We Aren’t Ready For Christian Persecution

American Christians, me included, have become thin-skinned, and it’s affecting our Christian walk. We’re easily offended, scared to openly share our faith, and find ourselves comfortable enough with the culture around us to blend in with the world. The reasons are probably nuanced, but one thing is clear…American Christians have it easy. Sadly, this comfortable life is making us completely unprepared for real Christian persecution.

Christian Persecution In America

What is the most severe persecution you have faced as an open Christian in the United States? Most of you won’t have a particularly harrowing tale of woe. I know I don’t. Most Christians in America have been teased for their faith or confronted with name-calling and accusatory labels such as homophobe or misogynist. More often than not, Christian persecution is a case of mean words rather than “sticks and stones.”

Yet, some believers choose to advertise themselves as martyrs for Christ. What happened? A cashier refused a gospel tract. A coworker made fun of God and called Christians “weak” for “needing” religion. Or maybe a relative made it clear that religion would not be an acceptable conversation topic at Thanksgiving dinner. Admittedly, these scenarios don’t feel good, but are we suffering difficult trials and experiencing persecution because Joe at work looks down on Christianity?

Christian Persecution Has Gotten Worse

I don’t want to downplay anyone’s personal experience, but when looking at this issue in generalities, the truth is that Americans have been incredibly blessed to not experience a great deal of persecution. However, the tides can shift quickly, and I think they have already begun to do so.

Double Standards

I don’t want to bring up the pandemic, but we saw governmental Christian persecution. Do you remember how churches were ordered to close down? Meanwhile, abortion clinics, strip clubs, and liquor stores remained open. That felt directed at believers, didn’t it? Whether anyone said it out loud or not, the government’s stance on church meetings insinuated church isn’t an essential activity and government is in charge here.

At Work

Christians have faced problems in the workplace, as well. Again, during the pandemic, Christians who refused to take vaccines for religious reasons faced termination. (This was true for far more than Christians, though.) In addition, speaking openly about Christianity can get someone fired. Personally, my husband and I have worked in public schools and were, thankfully, not fired for sharing our faith with coworkers. It does happen, though. Check out the documentary IndoctriNation for real examples. In fact, watch it. Full stop. It was released in 2011, and the issues it addresses are only worse. Much worse.

Free Speech And Christian Businesses

We’ve seen free speech questioned when that speech comes from a biblical worldview. Publicly speaking against abortion, the idea of gay Christians, and transgenderism, for instance, is met with criticism and sometimes personal attacks.

Do you remember the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Colorado who was sued for refusing to make a wedding cake in 2012 for a gay wedding? He was willing to make that couple any other cake, but his Christian faith would not allow him to participate in a homosexual wedding. The LGBTQ+ community’s objective was clear. Destroy that man’s business. As of June 2024, he was still in an eleven-year-old legal battle. Sadly, his business was not the only one affected by accusations of discrimination and litigation.

Was this persecution? Yes, but unlike in many other parts of the world, our American government protects our rights. In 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that businesses can refuse to provide services to LBGTQ+ customers if the service would violate the owners’ religious beliefs. That’s certainly a victory, but I’m afraid that we’ve just seen the tip of the iceberg of Christian persecution in the United States.

Is Christian Persecution A Guarantee?

I’ve been accused of being negative, critical, and a bit of a glass half empty kind of person. I can’t exactly disagree, although I believe that’s too simplistic. I’m much more complicated than that. (Who isn’t?) However, because I’m apt to see the problems, my concerns are sometimes dismissed with a sigh and a mutter, That’s just how Julie is. But please, don’t dismiss me because I’m the Internet’s Christian Debbie Downer.

I’m turning to the Word on this issue. One of the most clearly stated verses on this subject is in a letter from Paul to Timothy. Paul warned that anyone who chooses to live a life for Christ will experience persecution. Not maybe. Will.

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

2 Timothy 3:12

Thankfully, Jesus promised peace, as recorded in the Book of John, but He also promised tribulation in the world. Praise God, though, there is hope in His victory over sin.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

Yes, we experience persecution on a small scale in the United States, but as I see the world change and read God’s Word…how can I not expect things to get worse?

Embrace Christian Persecution

We’ve not been pushed too hard in America. Our faith hasn’t been tested, generally speaking, with the threat of losing jobs, daily social freedoms, possessions, family, and our lives. For most of us, the worst things we face are mean words and awkward situations. And we struggle with even that. What will we do when it gets worse? Will we stand for Christ in the face of whatever may come, or will we forsake the Lord to keep what we have here on Earth?

Perhaps the best chance we have in future persecution is to practice now. We need to change our hearts about persecution and face our fears now. If I can’t stand proudly for Jesus in response to a snide remark from a relative or coworker, how will I ever remain firm in my faithfulness to Christ when faced with real loss and danger?

The Bible tells us to accept persecution and trials. Not only that, but we should consider these things a blessing and rejoice in them. I can’t think of too much that is more unnatural for me to do than rejoice in hard times. Yet, that is exactly what God tells us to do in His Word.

A Biblical Challenge To Believers

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”

1 Peter 4:12-14 (ESV)

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”

Matthew 5:10-12

“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.”

Luke 6:22-23 (ESV)

If we meditate on these verses and keep an eternal perspective, we will be better prepared for Christian persecution as it becomes more significant in our nation. And we should fight back, right? We ought to give what we got but twice as hard?

Responding To Christian Persecution

Let me begin by saying that Christians are not called to be doormats. We should stand for what is right. In America, we can legally protest against things with which we don’t agree, and we can vote for representatives we think speak best for us. Moreover, Christ is our King, so we don’t follow laws that would cause us to sin. Though I don’t advocate anarchy, there are times and appropriate ways to stand against our government. We may find ourselves having to do that one day. I don’t know.

On the other hand, the Bible tells us how to treat our persecutors. In daily life, those who persecute us will often be individual people or small groups pushing an agenda. As much as we might long to retaliate against them, Scripture instructs us to bless and love our enemies.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;”

Matthew 5:44

“Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.”

Romans 12:14

Every circumstance is different, but we should evaluate how we can bless the people in our lives who seek to do us harm in some way. Show them Christ when all they have given you is hate. Start now in the small trials, and you may find it easier to respond similarly in more difficult situations.

A Prayerful Example From Jesus

We see Jesus Himself respond to persecutors in the account of the Passion. After being tortured beyond recognition and nailed to the cross, He famously said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34). The soldiers’ response? They cast lots for his clothes as they shamefully displayed His naked and battered body for others to stare at and mock. Even as I write this, I can feel anger swelling up inside. Jesus, in His tremendous love and long-suffering, prayed for them.

Can we pray for those who persecute us? We should. I know Christians who are praying for brothers and sisters in Christ around the world experiencing terrible circumstances of violence and threats against loved ones. They not only pray for the suffering believers, but they pray for those persecutors to be saved, too.

It’s easy to pray for people we don’t know who might feel theoretical to us rather than real. They’re nameless lost people doing bad things far away. What about the people in your life who want to hurt you, your spouse, your children, and/or your church? Will you pray for them? It’s not as easy, but we must.

Final Thought

I hope our country never becomes a place in which Christian persecution is normalized, acceptable, or sanctioned by the government. I do know, however, that extreme persecution exists all around the world, and nothing but God’s grace stands between Americans and what Christians experience across the globe. Are you ready for it to get worse?

As we prepare for hard times, remember the hope we have in Christ. Keep his promises of comfort and peace in your mind. Finally, face persecution with your head held high because living a godly life, despite the difficulties it may bring, is the right choice. Christian, it’s the only choice.

“For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.”

1 Peter 3:17

What do you think? Are Americans going to face worse Christian persecution in the near future?

Image courtesy of niu niu via Unsplash.