Perseguição
Jesus advertiu que seus seguidores seriam perseguidos pelo mundo. Mas a perseguição não é sinal de fracasso — é sinal de fidelidade. Bem-aventurados os que sofrem por causa da justiça.
Perseguição como marca do discípulo
Jesus disse: se o mundo vos odeia, sabei que antes de vós odiou a mim. Todo o que quer viver piedosamente será perseguido.
18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
10 Blessed [are] those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you whenever they revile you, and they persecute you, and they say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
22 Blessed are you when men shall hate you, and when they shall exclude you, and shall revile [you], and cast out your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
Recompensa na perseguição
Os perseguidos por causa de Cristo receberão grande galardão no céu. Quem perde por amor ao evangelho receberá cem vezes mais.
29 So Jesus answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields, for My sake and for the sake of the gospel,30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time-houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions-and in the age to come, eternal life.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
10 Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in calamities, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For whenever I am weak, then I am strong.
Amor e confiança em meio à adversidade
A Bíblia nos ensina a amar nossos perseguidores, abençoar os que nos maldizem e confiar que nossos tempos estão nas mãos de Deus.
44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,
14 Bless those that persecute you; bless and do not curse.
8 Be sober, be watchful; your adversary the devil walks about as a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour.
7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?'