In the next few days, I am going to use this thread to talk about Christian persecution and biblical ways to respond to persecution. One major thing the church cannot escape, in these last days, is persecution; and if we must overcome what is coming we must prepare for persecution.

What is Persecution
Persecution can be defined as punishment, maltreatment, harassment, or discrimination of an individual or group of people especially because of their religion or religious beliefs.

Certainty of Persecution for true believers
For a true follower of Christ, persecution is an almost unavoidable experience.

The scripture says in 2 Timothy 3:12 that
2 Timothy 3:12
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

In addition, the Lord, gave a premonition of the certainty of persecution to us believers in John 15:20
John 15:20
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Going by the above two scriptures, it can be seen that there is no escaping persecution for any Christian that will godly especially, now, when the hatred and persecution of Christians have reached an all-time high.

Why Persecution
Persecution is a certainty for true followers of Christ. True followers of Christ must live to represent who Christ is; Christ is the Truth.

John 14:6
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Since, a believer must speak the truth, live the truth and act the truth at all times. And this ‘living the truth’ will always set believers at a collision course with the world because the world, which is of the devil represents falsehood. The devil is the father of the world. Persecution is the strategy that the world uses to try to silence the truth or subvert it.

The Lord, Jesus Christ says in John 8:44
John 8:44
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

To be continued
JESUS is coming. Stay ready in absolute repentance, watchfulness and holiness

The Purpose of Persecution

Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or unclothedness, or peril, or sword?

One of the purposes or main aims why the enemy inflict persecution on believers is to the intent that they may use it to forcefully separate the believers from Christ. This is the main reason why believers that miss the rapture will be asked to deny Christ and worship the antichrist to be able to buy or sell or reject antichrist and stick with Christ and not be able to buy. I have heard stories of Boko haram terrorists and other similar groups laid hands on Christian adherents and the only request made to them was 'deny Jesus and live'. Many Christians have been martyred , gruesomely killed in many of such instances for refusing to deny Jesus.

A popular contemporary story in Nigeria was that of a teenage school girl, Leah Sharibu, who was abducted alongside other female students, at their school, at Dapchi, by Boko haram terrorist group. The report had it that the girl was asked to deny Jesus and be converted, to gain freedom but she refused.

One of the things, the Lord, Jesus Christ, charges us to endure to the end, in the book of Mathew 24:13 is persecution.

Mat 24:9-13
9  Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.
10  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 
11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 
12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 
13  But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

The narration of Verse 9 above says that believers will be afflicted, killed and hated of all nations, not because they committed any crime but for their faith in Jesus. That is persecution according to our definition. And Jesus charges that you should endure it to the end to maintain your salvation.

To be continued
JESUS is coming. Stay ready in absolute repentance, watchfulness and holiness

In the Bible the first century Jewish disciples of Christ were CONSTANTLY PERSECUTED but the question is:

Who are those persecuting Christ's disciples?
Why were they persecuted?
Why aren't anyone fighting for them?

MaxInDHouse:
In the Bible the first century Jewish disciples of Christ were CONSTANTLY PERSECUTED but the question is:

Who are those persecuting Christ's disciples?

This thread will address some of your question by God's grace.

The devil has always worked through different people, individuals, families, people in high places and people in authority to persecute believers. In these last days, he has been using islamic terrorists and other enemies of the gospel to persecute believers. Prior to and after the rapture, he will use the antichrist to do the worst persecution to christians.

MaxInDHouse:
In the Bible the first century Jewish disciples of Christ were CONSTANTLY PERSECUTED but the question is:

Why were they persecuted?

the reasons are

-1. For their faith in Christ.
Mat 24:9-13
9 Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

The devil hates Jesus and anyone that stands for Jesus. They are threats to him and his operations on the earth. Persecution is one of the ways he uses to threaten or forces them to abandon Christ.

-2. For living Godly. Their lifestyles will offend many
2 Timothy 3:12
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

-3. For speaking the truth.
Steven was stoned to death for speaking the truth to the Israelites. John the baptist was beheaded for speaking the truth to King Herod.

MaxInDHouse:
In the Bible the first century Jewish disciples of Christ were CONSTANTLY PERSECUTED but the question is:

Why aren't anyone fighting for them?

God can choose to protect them from the persecutor like He did for Shedrach, Meshak and Abednego, if He so wished. And He may decide not like Steven. However there is reward waiting for anyone who stayed with Christ in the midst of persecution.

God has appointed a day, the day of vengeance, the day of His wrath, that is the day of rapture, when all persecution shall be avenged.

Do believers have soldiers among them in the first century who would have fought to protect their own wives and children from this killers?

MaxInDHouse:
Do believers have soldiers among them in the first century who would have fought to protect their own wives and children from this killers?

Only an established state can have organised soldiers, except for extremists

annyplenty:

Only an established state can have organised soldiers, except for extremists

So that means the first century government is the one executing the Christians not terrorists or extremists because they were charged, tried before execution just like their leader.

Then why is it that today most of those being attacked aren't tried by government in fact the government of today is against the attacks on those claiming Christians unlike the first century when the Roman government was actively involved in the killings of Christians?

How to respond to Persecution

-i. If possible, flee from your persecutor.

Mathew 10:23
23 But when they [b]persecute you[b] in this city, [b]flee[b] ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come.

If it is possible, flee from the presence of your persecutor, as instructed by the Lord, Jesus Christ. Some persecutors may aim at killing a believer and may, indeed, succeed in their evil aim if the believer did not flee. Boko Haram terror group have succeeded in killing many Christians in northern Nigeria, up till the time of writing this book in 2024. They beheaded, burnt and shot many Christians. However, many Christians who flee the area of operation of the terror group and moved to other parts of Nigeria are still fortunate to be alive.

Joseph, the carpenter, and Mary, the parents of The Lord, Jesus Christ, on the construction of God through an angel, had to flee Israel with Jesus to Egypt, from the face of Herod, who wanted to kill Jesus, when Jesus was a young child.

Mathew 2:13-14
13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

14 When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

15 And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men.

God could have sent His angels to protect the young child, Jesus, from Herod but directed that the child be flown abroad from the face of Herod.

Pray that the Holy Spirit will strengthen you in the face of persecutions

The great tribulation is about the coming global persecution of Christians for their faith in Jesus Christ.

Prepare and pray to stand firm for Christ no matter what be the case