persecution

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INFLICTING PERSECUTION UPON THE AFFLICTED

Acts 7.59-8.4

INTRODUCTION: To introduce our study, I would like to read two accounts of believers from church history.

Blandina, a slave, having a constitution so delicate that even the Christians doubted whether she would have strength to remain steadfast, was tormented from morning till night with every conceivable manner of torture, so that at last the tormentors themselves became exhausted, and declared they could not conceive of any new torture to apply, and that they could not comprehend how she could continue to live, as her whole body was torn and lacerated. But the Lord mightily strengthened her so that she could continue to confess: " I am a Christian, and the wickedness which is imputed to Christians is slander." (From Woodlawn Co. Electronic Church History)

Ignatius, Bishop of Antioch, a pupil of the Apostle John and an aged man, was put to death under Trajan. On one occasion he testified before the Emperor that the gods of the heathen are nothing, and that there is but one God who created heaven and earth, and only one Saviour, the only begotten Son of God. Upon command of the Emperor he was sent in chains to Rome, there to atone for his faith in the Crucified One by suffering death.

He writes in one of his letters: "On the whole way from Syria to Rome I fought with wild beasts, being tied to ten leopards (soldiers) who, the more I sought to do them good, were all the more filled with madness against me. Nevertheless, though they cast me into the fire or to the wild beasts, though they nail me to the cross or tear all my limbs asunder, what does it all amount to if I can only enjoy Jesus! "In Rome he was thrown before beasts. When he heard the lions roaring he said, "I am Christ's grain of wheat which must first be crushed by the teeth of wild beasts before it can become pure bread." The lions soon finished their work. The few bones which remained were buried at Antioch (A.D. 116). (From Woodlawn Co. electronic Church History)

This study was initiated by a discussion in my churches evening prayer meeting. Persecution was brought up and I remembered some information that had arrived at the church which I had not had time to go over. I went home and sorted through it. I found a letter and some information from the Conservative Baptist headquarters and the National Association of Evangelicals. (I personally do not belong to either of these organizations. I happened to be interim pastor at a Conservative Baptist Association church at the time, assisting a small church until they could find a pastor.)

I would like to take some time to consider the following points:

I. FACT OF PERSECUTION

II. BIBLE VIEW OF PERSECUTION

III. EVALUATION OF PRESENT ATTITUDE TOWARD PERSECUTION

This is not a detailed study of what the Bible says on persecution, but is enough of a study to know the basics of how we should feel about, and react to persecution in our lives and in the lives of other believers in the world.

I. FACT OF PERSECUTION

A portion of the information in this section came from the material from Conservative Baptist Association and National Association of Evangelicals but I have adapted and added to it.

There are some reasons for rising persecution of Christians in the world today.

1. 70% of evangelicals lived in North America and Europe in 1960.

70% of evangelicals lived in third world countries in 1990.

2. Islam declared a holy war against Christianity a number of years ago. Their war was to be a war of words and they began disseminating their information with millions of dollars of funding. They waged this war by exporting thousands of their followers into our cities. They waged advertizing campaigns and media blitzes to spread their message.

You can go to any major city and find one if not numerous mosques. Indeed, many churches have been turned into mosques here in America and abroad.

In more recent years militant movements have taken the war in a more literal way and are waging war on all non Muslims, not just Christians. Anyone that is not a Muslim is given a choice to convert or die in some countries today.

3. Communist governments have always been antichristian. We now have China, North Korea, Vietnam, Laos and Cuba becoming more active in their persecution. Some believe this is due to the high profile of the Roman Church in the fall of the Soviet Union. They may well be taking note of the high interest in Christianity among the former Soviet Block nation people. The countries of the Soviet block are crying to hear of the Word of God.

4. The end of the age seems closer than ever before, and the Devil may well be taking heavier actions in an attempt too slow or stop his own defeat.

5. Michael Horowitz, a Jew, sees parallels between what is going on today to Christians with that that occurred with the Jewish people in Germany BEFORE the real holocaust began. The splitting of families, the taking of parents, the taking of children, the reduction of rights, etc. Based on his concern Mr. Horowitz has joined Christians in their effort to stop the persecution of believers in the world.

6. In Sudan the strong Muslim government is taking children of believers to sell into slavery. They are also withholding food from starving people until they convert to Islam.

Now, a little church history. The Christian record in this is not all that great so don't be too brutal in your condemnation of the Muslims. During the Christianization under Constantine and during the crusades

It was become Christian or die. The Muslims are just using previously successful tactics to gain converts. Realizing these tactics were mostly the Roman church and the Church of England, it is also realized that most people relate them in this day to all of Christianity - including us, and as a result the Muslims would only feel they were paying us back for what we did to them in the old days.

Not only is there a great persecution, but there is a great "OFFICIAL" blindness to it in our government.

EXAMPLES OF BLINDNESS TO PERSECUTION:

The CBA/NAE material was very clear on this point.

1. Ambassador to China, Jim Sasser, was briefed on all sorts of human rights violations in China before he took his position. He was informed about the Tibetan Buddhists, student democracy and other groups, but they forgot to mention the persecution of house churches all across the country of China. When asked about this he asked what a house church was.

2. The Emigration and Naturalization Service has repeatedly turned away Christians fleeing religious persecution even though the believers are under threat of death in their own country. Twenty Iranian leaders have fled Iran in the last two years, yet none have been allowed to come to the US. They are turned over by American officials to Turkish (Muslim) officials and are turned directly back to Iran.

II. BIBLE VIEW OF PERSECUTION

SCRIPTURE TO CONSIDER:

My first thought in this study was Daniel. What outcry was there when Daniel was cast into the lion’s den. He went but there was no outcry.

In Daniel's day there was no such movement as human rights, there was no American Civil Liberties Union, there was no Amnesty International. There was no one to raise an outcry against such things as dictators and their lion's dens.

Daniel 6:22 "My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt."

Daniel was innocent yet punished, mainly because he was a follower of God. This is the situation in most cases of persecution.

PRINCIPLE ONE: GOD TAKES CARE OF HIS OWN IN THE MANNER IN WHICH HE SEES FIT.

He used an angel to save Daniel, yet he allows others to die for their faith. It is His sovereign will that is in effect.

Is it wrong to raise an outcry? No, but if none is forth coming one should not be surprised, nor should one blame God. He at times allows all sorts of things to happen.

PRINCIPLE TWO: PERSECUTION IS NOT A SURPRISE PARTY FOR GOD.

The early church had thousands of people that were killed, fed to the lions, or burned on crosses. Persecution is not to be a surprise.

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

We should not go looking for ways to be persecuted, but we ought not be surprised if we are either.

PRINCIPLE THREE: A BELIEVER SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN STOPPING WRONGFUL DEALINGS WITH PEOPLE BY GOVERNMENTS

Proverbs 24:11 "If thou forbear to deliver [them that are] drawn unto death, and [those that are] ready to be slain; If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider [it]? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth [not] he know [it]? and shall [not] he render to [every] man according to his works?"

The thought of this passage is that you ought to be involved in keeping people from death if you can, but if you don't, there is a score keeper that will settle with you later.

The NIV translates it as follows: 11 "Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. 12 If you say, "But we knew nothing about this," does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?"

This is a general statement of anyone, not just believers! I mention this because I have some comments about the current concern of Christians over Christian persecution later in the study.

Hebrews speaks to this thought of helping ALL that are wrongly treated. Hebrews 13:1-3 "Let brotherly love continue. Be not forgetful to entertain strangers; for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; [and] them which suffer adversity, as being Yourselves also in the body."

After the service in which I preached this message one of the men came to me and told me he had never noticed that Proverbs verse before and then related it to abortion - another fine application of the text. If we are not verbal in this issue then we are neglectful.

PRINCIPLE FOUR: WE ARE SERVING GOD WHEN WE ASSIST THOSE THAT ARE BEING PERSECUTED

These verses are speaking of the helping of those in need, but certainly applies to those that are being persecuted or being tortured, and/or killed.

Matthew 25:36 "Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me."

Matthew 25:40 "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me."

PRINCIPLE FIVE: OUR DUTY TO THOSE THAT ARE UNDER GOVERNMENTAL PERSECUTION IS TO PRAY FOR THEM

Acts 12:5 "Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him."

This principle is also seen in a general sense in 1 Timothy 2:1 where Paul tells Timothy to pray for leaders and rulers. This should be a part of the prayer for oppression that we offer to the Lord. "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, [and] giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and [for] all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."

There is a related negative thought to this. Prayer was the limit of assistance given by believers in the passage. The believers did not go to the jail to see if they could break them out.

In our government, we have all sorts of avenues to assist us in aiding someone, but breaking the law is not a normal option.

PRINCIPLE SIX: WHEN BELIEVERS IN THE WORLD SUFFER WE ALSO SHOULD BE SUFFERING.

This is not always the case. There was great persecution in the Soviet Block years ago, and American believers didn't know anything about it.

This brings up the need for better communications around the world so that these things can be known. We are just beginning to hear of the persecution of believers because the media does not choose to give us this information.

The verse following is a general passage to a local church, but in application, if any believer is having persecution it is going to affect the overall ability of the universal church to function properly - as God wants it to function.

I Cor. 12.26 "And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it."

PRINCIPLE SEVEN: THE PERSECUTION OF OTHER BELIEVERS SHOULD BE A GOOD TESTIMONY TO BELIEVERS AS WELL AS TO THE WORLD.

II Thess. 1.4 "So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure."

Though persecution is terrible and frustrating and brutal, we as believers should take it in stride as a part of what God has planned for us in this world.

Believers in America feel that God owes us three cars and a four-bedroom house with full retirement benefits. GOD OWES US NOTHING! Our blessings here in America are a GIFT from God not our rights conferred.

PRINCIPLE EIGHT: WE ARE NOT TO BE ASHAMED OF THOSE THAT THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD ARE PERSECUTING.

Paul makes this clear in 2 Timothy 1:16 "The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:"

PRINCIPLE NINE: WE OUGHT TO BE VITALLY INVOLVED IN SEEKING OUT THOSE THAT ARE IN TROUBLE AND ASSISTING THEM AS WE CAN.

Paul again mentions Onesiphorus and his assistance to himself. 2 Timothy 1:17 "But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found [me]."

PRINCIPLE TEN: PERSECUTION RESULTS IN VICTORY FOR THE BELIEVER AND GOD

Rom. 8.35 "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

We can know that any persecution we find ourselves in is there due to God allowing it to come into our lives for us to learn from and for us to glorify Him in.

III. EVALUATION OF PRESENT ATTITUDE TOWARD PERSECUTION

1. The current move among Christians to stop the persecution of Christians is to be commended, however there are some serious flaws in their reasoning.

The National Association of Evangelicals, the Freedom House in Washington, and many spokes people - evangelical and charismatic alike (Josh McDowel, Bill Bright, John MacArther, Joe Aldrich from Multnomah, Dr. Stowell from Moody, Elizabeth Elliot, Charles Colson, J.I. Packer, and assorted charismatic preachers) are calling Christians to action. They are wanting us to raise holy cain due to the persecution of believers in all parts of the world. (This was the thrust of the material from CBA.)

This is commendable, but where was the outcry of Christians when Hitler was doing his work, where was the outcry of Christians when Stalin was doing his work, where was the outcry of Christians when the Cambodians were doing their work, where was the outcry of Christians when the Bosnians were doing their work?

Outcry, yes quite appropriate for all of mankind that is being persecuted, but not just for Christians. I think the lost world will see this outcry as quite late and quite self centered. The lost will be thinking, yes, now that it is them, they will raise cain. OUR OUT CRY SHOULD BE AGAINST PERSECUTION, NOT AGAINST PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS!

2. There is also a great danger in the information that I have seen. It is a great drawing together of religious groups of every strip into one effort. This is another step toward greater ecumenism. We saw it first on the abortion issue and now on rights issues. The NAE in one of their communications equated Evangelical Christians with Roman Catholics and called both Christian.

3. There is a great danger not only to the ecumenical drawing together of saved and unsaved, but it is also OF GREAT DANGER TO OUR ABILITY TO WITNESS TO THE LOST WORLD. If the lost see us as the same as all the other religions of the world, why should they listen to what we have to say.

APPLICATION:

In keeping with the thought of the message, we need to give opportunity to apply what we have learned.

1. When you hear information about human rights, listen to what is going on in the world and support the efforts that are being made in the world.

I have always had mixed feelings about America meddling in other countries’ human rights. Our own current human rights aren't all that good at times. It is well and good to do as we can, but it must be remembered that these are sovereign countries, not American satellites.

2. Write your congress people. The addresses are at the bottom of the study.

3. Speak out in any situation in which you find yourself and the subject of rights comes up.

4. DON'T YOU DARE FORGET HOWEVER THAT THE KEY FUNCTION OF THE BELIEVER IS TO WITNESS OF THEIR LORD. Never should we give second place to the Gospel, not even in this instance.

5. And finally, PRAY for those around the world that are suffering for their Lord Jesus Christ.

HOW SHOULD WE PRAY?

1. For the people being persecuted. That they would be courageous, patient, and good testimonies to their persecutors. That they would find the strength in their God to face what they must face.

2. For the people persecuting others. That they would find mercy and a knowledge of right and wrong.

3. For knowledge of how to help and assist in the work of stopping persecution around the world.

4. Know that it is only God that can intervene in any situation and it is He that we must lean and depend on.

MOVING TO ACTION:

President (President's name); White House; Washington, DC 20500

The Honorable (Representative's full name); U.S. House of Representatives; Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable (Senator's full name); United States Senate;

Washington, DC 20510