Is persecution inevitable for those who truly follow Jesus?

Is persecution inevitable for those who follow Jesus? That simple question is more controversial in the Church than one might think at first. But a large portion of the Church believes Jesus died on the cross so He could continually serve us. He is supposed to be a great motivational speaker, a self improvement Guru, and of course His biggest purpose for our lives on Earth is that we are blessed and happy and that any trouble we have is just the devil harrassing us….But is that the message Jesus Himself taught? Lets start with this famous passage in Matthew chapter 5.

“Blessed are the peacemakers,for they will be called children of God.Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

~Jesus~ Matthew 5:9-16

As I read this section of Matthew chapter 5 which is a part of the section we call the 'beatitudes' I notice that the expectation and command to rejoice and be glad when we are insulted, persecuted, and lied about is just a standard trait of those who follow Jesus..

I also notice that Jesus said "Blessed are you, WHEN" and not "IF" these things happen to you. Also it is the peacemakers who will be persecuted, and one last detail; we are not salt or light unless we are the kind of people Jesus is talking about in Matthew 5:10-12

2 Timothy 3:12 says,"Indeed, all who want to live in a godly way in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."

I notice the word "all" and not "some" this is also an obvious expectation.

As we are approaching the end times and the last days the Bible is clear that Christian persecution and martyrdom will increase, and it will be so bad that Jesus will have to cut the time short because IF possible even the elect would be deceived.

Revelation 6:9-11 tells us that the souls of the martyrs cried out to God for His judgement upon those that killed them, but they were told to wait a little while longer until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers and sisters who were to be killed even as they had been, was completed also.

Revelation 20:4 records those martyrs, the martyrs of 6:9-11 had been killed for the Word of God and for the testimony that they maintained. But the Martyrs of Revelation 20:4 were killed for four reasons and the last two reasons help give us a definite timeline of who we are talking about. The four reasons are, The Word of God, the Word of their testimony, That they did not take the mark of the beast, and they did not worship the beast or his image.

Revelation 14:9-13 tells us not only what happens to those that take the mark and worship the beast and his image, but it also encourages Christians to persevere, and to keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus, in fact it goes on to say "blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Notice the word "perseverance." Why would the Saints have to persevere if they were taken up as soon as everything got too bad?

In fact there are many places in Revelation where were are told about the perseverance of the Saints such as Revelation 13:7-10 which says.

"It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority was given to him over every tribe, people, language, and nation. All who live on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slaughtered. If anyone has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the Saints." (also see Daniel 7:19-27).

There is so much more, but I will say this, nowhere in Scripture are we told there is going to be a great worldwide revival. Yes the Spirit will be poured out on all flesh (Jew and Gentile alike) but just like the first Church that doesn't mean the whole world will turn and follow Jesus in a massive revival, in fact throughout history the biggest persecutions have been of Christians who finally put it all down and turned aside from every hinderance to follow Jesus. Six million Christians under Hadrian and Nero, a few million during the reformation and inquisition, Communist persecutions in North Korea, China, and many other Nations.

There is a move of God coming and if you are willing to lay down your own life, take up your own cross and follow Jesus then you will be a part of it, but it will come during a time of persecution that the Bible says that there has never been a persecution this bad nor ever will be again (Matthew 24:21)...

My encouragement and reminder to everyone including myself is, that it is not what is coming that is as important as who we are in it. One of the traits by which the Saints will be identified is the "deeds" or "righteous acts" that follow them, which are the things they did to spread the Gospel on the earth before Jesus came. (Revelation 14:13 & 19:7-8, Matthew 24:9-14). Right now God is doing a work in the Saints all over the World, many are saying that they feel like they are spiritually dying, that they are being stretched in the character and in their mind more than they ever have, and every heart is being tested.God isn't doing this for our harm but out of mercy, so that will be be able to stand strong, to be watching and waiting, to learn to keep our own lamps full instead of relying on somebody else's oil.

Daniel Paul

P.S. - To understand how strong Jesus was with His Disciples about what it is to live a true Christian life just take a moment to read Matthew 16:13-27…We are not fit to follow Jesus unles we first lay down our own life, and then take up our own cross.
It sounds like a hard life, but when that sky splits open and for the first time we physically see the face of our King then it will have been worth every drop of blood sweat, and tears.