Yes, and all who desire to live godly
in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 2
Timothy 3:12
Living a
godly life will not insulate you from hardship. Paul said that the more
blameless your life, the more likely you will be persecuted. According to Paul,
“evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse” (2 Tim. 3:13). As the world
increasingly embraces sin, worldly people are becoming increasingly intolerant
of godliness. Darkness cannot tolerate light; the more your life illuminates
the presence of Christ, the more you should expect opposition from the forces
of darkness. Your Christlike nature will be offensive to those in rebellion
against Christ’s Lordship.
You may
have recently repented of your sin and taken a new step of obedience to God.
Perhaps you expected to experience God’s blessing immediately as He
demonstrated His approval of your obedience. Instead, you were met with
opposition. The persecution may have come even from other Christians who
misunderstood your motives. Perhaps you obeyed God, and still your actions were
met with criticism instead of praise.
If you
are sincerely following the Lord’s direction, don’t be discouraged. Paul warned
that those who seek to live godly lives will suffer persecution. Do not be
surprised when this happens to you. If the world crucified the Son of God,
surely the world will be hostile to anyone who lives by the power of the Holy
Spirit. Persecution may be the best evidence that your life is like that of
Christ. Jesus warned that the world hated Him, the Savior, and so it would
certainly misunderstand and mistreat His disciples (John 15:18).
No comments:
Post a Comment