The Persecution of the Saints

Men love darkness…not righteousness (Jn 3:19). Righteousness is the position of God (Ex 9:27); and man is at enmity with God (Rom 1:18–20; 5:9–10). Inherited and practiced sin has separated man from his Maker (Ps 51:5; Rom 3:23; 5:12); therefore, anyone who is transferred from the kingdom of this world and into the kingdom of God’s beloved Son is also hated by those who remain in the world (Jn 15:18–27; Col 1:13).

It is not so much the man that is loathed; rather, it is righteousness that irks the natural man (1 Cor 2:14). The hater of God is unrighteous (Rom 1:18, 29). This is his legal status before the Judge of all the earth (Gen 18:25; 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 20:11). Worse for his disposition is the fact that God has given all authority and all judgment over to Jesus Christ, the Lord, our righteousness (Jer 23:6; Mt 28:18).

Those who are born again of God have been converted (Jn 3:1–8; 1 Pet 1:3), and having been granted the grace of repentance and the gift of faith (Acts 5:31; 11:18; Phil 1:29), these are justified by God to stand before God (Rom 3:24, 28; 5:9). The elect, redeemed, regenerate, believer in Christ has received the imputed righteousness of Christ (Rom 3:20–21; 8:10; 1 Cor 1:30; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 1:11).

This alien righteousness was actually secured by the meritorious works of the God-man; who came into the world without sin (Mt 1:23); lived without sin (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15), and who died as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world from the ones He came to save (Mt 1:21; Lk 19:10; Jn 1:29; 1 Tim 1:15). Jesus did what no other man could have done. He lived and died without sin. He always did what was right and what pleased God the Father (Jn 8:29; 14:31), who was truly pleased with His beloved Son (Mt 3:17; 17:5).

Jesus Christ, the righteous, makes everyone look bad (1 Jn 2:1). He is holy; and man is unholy (1 Tim 1:9; 2 Tim 3:2). No other man has ever had the favor of God, based on his deeds done in the flesh (Rom 3:10–12). Every deed is tainted by sin at some level (Is 64:6). This does not stop the natural man from trying to compete with Jesus. No man has ever come anywhere close to Jesus’ performance in the flesh. He has no rival; but Jesus had multitudes of enemies who wished to kill Him; who did kill Him; and there are those, today, who would kill Him all over again.

Judging Jesus also includes the wrath of man against Jesus’ disciples (Ps 76:10; Jn 15:18–27). Jesus promised His disciples that He would not be alone as an object of hatred by men (Jn 16:33). He was despised and rejected of men (Is 53:3); and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim 3:12). In this, Jesus is the personification of righteousness; and all who are in union with Him will endure the rage of sinners (Ps 129:2; 143:3; Mt 5:10–12; Jn 15:1–11; Rom 8:35; 2 Cor 4:9; Gal 4:29; Rev 12:3).

There are, of course, degrees of persecution. Some suffer insults, mocking, scoffing, slander, ridicule, ostracizing, prejudice, ill-treatment, arrest, judgments, incarcerations, beatings, torture, and in some cases…death. God is glorified; for the wicked reveal the beauty of God’s righteousness and His justice.

God’s chosen people have always suffered at the hands of evil men, whose evil deeds are often specifically directed at Christians. Cain killed Abel, his twin brother, for righteousness’ sake. Abel was accepted by God; while his brother was not (Gen 4). It is disturbing to remember this all happens in the context of the “brotherhood” of man. Families are divided because of righteousness (Lk 12:52).

The gathering of the saints is a communion of people who are not necessarily related by blood lines (Jn 1:12–13). They actually come from every nation, tribe, and tongue (Rev 5:9; 7:9). What brings God’s family together is the Holy Spirit, who calls out God’s beloved children from among the company of the wicked (2 Pet 1:10). The children of God are sanctified (1 Cor 6:11; 1 Thess 4:3; 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2), that is, set apart from the bad company of the ungodly.

Righteousness separates people; and this separation exposes the division between the two groups (Mt 13:25, 29–30; 1 Jn 3:10). Each group operates under the influence of its respective nature (Rom 5:17, 21; Eph 2:3). Sin nature dominates the sons of Adam; while the grace of God works within those who have been repositioned in Christ. Unrighteous sinners do fight within their group; but their assaults on the adopted sons of God are persecutions, when righteousness is the crux of the matter (Mt 5:10–12).

Everything Spirit-filled believers do is an agitation to those outside of God’s family because it is the ambition of those loved by God to please Him in every respect (2 Cor 5:9). This draws the ire of evil men; who love to destroy rather than build up.

Every blessing and benefit afforded by God’s grace to one group is a provocation to the other group. The kingdom of heaven belongs to the blessed people of God. They openly display gratitude, witness, and worship to God and to Christ. This unashamed devotion inflames jealously, envy, anger, bitterness, and wrath in the unbeliever, who is incessantly being blinded by Satan and hardened by sin (2 Cor 4:4; Heb 3:13).

The Christian must endure (1 Cor 15:58; 2 Tim 1:4); for the enmity and hatred is always there to some measure. God turns all of this for good for His beloved (Rom 8:28); who He has promised to preserve through death and into glory (Rom 8:30). The wrath of men and devils is no match for the love of God because He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world…and love never fails (1 Cor 13:8; 1 Jn 4:4). The love of Christ controls us (2 Cor 5:14); and His grace is sufficient to accomplish all that concerns us (Ps 57:2; 138:8; 2 Cor 12:9). He is faithful and true (Rev 3:14; 19:11); wise and powerful (1 Cor 1:24); immutable and unfailing (Ps 55:19; Heb 1:12).

In the world we do have trouble; but Jesus has overcome the world (Jn 16:33). He loves His own unto the end (Jn 13:1); and again, from everlasting to everlasting (Jer 31:3). He never leaves us nor forsakes us (Heb 13:5). Instead, He who began a good work is us will bring that work to its perfect end (Phil 1:6).

Be encouraged and be strong in the Lord (Eph 6:10); for after we have suffered for a little while (1 Pet 5:10), He will bring us, body and soul, into the kingdom of heaven (2 Tim 4:18), where righteousness dwells along with His righteous ones who inherit it all (Ps 32:1; 33:1; Mt 5:5; 25:34; Rom 8:17; Jas 2:5; 2 Pet 3:13).

Examine yourself: Got envy? Got joy? Your view to these matters will reveal to you who you are…either inside or outside of Christ. You either persecute Christ’s church; or you are persecuted. If the latter, rejoice and be glad, for the kingdom of heaven is yours.

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

July 5, 2024

Matthew 5:10–12