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God does not say that we must BE living a holy life.
He says we will suffer if we DESIRE to live a godly life. Do you desire to flee immorality, sensuality, anger,
and disputes (Galatians 5:19-21) and greed, strife, gossip, disobedience to parents, and haters of God (Romans
1:29-32)? God wants us to desire to be like Him. In 1 Peter 1:16 He says that He wants us to be like Him, “You
shall be holy, for I am holy.” God wants your heart. He wants our heart to desire to be holy like Him. Flee
sin by being filled with the Holy Spirit and by pursuing Him. Why do others hate Christians? Romans 1:32 says
they want us to be like them! When we refuse to be evil, we are persecuted in different ways. Sometimes it
is physical. Sometimes it is not.
Insults and Persecution. The last beatitude in the Sermon on the Mount includes
another form of persecution: curses, insults with insulting, evil language, and mockings. This is the meaning
of the Greek word (ONEIDIZO) for “insults.” This word was used in Matthew 27:44 to describe the abuse Jesus
suffered from the robbers. It was abusive and unpleasant. History says that John Huss (A.D. 1415) was burned
at the stake because he believed the Bible was infallible, authoritative and supreme. He declared that Christ
was the head of the church. Before he died he was urged to recant, and he replied, “What I taught with my lips,
I seal with my blood.” Others have received insults, such as John Calvin, who was declared to be a legalist.
Many Christians have been cursed and lied about for holding to the truth and following their Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ.
Heaven With A Reward. Many Christians since the time of Jesus have feared all
forms of persecution. Some have reacted in anger and hostility. But God calls us to be at peace with others
as much as possible (Rom 12:18) and never flinch from living a godly life (2 Tim. 3:12) or standing for and
defending the truth of God (2 Tim. 2:1-3; 2 John). Just before Jesus’ death, He told His disciples they would
suffer because the disciple is not greater than his master (John 15:18-19). Jesus’ point is that if He suffers,
why should we feel that we should escape? Are we greater?
Christians do not like insults, rebukes, slander, anger, bad reports, rejection and persecution. This has always been true. It was true of Jesus’ disciples, and it was true of Joseph of Arimathea,
And after these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. (NASB) John 19:38. It has always been scary to be a Christian. After Jesus had been arrested, scripture says Peter denied that he even knew Jesus three times (John 18:15-27). Actually, Peter may have been the brave one because the other disciples just left (Matt 26:56). Christians have always been afraid to speak out because no one likes to be insulted or persecuted.
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