Blessed Are the Persecuted
Posted by: forthrightmag <forthrightmag@...>
http://www.forthright.net
Straight to the Cross
COLUMN: Final Phase
Blessed Are the Persecuted
by J. Randal Matheny
I hate pain. I definitely do not have a martyr
complex nor am I a masochist. I do not go around
inviting people to hit me. The idea of burning at
the stake or some other morbid form of extinction
does not excite me one bit.
Most of us avoid suffering, if we can help it. So
we stumble at Jesus' words,
Blessed are those who have been persecuted
for the sake of righteousness, for theirs
is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you
when people insult you and persecute you
and falsely say all kinds of evil against
you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward in heaven is great; for in
the same way they persecuted the prophets
who were before you (Matt. 5:10-12, NASU).
We think we are being spiritual when we can say we
rejoice in spite of suffering. Jesus, however,
says to rejoice BECAUSE we are suffering for his
sake.
There's a world of difference in those two
perspectives.
Like the twelve apostles who, after being beaten,
left the Jewish council "rejoicing that they had
been considered worthy to suffer shame for His
name" (Acts 5:41).
Like Paul and Barnabas who prayed and sang hymns
of praise to God after being imprisoned for having
preached Jesus (Acts 16:25).
Like Paul who rejoiced in his sufferings for the
body of Christ (Col. 1:24).
This is no high and holy attitude just for
apostles. Again and again the New Testament tells
us: Rejoice in your trials and sufferings (Jas.
1:2; 1 Pet. 4:13).
Why rejoice? Jesus gives us the key: participation
in his suffering is part of kingdom living and
necessary to enter heaven. And there's more:
• Suffering emphasizes the value of eternal glory
(2 Cor. 4:1-18).
• Suffering discovers the power of God (2 Cor.
12:7-10).
• Suffering completes the afflictions of Christ
(Col. 1:24-29).
Suffering for the name of Christ is a result (as
well as a means) of preaching the name of Christ.
Whoever shrinks from it is not worthy of the
kingdom and does not know the price of salvation.
Above, all suffering makes us one with the Master
(Matt. 10:24-25). If we preach that one must die
with Christ in baptism, there will be a price to
pay (Rom. 8:1-17). Thus, the latter half of Romans
8 is laced with our willingness to suffer with him
and depend upon the power and grace of God.
We are "heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ,
if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also
be glorified with Him" (Rom. 8:17).
Pain is painful. But the greater pain is the
thought of being separated eternally from God
because we shrank from suffering shame and
persecution for the name of Christ.
----
Read this article online, tell us what you think,
see who's commenting, click here:
forthright.antville.org/stories/577618
----
You can help us get the word out. Here's how:
forthright.antville.org/stories/340415/