Christianity Plain and Simple

Persecution

Something that can at times be hard to talk about in Christianity is the subject of persecution of Christianity. There are many that will argue that it is Christians that are the main perpetrators of persecuting and colonizing others throughout history as opposed to the other way around. This topic is a good one I would love to discuss later, especially after researching it more, but as of now, I would like to talk to Christians about what the Bible, history, and the modern day say about Christians being persecuted.

To start, the Bible does not say, as many believe, that all Christians will be persecuted. Rather, it says all Christians that choose to live a godly life will suffer persecution.

2 Timothy 3:12 - Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

1 Peter 4:12 - Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

If you choose to do what is right, such as soul win, not live immorally, or put the things of God such as church above your job, you will be persecuted to some extent. Whether this is rejection or verbal disapproval (which is relatively minor persecution) or in some places disowned, beaten, imprisoned, or even murdered, all Christians choosing to live this way will suffer somehow from it.

Historically, this has been true. The first Christians were hated by religious leaders who saw their followers turning to Christianity.

Acts 5:16-18 -There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.

Later, the Roman Empire hated them for not joining the empire's requirement that all in the empire worship the emperor in some way shape or form. Many movements were created to murder all Christians and totally desecrate them. When they adopted Christianity as the state religion, they kept their imperialistic mindset and applied it to Christianity, using it to destroy all who would not conform to their specific version of Christianity in similar manners to the empire before it. This included those deemed heretics, non-believers, and eventually Protestants.

Eventually, different forms have come over the years. Some were aimed specifically at Christians, while others were aimed at many different groups, and Christians just happened to be one of the many hated groups. Some act like they accept Christianity, but only accept a very modified version from the Bible that doesn't even match what the Bible teaches anymore, such as in Communist China or Nazi Germany. Both allowed Christianity as long as they supported the wicked things the government did and followed its strict rules.

In the modern day, three forms of real persecution exist. There are those that allow Christianity to exist, but it must be a pinpoint in the culture. You may be a Christian, as long as you never, ever share this information about your personal religion with anyone else. Churches are forbidden except for specified places. Bibles are forbidden, especially among the natives, even if they want them. I'm not talking about how in some cultures sharing the Gospel is frowned upon, I'm talking about countries where it is totally illegal, and prison or death is the consequence for soul winning. This also includes countries that put to death or imprison those that convert to Christianity.

Second are those countries where legally you are free to do as you wish, but socially it is frowned upon. In some places, you may become a Christian, but your family will disown you, you will lose your job, and the police may ignore when you are abused. These places are not as bad as what is mentioned above when looking at the laws, but they still culturally hate Christianity. Often Christians are falsely accused of crimes they did not commit, such as burning other religion's holy books, giving gifts merely to bribe the inhabitants to Christianity, lying, or sexual immorality.