Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness sake; for theirs
is the kingdom of Heaven.
“Persecuted
for righteousness sake,” what does that mean?
I had
thought that this was persecution that resulted from being righteous. But is
that what it says?
The
way it is written it could mean because I am righteous, but it could also mean,
in order to help me become righteous. There is some reason to think that this
may be accurate if you look at Acts 14:22
Confirming
the souls of the disciples, and
exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much
tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
When
Paul exhorted the disciples as he was passing through the different cities he
did not tell them, “everything is taken care of just be happy Christians”. No,
he exhorted them to continue in faith and expect to have difficulty. This is
the way into the kingdom of God.
It is
absolutely true and correct that Jesus died to pay the debt of sin, to
reconcile us to God, to redeem us. But we are still exhorted to “work
out our salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)
What
does that mean?
I
suspect it means more than, ‘pick up your ‘get out of Hell free’ card on your
way out of the baptistry.’
At
the end of the sermon on the mount, Jesus says,
Therefore,
whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise
man who built his house on a rock.
DOING
the things Jesus tells me to do is not always pleasant, especially at first.
Often when I am instructed to do a thing that is contrary to my will, it seems
that I am being persecuted. In the case of the commands of Jesus, very much of
what he tells me to do is contrary to my will, although it is the very best
thing for me to do, and leads to the abundant life that he promised.
If
you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons, for what son is he whom
the father does not chasten? But if you are without chastisement, of which all
are partakers, then you are bastards and not sons. (Hebrews 12:7)
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