What does it mean to be ‘Christian’? If I was to ask some of you this question I might get some of the following answers:
• Christians read the Bible and pray
• They follow Jesus
• They’re forgiven sinners
• They go to church
• They have the Holy Spirit
• They believe in God
One answer that you’re not likely to hear is that Christians are criminals. But for many Christians this is the reality, because Christianity is illegal in many countries in the world today.
It’s common in many Islamic countries that if you convert to Christianity, your family will reject you, and you will be tried for apostasy (abandoning your religion) in Sharia law courts. If you’re found with a Bible in North Korea, you will most likely be executed. If you’re a pastor of a tribal church in Vietnam, you're probably going to be beaten and put in prison.
All over the world, Christians today are oppressed, beaten, imprisoned and killed for their faith in Jesus and their gospel work. Over 200 million Christians face persecution for their faith every day.
But none of this should come as a surprise to us – the Bible teaches so clearly that persecution and suffering is a part of what it means to follow Jesus.
Jesus tells his disciples just before his own death that “if the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first…If they persecute me, they will persecute you also” (John 15:18,20). For me, I don’t want to be hated, but Jesus says we will be hated.
And Paul writes to Timothy that ‘everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted’ (2 Timothy 3:12).
You see, persecution shouldn’t come as a surprise for us as God’s people. Jesus tells us that we’re going to face opposition and that suffering and persecution are part of the package of what it means to follow Jesus. The pattern that Jesus sets with his life and ministry is suffering and death before glory. Just as Jesus suffered and died, he told his disciples: “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39). And so we face our suffering with joy and hope, knowing that glory is just around the corner.
There are 52 countries in which Christianity is illegal or there is severe opposition to the work of the gospel. Perhaps you or your youth group could pray for Christians in these countries over the next few weeks: Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bhutan, Brunei, Burma, China, Chiapas – Mexico, Colombia, Comoro islands, Cuba, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gaza and the West Bank, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritania, Morocco, Nepal, Nigeria, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tibet, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen.
