A Practical Guide to Handling Persecution, Suffering and Adversity

Introduction
I think every school has one. You know the kind of kid I am talking about. Perhaps he was an only child, or maybe he was sick as a baby or somebody dropped the poor thing on his head or something. Whatever the reason, his parents were almost neurotically over-protective of him. If little junior fell down and scrapped his knee, Mommy would wail and cry and carry on as if he lost a leg or something. When the other boys were roughhousing and wrestling, his mother would come screaming to chase away all those nasty ruffians, lest her little precious get a bump or bruise. In the inevitable scraps that young boys are prone to, one little punch and he would cry like a baby. In short, he was a sissy-boy, a weenie; someone who couldn’t stand up on his own two feet because nobody had ever taught him how to deal with the pain and vicissitudes of life.

Now nobody can be crueler to one another than kids, especially in a public school. And every godly parent wants to protect his children from pain and suffering. But the reality is that in this world, a man has to be able to face a certain degree of pain, affliction, suffering and sometimes down right persecution. If a man cannot take the heat, then he becomes a slave of whatever he fears. And that in a nutshell is one of the most serious failings of the modern evangelical church. When we need valiant warriors to stand up and fight for the crown rights of King Jesus, instead we have evangelical weenies that run home crying to Mama when the going gets tough. They then, sometimes unconsciously, compromise the faith and become acculturated to the present age because they fear the consequences of being different.

In my family, Mr. And Mrs. Abshire didn’t raise any sissy-boys. Standing order #1 in our house was, “no broken bones, no spurting blood, no fussing.” As a result (and with the benefit of three older brothers who often exerted their authority in ways that stopped just short of spurting blood and broken bones) we learned early that pain was no big deal. Lacking a formal education, my parents would not have recognized the ancient Roman maxim “with your shield or on it” (i.e., it is better to be a dead lion than a live dog) but they certainly would have approved of the sentiment. Growing up during the great depression, they expected life to be cruel, difficult and unfair. In my parents’ view (and that of my extended family) a man ought to be able to stand up, face his fears and do his duty. We were taught never to look for trouble, but if it came, to face it squarely and meet it head on. We were not expected to win every fight, just not give up. Dad’s standing order #2 was that we had to get up one more time then we were knocked down.

This has served me well since the time I was a youngster. Once there was this time in a certain third world country, I found myself with only one bullet left and surrounded by… No, never mind; you’d think I was bragging. Perhaps Brian’s Nostalgic Anecdote #327, “The Case of the Dangerous Dog,” better illustrates this principle. Every afternoon when I was twelve, as I rode my bike home from school, a big, nasty mastiff would come roaring out from behind one certain house and nip at my heels. Twice he actually managed to knock me off my bike. I hated that dog. He scared me so bad I seriously considered going almost a mile out of my way just to avoid him. Someone (probably a weenie teacher) suggested I try making friends with him by giving him pieces of meat. He bit my hand.

Instead I took the advice of a old Mainer who said something to the effect that, “You got to use diplomacy; just say ‘nice doggy’ until you can find a great big rock.” However, usually, we cannot handle matters in such a “direct” manner and may have to find other ways of dealing with our fears. Adversity is a tool in God’s hand to train us for dominion in a sin cursed world. And while living in a land where the blessings of the covenant are evident is a great blessing, with that great blessing also comes a greater responsibility.

Affluence makes us soft, not only around the waistline, but in the head as well. American evangelicals have had it so easy for so long, that we have lost our edge. We fear affliction, persecution and suffering and therefore often do not have the moral fiber to take a stand. Can anyone deny that the psychologicall reason behind the almost fanatical devotion some Christians have to the pre-tribulation rapture is that they fear persecution and suffering? Again and again, Christians have stated to me that God loves them too much to let them go through “the Great Tribulation.” Their fear of suffering leads them to a defeatist theology and an abandonment of the cultural mandate. They are willing to give up because they fear the pain from standing up to a hostile world. It is interesting that in nations where the church has suffered the most horrendous persecution, almost no Christians look to the rapture for relief. They know what suffering is and while they are not romantic about it, at least they are schooled to handle adversity.

Modern Christians need to re-discover a theology of suffering. The bill is now coming due for a hundred years of cultural retreat. The God-haters have control of our nation and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Like the martyrs of the early church, Christians today face a hostile culture and a state all too willing to persecute those who will not burn incense to Caesar. Think I am paranoid? Well, a lot of people died at Waco because the Federal government didn’t like their theology. But they were just a bunch of heretics and cranks weren’t they? Surely it couldn’t happen to us? But are you so sure YOUR church is BATF approved?

Therefore, with the idea that evangelical weenies will never advance the kingdom, and that we need men who can persevere despite adversity, the following principles from 1 Peter 3 are offered for consideration. This is not intended to be the last word on how to handle difficult times, just some practical suggestions on how to develop the right mindset.

“And who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good?” 1 Peter 3:13
Let’s put the issue of persecution into perspective. Essentially Peter is saying here that if we are zealous for doing good, people will not harm us. The best way to deal with persecution is that, as far as it depends on you, never give them an excuse to persecute you in the first place! To the contrary, we need to be as “wise as serpents” and as “gentle as doves.” Let us develop a reputation for charity and good deeds. Even wicked men can recognize good things, and approve those good things, despite their moral bankruptcy. For example, even unregenerate men will throw themselves on hand grenades to save the lives of their friends (usually not the best way to handle the problem. If you have enough time to throw yourself on a hand grenade, you probably have enough time to pick it up and throw it back at the enemy. Furthermore, if it goes off, experts tell me that most likely, you will lose your hand, but because of the blast pattern, you probably will not lose anything vital. On the other hand, throwing yourself on the grenade means that the fragments will penetrate your center mass where you keep all the important stuff). Even unrighteous men, because they are created in the image of God, can respect, admire, approve of deeds of mercy, grace, charity, etc.

Thus even when they hate us, they can still approve of our righteous acts. In fact, it disarms them, confuses them and undercuts their own persecution of us. Early Christians were marched into the arena to be eaten by voracious wild animals. Rather than cower in fear or plead for mercy or agree to sacrifice to the emperor and be freed, instead, they met their fate singing psalms and hymns to the glory of God. The Romans were astounded, and to a certain degree, the people themselves demanded an end to the execution of Christians. In an age of cruelty beyond our imagining today, the Romans saw the dignity, courage and faith of our fathers and were moved by it. Not all men are epistemologically self-consistent with their own rebellion. They want to live autonomously, but they cannot, and as a consequence, find themselves loving and approving our good deeds.

However, the key here is “good deeds.” If Christians DO what is right, good, and proper with a humble attitude and servant’s heart, it will be approved. But that’s the problem isn’t it? What is the most common concept of a Christian today? A self-righteous, pompous, money grabbing hypocrite interested in only fleecing poor unsuspecting yokels while sleeping with their daughters. And let’s be honest, that’s not all that unfair a caricature of some segments of the Christian community. Christians are hated and ridiculed today not just because the world hates Christ, but also because most Christians do NOT serve, minister, or demonstrate the character of Christ. Why was “Mother” Theresa held in such high esteem when she had such deviant theology? She put her faith in action. Even God-haters saw her good deeds and approved of them.

Sometimes, Christians bring persecution on themselves, not because of their stand for truth, but because of their actions and demeanor. More than a few Southern Presbyterians have told me that the cause of Christian Reconstruction was destroyed in the PCA by the intemperate words of just a few people back in the late seventies and eighties. Reconstructionists were perceived as arrogant, obnoxious, insensitive and unkind. They wrote huge volumes acerbically (and often correctly) critiquing the follies of modern evangelicalism, but produced very few actual, successful ministries. If instead of just pointing out the errors, Recons had just quietly built several successful charitable ministries, who knows, things might have been different. If nothing else, the broader Reformed community might have left them alone, because they would not have seemed a threat to the status quo. But it is a whole lot easier to write witty tracts humiliating others, than it is to quietly serve them (and yes, I know, “Physician, heal thyself…”).

Hence diaconal work is not just a nice thing we ought to do, it may well be a central survival strategy and the salvation of the Church during times of persecution. Caring for the poor, adopting unwanted babies, ministering to bums, schizophrenics and drug addicts (excuse me, I meant “the homeless”) is not glamorous and not nearly as exciting as spitting in Caesar’s face. But it is God’s desire for His people.

“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled…” 1 Peter 3:14
Doing what is right, because it is right, will often, generally and in God’s providence inhibit and even prevent persecution. Persecution in the Roman Empire was often intense, but of limited duration because quite frankly, the needed us. Roman Christians were the hardest workers, the most conscientious craftsmen, the most loyal slaves, the most honest businessmen and sometimes the only ones who paid their taxes. If they killed too many of us, the empire would have collapsed of its own weight. Like the Jews in medieval Europe, we were a despised minority, but also an indispensable one.

However, if in His divine providence, God chooses to say, “suffer,” there is still no reason to lose hope: we are blessed! We are special! God uses suffering as a tool in His hands to do deep heart surgery on His Elect, preparing, molding, and reshaping us for the Kingdom and His glory (cf. Rms 8:28-29ff). And as others witness this work of grace in our lives, it moves them, warms them, softens them in ways we cannot understand and thus our reward is eternal (cf. Rms 8:18).

Therefore, while persecution should never be encouraged (Christianity is not masochism) it is not to be unduly feared. If it comes, it comes. Let us just make sure that we are persecuted for Christ and not for being obnoxious.

“but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;” 1 Peter 3:15
This is probably the most often used proof-text for apologetics, but seldom is it considered in its proper context; suffering. When we suffer for righteousness sake (whether by persecution, sickness, or whatever) we are given a powerful moral platform to share our hope in Christ. Pagans see the adversity we suffer, but we do not whine, complain or break God’s law through revolutionary acts. We are able to suffer with dignity and persevere, despite adversity, because we “sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts” i.e., Christ is actually Lord of our lives; we are submitted to Him, not just in words, but in realty. Persecution and affliction are often ways of testing our faith to demonstrate to ourselves and the world what we really believe.

Hence we have to be ready. We have to not only understand the hope, but to be able to explain it to others, to articulate the gospel. It has gone out of style among many Christians, but we are called here to be able to testify of our trust and dependence in saving work Christ and of His generous provision. When pagans say, “how can you still believe, even when you suffer such horrible things” we must be able to tell them why.

The word “defense” here is the Greek word apologia, which means “a word for.” This was a legal term referring to a formal speech given in a courtroom for the defendant. We get our theological term “apologetics” from this word. But sadly, most Christians, if they know what apologetics are, think of it in purely academic and philosophical terms. This does us a great disservice. The great spiritual battles will not be won in the academic classroom; this is the Greek heresy of neutrality of ideas. Instead, it is the spiritual power of a faithful servant who will not deny his master, even to the point of death that has the power to transform the world.

An “apology” is not an excuse, but a reason for why we did whatever we did. In this sense it means being able to demonstrate from the Scriptures why we believe what we believe, and why they ought to believe it as well! It means that we trust in the providence of God and His great and precious promises and that the worst that men can do to us is simply inconsequential to the life herein to come.

“…and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.” 1 Peter 3:16
God places the responsibility on us, to do what is right regardless of what others may do. Yes there is injustice, ungodliness and evil in the world. We have lived in a Christian culture so long that we take certain things for granted and get grossly outraged when we find some new example of corruption and tyranny in Washington. Some Christians seem to act as if their perfidy justifies our rebellion. But, regardless of what other men may do, our responsibility is to obey God. He expects us to be a light on a hill and to live lives above the moral cesspool of contemporary culture.

To have a clear conscience does not mean perfection, but rather that we deal with our sin in an open and Biblical manner. If Christians had disciplined the Televangelists 10 years ago, the media would not have had to. Instead we turned a blind eye to their wickedness, continued sending money to their “ministries” and refused to hold these men to account for their immorality. Eventually God exposed their wickedness to the entire world, and the church suffered a black eye from which she has not yet recovered. Every Christian organization since the eighties has suffered hard times financially, partially due to cynicism stemming from the expose of the scam artists a decade ago.

Furthermore, not only are we to have a clear conscience, we are to “keep” it; i.e., to treasure it, to maintain it. A clear conscience is a precious thing and must not be squandered for the sake of expediency.

The “thing in which we are slandered” could and does apply to whatever issues are current at the time. But in context, I would argue that it most likely refers to rebellion; either to king, master, parent, husband, etc. The entire book of 1 Peter keeps going over the same two themes, the reality of persecution and the necessity of submission to lawful authority. It is not unreasonable to think that Christians were already getting a reputation for being a danger to the social order. The freedom that comes from Christ is a mystery to the world; they cannot understand how we live outside of man’s rules, and yet do it effectively and successfully without being in rebellion. Furthermore, our cry that “Jesus is Lord” was rightly seen as a direct challenge to Caesar’s claim to ultimate authority. However, just like today, the Empire assumed that this would mean rebellion and political revolution; something Peter goes out of his way to address. The nations are transformed, not by political activism, but by evangelism and discipleship. Christians do NOT believe in revolution, but in Reformation.

A regenerated heart, submission to God’s Law, and a full-orbed faith would transform the Roman Empire, not political activism. True freedom comes through being freed from the wages of sin, so that we might then live a life of love and service to God. Hence, the world was rightly concerned that the Christian commitment to freedom might lead to anarchy in the home and state. They feared those who were outside the established order. Christians needed to demonstrate to fathers, masters and yes, even those pointy headed civil bureaucrats that we were responsible citizens; that we lived sober, self disciplined lives. Therefore we were not a danger to them (at least in the way they thought of danger).

Hence we need to keep a low profile while we disarm the enemy’s fears. Our victory will not come about by rebellion, revolution or violence and we must constantly stress this aspect to whoever is in power. Our victory will come over time, gradually, as Christians love and serve those around them (Mark 10:45ff). Submissive wives, obedient children, respectful workers, diligent citizens who render “honor to whom honor and custom to whom custom” lessens the likelihood of persecution. Why do you think Paul commands Christians to pay their taxes, (illegal taxes, ungodly taxes!), to a pagan and idolatrous state (Rms 13:5ff)? Because though Caesar is often destructive, he is not stupid. He wants people who pay their taxes and will often turn a blind eye to a great many things as long as those revenues keep rolling in.

“…it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.”
Let’s get something straight; suffering will happen, bad things do happen to good people, and sometimes for no reason that we can see. God is sovereign; He knows what He is doing and why He is doing it. If He allows us some pain in this life, He will remember us in the life to come. Therefore, we need to make sure we are suffering for doing what is right, rather than suffering for being rebellious, sinful, etc. This is something that some well-intended brothers do not seem to understand. If the FBI is outside your house threatening to burn out your family, it is too late. Granted, there may be times when that will happen and there is nothing we can do (right now) except trust in the sovereignty of God. Sometimes there is no recourse for injustice until the life to come. But sadly, sometimes, perhaps even often, the FBI is there because you did something stupid. You aroused their fears when you could have just laid low. You got involved in some sort of shady monetary deal, you hid money from the taxman, you wrote newsletters advocating violent over-throw of the government. In short you made yourselvf a target (that’s not always the case, but it has happened too many times to be ignored).

Look, sometimes you have to have an Alamo to give a General Houston time to gather and train the troops. But the men at the Alamo sacrificed themselves for a greater good. Sometimes, we get sacrificed because we are too stubborn and too stupid to shut our mouths. This is no longer the land of the free and the home of the brave. We are living in a post-Christian nation that is already under God’s judgment. Our goal ought to be to live our lives in submission to King Jesus despite the circumstances we find around us (2 Thess 3:12, Rms 12:18, etc.). We don’t run in fear of the bad guys, we just bide our time until God gives us the victory. We don’t have to launch suicidal frontal assaults against the citadels of the enemy; we can just work quietly and steadily, knowing that eventually, God will destroy His enemies and we will inherit the earth.

Conclusions and Applications
Suffering is an opportunity to glorify God, witness to men, and demonstrate that our faith is more than empty sentiment and pious platitudes. Suffering sharpens our focus and helps us keep our priorities straight, To get through it, we must constantly remember the sovereignty of God. There is always a reason, even if it is beyond human understanding. Our God is not vicious, arbitrary, etc., If we only trust Him when things go the way we want them to, how are we any different from pagans in the world? Let’s just make sure we are suffering for the right things, and doing so in the right way.