CHRISTIAN AND THE NATION – “PURSUING CHRIST IN THE FACE OF PERSECUTION”

As Christians, we are the citizens of some nation or the other. We are born to our parents whose ancestors are from that particular land. In some instances, we may have migrated to another country, and become a citizen of that nation. Whichever country’s citizens we may be, we as Christians are called by God Almighty, our Creator and our Redeemer, to be faithful and obedient citizens of that nation.

As we live in the nations of this world, we as Christians will encounter resistance and opposition from other citizens in the nation. This resistance and opposition can also turn into disagreements and dislike…many times serious disagreements. Often times, as history records, it does not stop there, but will proceed further into persecution of various dimensions, varying in its scale and intensity. Persecution for a Christian, in most nations of the world is normal, and is to be expected.

The question for us as Christians is not whether we will face persecution or not. The question is, “How do we face it?” and “What how do we respond to it?” There are times in the history, when the persecution was officially carried out by the government of the land itself. This complicates the things much more. What do we do when a “government” sets out to persecute Christians? How do we respond as the disciples of the LORD Jesus, when the persecution becomes the official agenda of the governance?

History records that religious leader and the people in power and authority over the centuries have persecuted Christians vigorously and viciously…
– the religious leaders of Jews have intentionally and intensely persecuted the followers of the LORD Jesus Christ. 
– Roman empire took up the mantle of persecuting Christians in a major way.
– The Catholic Church too had its share of persecuting fellow Christians who differed in matters of theology.
– The Protestant Church and its leaders too followed in the same path when they had power in their hands.
– The secular Europe followed suit. French Revolution is a fine example.
– Communist Block of Eastern Europe; Communists of China and other Asian countries; some South American nations; some African nations – they all have persecuted Christians. These are undeniable historical records.

Whether it is individuals or the people in power, which may, in many cases, include the official government policy to persecute Christians, we as Christians are called to follow what our LORD had commanded us in His written Word, the Bible. This is what it records for us…
– “43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” – Matthew 5:43-48

Here is what we can understand from the words of the LORD Jesus Christ. We should pay serious attention to it, and should faithfully and obediently follow all what the LORD says in the Bible – “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you…”

1- WHAT SHOULD BE OUR RESPONSE WHEN WE ARE PERSECUTED?
– LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
– BLESS THEM THAT CURSE YOU
– DO GOOD TO THEM THAT HATE YOU
– PRAY FOR THEM WHICH DESPITEFULLY USE YOU, AND PERSECUTE YOU

2- WHY SHOULD WE RESPOND IN THIS WAY?
– THAT YE MAY BE THE CHILDREN OF YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN

3- WHAT DOES GOD DO WHEN DEALING WITH WICKED AND EVIL PEOPLE?
– FOR HE MAKETH HIS SUN TO RISE ON THE EVIL AND ON THE GOOD SENDETH RAIN ON THE JUST AND ON THE UNJUST.

4- WHAT IS THE RATIONALE BEHIND THE NON-RESISTANT CHRISTIAN RESPONSE?
– “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you…IF YE SALUTE YOUR BRETHREN ONLY, WHAT DO YE MORE THAN OTHERS?”

5- WE ARE CALLED TO MAKE GOD OUR ROLE MODEL, AND FOLLOW HIS PATTERN
– BE YE THEREFORE PERFECT, EVEN AS YOUR FATHER WHICH IS IN HEAVEN IS PERFECT.

“These principles are rooted in the character of God, who is merciful and forgiving toward His enemies and who desires all people to come to repentance and salvation (2 Peter 3:9). They reflect the way of the cross, which is the path of self-giving love and sacrificial obedience that Jesus modelled and calls us to follow.” – from the article “Responding to Persecution: Lessons from Scripture and the Early Church” by  Eurasian Mission

Here is what we as Christians and the disciples of the LORD Jesus are called to do, when persecution becomes the official agenda of the nations we are citizens of…
– We are called to pray for the nation and its leaders.
– We are called to bless them and not curse.
– We are called to be obedient to the authorities.
– When injustice happens we are to endure it. 
– We can should explore all legal means available to rectify the injustice.
– Beyond that we should not go.

“Responding to persecution with faith, hope, and love is not easy, but it is the way of Christ and the path to blessing and fruitfulness. As we learn from Scripture and the example of the early church, may we be encouraged and equipped to face the challenges of living as Christians in a hostile world.” – Eurasian Mission [“Responding to Persecution: Lessons from Scripture and the Early Church. Even so the LORD Jesus help and guide us to be His true, faithful and obedient disciples in the nations we live as its citizens, as God’s ambassadors.