Modern Christians are being persecuted in over sixty countries. The intensity of persecution varies. In some countries, Christians are imprisoned, tortured, and killed for their faith. American newspapers seldom write about the persecution of Christians, but you can read about it at the website of Open Doors, a ministry founded by Brother Andrew. They provide Bibles and other resources for persecuted Christians. They have a free newsletter. You can buy books and videos from their online store. You can see and hear persecuted Christians in the videos, and read quotations from them in the books and in the newsletter. Our persecuted brothers and sisters have a level of love, courage, faith, and commitment which is amazing. We can learn so much from them.

http://www.opendoorsusa.com

Jack D. Shaffer is the Director of Church Development for Open Doors. He has a special appreciation for persecuted Christians and for their perspective about Scripture. Following is a quotation from his article, "See the Bible through Persecuted Eyes". (Jack D. Schaffer, Director of Church Development, Open Doors with Brother Andrew. Used by permission.)

"The Persecuted Church of today represents the closest we can come to the original writers and readers of the Scriptures. Most of the Bible was written by persecuted people for persecuted people. By interacting with them, we gain unique insights into the original meaning of the Scriptures. We need their help because what is obvious to a persecuted, biblical Christian is no longer obvious to us. We inhabit a completely different universe. We need the persecuted to remind us of what life was like for the original New Testament community.

"There are three key characteristics persecuted Christians of today share with the biblical church, and which we emphatically know little of.

Persecuted Christians Have No Future

"Having a future is a luxury that most persecuted Christians do not enjoy either in the biblical period or today. They have no long term. What they read and use, they use in the moment. They need to hear from God urgently because tomorrow their life may be required of them.

Persecuted Christians Have No Stake In Their Society

"We live in a world where the church was -- and to some extent still is -- privileged; where Christian language and concepts have shaped our history and where individual Christians can hold high office. We are comfortable, well connected and prosperous. But biblical, persecuted Christians were always on the outside of the power structure. Peter called them 'strangers and aliens.' The Scripture is written for powerless people.

Persecuted Christians Live in Societies Dominated By Religious Rituals

"This is what gets them into trouble -- they do not worship the 'emperor.' Even in atheistic societies, persecuted Christians are in conflict because they do not worship the 'gods' of the age, whether the god is Mao, Lenin or Castro.

"But we live in worlds where the role of religion has been relegated to the private sphere. We are not required, like our biblical persecuted brethren, to take oaths of allegiance and fealty to state gods or other gods.

"Thus the persecuted enable us in some small way to recover the 'original eyes' of the first writers and readers of the New Testament, and that can make all the difference to a correct or an incorrect interpretation.

"I remember a dear pastor from the West preaching about Jesus stilling the storm (Mark 4:35-41). His whole talk was on how Jesus could still the storms raging in our lives. He named storms like loneliness, misunderstanding, humiliation and even persecution. And he said, 'Jesus can deliver you from every one of these storms, just like he did the disciples of old.'

"The pastor was about to go on when an old man stood up. He was from a Middle Eastern country and had seen much suffering. He said gently and respectfully, 'My dear brother, if you had been persecuted, you would know the primary meaning of this passage. The point of this story is not that Jesus takes the storm away, but that there is no need to fear the storm if Jesus is in the boat.'

"Everyone stared at him in silence. He added, 'This passage is given to us for our comfort in the face of terrible storms, to know that Jesus is in the boat with us so that the storm will do us no harm.'

"Not many appreciated the interruption. But some years later, at seminary studying this passage, I saw the value of his insight. Mark's Gospel was not written to Christians who were being delivered, but to comfort those who were dying. It was written to the persecuted Christians of Rome who were being martyred by the hundreds under Nero. How would they have interpreted this passage? Surely not that they would get delivered out of the mouth of the lion. They didn't. They died in the arenas. But this passage would have spoken to them even so -- they would know that with Jesus, the storm of death will do them no harm."

I live in America. Christians here have been privileged to be free from persecution. We can assemble without fear. We can sing without worrying whether someone hostile will hear us and report us. We can attend church without having secret police write down our names.

We Americans have not known persecution. But we cannot assume that it will never happen here. Other nations have known sudden and drastic changes. There was a day when the people of Germany went to bed as citizens of a free democratic nation. And when they woke up the next day, they found out that Hitler had taken over. And then they gradually learned what kind of man now had power over them. Hitler transformed a democracy into one of the worst totalitarian nations in modern history. The concentration camps were not just for Jews and Gypsies. There were also Christians there, Christians who refused to compromise their faith. If it happened in Germany, then we cannot assume that it could never happen here. I hope that it won't. But if it does, then we need to remember what the Bible says. Jesus told us,

"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." (Matthew 24:35)

"In the world ye shall have tribulation: But be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12)

"And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul" (Matthew 10:28)

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me." (John 15:18-21)

David said,

"In God I have put my trust. I will not be afraid what man can do unto me." (Psalm 56:11)

"The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?" (Psalm 118:6)

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4)

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear"(Psalm 46:1)

The Apostle Peter said that we should not be surprised if we encounter great hardship. He said,

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified." (1 Peter 4:12-14)

The Apostle Paul said,

"...I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (Philippians 4:11)

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me." (Hebrews 13:5-6)

"And he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-3)

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (Romans 8:35-57)

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing: but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of god, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7)

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This article contains a lengthy quotation from Jack Schaffer. You may use his quotation as long as you do the following three things:

1. Use the entire quotation.
2. Don't make any changes in it.
3. Include the following statement: "Jack D. Schaffer, Director of Church Development, Open Doors with Brother Andrew. Used by permission."