What comfort can Christians find in persecution?

Answer 1

Jesus said that if he was persecuted his followers would be to. So if your being persecuted for righteousness sake it means your doing something good. Psalms 37: 10,11 tells us that soon the wicked will be no more and the meek ones will be able to live in peace. It's something to look forward to!

Look to the writings of the Apostle Paul regarding suffering. Essentially he says that suffering builds you as a person, and your character is what God is most interested in as that is the only thing which will last forever. If you are under attack by the enemy, it means that Satan sees you as a threat, which is great news!

Answer: WHEN Jesus first sent out his apostles to preach the Kingdom, he warned them that they would encounter opposition. He told them: "You will be objects of hatred by all people on account of my name." (Matthew 10:5-18, 22) Earlier, however, in his Sermon on the Mount, he gave his apostles and others the assurance that such opposition would not necessarily endanger their deep-felt happiness. In fact, Jesus even linked being happy with being persecuted as Christians. The eighth happiness that Jesus stated is: "Happy are those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them." (Matthew 5:10) Suffering in itself is not meritorious. The apostle Peter wrote: "What merit is there in it if, when you are sinning and being slapped, you endure it? But if, when you are doing good and you suffer, you endure it, this is a thing agreeable with God." He further stated: "However, let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a busybody in other people's matters. But if he suffers as a Christian, let him not feel shame, but let him keep on glorifying God in this name." (1 Peter 2:20; 4:15, 16) According to Jesus' words, suffering brings happiness when it is endured for righteousness' sake.True righteousness is measured by conformity to God's will and his commands. Suffering for righteousness' sake, therefore, means suffering because one resists pressure to violate God's standards or requirements. The apostles were persecuted by the Jewish leaders because of refusing to stop preaching in the name of Jesus. (Acts 4:18-20; 5:27-29, 40)This persecution brought them joy and renewed their zeal in the preaching work. Later, the early Christians were persecuted by the Romans because of refusing to practice emperor worship.