Persecution is an interesting concept for Western Christians. It simply doesn't fit with the culturally informed view of God held by many, particularly how God and His love are understood, particularly His love for those who believe. To be harassed or punished in a manner designed to injure (the essence of the definition of persecution according to Merriam-Webster.com) is not what Westerners expect to experience as born-again believers. And our experience, for the most part, affirms our expectations. But what is only a concept or category of treatment for us is a reality for many Christians around the world. Open Doors, an organization that tracks the persecution of Christians worldwide, has documented the murder of over 4,000 Christians in 2024 worldwide. Scores more aren't killed but are harassed and punished by individuals, family members, non-Christian religious groups, or governments. So, those of us who can only think about persecution as a concept wonder why it is that God would allow such things to happen.
To better understand persecution, let's consider the expectation of persecution, why Christians are persecuted, and how Christians benefit from persecution.
Persecution is a Christian norm.
Jesus told his disciples that they would be harassed, injured, ostracized, beaten, imprisoned, and even killed (Mark 13:9-13, Matthew 23:34, Luke 11:49, 21:12). He told a large crowd of people who gathered to hear him teach, "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account" (Matt 5:11). Note, he did not say "if others persecute you", but "when" others do so. At one point, when Jesus was speaking to and about the Pharisees, a sect of strict legalistic Jews, he said, "I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town" (Matt 23:34). Jesus taught the Apostles to expect persecution. It wasn't only the Apostles who suffered persecution, though. Stephen, a Christian man, not an Apostle, who served as a deacon in his church, was killed because of his witness to the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Acts 6:8-7:60). The Apostle Peter in a letter written to Christians across a large area of the Roman empire acknowledged that they were suffering persecution, as did James in the letter he wrote (1 Pet 1:1-6, James 1:2). persecution was widespread in the Roman Empire. There were seasons in the first few centuries AD when persecution was so severe that thousands of Christians were put to death for their faith.
Persecution should be expected by Bible-believing Christians. It comes not because of who we are, how we live, or what we say, but because of who Jesus is, how He lived, and what He said during His ministry on earth.
The reason Christians are persecuted by others
In extended teaching delivered to his closest disciples immediately prior to his arrest and subsequent crucifixion (see John 13-17), Jesus included encouragement and guidance to them regarding persecution (John 15:18-16:11). There isn't space here to delve deeply into this portion of what is known as the upper room discourse, but let's look at a few key points that Jesus made about why it is that Christians suffer persecution as a normal outcome of their living as faithful disciples.
"Because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:19b). Having been chosen out of the world by God the Father who gave each Christian as a gift to His son Jesus who saves them by grace (John 17:2,6,9; Ephesians 2:8-10), Christians are not of the world. We no longer believe as those of the world believe. Our worldview is in stark contrast to theirs. Ours begins with "in the beginning, God created" and affirms God's sovereignty over the affairs of men. So, one reason Christians are persecuted is that those in the world hate them; they cannot agree with them and must oppose them.
Another reason Christians are persecuted is that those outside of Christ do not recognize Him as the Messiah, the one who saves. Nor do they know the Heavenly Father who sent Him (Because of the love the Father has for His creation, He sent His son to restore life to people who willingly forfeit it through sin. Speaking of persecution, Jesus said, "But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me" (John 15:21). Jesus made it plain that Christians who are obedient to his command to make disciples will be persecuted by non-believers on account of who He is and because they do not know the one who sent Him. Despite all that can be known about God through all that He has made, mankind ignores God and His truth, shoving truth aside in the futility of their own thinking and suffering the consequence (Romans 1:18-23). Those who do not acknowledge God as the sovereign creator who loves them persecute those who do. Because Christians have been transferred into God's kingdom of light, they express the truth of God and of Jesus Christ in word and deed. "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9). Because of being in the light and engaged in making disciples, Christians carry a fragrance everywhere they go. Paul says of those who present the gospel, "For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life" (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). Faithful Christians remind non-believers that they are, in fact, dead in their sins and that the wages of their sin is death (Romans 6:23). So, they suppress the truth by persecuting the very ones who share the words of life (Romans 1:18).
How Christians benefit through persecution
The Apostle Paul gives a clear view of the benefit enjoyed by Christians who are persecuted for their faith. He says that such suffering produces endurance. Endurance is a virtue born out in the one who is unwavering in loyalty to and worship of Jesus despite intense persecution. It produces character, which produces hope. Hope, in this case, is not a wish as in the hope for a warm, sunny day in March. It is a firm expectation of something good in store for those who believe God and His promises. This hope does not disappoint the believer because the Holy Spirit pours God's love into our very lives. He is the seal of God on our lives that assures us that we are in Christ, having been bought with the price of His own life (Romans 5:1-5; 1 Corinthians 6:19). James says that such steadfastness results in our complete sanctification in Christ as we grow more and more like him. He uses strong words in his explanation, words like perfect, complete, and lacking nothing. Such is the power and benefit of persecution in the life of the believer (James 1:2-4). Throughout history, Christians who suffer persecution because they proclaimed Christ as Lord demonstrate the truth of Jesus's words in Matthew 5:11; they are truly blessed, and that blessing finds expression in great joy. This is precisely what the Apostles experienced when, within weeks of the crucifixion of Jesus, they were beaten because they proclaimed Christ as Lord. In response to the threats, beatings, and command to stop speaking in Jesus' name, the Apostles rejoiced! It was a joyous thing for them because God had counted them worthy to suffer dishonor for speaking in Jesus' name (Acts 5:41).
But this is no benefit at all for the one who does not long to be made like his savior. Paul is our model on this point. He writes in Philippians 3:8-11, "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead." If this longing is yours, then persecution will be yours, and its fruit will be born in your life as you honor Christ in steadfast, loyal service.
In summary, persecution should be expected by Bible-believing Christians. It comes not because of who we are, how we live, or what we say but because of who Jesus is, how He lived, and what He said during His ministry on earth. We are simply being made like Him as we follow Him day after day. As for why God allows persecution, for some there is no satisfactory answer. Christians should understand that God allows persecution because it accomplishes His sovereign purposes, honors Christ, His Son, and is of good benefit to them. I commend to you for consideration and perspective on persecution, the account of the martyrdom of Polycarp, a first-century Christian leader. You can find it at the Christian History Institute website. Persecution is hard to endure, and it has great benefits in this world and in the future for those who are called to it. We should pray for those around the world who suffer persecution, be thankful to God if we have not suffered under persecution and be watchful as it may be ours to endure sometime soon.
