How to Trust God When Persecuted For Righteousness’ Sake
Dr. Adrian Rogers, in his sermon addressing the eighth Beatitude from Matthew Chapter 5, asserts that persecution is not an anomaly but an inevitable sign of genuine Christian living. Studying the Beatitudes reveals the true character of a Christian. As society enters the “lengthening shadows of the last day,” the Bible-believing Christian has become the “new whipping boy” and the primary target of the world’s ridicule and wrath.
Rogers challenges believers to prepare for persecution and to prepare their children to live in a world increasingly hostile to their faith. He emphasizes that there is “no way to be a genuine Christian” and escape this suffering. Indeed, the Apostle Paul confirmed that “all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution”.
I. The Reasons for Persecution: Why Christians Are Targeted
The persecution of the saints is based on two core reasons: the Life We Live (Righteousness’ Sake) and the Lord We Love (for Jesus’ Sake).
1. Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake (The Life We Live)
The primary reason for persecution is righteousness’ sake. The Greek word for “righteousness” essentially means to divide. Christians are persecuted precisely because they are divisive and different.
- Standing Out: Christians are meant to “stand out like a diamond in a coal mine” or “a gardenia in a garbage can”.
- Contrasting the World: Living the principles of the first seven Beatitudes (such as meekness, mourning, and purity of spirit) immediately sets the believer against the world’s standards. The world laughs at humility and meekness, preferring the “mighty man, be a muscle man, be a money man”.
- Guarantee of Persecution: If a Christian embodies the first seven Beatitudes and lives that way, the eighth—persecution—is guaranteed.
- Salt and Light: Christians serve two functions that irritate the world:
- Salt: The gospel is an irritant to the putrefying wounds of this world.
- Light: The gospel is revealing light to the things of darkness. The world demands that the salt be removed and the light be put out.
2. Persecuted for Jesus’ Sake (The Lord We Love)
The second reason for persecution is for Jesus’ sake. The world genuinely hates Jesus Christ.
- Misconceptions of Christ: The world does not hate the “Baby Jesus in a manger,” nor does it hate the Jesus who healed the sick and fed the multitudes. Many merchants and the “giddy crowd” love the baby in the manger.
- The True Source of Hatred: The world hates Jesus because “Jesus has come to destroy the works of the devil”. These works include liquor, abortion, pornography, pride, racism, and greed. When Christians stand with the Christ of the Bible—the Savior who destroys sin—the world stands against them.
- Shared Suffering: Jesus told His disciples: “If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you”. If believers are chosen out of the world by Christ, the world will hate them. When you receive Jesus Christ, you also receive suffering for His sake.
II. Persecution vs. Punishment: Making the Vital Distinction
Christians must be careful not to confuse persecution with punishment.
- Persecution is when evil people persecute you when you do good. It must be both false and for His sake.
- Punishment is when good people punish you when you do evil.
Many people think they are being persecuted when they are simply receiving punishment for being “busy bodies,” having bad manners, or displaying “arrogance and ego”. A person claiming to be a witness but acting like a “prosecuting attorney” or trying to be “odd” instead of genuinely different is not being persecuted. If you are not living for the Lord Jesus Christ, your suffering is likely a consequence of your actions, not a result of righteousness.
III. The Results of Persecution: Understanding the Attack
The word persecution literally means “to pursue”. Persecution manifests in three main ways:
- Personal Insult (Reviling): Christians will be reviled and made the butt of jokes. Rogers recounts that in his youth, he was ridiculed and reviled for standing up for Christ and refusing to adopt the language and habits of others, even while serving as football captain and class president.
- Physical Abuse: The world may literally seek to do you harm. Rogers notes that more people died for Christ in the 20th century than in all previous centuries combined. Physical persecution, even in America, is evident today for those “standing up for the unborn”.
- Social Stigma (Falsehood and Ostracism): Evil will be spoken against you falsely. Persecution may involve being ostracized socially, overlooked for promotions, or looked down upon as “socially inappropriate”. The Bible-believing Christian is frequently portrayed in the media (situational comedies, films) as an “authoritarian bigot,” a “cruel monster,” or a “hypocrite”. This stigma often comes from the radical, liberal media and the pornography industry.