Seeking Faith Without Persecutions
As we finish the week looking at a misguided way of life, we read this from Paul: “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:10–12 NIV)
If you want to live the godly life that Jesus calls you to, expect persecutions. Expect that your faith will offend others. Expect that people will want to attack your faith and knock you. Expect that you will become less popular because you are standing up for something that makes people uncomfortable.
Step Beyond Comfort
Many of us don’t want to be part of something like that. We want faith - we want religion - we want God, if it won’t inconvenience us. Because deep down we want pleasure and security more than we want God and so we settle for a kind of an in-between! We ask God into our lives but ask him to keep his hands off our money, our reputation, our comfort!!!
“Let us not encounter any danger Lord”, we say. “Let us worship you with our cushy lives!”
I’m guilty. I would much prefer comfort and security, to persecution. I would much prefer the warmth of my bed, to a cold night on my knees in prayer. I would much prefer the respect of the world, than to be a Jesus freak. I would much prefer to say nothing, instead of speaking to somebody about Jesus in public. I have to constantly step out of the comforts I desire to live out the faith I am called to.
David Busic is one of the General Superintendents of the Church of the Nazarene, and he said something at our General Assembly last year that has been bothering me ever since! He quoted CT Studd the old missionary, who said this: “Some wish to live within the sound of church and chapel bell. I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell!”
You get persecuted there, a yard from hell. You get bothered and looked down on and sneered at. But oh boy, you get to see miraculous works of God in places like that!
Embrace Costly Faith
A misguided view of the Christian life is: come to Jesus and get cushy and comfy. Come to faith and your hardships are done.
No, no.
The disciples rejoiced when they were mistreated and persecuted. Because they knew they were then sharing in the pain of Jesus himself. Paul said “in fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” (2 Timothy 3:12 NIV)
And it’s worth every persecution! It’s worth every sacrifice! It’s worth every ounce of pain and struggle! Because sharing Jesus with the world might hurt us, but it’ll hurt many more people a whole lot more if we back down and don’t help them find the good news that Jesus Christ offers salvation and joy and peace for all who will come to him.
Friends, don’t seek a faith in which you avoid persecution at all costs. Seek a life of pleasure in Christ, knowledge in Christ, power in Christ, even if it means being persecuted for it.
He’ll help you through each step of the way, and it will be worth it.
