Persecution in God's Church

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. "
Matthew 5: 11-12

Persecution comes in many forms. It is my belief that this verse not only speaks to persecution from people that do not believe in Jesus but also, from those within God's church and confess Him as Lord. If we examine the Message, and its explanation of this verse, this concept becomes more clear.

"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom. Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble."

Here it says that your commitment to God can provoke persecution. Sometimes, God may reveal something to you that others may find difficult to hear because their view of God is skewed. This skewing can occur because of many different things. Some of these can include differing theology, sin, lack of repentance, guilt, shame, and a misunderstanding of the Word of God. It can be painful to speak truth about God to find that others reject it, and even turn it against you.

In the previous versions with regard to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminds us that God blesses in all circumstances when we recognize His power over our lives. There are times, even in God's church, that we would like to abandon ship, throw in the towel, and walk away because of the sin that finds itself in both our hearts and the hearts of those that we are in community with. However, the Sermon on the Mount is a beautiful depiction of God's faithfulness in all circumstances in life.

No matter the opposition we face, we must fix our eyes on Jesus. If we reflect on the life of Jesus, his friends, those that confessed to believe in him as the Saviour of the world, rejected him and denied being associated with him at the time of his deepest need. So, can be true in the modern day church. We need to look at the church not as a place of safety for those that are trying to escape the world, but rather a place where God can rapidly descend and transform the lives of people that are in the process of recognizing their failing.

When we are persecuted, whether by a person that follows Jesus or not, we must embrace the circumstance as one that God plans on intervening. Rather than be discouraged, we must be encouraged that God has brought someone close to his truth. Do not lose heart because of persecution, recognize that it means God is breaking through and affecting those that hear your words. Patiently consider what God speaks to you, share, and understand that whether received well or harshly criticized, doing the will of God will prove its reward when you meet God face to face and he says, "Well done, good and faithful servant."