The New Testament Church Part 11: (The persecuted Church)
Introduction
The New Testament Church was a persecuted Church. The Kingdom of God had come in the person of Jesus to set people free from the kingdom of darkness. And when the Church declared that Jesus, not Caesar, was Lord, all hell broke loose:
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you . . . If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also (John 15:18-20 (part)).
As soon as the apostles started preaching, persecution began. Peter and other apostles were arrested by the Sanhedrin (Acts 5:40) and after Stephen’s death a great persecution broke out against the Church at Jerusalem and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:1). We know that most, if not all, of the apostles died as a result of persecution.
From persecuted cult to state-prescribed religion
Persecution continued unabated until AD 312 when Emperor Constantine installed Christianity as the official religion across the Empire. The Church then moved from being a persecuted cult to a state-prescribed religion. It lost its identity as a prophetic counter-culture and became an institutionalised celebrated insider. It had more bureaucratic power, but declining spiritual power. It had greater influence with the kingdoms of this world, but a corresponding loss of influence in the Kingdom of God.
The organic Church
Fortunately, not every believer bought into the deception and the organic Church, although now only a remnant, continued to declare in word and deed that Jesus was Lord. Since that time it has continued as a living organism and has refused to be defined by reference to buildings, creeds, structures, denominations, Popes, Archbishops, celebrity ministers or experiences.
It remains to this day a worldwide, living and prophetic body of individual Christians, linked together by relationship and their love and devotion to the Lord. A body of people through whom God expresses himself:
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work (Eph 4:15-16).
They refuse to conform to any externally imposed pattern or method and remain a flexible wine skin, opposed to all forms of institutionalism. As a result, they continue to be persecuted and, sadly, the institutional Church at times has joined the ranks of the persecutor. Radical disciples of Jesus have always suffered persecution and always will.
Whilst the institutional Church in the West majors on survival strategies and offers a place of refuge and shelter from the harsh realities of the world, the organic Church takes the radical call of the Gospel into every dark corner of the planet.
This Gospel not only brings release and freedom to individuals, but also attracts the wrath of the world and segments of the institutional Church, since its message is culturally subversive and politically incorrect - Jesus is still Lord, he will not share his glory with any other and he remains the only way to the Father.
Persecution continues
Persecution today, however, isn't simply limited to the organic Church. The Church rarely has the protection of the state in this day and age and the institutional Church is also under attack. The World Evangelical Alliance estimates that 200 million Christians live in societies where they face the threat of being imprisoned, tortured, and killed because of their faith. A recent study cited by the Vatican reported that 75 out of every 100 people killed due to religious hatred are Christians.
According to the American Pew Research Centre, there are twice as many countries where religious restrictions are getting worse rather than better. Tim Montgomery wrote in The Times (24 December 2012) that ‘70 per cent of the world’s population live in countries where religious freedom is restricted in severe ways by political, policy or intimidating social forces.’
Five Christians were shot by extremists in Nigeria and then burnt in their homes until their corpses were unrecognisable. Although the crime lasted hours the security forces stationed nearby did nothing. A Pakistani Christian woman was sentenced to death for defiling the name of Muhammad. A suicide bomber outside a Church in Egypt killed 21 people and wounded many more. An attack by a 30-strong Muslim mob armed with guns, knives and petrol bombs on a Church in Northern Nigeria left five people dead.
These incidents are typical of the plight of Christians across the Muslim world today. Many live in constant danger of physical assault, murder and imprisonment. They also endure discrimination in education and employment, and many are prevented from practising their faith.
The Middle East is becoming a more dangerous place for religious minorities, particularly Christians. For example the Iraqi Christians who fled to Syria from Iraq following the war in 2003 are now being forced to flee Syria due to increasing religious persecution following events since the Arab Spring.
Canon Andrew White, who has worked in Baghdad since the beginning of the war, writes:
The sad fact is that despite Iraq no longer being a major focus in the news, the problems remain. The Christians still live under threat and danger. There are still daily indiscriminate bombs and violent attacks. Our people still live in extreme poverty and the church continue to provide their food care and many other needs. Once upon a time we had 1.5 million Christians here. Today there is estimated to be only 200,000.
Persecution and revival
Just as the Gospel spread through persecution in the early days of the Church, so persecution will be the catalyst for revival in the end times. When the Church is persecuted, revivals break out. The fastest growing part of the Church today is in China, where underground organic Christianity is outlawed. During the days of communist rule in Russia, the organic Church grew faster there than ever before.
The revelation of John indicates that in the last days before Jesus’ return there will be an unprecedented persecution of Christians. Spirit-filled Christians however will overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb (Jesus); by the word of their testimony and by not loving their lives so much as to shrink from death (Rev 12:11).
.....................................................................................................................................
Mutually beneficial characteristics
It's important to bear in mind the overlap and relationship that exists between the different characteristics of the New Testament Church:
General introduction to series . . .
Part 1 in this series discusses Eschatological focus . . .
Part 2 in this series discusses Prophetic mandate . . .
Part 3 in this series discusses Meeting in houses and community living . . .
Part 4 in this series discusses Leadership . . .
Part 5 in this series discusses Discipleship . . .
Part 6 in this series discusses Spiritual gifts . . .
Part 7 in this series discusses Pioneers or settlers . . .
Part 8 in this series discusses Identity precedes function . . .
Part 9 in this series discusses Relational unity . . .
Part 10 in this series discusses Kingdom message and proclamation . . .
Part 11 in this series discusses The persecuted Church . . .
Just as the Gospel spread through persecution in the early days of the Church, so persecution will be the catalyst for revival in the end times. When the Church is persecuted, revivals break out. The fastest growing part of the Church today is in China, where underground Christianity is outlawed. During the days of communist rule in Russia, the Church grew faster there than ever before . . .