# Persecution: Bring It On?



## PuritanCovenanter (Aug 21, 2013)

My Pastor Preached a wonderful Sermon to which the recording died half way through due a technology glitch. So I encouraged him to write a blog post on it. I was greatly encouraged to look back and beyond in prayer for the world by the thoughts expressed here.


This was published over at Gentle Reformation. Please take a moment and read the whole thing for context.

Persecution: Bring It On? | Gentle Reformation

Here is a portion to wet the appetite...



> 4. We should learn from history not to romanticize persecution, especially intense persecution. Sitting in a Roman jail, Paul confessed that his imprisonment had really served the advance of the gospel, because the whole imperial guard had heard the gospel and the believers had grown in boldness by watching Paul suffer (Philippians 1:12-14). He also recognized that if he would die and be with Christ, it would be better for him (1:23). But, he knew that it would be better for the church if he were not executed. He wanted to be released and continue to minister to them freely (1:19, 24-26). Paul saw God work through persecution, but he did not desire it because he knew that God’s ordinary design is for the church to grow when its preachers are not in prison or dead. The church loves Tertullian’s famous statement “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Too often, however, Tertullian is quoted flippantly, with the assumption that wherever blood is shed, the church will magically be stronger. Yes, God caused the church in Acts to spread through persecution (Acts 8:1), the church took the gospel to northern Europe through the collapse of the Roman Empire, and the Lord has used intense persecution for growth, but not always, and I daresay, not normally. Consider the following:
> 
> 
> The church once flourished in lands such as Persia, North Africa, and China. It was then was largely stamped out through persecution, as documented by historians Samuel Moffett (A History of Christianity in Asia) and Philip Jenkins (The Lost History of Christianity). Summarizing Moffett on the persecution in Persia, David Calhoun says: “[He] talks about this fourth century persecution as the most massive persecution of Christians in history, unequaled for its duration, veracity, and the number of martyrs. One estimate is that 190,000 Persian Christians died in the fourth century in the Great Persecution. That may be far more than all the people who died in all the two-and-a-half centuries of persecution in the Roman Empire. And yet, as we look at the history of those suffering Christians in Persia, there appears to have been far more faithfulness. Far fewer numbers of people apostatized in Persia under persecution than those who apostatized under persecution in the West.” The Muslims nearly wiped out the North African church in the seventh century. China crushed the church there with the fall of the T’ang dynasty in the tenth century. No doubt, heresy, theological weakness, and political dependence were also factors in these lands, but not the only factors. Within the West, French Protestantism has been weak, especially since the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre and subsequent persecution. The Lord is at work in these lands today, but usually through the reintroduction of the gospel from other lands. Recognize that the blood of the martyrs left essentially no church in some places for many centuries. Though the Lord is working today, the church is small, as a percentage of the total population in these lands.
> ...


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## CuriousNdenver (Aug 22, 2013)

This is an interesting perspective. I would appreciate hearing him discuss the other side of the coin, as well.

Personally, I have never prayed for persecution, although, we are to be thankful in all things.


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## Cymro (Aug 22, 2013)

Interestingly there was a post from a sister in Ethiopia this week
telling of her fears for the teenagers under her teaching, because
of her anticipation of persecution on the horizon there. She wrote
that because of the corruption in the churches, the old Christian men
were praying for persecution in order to cleanse the church.


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## FCC (Aug 22, 2013)

Who can really doubt that persecution is coming to the United States? The sodomite cause is growing in strength and power. Islam is also a growing force and both of these alone are violently anti-Christian. The government run schools are instituting changes involving transponders and sodomites being able to the use the same bathrooms or bathrooms of their choice. Islam followers are establishing power structures throughout our land. My question is where are the Christian pastors? There is a booming silence on these fronts from the church. It is sad and grievous to watch happen. I do think persecution is coming and as Christians we must be ready.


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## CharlieJ (Aug 22, 2013)

As a historian, I agree with the OP. The norm for church growth is peace and freedom. There is a worthwhile debate on whether pluralist or establishmentarian policies are more conducive. I think Rodney Stark has made a good case for pluralism. Persecution conduces to the strength of the church only when it is intermittent enough or light enough to serve more as a symbolic rallying point. The English persecutions, such as recorded in Foxe's Book of Martyrs, were both intermittent and relatively light. So were most of the Roman persecutions. 

To pray for persecution is to act directly against biblical examples of prayer, which overwhelmingly ask for deliverance from danger and for open doors to preach the gospel. Christianity has often featured an unhealthy preoccupation with martyrs (especially in the early centuries); let us not add to it.


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## Miss Marple (Aug 22, 2013)

Since persecuting the church is a sin, it seems to me that we should never pray that it would happen.


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## Miss Marple (Aug 22, 2013)

David, I think the church as a whole is theologically confused as to its role in the political sphere. This is bearing fruit at this time. While we try to figure out our role, the enemy rushes forward.


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## CuriousNdenver (Aug 22, 2013)

Miss Marple said:


> David, I think the church as a whole is theologically confused as to its role in the political sphere. This is bearing fruit at this time. While we try to figure out our role, the enemy rushes forward.



I find myself asking Francis Schaeffer's question, "How should we then live?" almost daily. I do struggle with not only what the church's role, but my role in this seemingly degenerating world we live in.


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## MW (Aug 22, 2013)

If we had eyes to see we would understand that we already have ample persecution to test us. The world of unbelief is constantly trying to shame Christians into submission, and insofar as Christians fail to despise the shame they compromise the word of their testimony. It is a wonderful kindness that God does not give His people more than they can bear. He will carry them by a less direct route into the promised land rather than suffer them to face a battle they are unprepared to fight.


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## Alan D. Strange (Aug 23, 2013)

How right Matthew is in #9 can scarcely be expressed.

We never pray that we undergo persecution (or particular trials: lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil), but only for relief from it and, if we must endure it, that God would sanctfy to us our deepest distress. We need holiness, we need to walk with Him: He'll do whatever is necessary to secure and assure that. It may involve persecution (it will certainly involve suffering). The devil, flesh and the world constantly oppose us. There's persecution and opposition aplenty. Let our prayer be that He not put on us and others more than we can bear. To seek persecution stems from the failure to be engaged in the battle that we are already to be fighting. 

Peace,
Alan


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## FCC (Aug 24, 2013)

Yes, I would agree that we should never pray for persecution. There are many forms of persecution already present and if we are taking a stand for righteousness and God's Law then we will suffer persecution. But, the question remains where is the church? Where are the ministers and elders in our culture? Has she forgotten her first love? Persecution is coming and we should be ready.


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## Nebrexan (Aug 24, 2013)

I'm embarrassed to confess that I've endured very little persecution in the 37 years since my conversion. A pastor who works with the persecuted church in North Korea recently wrote an article in his blog that made me think.



> And this is why when people ask me, “How can I prepare for the coming Christian persecution in America?” I reply, “If you are not presently being persecuted, I wouldn’t worry about it a whole lot.” Because Christian persecution is not the result of state malfeasance. It is the result of seeking to live a godly life in Christ Jesus.



[BIBLE]2 Timothy 3:12[/BIBLE]


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## FCC (Aug 24, 2013)

Amen!


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## Herald (Aug 24, 2013)

Who is ever ready for persecution? Answer: no one. As much as personal holiness and a thorough knowledge of Scripture arm us to live obediently, we should never underestimate the power of the Holy Spirit in bringing God's children through persecution.


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## Leslie (Aug 25, 2013)

What persecution does to the church depends on how long it lasts and how thorough it is. In the case of 16th century Spain, there was a thorough infiltration of the evangelical church. The authorities did not close in until they were satisfied that they knew every single believer. Then they wiped them all out. Very effective. Likewise the theological famine exists in China because the persecution has gone on for so long, over many generations of believers. Many years of little or no permitted, large-scale scripture teaching causes problems. In the case of this ethnic group in Ethiopia, it is the best of both worlds with cycles of persecution, explosive growth, corruption, persecution, round and round. The church has developed theologically during the corrupting phase, and this has sustained her through the persecutions. Since 1991 with the overthrow of the communist gov't, Bible schools have sprouted all over the place. There are a number of respectable seminaries. Some illiterate pastors have learned to read. There is presently a program for training functionally illiterate pastors. While I agree that no one is every ready for persecution, it seems good to consider the ethical issues such as when disobedience to the civil law is warranted, and some of the historical techniques for covering one's tracks when obedience to God becomes illegal. The problem is that much of the historical persecutions took place in different times and cultures. With current technology for identification, plus the radical differences between German and Arab cultures, much of the historical material is inappropriate.


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## CuriousNdenver (Aug 25, 2013)

Leslie said:


> While I agree that no one is every ready for persecution, it seems good to consider the ethical issues such as when disobedience to the civil law is warranted, and some of the historical techniques for covering one's tracks when obedience to God becomes illegal.



It does seem that we would be wise to consider these things before widespread persecution hits The West. I read today that the Christian owners of Hobby Lobby have filed a lawsuit against the mandate that they provide health insurance which funds abortion and the morning after pill. 

In my humble opinion, there is a difference in persecution and trials, which we all face. However, I can understand how some would consider these trials to be persecution and then come to the conclusion that we are experiencing persecution here already.


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## Miss Marple (Aug 25, 2013)

What I am concerned about, is what happens if we "lose" in Court and don't pay the fine?

Does that mean jail?

I think of the Heuenins (sp?), who just lost at the New Mexico Supreme Court, because they would not photograph a homosexual "wedding." They are supposed to pay over $6,000 in attorney fees of the plaintiffs or something. What if they refuse to pay? Should they refuse? If they refuse, what will happen?


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## Mushroom (Aug 25, 2013)

3 hots & a cot w/cable TV and a gym.


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## Raj (Aug 28, 2013)

From my own perspective I wouldn't pray for persecution to come. It is not a good thing, whoever goes through it he/she know it best. The persecution over here has made people fear to confess Christ as their Lord. It has caused many to stumble in their faith, when you constantly live under a pressure from bad people and philosophy, what will do you? You raise your children in fear of God, make them good citizens but they are harassed on each step of life by their fellows, how do you feel? When your kids are denied jobs or being looked down whey they seek to work how do you feel? When people don't invite you to social events, and work how do you feel? How do you feel when whole remote village don't appreciate your presence among them, although you do good and live a better life than many there how do you feel? When they throw stones on your house in the night because you belong to Christ, in a village how do you feel? When they don't allow you to throw your garbage on the street or in the dumping side and when they even stop you drinking water from the common sources of the village how do you feel? How do you feel when they don't take you in their vehicle when you are in emergency (medical assistance), even though you want to give them the fare? How do you feel when the village head don't give you subsidized food rations in a village (only way to survive in the hills), How do you feel when your house in burning (set on fire) and no one come to help you? How do you feel when the small kids don't want to play with your kids, because of their faith? 

Persecution closed open air preaching etc activities, if you do you are literally beaten and literature snatched. 

I wouldn't pray for persecution to come but if it comes, I will ask God to help me to be faithful till the end of my last breath. 

God help....Our Lord come soon........amen.


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