Posted on 05/01/2025 3:51:23 AM PDT by metmom
“‘Pray for those who persecute you’” (Matthew 5:44).
Throughout the centuries the worst kinds of persecutions against Jesus’ followers have come from religious people. Persecution has been so strong against believers because they uphold God’s standards, which indict the sin and corruption of false religion. God’s Word unmasks hypocrisy in a most crucial area—humanity’s propensity for self-justification.
Knowing that persecution would be the world’s response to the Father’s truth, Christ assures us that we will be persecuted, just as He was (John 15:20). Thus His command that we pray for our persecutors is one every faithful believer will have some opportunity to obey, not just those who live in countries where Christianity is illegal or severely restricted.
The best way to have agape- love for those who persecute us is to pray for them. We might sense their sinfulness and intense hatred and ridicule of us. Those traits make it impossible to love the persecutors for what they are, but we must love them for who they are—sinners in need of God’s forgiveness and His saving grace. So we need to pray for them that they will repent and turn to Him for salvation, as we have already done.
Bear in mind, though, that persecutors will not always and only be unbelievers. Those professing to be fellow believers can give saints real grief and difficulty, too, but—as in every case—the first step in making right those situations is prayer. Jesus knew that prayer for persecutors can begin to knit our hearts with God’s in the matter of loving our enemies.
Ask Yourself
Which has been the hardest for you to deal with—persecution from without or from within the family of God? Why is prayer such a powerful tool in combating the hard feelings this dredges up in you?
From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.
Studying God’s Word ping
Yes
And there was also Alexander the Coppersmith.
He stands out uniquely.
2nd Timothy 4:14-15
King James Version
14 Alexander the Coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:
15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%204%3A14-15&version=KJV
The demon-possessed girl, Paul cast the demon 👿 out of her. Different situation.
Satan gets his best mileage out of people with the form of godliness but denying the power thereof.
Those who perpetrate evil in the name of God or Jesus do far more damage than those who fall into sin.
so, while we are to stand up to them and expose their lies, turn them over to God to deal with.
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