IS PERSECUTION PART OF OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE?

In our journey in life as christians, we cannot rule out persecution. It has been part of our christian life and this is because from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence (Matt 11:12) This fact has led some christians into asking why Jesus is reffered to as saviour and yet his followers undergo all kinds of persecutions. This has casued many christians to deny their faith while many are still wondering why Jesus should allow his followers experience various kinds of persecution.

 In the book of John 15: 20-21, Jesus reminded his followers why persecution will be part of their christan life. He quoted by saying;

20] Remember what I told you: ‘Slaves are not greater than their master.’ If people persecuted me, they will persecute you too; if they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours too. 

21] But they will do all this to you because you are mine; for they do not know the one who sent me.

The words of Jesus shows clearly that persecution is and will be part of our christian life. We cannot wave this aspect of our christian lives, as we cannot be greater than our master Jesus, who equally experienced persecution during his minstry on earth.

There are characters in the bible that experienced persecution. One of them is Daniel. He was thrown into a lion's den, but God preserved his life. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are equally characters in the bible that were ersecuted for not bowing down to a goldden statue. However, God saved them from burning inside a blazing furnace. After the death of Jesus, his Apostles equally experienced persecution from the jews for spreading his gospel. 

Similarly, in our own time, persecution of christians have not stopped, as it is still ungoing in many countries of the world today. It is disturbing to know that Fathers are turning against their sons, mothers are turning against their own daughters while couples are sese turning against each other. This is in fulfillment of what was written in the book of Luke 12:53;

"Father will be divided against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”

As disturbing as these truth are, some christians might say, where are we to run to. Truely we have no place to run to other than holding on to the words of encouragement from the scriptures that will keep our faith alive to hold on till the end until Jesus comes.

It is true that many christians have denied their christian faith because of fear of facing persecutions that can lead to their death. Remember the words of our Lord Jesus in Mark 8:35 saying;

[35] For whoever wants to save his own life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.

As christians and true followers of Jesus, we can also hold on to the words of Jesus in the book of Matt 24:13 saying, "But he who endures to the end shall be saved". As genuine christians, we can be sure that if we loose our lives for the sake of Christ, we will get it back.

Another truth we must bear in mind is, whether we are persecuted or not we will all die someday. How we die is not much important. What is more important is where we spend eternity.

May the Lord give us the courage and grace to persevere to teh end.

WRITTEN & PUBLISHED BY

BRO. ALIGWEKWE NNAMDI

To the glory of God and for the salvation of men.