For Righteousness Sake

Matthew 5:10 (KJV) Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

      The man and his children had an air of piousness about them as they walked through the crowd and begin to set up their equipment. They knew the city had an ordinance against portable loud speakers but this family had decided to “invade the darkness” by joining the local festival and doing some preaching. They were very proud of the fact that they looked nothing like the pagans that were walking by them on the street and found no reason to smile or show themselves friendly to the crowd. Soon the “preaching” had begun. The father screamed and yelled at the people telling them that they were sinners and going to hell. He called them degrading names depending on what the people looked like and argued with many who took objection to his attacks. He would psychologically beat those that would stop to listen and offer to pray for them. It wasn’t long before the police came and requested that the family stop their “evangelism” and move along. When they refused the orders of the authorities the father was arrested and their equipment was confiscated. As the man was being handcuffed, he shouted to his children, “The Kingdom of Heaven is ours! We are being persecuted.”

     Too often Christians are much like this family. We somehow believe that no matter what we act like or who we offend, when persecution comes that means we are blessed. We couldn’t be farther from the truth.

      Jesus was very specific. “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake.” Not for having unpleasant personalities, being rude, insensitive, thoughtless, or piously obnoxious. When the world rightly discerns that you are proud and judgmental, lazy and irresponsible, or incompetent and untrustworthy, their rejection of you is not somehow blessed. You are not nearer the Kingdom of Heaven.

      We cannot use part of what Christ teaches us in an attempt to feel good or justify ourselves. The final blessing of the Beatitudes is that when we are persecuted for righteousness sake, that is right living, the kingdom of heaven is ours. Following the way laid out by Jesus in the preceding beatitudes will bring rejection by the world. His ways run contrary to the flesh, contrary to the world, and we will find ourselves suffering the same persecution that Jesus endured if we follow after Him.

      I read this statement today by Tony Robbins, “A real decision is measured by the fact that you’ve taken a new action. If there is no action, you haven’t truly decided.” When we “made a decision” for Jesus that decision must be followed by action. Faith without works is not faith. Real faith will be followed by action. When we accept Jesus Christ as our savior and make a commitment to follow Him there is a change that takes place in our lives. The world will notice that change. You will display the poverty of spirit, mourning and brokenness over sins, meekness, hunger for righteousness, mercy, purity, and peacefulness that exemplified the life of Jesus. These things will be lived out in your life, your every action. The world hated Jesus and it will hate you. Not because you are obnoxious but because you are filled with love, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

      Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:12, “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” That’s right he said “everyone”! Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it this way,

     “Suffering, then, is the badge of true discipleship. The disciple is not above his master... That is why Luther reckoned suffering among the marks of the true church, and one of the memoranda drawn up in preparation for the Augsburg Confession similarly defines the church as the community of those "who are persecuted and martyred for the Gospel's sake."... Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ, and it is therefore not at all surprising that Christians should be called upon to suffer. In fact, it is a joy and a token of His grace. “

     These proclamations stand in stark contrast to much of the proclamations by leaders of the church today. Multitudes gather to hear messages that tickle the ear but how many will respond to the message that Jesus and Paul preached? How many would be willing to follow Christ and embrace suffering as the badge of true discipleship?