Persecuted For One's Faith

I Peter 4:12-19

Being persecuted for our faith is something that believers have been enduring since the very first days of the Apostles, and it has never really ended, as persecution is occurring even today in many parts of the world.  As we continue in our New Testament readings from Peter’s first letter to believers, we read God’s encouragement for those going through any degree of persecution.

New Christians sometimes wonder why, after they have put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus, problems and trials continue to come, sometimes even with greater intensity.  They wonder why they must sometimes suffer persecution.  We even find some misguided preachers who imply that after salvation, life will be nothing but sunshine and rosy paths.  However, as we read throughout Scripture, and especially in our passage today, trials and persecutions will come.  Peter tells us not to think this is something strange (vs. 12).  It is something that will happen.

Sometimes we may wonder, that if God loves us, why He doesn’t stop the hardships in our life.  God is absolutely wise.  He uses adversity to deepen our relationship with Him, and display His glory to the world.  God uses painful experiences to cleanse and purify our lives.  Trials drive us to the Lord.  God uses them to try our faith, endurance, and devotion to Him.  They strengthen our faith.  Trials also show His power to sustain us, and they strengthen our testimony.

When Peter wrote this epistle, it was at the beginning of what would be over 250 years of intense persecution of Christians in the Roman Empire.  There are four attitudes that are necessary when there is persecution - We should expect it (vs. 12), we should rejoice in it (vs. 13-14), evaluate its cause (vs. 15-18), and entrust it to God (vs. 19).

A Christian who is persecuted for his faith will have overflowing joy in the future because of his reward (vs. 13).  This enables him to also rejoice at the present, though it is definitely not easy.  God allows persecution, and designed it for the believer’s testing, purging, and cleansing.  When a believer suffers persecution for his faith, God’s presence specifically rests upon him, and lifts him to strength and endurance (vs. 14).  Any adversity we experience is temporary because Jesus has given us eternal life.  He will ultimately deliver us from persecution, whether on earth, or taking us home to heaven.  Our future is secure because it is in His hands.

These words of Peter in our passage today bring to mind Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:11-12.  Jesus will send His Spirit to strengthen those who are persecuted for their faith in Him.  Sometimes our own unpleasant behavior is the cause of our problems, and it is not because of our faith (vs. 15-16).  However, when it truly is because of our Christian faith, Jesus will be with us.

When Peter and James were persecuted because of their faith in Jesus by the Jewish religious leaders, they rejoiced because it was a mark of God’s approval of their work in His Name (Acts 5:41).  Insults and rejection because of Jesus means there is evidence of Christ in our lives.  Keep on doing right regardless of the suffering it might bring.  Obey God when it is difficult, and leave the consequences to Him.  He will reward our faithfulness in doing what is right.  As believers, we need to commit our souls to Jesus.  Deposit them into His hands with trust for safe keeping.