old saying goes—and still does—the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church. You kill one Christian, and we multiply. That's the awesome power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Don't ever underestimate what is in this book, what is in your heart, and what God intends to be in the world.
Somewhere around 100,000 Christians are killed every year. That doesn't even include those whose homes are robbed, whose property is confiscated, whose women are raped, and whose very lives face absolutely indescribable torture, heartache, burden, and all the rest. But in spite of that, the Christian faith keeps growing. It is stronger in some places than in others.
How Strong Is Your Faith Today?
And the big question is, how strong is your Christian faith? Do you buckle under a little bit of torment, a little bit of heartache, a little bit of burden? Are you strong? As the Scripture says, we are to be strong and stand firm.
So, I want you to turn, if you will, to a passage most all of us know, and that is the Beatitudes. Now, once in a while somebody will say, "Now, I love the Beatitudes. It's just wonderful. It makes me feel good. I feel very encouraged when I read the Beatitudes." And sometimes I think, "Well, you didn't read them all."
Because down through the eighth verse, it said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Then He says in verse nine, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God." Now, all that sounds really good. What about this? "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
"Blessed are you when men insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." And those last three verses put on a whole different tone. Persecution? Difficulty? Hardship? Pain in prison? Abuse? Insults? All of this? That's right.
Because you see, the Christian faith was born in that, and it has survived it, and it will survive it until Jesus breaks open the sky on His return to pick us up. So, when you think about your Christian faith, how strong are you? Are you able to defend it? Would you say that as you read the Word of God, that you believe the Scripture?
Persecuted for Righteousness' Sake
I want you to notice one thing about this passage that's so very important. When He says in verse ten, "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness." So, let's clarify that. It isn't just a matter of being persecuted. You can lose your job and be imprisoned and suffer all kinds of things. Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake.
Righteousness refers to our heart, our life, our soul, our spirit, inhabited by the Son of God. When you and I trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior, He made us His righteous followers. Our sins are forgiven. Our name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life. We are forever the children of God, and we're to live a holy life, a sanctified life, a life set apart, unlike the world around us.
And the Bible says that Jesus Christ is the light of the world. That's what He said. But He also said, "When I leave, you'll be the light of the world." So, believers are lights living in darkness. And when you look at the Scriptures, and He says, "Blessed are they who are persecuted" under the following situations, as He described here. But then He says, "for righteousness' sake."
So, would you call yourself a righteous person? You've trusted Jesus as your Savior, but by your conduct, by your conversation, by the way you handle yourself—are you a righteous person in your language? Righteous person in your actions? Righteous person in your relationships to other people? Righteousness speaks of holiness.
And you see, most people don't want to talk about anything being holy. I'll tell you why. Anything holy is obnoxious and a threat to the world. So, when He said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake," not just persecuted.
So, if somebody doesn't like you, for example, and they give you a hard time and separate you from other people and make all kinds of comments and criticize you, that's not what we're talking about. We're talking about your life being so right with God that your very presence makes them uncomfortable. Why? Because we are in a dark world and when light shines in the darkness, it drives out the darkness.
So, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. With that in mind, somebody says, "Well, how can I avoid persecution?" I can tell you how to avoid it real easily. All you have to do is live an ungodly life. Live like the world. Sin all you want to. In other words, have no testimony, no witness, and here's what you'll find: nobody is going to persecute you for being a sinner. Nobody's going to persecute you for that.
They're going to persecute you because your very presence makes them uncomfortable in their thought life and in their actions and in their conversation. Blessed are those who are persecuted, as He says, for righteousness' sake.
Jesus Never Promised an Easy Christian Life
And if you'll think about this, when Jesus spoke, He didn't ever try to fool anybody. He never misled anybody. When He talked about His future, He said, "I'm going to be crucified." When He talked about our life, He does not talk about the Christian life being a life of ease, comfort, and pleasure. But He talks about heartache and suffering and separation and all the rest.
So, sometimes we get the wrong idea about this Christian life. We think if everything isn't going our way, where's God? And the Jews thought in those days that if you were suffering for some reason, it was God's judgment upon you. That if you were living the right kind of life, there would be none of that.
When Jesus came along and said, "If you follow Me, you're going to suffer persecution." So, when we think about persecution, we think about something way away. Listen, it happens in people's homes every day. It happens in their business every day. It happens among their friends every day. Persecution happens in all different forms and fashions and all sorts of degrees.
This is why people, for example, separate while they divorce. Why people do all kinds of things as a result of feeling persecuted. So, when you think about your life, is your life of the quality, of the character, of the holiness, of the righteousness that makes the ungodly uncomfortable? Not for the purpose of making them uncomfortable, but just the fact that they think differently than you think.
You're thinking the thoughts of God, and they're thinking this kind of thought: I don't want anything on me that restrains me from being the kind of person I want to be. That's why they don't like Christians. Don't talk about drinking. Don't talk about smoking. Don't talk about immorality. Don't talk about all these things. Because it's my life, and I want to live it the way I want to live it. And I don't want anybody criticizing what I do.
A righteous life doesn't have to say much. A righteous life is powerful. It's penetrating. And without saying a thing, oftentimes, people will come to you and say, "What is it that's different about you?" All you have to say... somebody says, "Well, I'm afraid I won't know what to say." Would you like to know what to say? Amen? Amen. One word. Jesus. Because He's the one who makes all the difference in your life.
Persecution Is Inevitable for Godly Living
So, when we think about this whole idea of persecution and all the people who are persecuted, think about persecution as this: it's to be harassed and to be grieved by the way that you're treated. And sometimes that's a little bit of harassment, but sometimes it can even cost you your life. And so, people are persecuted worldwide.
Now, it's inevitable in the life of a godly person, and I want you to look at three verses of Scripture, and I only want you to see one word in these three verses. Let's turn, first of all, to Matthew chapter 5, back there where we were. And look at, if you will, in verse eleven. He says, "Blessed are you," what's the next word? Read the next word, what's the next word? Blessed are you, what? When. Not if, but when.
The whole idea is you're going to be persecuted. So, He says, "Blessed are you when you are persecuted." The second one is in 2 Timothy. Look there for a moment, and it's worth you taking the time to look at this. Look in 2 Timothy chapter 3, and look in verse 12. Paul said to Timothy, young pastor, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus," what? Will. Not may be, not could be, but will be persecuted.
And then, of course, if you look in 1 Peter chapter 4 and verse 12, listen to what he says. "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you which comes upon you for your testing as though some strange thing were happening to you." That is, you and I can expect if we live a godly life, a holy life, a righteous life—that doesn't mean holier-than-thou.
It means that the presence of Jesus is in your life so strongly that it affects and controls your conduct, your conversation, your character. That you can't be covered. A godly life is going to be seen and going to be felt. And oftentimes going to be criticized and going to be persecuted. Because we make other people feel very uncomfortable. Because they don't like any... you see, you don't have to say anything, you have to be something.
Now, sometimes you have to say something, but sometimes you just have to be who you are. You see, in the days in which Jesus walked and carried on His ministry, persecution was a normal thing for the believers. And Jesus said to them right up front, He said, "You follow Me, it's not going to be easy."
Examples from the Apostle Paul's Life
And if you'll think about what happened to the Apostle Paul alone, the Scripture says, besides being criticized in lots of ways, he went from one jail to the other. And so, he was stoned. He was jailed. They tried to assassinate him on several occasions. And they did everything in their power to totally destroy him.
And in fact, in those days, their whole idea about Christianity was all negative. But here's what they said. The emperor, they considered him as like God. And if you will say, "Caesar is Lord," you can live. Now, we don't care what you do after that. You can say, "Caesar is Lord," and believe in your Jesus. But you've got to say, "Caesar is Lord." And of course, many Christians would not do that.
They burned them at the stake, beheaded them, imprisoned them, did everything else. But to be a Christian in those days meant something significant. And there are some places, many places in the world today, to be a Christian is not only dangerous, but it has an awesome opportunity of witness for Christ because they're brave, godly men and women who are going to witness for Christ no matter what happens.
Everyday Persecution in Modern Life
So, when we think about the form it takes nowadays, people insult you because you're a Christian. They criticize you because you're a Christian. On your job, for example, they pass you over when it comes time for promotion. Or you don't get a raise, and you don't understand why. And there are folks, when they have their parties, they don't even invite you. Or if you are invited, and you walk around with a soft drink, and everybody else has got a cocktail, a beer, something else, then you're looked down upon.
So, you know what the problem is? It isn't that you've done something wrong. It's that you're living right. And righteousness. Remember what He said. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake." Because they're going to be persecuted, but God is going to grant them great grace in the process.
So, if you want to be liked by everybody, then you probably don't want to be a Christian. If you want to be in the "in" group, you probably don't want to be a Christian. But if you want to be godly and righteous, and you want to fulfill God's purpose and plan for your life, and you want your life to have meaning and a sense of direction, and you want to be fruitful, and when you come to the end of your life, you want to be able to look back and think, "God did something awesome in my life," and look around to people that your life has affected and influenced in a positive way, then you need to trust Jesus Christ as your Savior and begin to live life as God intended for it to be.
But living in a dark world, it's not popular. Living in a dark world, it doesn't seem to be the thing to do. But remember this, you are a light, and your life is making a difference. There are people out there looking for folks like you. Looking for people whose life is different. Looking for somebody who talks one thing and does the same thing.
Why the Cross Offends the World
So, any attempts today, for example, to be godly and not be criticized is probably over. And if you'll notice in our own country, there's more and more persecution of Christians. Isn't it interesting that the most precious symbol God has ever created, which is the cross, is obnoxious to people? They want to take it down. They want to get rid of it.
So, why is it? In other words, it's just a couple of pieces of wood like this. But why is this particular emblem so obnoxious to people? Why don't they want to see it? Take it down. We don't want it in our city. What's the deal? It has nothing to do with wood. It has to do with what it represents. It represents Jesus. It represents godliness. It represents righteousness. It represents holiness. It represents salvation. And it represents the hope of the world.
And so, those who don't like the cross, you know what? They categorize themselves. Those who hate the cross are the very people who need it most. And you may be one of those persons who says, "I don't like it." Well, what is it about the cross that bothers you? It isn't that it's wood. Sometimes it's steel. Sometimes it's made of something else. It's the fact that it reminds you of Jesus.
What is it about Jesus that bothers you? He didn't lie. He didn't cheat and commit adultery. He didn't steal. He didn't do anything. In fact, nobody can pick up and find any sin He ever committed. Why do you resist the Son of God who is absolutely perfect, the only one who is perfect? Your only hope of salvation. Your only hope of eternal life.
What is it about Him you don't like? I'll tell you. It's His holiness. His righteousness. His demand. His requirement of doing what? Of following Him. Ask yourself the question: How can you be so opposed to the Son of God who is your only hope of eternal life? You need to ask yourself that question.
And then ask yourself this question: To you is it more important to be accepted, to be popular, to be wealthy, to have a position in life if you have to compromise what you know is right? Which is more important? A godly person's life is going to stand out. You don't have to try. Because remember, you are a light in a very dark world. And it almost appears like the world is getting darker and darker. And probably so in light of the fact that Jesus is coming one of these days.
The Real Purposes of Persecution
And I think about it. In some situations and circumstances, the name of Jesus chills the whole atmosphere. Get rid of Him at all costs. And many of you are living in bondage. You've tried everything and you're just getting deeper and deeper in your bondage. Deeper and deeper in your sin. And while you're turning Jesus off, He's the very one you need to turn on.
You turn on your television and say, I don't want to hear anything religious. It just may be that that's exactly what you need. Well, you know, I just...that just doesn't fit my style. What fits your style? Living in sin and disobedience and rebellion toward God?
Well, remember, Christianity, Jesus, will never be broken, stopped, destroyed, or silenced. And some of them may say, well, what's the purpose for persecution anyway? I mean, could there be any purpose for persecution? And sometimes people go to any degree they possibly can to avoid anything that's a little, shall we say, makes them feel uncomfortable.
But the truth is, being a follower of Jesus Christ may make you uncomfortable sometime in certain situations, but you know that it's temporary, and you know that your discomfort is...you're feeling the heat sometimes of the wicked, of the...somebody says, I'm not wicked. Well, just think about this. I'm not being critical. I'm just saying, according to the Scripture, if you reject Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and you reject eternal life, and you reject what real hope is all about, and all the good things that God's provided, there's something deeply wrong, deep down inside of you.
Sharing in Christ's Sufferings
So, let's think about it for a moment. So, what's the purpose of all this persecution? And let's put it this way. Let's turn to 1 Peter chapter 4 for a moment. And I want you to notice what he says in this thirteenth verse. Because here is one of the primary reasons that we suffer persecution.
And verse thirteen, "But to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing so that also in the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with Him." That is, here's what he says: persecution for the believer is our opportunity to, listen, share in the sufferings of Christ.
Well, that He suffered. All kinds of abuse, all kinds of extreme words directed toward Him. They were ungodly. And finally, they killed Him. And He died. And rose again. And so, when you and I suffer, He says we're sharing in the sufferings of Christ.
Testing Our Loyalty to Christ
Then, of course, one of the primary reasons or purposes of suffering is to test our loyalty. Sometimes we say, "Well, you know, I know that I'm loyal to Jesus." And then something comes along. For example, in 1 Peter 4:12, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing."
Listen, "for your testing as though some strange thing were happening to you." Sometimes we don't understand why people are persecuted. He says, "For our testing." So, if I should ask you, "Are you willing to stand true to God in situations when it's really difficult? Yes, sirree, count on me." Well, let's see if it is.
And then all of a sudden, there's somebody on Monday morning, you go in your office and they say, "What did you do yesterday?" "Well, I went to church." You went to church? Did you spend your whole weekend going to church and all this Christian stuff? Or had you just rather go and say, "Well, I just took it easy."
In other words, you're going to get tested. Here's the issue. When you're tested, do you take a strong, firm stand in a godly fashion, not prideful, not egotistical, not holier-than-thou, but you take a strong, firm stand, loving, forgiving those who are criticizing you and say, "Yes, I am a Christian. I am a follower of Jesus, and being a follower of Jesus just doesn't allow me to do certain things."
Being a follower of Jesus, I'm more concerned about what I can do for someone else than myself. Little by little, the Spirit of God takes your testimony, your righteous life—not a life that's perfect. None of us are perfect, but a righteous life is one that's given over to God, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, one through whom God can live His life day by day in conversation, conduct, character. It's very evident there's something different about you.
Now, here's the question I'll ask you. Had you rather be accepted by the world than pleasing to Jesus? You can't be both. And so, what happens? People compromise. Well, I don't want somebody to think this. Well, what difference does it matter what they think as long as you're living a godly life? And besides that, you don't...the Bible doesn't say one of these days you're going to stand before your friends in the judgment. You're going to stand before God.
What difference does it make? And I remember when I was in high school and watching a lot of things going on and I didn't want to participate in. And I remember being a senior. And one day I was just thinking about all the fellows and gals that I knew there. And they were doing this and participating in things that I knew wasn't of God and so I didn't participate.
And they went just like the Lord said to me, "Remember this: when you graduate, you probably won't ever see them again. But you and I are going to be walking the rest of your life together." That just set me free. Because people make decisions based on relationships that are limited, very limited. When...one of these days you're going to stand before God.
Advancing the Gospel Through Suffering
Well, one of our purposes is we get tested. A third purpose for persecution is it furthers the Gospel. Look, if you will, in Philippians chapter one. You remember that Paul was in prison. As we said, he was a frequent visitor to prisons.
And he says in verse twelve, then it's Philippian jail. He says, "Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances," being in jail there, "have turned out for the greater progress of the Gospel." Being in jail, being in a Roman prison. And listen, Roman prisons, and I've seen one. Roman prisons were not like we're in prison today. A hole that dropped you down into, no way of escape.
He said, "So that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole Praetorian Guard and everyone else." And so, what was happening was that he was in prison and they oftentimes would chain the prisoner to the guard. And so, that meant all these guards had to hear him.
Naturally, they're going to say, "Well, what are you doing in here? You, a Jew, what are you doing in prison?" He probably would say in our language, "Well, I'm so glad you asked me that." And can't you imagine? First thing he did, he said, "Well, here's what I was doing. I was persecuting the church and going into people's homes and dragging them to the guards. And then one day something happened to me on old Damascus Road. Suddenly was blinded, fell off my mule or horse, couldn't even see for a few days. And then I met the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. He transformed my life. And since that time, I've been trying to start churches and help people understand what the truth is."
Lord said, "What are you doing in prison?" Just living a Christian life. And what was he doing? People say, "Well, I think that was a big waste putting the Apostle Paul in prison." Oh, no it wasn't because look what happened. Somebody says, "Well, why is that?" Because if you look at his schedule, look at his schedule, he was very busy.
Whereas the only place he could get quiet enough, long enough to listen to God so he could write down what has been a treasure in your life and my life. If I had to give up all the books and everything else I have, one thing I would keep is several epistles. Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians. If I didn't have anything else, I had those three.
Now, think about this. If you took your Bible and you have the Old Testament and the New Testament and at the end of the Gospel of John, you just cut that part out so that you don't have anything left after the Gospel of John. Do you realize how ignorant all of us would be? When I just think about a few subjects, whether it's election or whether it's sanctification or predestination, many, many, many subjects, what would be our explanation?
It was those times in prison that Paul had the time and I just love the thoughts. He had time to do what? To write on those scrolls what God was saying to him. He never dreamed that his imprisonment would be blessing us thousands of years later by the millions and millions and millions of people leaving us instruction on how to live a godly life and how to live with each other and how to be the persons God wants us to be.
So, one of those purposes is, for example, that God gives time for God to get the Word out in ways that you and I would never think about. So, when I look at my Bible and I cut it off at the Gospel of John, how would I ever have discovered the rest of this? How would I ever have known this? His suffering and persecution was a fantastic blessing for every single one of us.
Encouraging Others Through Our Trials
So, God has some purposes. Then, of course, enables us to be strong and encouraging others who are going under persecution. And we can say, "Well, let me tell you what happened in my life." And when you and I are obedient to God, you can mark this down. God is going to give you an opportunity to bear witness to many other people of what He's done in your life.
And here's what I've discovered. The more pain you've suffered, the more hurt you've suffered, the more difficulty your situation, the more people who want to hear what did you do, how did God speak to your heart, how did He help you through that, because you have a witness. And that witness is God's work in your life.
And the very things, for example, that we want to avoid are the very experiences that God will use you to be a blessing to others. Now, if you've ever been in a tough spot, everybody either has been or is going to be. And you need somebody to talk to who you want to talk to. Somebody says, "Well, I learned this in school." No. If I'm going through a tough time, I want to talk to somebody who's been in the same kind of tough time that I'm in so I'll know, "How did God work in your life?"
Then I can expect Him to work in my life in a similar way to get me through it, no matter what it is. So, one of the reasons for persecution is what it does, it just enables us and equips us to being an encouragement to other people.
Then it also demonstrates our loyalty to Jesus. How loyal are you? Is He first in your life? Are there some things that you're willing to turn down, lay aside, some groups you wouldn't be a part of? Because of your loyalty to Jesus won't allow you to live or to be a part of something that is ungodly and un-Christlike.
And I've heard this, but what are my friends going to think? And I'll say again, it doesn't make any difference what they think. One day, if you'll live a godly life, they'll wish they had followed in your pathway. That's for sure.
Then, of course, it demonstrates our faith in His Word. Do I believe His Word? That He will enable me, strengthen me, undergird me, help me, no matter what I'm going through? Do I believe that? If I really believed the Word of God, I'd be willing to suffer persecution of some sort, whatever God sends in our life, knowing that He will make you adequate for whatever that situation may be.
The Promise of Heavenly Reward
And then, one of the things it does, and back to our fifth chapter of Matthew for a moment, listen to what He says, "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets which were before you."
Well, it encourages us to think about the fact that we're going to have a reward one of these days. Think about this. Watch this. Computers are smart, but they can get all messed up. When it comes to numbers, God is a numbers person. And one thing He doesn't forget is a single, solitary act of godliness, righteousness, obedience, or help that you have for somebody else.
When He says, "He has a reward for our works," God isn't going to say, "Well, some works." He is going to bless us and reward us for all of our good works. It may be a simple thing, something very simple. But you took your time to help someone else. You took your time to share your testimony. We're going to be blessed.
And so, God gives us an opportunity, when we've been through difficulty, to help someone else who's been the same way. Wouldn't you want that for your children? If you knew your children were going through a very painful, difficult time, wouldn't you want somebody who's been through that, who's where they are to help them through that, whatever they may be going through in life.
Persecution is not all bad. It equips us in many ways to be what God wants us to be.
How Should We Respond to Persecution?
Now, what's the proper response to persecution? Somebody says, "When I'm persecuted, I don't like it. I hate it. I despise it. And I want to run." Well, if I said to you, for example, "The proper response sometimes is to run." Does that sound right? To run? Yes, it is.
You say, "Well, how's that?" Watch this. Here was...here...now, I'll come to another verse in a minute. Here is the pattern of the Apostle Paul. When things got so bad in some places that he was no longer effective, then he went to the next city. And if you read the book of Acts, that was his pattern.
He would...for example, in Lystra, he saved them. They tried to stone him to death. And did stone him and thought he was dead. And he got up and went back in the city and still preaching. But there are places where he moved to the next place. For the simple reason, he realized he wasn't making this kind of, you know, the kind of success there in the Gospel that he'd like to make. So, he moved on.
Look, if you will, in Matthew 10 and verse 22 and 23. And listen to what he says here. Verse 22, "You will be hated by all because of my name. But it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved." And then somebody says, "See there, I know you can fall from grace." That's not what that verse is talking about.
He's simply saying this. Listen, you don't get saved by enduring. He's simply saying this, that those who are truly saved truly endure. That's what he's talking about. Listen, you'll be hated by all because of my name but it's the one who has endured to the end who will be saved. Those who are truly believers.
For example, an unbeliever is not going to undergo persecution if they can escape it. But believers will if it means being true to our convictions and to Christ whom we love. Then he says, notice, "But whenever they persecute you in one city," what does it say? "Flee to the next."
So, one of the ways we respond to persecution is we go somewhere else. And that is, for example, if a missionary goes to a certain place to get no response, it may be that God says, "Move on to somewhere else." So, when we think about the proper response, the proper response is if someone defies you and absolutely refuses to listen, move on to somebody who will listen.
Nothing Can Separate Us from God's Love
Now, persecution can't separate you from God. Listen to verse, this eighth chapter of Romans. The Scripture says, "Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or perilous sword?"
And of course, he says in verse 37, "But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I'm convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus."
Persecution cannot separate you from God. Then, of course, he says, for example, you stand strong. He says, "Be strong in the Lord and the power of His might." You stand strong. Strong in what? Strong in the Lord, in His strength, in His might, on the basis of His Word because He will give us everything we need to be strong and to be firm no matter what.
Thirdly, endure. That is, we just stand up under it no matter what it might be. And twice, Paul says in Epistles that he had to endure. That means you just sort of hang in there, as we would say. You remain firm. You remain where God has you. You accept whatever persecution, hardship, and criticism is coming your way. You endure it.
Then, of course, he says we're to do this. He says we're to love. He put it this way in Matthew chapter 5:44. He says we're to love our enemies and we're to pray for them. And I think probably the most difficult thing for us to do is to love somebody who persecutes us.
Because if we're not careful, we'll say, "Well, look what you're doing." And he says we're to love them and we're to pray for them. Pray what? We'd say, "Well, I want to pray not to be persecuted." We're to pray that in our persecution, in our response, Jesus would be made known to them.
Because, you see, the persecutors can't stand. They don't understand why the believer acts and responds the way we do. They don't understand that. And as the saying goes, "The blood of the martyrs has been the seed of the church for all these centuries." That is, you kill one Christian, they get multiplied. And the more Christians they kill, the more they multiply.
Why? Because that's the very nature of a godly life. You may criticize, persecute a godly life, but you can't destroy it. And the persecution of Christians today around the world. And what's happening? Christians' faith is growing. It's growing by leaps and bounds in many places.
One of the places we should be most concerned about is our own country. In our own country, too many of God's people are too quiet. We're too quiet. Well, we don't want to upset anybody. Well, they need to get upset. For the simple reason, they're on their way to an everlasting separation from God.
And if we don't share the truth and share it clearly and plainly, courageously and boldly, then they're going to hell. Now, they don't believe that. And that's why it's so important that we say it loudly and clearly. Why? Because people are living in ignorance. They don't understand that there is a future.
They think, one of these days I'm going to die. And I remember something that a very famous musician said, and I'd call his name, you'd know him. He's gone now. He said, in talking to his friends right at his death, and they were asking him something about it. He said, "I don't know where I'm going to heaven or hell. I wish they'd hurry up and come get me."
You see, watch this. The dangerous thing about living an ungodly life is it will harden you. It will harden you against the things of God. And that you become more and more distant from God in your thinking. You don't want anything of God in your life. And this absolutely hardens a person. And hardness is a very, very serious thing until the point that you don't want anything about God. You don't want to hear anything about it whatsoever.
There was a time you looked back when you were interested. The most dangerous thing you can do is to live your life and keep pushing God out, keep pushing God out, keep criticizing. Criticizing the Christian life, just keep doing that. That you become so hard, we don't even faze you. And Christianity doesn't faze you, Jesus doesn't faze you. None of that fazes you whatsoever.
You realize you could get to the place that you do not want anything that's God-led to the point, you'll die that way. It's a dangerous thing to reject and reject and reject the Lord Jesus Christ, number one, He's never done you any harm. He's always been there willing to help you if you'd let Him. Willing to save you from your sins. Went to the cross, lay down His life for you. And you reject Him and reject Him and reject Him.
If you don't have God, you don't have God. You don't have anything. And it's really easy for you in your parties, among your friends, among all of your toys and your wealth and your pleasures to talk about what you're going to do. All of a sudden, all that could be gone. You could be staring a holy God in the face.
The reason we believers want to keep preaching the gospel to you is not to hurt you or to harm you, or any of that. We want you to know the only person who can change your life. Change your life for all eternity. And you may think, well, giving up this and giving up that. Listen, it's not a matter of giving up. It's a matter of receiving Jesus and His awesome message, eternal message of love and forgiveness. That's what it's all about.
God's Great Promises to the Persecuted
Now, so that brings me to the conclusion of what's the promises of God to the persecuted? Well, listen, He says this in many different ways, but listen. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in Heaven is great.
Now, when the holy God of the universe says, "Your reward is going to be great." Listen, think about this. When I think about it, I just want to weep with joy. When God says...it's God who says, "Your reward's going to be great." Now, great for me would be far less than that by a long shot. But when God says it's going to be great, can you imagine what that's going to be like? No, you cannot.
And you see, for all of us who are believers, we want you to get saved. We want you to live a godly life. Listen. When you trust Christ as your Savior, you're going to recognize what a waste the past has been. You're going to recognize how blind you've been. You're going to recognize how far removed from truth and reality you have been.
You're going to recognize one of these days that every talent, skill, and ability you have was given by Almighty God because of His love and because He desired to use you for His glory and His honor. So, where are you in your relationship to Him? Jesus was willing to die in order for you to be saved.
Multitudes of believers have died and been persecuted in order that the gospel would keep being passed on. And here we are today, passing it on again. Why? Because we care. If you've never trusted Jesus, believe me, when you do, you'll be giving thanks to God Almighty for changing your life.
Right now, this present moment, you don't have any hope. Somebody says, "Well, I'll take my chances." Chances right. You have no hope. If you're willing to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, watch this. He'll wipe away all of your sins. He'll forgive every single solitary thing you've ever done or said or felt simply by asking Him to do it based on this.
That when He went to the cross, God the Father placed all of your sin debt on Him and crucified Him. God is the one who crucified Jesus, not Romans. They were the tools. He crucified Jesus His Son so that your sin debt would be paid in absolute full so that you never have to question that.
And the moment He does that, your name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life and you're forever a child of God. Now, when you eliminate that from your life, where is God? Where is hope? Where is anything without Christ? You don't have anything.
My prayer to Almighty God is that you who listen would be wise enough to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and trust Him as your personal Savior. I'm not talking about church. I'm talking about your relationship to the God of this universe who came to this earth in the person of Jesus Christ so we could understand Him better and died for your sins.
I'm going to pray a simple prayer in case you've never prayed before. If you'll pray this simple prayer, Jesus will transform your life at this very moment, if you're sincere. Here's what you pray.
Heavenly Father, I have sinned against You. I have sinned against You, rejected You, wanted no part of You. I recognize that I am a sinner, unworthy to be forgiven. But today I'm believing in the confession of my sin, that when You went to the cross, You died in my place. I'm asking You to forgive me of my sins and save me and grant me the gift of eternal life. In Jesus' name, amen.
If you prayed that prayer, you can't be the same. And you won't want to be.