Preparing For Persecution

“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 

- 2 Timothy 3:12

I am not a prophet. I do not claim to have visions or divine insight concerning the future. Yet it seems rather obvious that our nation is heading in the wrong direction. We are seeing things happen in our country that I never thought I'd see happen in my lifetime.

One thing that seems rather apparent is that the American Church is at a crossroads. Either American Churches must compromise with the world or be persecuted by the world.

As I write this, there are churches in California that are facing overt governmental intimidation, legal consequences and financial ruin by worshiping publicly in their own sanctuaries. In the name of “public health,” the governor of California has violated the U. S. Constitution in prohibiting churches from worshiping indoors. Some would argue that outdoor worship is permitted under the right conditions there. But here is the problem. When believers are ordered by the government if, when and where they can worship, it is a violation of the Constitution. Furthermore, if the government can use a pandemic to make such rules, it gives them the freedom to practice the same tyranny at other times. When we give up our freedom in any way, we never regain that freedom and it gives tyrants the opportunity to expand their control and rob us of more freedom.

I don't believe that the issues in California are to be treated lightly. The ungodliness of California always spreads across our land. Presently, Christians are often labeled as judgmental, hypocritical, intolerant, narrow-minded, and even bigoted. More and more, our society views born again believers as being uneducated, naive fools. Some have even labeled Christians as a hate group. This is the state of things in our nation right now.

It is wrong for us to expect tyrannical leaders and ungodly courts to always come to the aid of Christians. We have just One source of help in such times. We need to rely upon God and His Word to lead us. Yet we need to prepare for increased levels of persecution, ridicule and intimidation.

On one hand, it is impossible to know how a person may react to persecution … until it comes. Yet there are some things we can do to prepare for persecution.

1. CHECK YOUR CONVERSION

First of all, make sure you are saved. Persecution has a way of separating the wheat from the chaff. Many have a dose of religion or church membership, yet they do not have a real relationship with Jesus Christ. We should not be shocked when we hear of apostasy. Apostasy reveals that some who profess faith never really possessed faith in Jesus. The “falling away” predicted by the Bible reveals that some were never in the way to begin with. 1 John 2:19 says, “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” Make your calling and election sure. This is the time to make sure that you know are saved. Only the righteous can stand in the time of persecution.

2. COUNT THE COST

Secondly, count the cost. What if you were required to compromise your faith in order to keep your job? What if you faced financial ruin if you refused to give in to governmental pressure? We need to know, up front, whether Christ is really precious to us or merely a means to an end. Do we love Jesus or merely like Him? The Bible indicates a future time when people will not be able to buy or sell, eat or drink without yielding to governmental tyranny and denying Christ. We are headed in that direction now. In the Bible, the disciples felt that Jesus was worth living for … and worth dying for. Paul gave up everything to follow Jesus. It cost him his position, power and prestige. Ultimately, it cost him his life. He counted the cost and found that Jesus was worth living for and worth dying for. We need to count the cost right now.

3. CONFIDE IN CHRIST

Finally, we need to trust God with our future. As persecution increases, pressure intensifies and intimidation multiplies, we can trust Him as we walk through the fire. The future may include isolation from family, unemployment, imprisonment, impoverishment and possibly even martyrdom. If we can trust Him with our eternal future, can't we trust Him with our remaining time here on earth?

We are not promised a life free of persecution. Instead, we are told to expect it. Some may object that I am overacting to our times. I can't help but think that the American Church has already compromised too much and has given up far too much territory to the enemy.

It is time for believers to be strong and bold for Jesus.