The Persecuted Church

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Some Uncomfortable Facts

Why Persecution?

Religious persecution can be defined as the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group simply because of their belief. In other words, the persecution is unwarranted. Christians have been persecuted from earliest times e.g. Acts 8.1 and believers were told to expect it:

'If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you ...' (Jn 15.20)

'All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted' (2 Tim 3.12)

Why persecution? The root cause of persecution is spiritual, not ideological. Satan hates both national Israel (the Jews) and spiritual Israel, the church. In fact, he wages war upon both Jew and believer in Christ (Rev 12.17), and since he is still ruler of this world (until Christ comes, Jn 12.31) he uses the world e.g. humanistic law in Europe, or extremists of other faiths, to carry out his aims. Some see Satan's trump card against Jew and believer alike to be the inability to buy or sell without his mark (see the cashless society. But Jesus saw such hatred as an opportunity. Just as His undeserved death on the cross is still a powerful witness of love truth and grace today, so it will be when believers are persecuted. Jesus said:

"It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony." (Lk 21.13)

Like Christ, a person who suffers unwarranted mistreatment for their faith gives a powerful message that their belief is worth suffering for. It is solid. It is true. It is reality. This will be evidenced when believers are brought before Councils and Courts; at these times they will be given supernatural speech and wisdom which will confound their accusers (Lk 21.15).

Persecution - Past

In its ultimate form, persecution results in martyrdom. A martyr is one who, without seeking their own death or any harm to others, is murdered or put to death for their religious faith. The word 'martyr' comes from the Greek word translated "witness". All faiths have martyrs: the World Christian Encyclopedia (2001) estimates that there have been some 80M Muslim martyrs, 70M Christian martyrs and 30M Hindu martyrs since the start of these faiths. The first Christian martyr was Stephen. Looking back at Christian martyrdom:

For more information on past persecutions, see Christian martrys.

Persecution - Today

Today we have the noble declaration of human rights enshrined in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."

Despite this, there is severe persecution of Christians in Africa, Latin America, the Middle East, most of Asia and now Europe (via the European Union). Iran is one of the world's most repressive states, and those who offend Sharia law may be publicly flogged or even executed by hanging in the streets. In 2008 over 200 million Christians around the world were in danger of being tortured, persecuted, or killed for their faith.

In the UK, persecution is happening by stealth via EU Equality Law and political correctness. Consider just three cases in 2008. A Christian counsellor has been dismissed from Relate because he felt his obligation to give sex therapy to homosexual couples contradicted his Christian ethics. A Christian minister has been removed from a community radio talk show because his statement that ‘Jesus is the only way’ offended some Muslim listeners. A Christian policeman provoked unjustified anger in his local police force when he made a stand on his Christian beliefs regarding homosexuality. He was threatend with dismissal. If you are in the UK and feel you are being persecuted for your faith, contact the Christian Legal Center.

In all this, remember that Jesus said:

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great ...” (Mat 5.11,12)

For further information on current worldwide persecutions see:
Release International, Voice of the Martyrs, International Christian Concern and Open Doors

Persecution - Future

It is claimed that the 20th century persecutions were the most severe in the history of the church. According to the World Christian Encyclopedia (2001), some 45.4M Christians were martyred in the 20th century, compared with some 70M Christian martyrs for all time. In other words, more Christians were martyred in the 20th century than in all previous centuries combined. Other statistics show martyrdoms increasing yearly, from 35,000 in 1900, to 171,000 in 2005 to an estimated 260,000 in 2008. Clearly, some of this increase will be due to population increase.

Is the scew tightening? What of the future? Jesus answered this point very clearly. When asked for signs of His Second Coming and the end of the age He gave His disciples a list (Mat 24):

Jesus said that just before He comes again, believers would be universally hated and delivered up to the authorities. Some would be killed. Jesus said that an hour (a relatively brief period of time) is coming when men will kill believers in Christ because they think they are offering service to God (Jn 16.2)! This happened in the Catholic Inquisition and is happening today under Islam. On the positive side, the arrest of a believer leads to an opportunity to testify to a godless world (Lk 21.12-19).

The significant point in Mat 24.9 is the hatred of Christians by all nations. That must include the 'westernised' nations (USA, Canada, Europe, Australia etc.). Anti-Christian actions by the authorities are already being experienced in the UK (see Christian Voice), and humanistic law is replacing Christian ethics in Europe. France in particular maintains that "the EU had to remain a secular construction respective of its different traditions and religions" [Michel Barnier, French Foreign Minister 2004-2005]. Correspondingly, it is stated that there will be no reference to Europe's Christian roots in any revised EU treaty. German chancellor Angela Merkel has said "there is not much of a chance on the prospects of God appearing in a preamble to the EU text".

Europe's stance on Christianity may be the seeds of the prophesied end time apostasy, persecution and martyrdom. There are strong indications that the EU could be the kernel of the end time World Government and that Roman Catholicism is the kernel of the end time (persecuting) apostasy. How far the true church goes through this end time scenario is a matter of prophetic interpretation. Some see the persecuted church in the suffering saints of Rev 13:

'It was given to him (the end time world dictator) to make war with the saints and to overcome them ..." (Rev 13.7)

Others see a pre-tribulation rapture of the true church and view the persecuted 'saints' in Rev 13 as persecuted Israel (Dan 7.21). These 'saints of the Most High' are severely persecuted for just 42 months (Dan 7.25)(Jer 30.7). The latter interpretation appears compatible with the removal of the true church (Mat 24.37-41) prior to the brief reign of the beast of Revelation.

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Bible quotations are from the New American Standard Bible