The Absence of Persecution

The absence of persecution, of the church of Jesus Christ in America is a scandal. Something is grievously wrong that the world has not found sufficient offence with us, to hound us, harass us, to reproach us, rebuke us, and to persecute us, let alone to slay us, I will be far more comfortable, and heave a great sigh of relief when persecution returns to the church, for I will know by that symptom, that the church has returned to God. – Art Katz

We speak of persecution here in America as if we really had any idea what it meant to be persecuted. Oh yes, men may be mocked when sharing the gospel, or for not doing particular sinful things. Men may be snickered at or joked about for the life they live. But hardly do we face the persecution Jesus or his disciples faced. Hardly do we face the persecution of believers in parts of China or India or Iran or Saudi. It is an offence that we should belittle the suffering of such great men throughout history by comparing it to our infinitely smaller problems here today. Yet the Bible says we, as those who follow God, will absolutely be persecuted. What shall we then say? Are we just fortunate enough to live in a land tolerant of our faith? Or will we again say that our persecution is ‘just different’. Rather I would argue that the so-called persecution we say we face could be labeled nothing but an annoyance, and that we do not face persecution because we have done nothing deserving of persecution. If we would actually stand up and proclaim the gospel in this nation, men would then find offense in us. If we would stand up and decry the immorality of our nation and the world, rather than sitting back and saying it’s just too bad people are immoral today, we would know persecution. If we did as we ought to do, we would face the persecution we ought to face. And such persecution is then not the negative to our positive actions, but a further, and desperately needed, positive for us. For it is through such trials that we grow, it is when we are hated and beaten that our resolve grows strongest. If we wish to pray for help that we may grow, we ought to pray for persecution. If we wish to pray for churches to unite, we ought to pray for persecution. If we wish for the world to see us as men and women of God, through which He may shine, then it will be in our time of most dire need that they will see it. Pray that men will stand up as they are called to do, that persecution may come upon us as it is meant to do, that we may grow as we were meant to grow, that God may ever be glorified more.