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.
The World’s Hatred
"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
Blessed are you when men hate you,
And when they exclude you,
And revile you, and cast out your name as evil,
For the Son of Man’s sake.
Recompensa na perseguição
Os perseguidos por causa de Cristo receberão grande galardão no céu. Quem perde por amor ao evangelho receberá cem vezes mais.
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 lands, for My sake and the gospel’s,who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when 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.
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 spitefully use you and persecute you,
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
My times are in Your hand;
Deliver me from the hand of my enemies,
And from those who persecute me.
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.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’