Study of Matt 5:10 RE Persecution .Can you give Relevant scriptures , comment, or personal experiences ?

Question

Matthew 5:10....Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

See Mark 10:29-31....."I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

1 Peter 3:14....But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened.

Isa 8:12...."Do not call conspiracy

everything that these people call conspiracy ;

do not fear what they fear,

and do not dread it.

Matt 19:14....But Jesus said, "Let the children alone, and do not hinder them from coming to Me; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

See also Matt 25:34 & Luke 22:19.

Some other scriptures are...Matt 10:23 Ps 37:12 Lu 6:22 21:12 Joh 15:20 Ac 5:40 Ac 8:1 Ro 8:35-39 1Co 4:9-13 2Co 4:8-12,17 Php 1:28 2Ti 2:12 2Ti 3:11 Jas 1:2-5 1Pe 3:13,14 4:12-16 1Jo 3:12 Re 2:10 2Th 1:4-7 Jas 1:12

Comments

1.Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake. The Jews expected a conquering kingdom, and its citizens to be lords among the nations, but Christ pronounces a blessing on those who are persecuted, not for misdeeds, but for righteousness. These shall have the kingdom. Doubtless these words have sustained and cheered many a martyr.

2.How entirely this final beatitude has its ground in the Old Testament, is evident from the concluding words, where the encouragement held out to endure such persecutions consists in its being but a continuation of what was experienced by the Old Testament servants of God.

3.Poverty of spirit runs counter to the pride of men's heart; a pensive disposition, in the view of one's universal deficiencies before God, is ill relished by the callous, indifferent, laughing, self-satisfied world; a meek and quiet spirit, taking wrong, is regarded as pusillanimous, and rasps against the proud, resentful spirit of the world; that craving after spiritual blessings rebukes but too unpleasantly the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life; so does a merciful spirit the hard-heartedness of the world; purity of heart contrasts painfully with painted hypocrisy; and the peacemaker cannot easily be endured by the contentious, quarrelsome world. Thus does "righteousness" come to be "persecuted." But blessed are they who, in spite of this, dare to be righteous.

Another scripture

John 15:18-25.....18 "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'

(2 Tim 3:12) In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted ...

Personal note. I had to stop myself here , it is a subject i could dig deeper into. The way i see it persecution can be anything from a school yard bully to imprisionment or exacution for your faith or lack of faith to your looks or colour , even the way you are treated on R&S.

Are the comments correct , why or why not ?

If you have felt persecuted , did you feel blesses ?

Does persecution make your faith stronger ?

Does John 15:18-25 fit in with your experences ?

Are my personal comments correct ?

Jews ,Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses & others where persecuted by the n**i's ,where they blessed & has it made the stronger ?

Can you add any relevant scriptures or comments ?

(sorry i have gone on so much but i find it a very important ,interesting & deep subject)

Answer 1

Suffer and persecution are associated with these things:

- CJ (instead of JC) and Mediation req'd : 2Timothy 3:12

- Holy Ghost & CJ (instead of Holy Spirit & JC): Hebrews 3

- Imp-erfect: Part-ial: Child-ish: 1Cor 13:10,11... 1Pet 5:10

- Schoolmaster (Law) not dismissed: Galatians 3 - 5

- Either of Law1 vs Law2 (instead of Grace)

- Either of Adam1 vs Adam2 (instead of Christ)

- Either of Them1 vs Them2 (instead of Us-ward)

- Imp-ure religion (instead of pure religion): James 1 -3

- Earthy, sensual, devilish wisdom: James 3

As for the kingdom of heaven, well

- it's like unto leaven(law): Matthew 13:33;

and a little leaven leaveneth the whole: 1Cor 5:6... Gal 5:9

like adding law to grace makes it no more grace... Gal 5:4

like adding death to life makes it no more eternal. Selah.

As for being blessed, well:

- woman says dble Amen, amen to blessed + cursed = accursed, and by her priest: Numbers 5... Galatians 1

- Galatians 1:8,9 speaks of such as another gospel (another law: Rom 7)

- the first blessed in Ps 32:1,2 (Rom 4:7,8) is such

POINT: Law blessed gets you saved + destroyed: Jude 1:5;

As law both good and evil = bad end: Hebrews 5:14...7:23.

So, consider the blessedness of "man": Ps 32:2... Rom 4:8;

For it's how reconciling the world to God is done: 2Cor 5:19;

and it's notably done in "Christ" (of "through Jesus-->Christ");

and it's notably done by not law imputing any sin unto them,

thereby not accusing: John 5:45 nor condemning: John 3:17,

since law judging others is inexcusable & self-condemning:

Job 15:6... Mt 15:11... Mk 7:18-23... Lk 6:45... Rom 2:1

The GRACE of our Lord JC with you all. Amen.

Answer 2

John 16:33

In this world you will have troubles, but take heart, Jesus overcame the world.

What makes us any different?  Gods son Jesus Christ was nailed to a tree suffered a cruel death for us, so what makes us any better?  Why if our GOD went through suffering losing his son on the cross, then I'm not better than him.  

In a personal experience, this summer has been a really tough one .  Nephew diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis, Two of my three sons were tested and they have found 2 mutations on them.  We are awaiting results to see if they are carriers or they have CF.  But, God has been with me through it all.  It's so hard to explain, but this is the actual first time I have really been shook to the core.  I have used this suffering as a megaphone so that others may hear and know that I serve an awesome God who is still on the throne!!!!  

Answer 3

   The  persecution  of  God,s  children  still  goes on today  and will  get worse,,they  are mocked,maded fun of,called name,s.

shunned,  and  we were told this  would  happen,

  just  stand  strong  and we will see  God.

Answer 4

The 20th century saw the more Christians martyred than any other century.  I find this fact amazing, especially when you consider how many were killed in the Roman Empire.

There were recent bombings in India.  It turns out, Catholics and Christians are being targeted and killed. A lot of Christian missonaries are killed in arabic countries--especially if it is a Muslim that converted to Christianity.  There were a lot of Catholics killed in Central America in the 80's and 90's, mostly because Catholic Social workers were trying to get rights for the poor.  n**i Germany, Soviet Russia and Communist China have all killed quite a few Christians, because those countries tried to remove all religion (they didn't like the idea of God being more important than their nation).

The list goes on and on.  The devil has been very busy.  

In a sense it's worse now.  Persecution is more in the form of put downs, jokes and the media.  Why?  because now the popular belief is that we are idiots for believing what we do.  We are considered brainwashed and not really listened to.  Slowly, our rights are being chipped away at, letting decay come in and grow.  It's not a far stretch for religious groups to be labeled as potential terrorist groups, if we stand up against some rule or law that we consider sinful.

How many will cheer if the Churches are forced to close, because they stand up against abortion, the Iraq war or mistreatment of immigrants? A lot of people won't care why the churches are being closed, just that they are.  

Answer 5

Besides Jesus, I think of John the Baptist's persecution for calling an adulterous exactly what she was.  Believe me, this same action, done today, will receive the very same response from the adulterous, and if she has any power, God help the one who pointed out the sin.

Yes, this very situation happened within my family, and "suffer" is the right word for it.  No matter how many years pass, the adulterous will still try to "get even".  Our family has come to realize that it is Satan not the person, who is the evil one, and this has helped us to pray for our enemy.  Satan takes them captive at his will, 2nd Tim 2:26, but for the grace of God, we could be his captive as well.  

edit:

Persecution is something done to you, not something that you do, and I believe there will be eternal rewards for such things.  Jesus received a reward for His persecution, and so will all who suffer for righteousness sake.  We are Christ's reward.  Isn't that wonderful.