Tim Maas Supporter Retired Quality Assurance Specialist with the U.S. Army

If I am interpreting the question correctly (i.e., that it is referring to persecution OF Christians, rather than to persecution BY Christians), Christian persecution would be actions of any degree (ranging from negative comments or shunning, to adverse economic measures, to imprisonment, to causing physical harm, or even to the taking of lives) carried out in opposition to a person or group based on aspects of their Christian faith.

Typically, such persecution is based on perceptions of the actions or beliefs of Christians as being in conflict with laws or requirements of the society in which they live (such as allegiance owed to a ruler or government, or obedience to laws that conflict with Biblical guidance).

February 10 2021 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Grant Abbott Supporter Child of Father, Follower of Son, Student of Spirit

Christian persecution is mistreatment of Christians by non-believers because our beliefs and lifestyle offend these people. Persecution can be in thought, word or deed. Persecution can come from individuals, social groups, family groups, ethnic groups, even from governments at all levels.

Here are some examples of different types of persecution.

Persecution by Thoughts
1) these Christians are pompous know-it-alls who think they are better than everyone else
2) these Christians act like they're holier-than-thou but are just hypocrites

Persecution by Word
1) words that mock, belittle, criticise, ignore, abuse, accuse, Christians because of who were are and what we stand for
2) words that seek to refute what Christians believe in such as atheist attacks

Persecution by Deed
1) Christians not invited to family functions
2) Christians not invited to after work social connections
3) Christians ignored at neighbourhood social events
4) Christians subjected to bias, prejudice, and discrimination by individuals, ethnic or religious groups, governmental authorities
4) Christians targeted with violence by ethnic groups
5) Christians arrested, property seized and imprisoned by governmental authorities
6) Christians flee their own country as refugees from religious violence

Why do Christians face persecution? Here are some thoughts.

1) Everyone who has a religious faith believes they are right and everyone else is wrong. Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, etc believe they are right and Christians are liars tried to deceive everyone else.
2) Christians believe that as believers and followers of Jesus Christ, we are the only people who have a right relationship with God and that is offensive to everyone with an alternative belief
3) As Christians proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in word and in deed, people will be offended because they are rebelling against the will of God; they are sinning because they won't accept Jesus and follow him and they don't care
4) The holy presence of Christians in the lives of other people makes them feel guilty and ashamed about their sins, which makes them angry with us
5) When people feel convicted for their sins by our witness, they get angry with God and that anger spills over toward us
6) Christians are persecuted to stop the advance of the kingdom of God on the earth. Satan will use any person, group of people, ethnic culture, religious or political organisations he can control, to stop our mission of bringing Jesus to our world.

Ultimately, Christians are being persecuted because we are confronting every human being with their life or death decision; what will they do about Jesus.

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God (2 Corinthians 2:14-17).

Christians are the smell of death to those who are perishing, that is why we are so offensive to them.

If we don't face any persecution today, could it be that we are blending into our culture so well that we are not a threat or offensive to anyone because of what we believe or how we choose to live.

February 11 2021 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College graduate and Dallas Seminary graduate

The importance of this subject may be indicated by the fact of the frequency of its occurrence, both in the Old Testament and New Testament, where in the King James Version the words "persecute," "persecuted," "persecuting" are found no fewer than 53 times, "persecution" 14 times, and "persecutor" 9 times.

However, I’d like to cite some verses from the NET Bible (New English Translation) instead of from the King James Version (for clarity): Here are some of the strongest Bible verses for dealing with persecution, cited from the NET Bible:

1. Matthew 5:10-12 (Persecution of the righteous)

[Jesus said,] "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way." (NET Bible)

2. 2 Timothy 3:12

"Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (NET Bible)2. 2 Timothy 3:12

"Now in fact all who want to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (NET Bible)

In the 2nd and 3rd centuries, Christians were to be found everywhere, for Tertullian, in an oftentimes quoted passage in his Apology, writes, "We live beside you in the world, making use of the same forum, market, bath, shop, inn, and all other places of trade. We sail with you, fight shoulder to shoulder, till the soil, and traffic with you"; yet the very existence of Christian faith, and its profession, continued to bring the greatest risks. "With the best will in the world, they remained a peculiar people, who must be prepared at any moment to meet the storm of hatred" (Workman, 189). For them it remained true that in one way or another, hatred on the part of the world inevitably fell to the lot of those who walked in the footsteps of the Master; "All that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Tim 3:12).

3. John 15:18-20

[Jesus said,] "If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you do not belong to the world, but I chose you out of the world, for this reason the world hates you. Remember what I told you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they obeyed my word, they will obey yours too." (NET Bible)

a. Persecution of Jesus (John 15:18, 20)

b. Persecution of the righteous (John 15:18, 19)

4. 1 Peter 4:12-14

"Dear friends, do not be astonished that a trial by fire is occurring among you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice in the degree that you have shared in the sufferings of Christ, so that when his glory is revealed you may also rejoice and be glad. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, who is the Spirit of God, rests on you." (NET Bible)

The First Epistle of Peter is one of the parts of the New Testament which seem to make direct reference to the Neronic persecution, and he uses words (1 Pet 4:12 ff) which may be compared with the narrative of Tacitus: "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial among you, which cometh upon you to prove you, as though a strange thing happened unto you: but insomuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice..... If ye are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are ye; because the Spirit of glory and the Spirit of God resteth upon you. For let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or as a meddler in other men's matters: but if a man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God in this name. For the time is come for judgment to begin at the house of God.

16 hours ago • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report