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 Yea, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
10 Blessed [are] they who have been persecuted for righteousness sake! For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.
11 Blessed are you when [men] shall revile you and persecute [you], and shall say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for My sake.
22 Blessed [are] you when men shall hate you, and when they shall cut you off, and when they shall reproach [you] and shall cast out your name as evil, for the sake 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 And Jesus answered and said, Truly I say to you, There is no man that has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the gospel's sake,30 but he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands with persecutions, and in the world 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 peril, or sword?
10 Therefore I am pleased in weaknesses, in insults, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am powerful.
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 despitefully use you and persecute you,
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless, and do not curse.
15 My times [are] in Your hand; deliver me from the hand of my enemies, and from those who persecute me.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You [are] with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
8 Be sensible [and] vigilant, because your adversary [the] Devil walks about like 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 do you persecute Me?