Where is the threat?
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Romans 12:18
Here is a question no secular person has ever been able to answer to my satisfaction. Why if God does not exist. If Jesus was simply a man and not the Son of God as he claimed. Why are Christians persecuted, by some other religious groups and particularly by Communist governments and dictatorships?
While Christian teaching has been twisted, misinterpreted and misrepresented over the centuries the core values of Christianity are non threatening.
The verse I quoted above is typical. “As far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” Is typical.
Paul writing to the Romans said,
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
Romans 13:1
Jesus said,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,”
Matthew 5:43,44
The gospel of Matthew records the Pharisees asking Jesus,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:37-40.
Such teachings are not threatening by any means.
Yes Jesus told his disciples to go and make more disciples but to bring people into a faith that teaches to live in harmony with God, his fellow man and governments is certainly not a bad thing.
Jesus made it clear who he was when he stood before the Roman governor Pontius Pilot. The gospel of John recording this conversation between Pilot and Jesus,
“It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?”
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest.... But now my kingdom is from another place.”
“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
John 18:35b.
Christians are called by Jesus to reach others for a kingdom that is not even of this world. If as communist and Atheist say it doesn’t exist why the attack on Christians?
After all the Christian faith if the Communist and Atheist are right, are preparing people for something that does not exist. Additionally, it is telling them to love their enemies, their neighbours, God and submit to the governing authorities.
What more could a government of any country want than that in a citizen?
Yet still it seems Christians are a threat so much a threat that it is estimated by some sources secular and Christian, that one Christian dies for their faith every four to seven minutes somewhere in the world. While millions of others live under persecution and fear of death.
Neither Jesus or his disciples ever spoke out against any of the secular civil authorities. When he spoke out against things it was against the religious leaders of his own community that were misinterpreting the scriptures.
Neither Jesus or his disciples ever called for rebellion either against Rome the super power of the day or their own Jewish leadership.
Yet today as you read this Christians cannot practise openly in many countries.
C. S. Lewis wrote,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
C. S. Lewis.
The only thing I can conclude is that Christianity is of infinite importance so much so, it causes governments to fear the message of the Prince of Peace.
Think about it.
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