Life Application Truth-Perseverance through Persecution
JOHN SHIRK – From First Peter 2:19.
“For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.”
This letter was being written to persecuted Christians, and would have brought comfort and encouragement to those who were suffering for their faith. Interestingly, Peter did not call these faithful Christians to rise up and rebel against authority. Instead, he called them to honor the king and submit to authority. He did not call them to water down their testimony, but urged them to set apart Christ as Lord and always be prepared to give the reason for their hope.
Peter drew their attention to Jesus, who suffered for them, and left an example for them of how to deal with persecution. “When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”
If you ever get into a situation where someone makes fun of you for following Jesus or no longer wants to be your friend because of your faith, that is a form of persecution, and that becomes a moment when you more closely identify with Christ, who suffered for you
Perseverance through persecution is a vital sign of a changed life in the Year of Transformation.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
Yes, this is ture but in America I can be offended at the slightest thing. Yeah, we consider a hard time form non Christian co-workers or friends persecution. I have lived in Eastern Europe and South Africa, never have faced persecution although it was close in Belarus. I was the only white person going to church with my friend in a township in Mitchell’s Plain near Cape Town South Africa.