Matthew 5:11 - 12
NKJV - 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
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We Christians ARE blessed. We are chosen by God to be Christians. We, however, are likely to face many trials and tribulations for our belief and faith. We must hold firm to our faith knowing that man can only injure our physical being. Man CANNOT harm our souls. Only God can do that. Man has a choice: live for Christ and possibly lose our physical health, or live for ourselves, and definitely lose our souls.
The scripture already explained it. There is a reward for us in heaven when we are persecuted for righteousness sake.
What did Jesus mean by saying that we are blessed when people insult or persecute us for His sake? Matthew 5:11-12, New International Version: 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Look first at this word, "blessed." μακάριος (makarios) Strong: G3107 GK: G3421 happy, blessed, as a noun it can depict someone who receives divine favor, Mt. 5:3-5, 7;; Lk. 1: 45 Look next at that word, "insult." ὀνειδίζω (oneidizō) Strong: G3679 GK: G3943 to censure, inveigh against, Mt. 11:20; Mk. 16:14; to reproach or revile, Jas. 1:5; to revile, insult with insulting language, Mt. 5:11 -- William Mounce -- (He is a Greek scholar and author of several books, including "Basics of Biblical Greek Grammar". He is also known for his work on the ESV translation.) The role of the persecuted is to live for God ("rejoice and be glad") and God will reward that great reaction to persecution with great reward in Heaven. (Matthew 5:10a, 11). See Harold Wilmington's excellent outline of Matthew. Wiersbe emphasizes that the Christian who lives a godly life will face opposition—not might, but will. He connects this passage, Matthew 5:11-12, with 2 Timothy 3:12: This is a classic verse on persecution that every Christian should know. “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” "2 Samuel 16:12 relates-- 'It may be that the LORD will look on the wrong done to me, and that the LORD will repay me with good for his cursing today.' —2 Samuel 16:12 (ESV) David is being cursed by Shimei while fleeing Jerusalem. His response? He doesn't lash out. Instead, he accepts it, hoping God will see the injustice and turn it into blessing. Here’s the parallel: David was being mistreated unjustly—like believers are when persecuted for Christ. Instead of demanding revenge, David leaned into God’s justice and grace, trusting that God could redeem the pain for a greater purpose. Jesus is calling us to do the same: endure insults with humility, trusting God to vindicate and reward us. The Takeaway When you're persecuted, insulted, or slandered for standing with Jesus, you're in good company—Jesus, David, the prophets, and the apostles all endured the same. It’s not easy, but it’s eternally worth it. Persecution for Christ isn't a sign God has left you; it's a sign you're walking close to Him. And like David hoped in 2 Samuel 16:12, you can trust: God sees, God knows, and God will repay." chatgpt
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