Sunday: Persecution of Early Christians
Read 1 Peter 1:6, 1 Peter 5:10. What is Peter talking about, and how did he tell his readers to respond to what they were facing?
For the first few centuries, just being a Christian could result in a horrible death. A letter written to the Roman Emperor Trajan illustrates how precarious the safety of the early Christians was. The letter was from Pliny, who at the time of writing was governor of Pontus and Bithynia (AD 111-113), two of the regions mentioned in 1 Peter 1:1.
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Pliny had written to Trajan asking for guidance regarding what to do about people who were accused of being Christians. He explained that those who insisted that they were Christians he had executed. Others said that although they had earlier been Christians, they no longer were. Pliny allowed them to prove their innocence by telling them to offer incense to statues of Trajan and other gods and to curse Jesus.
Worshiping a living emperor was rarely practiced in Rome, although in the eastern part of the Roman Empire to which 1 Peter is sent, the emperors allowed and sometimes encouraged the setting up of temples to themselves. Some of these temples had their own priests and altars on which sacrifices were made. When Pliny got Christians to show their loyalty to the Empire by offering incense and worship to a statue of the emperor, he was following a long-standing practice in Asia Minor.
There were times in the first century that Christians faced serious jeopardy for just being Christians. This was particularly true under Emperors Nero (AD 54-68) and Domitian (AD 81-96).
Yet, the persecution pictured in 1 Peter is of a more local kind. Specific examples of the persecution Peter speaks of are few in the letter, but perhaps they include false accusations (1 Peter 2:12) and reviling and reproach (1 Peter 3:9, 1 Peter 4:14). While the trials were severe, they do not appear to have resulted in widespread imprisonment or death, at least at that time. Even so, living as a Christian would put believers at odds with significant elements of wider first-century society, and they could suffer because of their beliefs. Thus, Peter was addressing a serious concern when he wrote this first epistle.
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When we accept the Lord, we declare war against Satan and his host. Only God can protect us. The battle is real, but God is able.
In 2Timothy 3:12 it says all those who live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. This is a faithful saying and at one time or another we should expect it in any of it's different forms. The question is how do we or will we take it when it comes to us? Others took it as a privilege to be counted worthy to suffer for Christ.Acts 5:41 This journey is not without suffering.
We have to prepare our selves, families, coworkers, enemies for what is coming upon us.
I like how you interjected 'enemies' in your post because the Bible tells us to love our enemies.
An enemy is someone who hates and would seek to destroy. We can love our enemies. Just as Christ loved.
Faith i agree with you. But in preparing ourselves, families etc. would you also say that in this preparation that it is to be mental and also physical along with the spiritual
If they smote the Shepherd one can see how the sheep is/was not spared. From the very beginning of the Christ's (Christian) Church conflict has caused christianity to grow numerically, faithfully and spiritually. Suffering then is our(Christian's) lot until the Saviour puts and end to Satan and sinning. Blessed the Lord over our souls, for the Blessed Hope.
As it was in the beginning so will it be in the end. We are, therefore counseled by Peter to rejoice when persecuted, for this will only last for a while. God will perfect, strengthen,and settle us.
Any thoughts on the comparison of 1 Peter 4:19 and Rev. 3:14 in regards to the implications for our commitment to faithfulness? This is in the Teacher's comments section in the lesson.
Jesus is real judgment is real and we all must repent and turn from our sins. I prayed that the Holy Spirit may lead us and change our hearts for Christ and His perfect will.
The great controversy is a reality! Many times, we face adversity when we live according to our beliefs,
Now,is it possible for a Christian, to be a really Christian without struggling with opposition?
How do you feel about the
members who are always anxious there are spies behind every bush ready to report us to the authorities?
Can we be secure knowing our suffering has a purpose, and we are not in jeopardy every moment?
What assurance can we give the paranoid and anxious?
Can we look upon 1 peter 4:17,18 with hope, rather than fear?
I have come across those sort of people Michael and quite frankly, I think some of them have too much time on their hands. My response is that if we are busy doing the Lord's work and "occupying till He comes," then we won't have time to be even worried about who is watching us and for what purpose. We need to remember that we are the only Bible that many people who watch us will ever read. Ensuring that we share the love that Jesus has shared with us should occupy our mind.
Michael, Philippians 4:6 says, "be not anxious for for anything. But in everything by prayer and supplication, with Thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God; and the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ." In Matthew 6:34 God says, "therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for today is its own trouble." We are living in the last days of earth's history. We just have an image from our personal experiences of suffering what these final days will be like. Just like it has not entered into the imagination what heaven is like, we don't know what evil men will cause to come upon the earth. All we can do is to stay PRAYED UP, STUDIED UP, CONFESSING OUR SINS, TELLING OTHERS ABOUT THE SOON COMING OF JESUS, and KNOW THAT HE, GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF US.
Persecution is the inevitable result of the revelation of the Father’s character in our lives. It occurs because as we do the works of our Father to accomplish his will, we cross the will of the Adversary and those who follow him. Persecution should not alter our course in life because our course is fixed on the Author and Finisher of our faith: Jesus the Christ who is with us, beside us, through his spirit to the end of it all.
I would not go so far as to say that persecution is an inevitable result. Certainly persecution could happen and for some it has indeed happened. But some of us have been lucky enough to live in a very tolerant society where persecution is not normal. That does not mean to say that sometimes we will feel uncomfortable about the situation we are in and the way that Christians are regarded.
On the other hand I feel very uncomfortable about the way some Christians treat others. Their intolerance invites criticism and indeed ridicule. We need to appreciate that standing for the truth does not mean that we can "shove it up the noses" of non-Christians in a way that really dishonours the principles of Christianity.
Persecution for Christ is a tremendous thing to face with painfulness. But in all our persecutions and trials, Jesus is already gone to meet us in the same way he went to meet Daniel with his companions in the fiery furnace. Amen Praises be to God.
Brethren we have to put on the whole armour of God and let God be God only then will we be able to withstand the trials and test. Persecution will come but the question is how will you respond? Look up redemption is drawing near.
Please what is the difference between trials and temptations?
Trials are when God allows Satan surrounding you with all kinds of bad situations with bad conditions just like Job's situation in the bible.
Temptations are when you sin directly against God. Jesus sees your intentions, but you did not do it, He forgives you.
This is for the reason Satan tempting us all the time, so our relationship with God can bbecome weak. See, in the bible the woman was trying to temp Joseph, but he resisted her and flew away from her. Then Joseph became to have a trial in his life in prison. Joseph was being accused by the woman. God delivered him with victory.
Ezinne Maduawu, Trials are the attempts or effort to do something or a tentative action in order to ascertain results; experiment.
The trial, experiment, or test implies an attempt to find out something or to find out about something. Like in Genesis 3:1, Satan went to Eve in order to test the validity of God’s word. Trial is the general word for a trying of anything.
Temptations refer to an act of alluring or enticing someone to something unwise or wicked by offering some attracting things to the person while holding out the probability of gratification or advantage, often in the direction of that which is wrong or unwise: In Mathew 4:1; Satan tempted Jesus in order to lead Him astray from the loyalty to God to himself - Satan
We would suffer persecution even now if we stand for Truth. The worldly current has made us tolerant of sin. If we speak up we WILL suffer persecution even today!