What does the Bible say about persecution?
If a person is persecuting you, may be as a boss on an employee or a husband on his wife, then the person should fight back and play against the game or just pray for his boss / husband to change and do nothing? Do we also use our weapons when others are attacking us or just shield ourselves by praying? (politically asked) We can forgive people for their sins but what if they think we are losers and can't do anything and persecute us?
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Asked November 10 2013
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Swapnil Shende
Supporter
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Singapore Moses
Supporter
"Though the fig tree does not bud...and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord" (Hab 3:17,18) The lamenting Job asked, "Is there any taste in the white of an egg?" (Job 6:6). No, it is not tasty, but is nutritious! The persecutions, sufferings or trials of life point to the measure of our faith. When we take our eyes off Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, we run into problems (Heb 12:1). We cry when we get drowned in them and then God asks us, "Where is your faith?" Sufferings, if handled properly, will strengthen our faith. At the height of his despair, Job triumphantly declared, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him" (Job 13:15). Richard Wumbrand (1909-2001) and his wife Sabena described what they learnt amidst fourteen years of torture in Communist prisons: "In the prison we unlearned Theology and learned Theos (God)." Afflictions increase our appreciation of God's grace. The Lord removed from Job his brothers, acquaintances, relatives, friends, guests, servants, wife and children. When human props are removed, we look solely to the Lord. Even when He hides Himself and we cannot see Him on the left or right, we will confidently say, "We don't know, but He knows!" (Job 23:8-10). When we suffer, we are able to truly understand the feelings and heartaches of other sufferers around us (2 Cor 1:4). Counselling has become a dry ministry today. Job said that counsellors without feeling are "worthless physicians," "miserable comforters" and "empty talkers" (Job 13:4; 16:2; 21:34). Nowadays we even have computerized counselling! Our need is wounded healers! How wonderfully does the Lord Jesus who hung on the Cross care for our wounds! Do we have anyone who can comfort us like He does? Crises help to release the dormant spiritual powers within us. We will never know that we can run so fast until we see a cobra or a mad dog. Deep water experience is not to drown us, but to develop us. Our over-protective daddy would never allow me and my brother to go beyond shallow waters to bathe. But the dads of our peers freely took them to deep waters. The result is that I cannot swim, till this day. No millstone is necessary to sink me! Times of suffering become times of great revelations too. It was while patiently enduring suffering in a barren island that John received the glorious Revelation of things to come (Rev 1:9).
lisa carey
Supporter
Scripture tells us... Jesus Himself tells us to forgive 70x7. That means we always turn the other cheek. We respond in love to persecution. The people persecuting us, regardless of the circumstances, are lost, just as we once were. They need Christ... they need the Gospel. As Christians, we represent Jesus to the world. We should love them as we love all people. If the circumstances were physical and talking about a life in jeapordy - if it is another's life, we should defend life. If it is our own, it is ok to defend, but we should always seek to be peacemakers. Not warring with others. Lastly... we were forgiven for offending the Most High God... we are to forgive others, for their sin is first and formost against God, and He says vengence will be His. We should not only forgive our enemies, but love them, and seek to bless them.
Jeffrey Johnson
Supporter
What does the Bible say about persecution? Scripture treats persecution as a recurring reality for those who align themselves with God's truth. Rather than presenting it as an unexpected disruption, the Bible frames persecution as part of the spiritual conflict between the kingdom of God and the world's resistance to His purposes. It is portrayed not as a sign of abandonment but as evidence of belonging to Christ. The Old Testament introduces persecution through the experiences of the faithful who suffered for righteousness. David lamented that "many are they who rise against me" (Psalm 3:1), showing that hostility often targets those who seek God. The prophets faced opposition because their messages confronted sin and called for repentance. Elijah fled from threats (1 Kings 19:2), Jeremiah was beaten and imprisoned (Jeremiah 20:2), and Daniel endured plots against his life (Daniel 6:4–16). These accounts reveal that persecution arises when truth challenges entrenched rebellion. Jesus directly addressed persecution as an inevitable consequence of discipleship. He declared, "If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you also" (John 15:20), linking the believer's experience to His own rejection. In the Beatitudes, He pronounced blessing on those who suffer for righteousness, saying, "great is your reward in heaven" (Matthew 5:12). Christ reframed persecution not as defeat but as participation in the prophetic tradition and alignment with God's kingdom. The early church encountered persecution immediately. After Pentecost, the apostles were arrested, threatened, and beaten for preaching Christ (Acts 5:40). Stephen became the first Christian martyr, stoned for proclaiming the gospel (Acts 7:54–60). Saul's campaign against believers (Acts 8:3) demonstrated how persecution can scatter the church, yet God used that scattering to spread the message beyond Jerusalem. Scripture shows that persecution cannot silence the gospel; it often amplifies it. Paul's writings provide a theological framework for understanding persecution. He taught that "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12), presenting it as a normal aspect of faithful living. He described his own hardships—imprisonments, beatings, and dangers (2 Corinthians 11:23–27)—not as setbacks but as marks of authentic ministry. Paul also encouraged believers not to be intimidated by opposition, saying their endurance is a sign of God's sustaining grace (Philippians 1:28). Peter likewise urged believers to interpret persecution through the lens of Christ's suffering. He wrote, "Do not be surprised at the fiery trial… as though something strange were happening to you" (1 Peter 4:12). Instead, he called them to rejoice because sharing in Christ's sufferings leads to sharing in His glory. Peter emphasised that suffering for wrongdoing brings no honour, but suffering for righteousness aligns the believer with God's will (1 Peter 3:17). Summary: Scripture teaches that persecution reflects a deeper clash between God's kingdom and forces opposed to His truth. Hostility arises because believers remain loyal to Christ in a world resistant to His ways, a struggle Revelation depicts as a targeted assault on those who uphold God's testimony. Yet the Bible pairs this conflict with unwavering assurance: Christ promises preservation for the steadfast, Paul highlights the incomparable glory awaiting the faithful, and Hebrews points to lasting treasure beyond present loss. Through these trials, God strengthens His people, shapes endurance, and advances His purposes, turning suffering into a pathway of spiritual refinement and deeper devotion.
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