Theology of Persecution and Suffering

Throughout the history of the Church, until today, Christians have experienced persecution and suffering. The global Body of Christ continues to experience various forms of persecution. According to Open Doors, “In 2025, more than 380 million Christian believers will face persecution and discrimination because of their faith in Christ”. For the twelfth consecutive year, there was an increase in persecution, driven by violence in Sub-Saharan Africa and tighter church control in Central Asia.” John 15 helps us understand how to respond to such persecution.

God’s Kingdom reality

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth for his own glory and sovereign dominion. But the Fall introduced injustice, conflict, suffering, and death. Through the sin of the first Adam, humanity has fallen from glory. However, the last Adam, Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, brought eternal redemption and restoration for all who believe in Him. Christ’s followers are called to display his character, which is only achieved through Biblical discipleship. A Christlike character proves that God’s light and righteousness are emerging in this world. Now, in addition to the general physical, psychological, and spiritual suffering because we live in a broken world, there is a Kingdom reality of persecution and suffering for righteousness’ sake. God’s mission throughout Church history is inseparable from such persecution.

The hatred against God and his people

John 15:18-19: “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”.

Because of their faith in and allegiance to Christ, his disciples may face the same hatred he experienced. “When we intentionally live according to the way of Christ, we can count on meeting opposition from those who hate Christ,” writes Tom Ascol. The emerging Kingdom and the broken world are in confrontation with one another. But praise be to God, there is victory in Christ. Many millions of people experience hardship and suffering, often without any hope or encouragement. But Christ’s followers can stand firm and endure persecution and suffering with hope – even through death – because our Master has conquered it all. In him and by him, we have inherited the faith that overcomes the world.

The privilege to be treated as the Master was treated

John 15:20-21:“Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they would obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me”.

Jesus insisted that his disciples’ lives were distinguished from the world. And from the beginning he prepared them to face persecution as a result. His disciples obediently passed his teachings on to others, and this earned them the privilege of being treated as their Master was. But they could stand firm until death because he prepared them. Similarly, the Church in Sub-Saharan Africa must emphasize discipleship to Christ. It is the best way to equip Christians to be victorious in persecution. Knowing God and making him known to others is a way of strengthening Christ’s disciple to withstand persecution. Unfortunately, the prevalence of nominalism and the prosperity gospel across Africa has produced church goers who cannot withstand persecution. Many backslide and compromise during persecution because they have not been biblically discipled. All believers should know that God’s truth is worth the distress they face.

The guilt of perpetrators of persecution

John 15:22-25: If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfil what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’

God’s Kingdom on earth, with the light, truth and justice embedded in Christ, is in a confrontation with the kingdom of darkness. Sin is fundamentally a deliberate and intentional violation of God’s will. Jesus made it clear that the authors of persecution are guilty of sin before God. But as Christ’s disciples, our kingdom mindset should allow us to follow our Master’s instruction to show them love and pray for them. That is our challenge to take up.

The work of the Holy Spirit

John 15:26-27: “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning”.

In God’s Kingdom we grow to spiritual maturity in Christ through discipleship and have access to advocacy. It is no longer by our own efforts we must face persecution, but rather by the power of the Holy Spirit. Through his Spirit, Christ’s true witnesses wisely proclaim the truth and present Christ to all mankind. Donald LeRoy Stults explains that persecution and suffering for Christ are important parts of our overall work to advance the Church in every part of the world. From this view, the testimony of Christ requires God’s enablement through the Holy Spirit in persecution and suffering. According to this biblical theology of persecution and suffering, the Triune God is fully active in achieving God’s goal even through all kinds of mistreatments. The knowledge that God is with us, moreover, that we are becoming like Him amid persecution, is the source of our victory whatever be the cost of discipleship. God’s promises of his presence and action become the source of inward boldness, strong faith, persevering hope and sustainable resilience. Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit confronts those who are rebellious against God, convicting them of sin, righteousness and judgment. (See the story of Paul of Tarsus.)

Conclusion

John 15 provides teaching on biblical discipleship, persecution and suffering. They are part of this broken world but also an important aspect of God’s mission to bring redemption to all mankind and raise followers. Becoming like Christ will bring the same hatred manifested by Satan and his victims against our Lord, but abiding in Christ is far more valuable than anything that can be lost in persecution. Therefore, the problem is not the occurrence of suffering and persecuted, but rather poorly established faith and immaturity in Christ. Since persecution and suffering are attached to God’s mission, we must make disciples according to the biblical model in which we emphasize our new birth in Christ, our resurrection life, and our unique faith that overcomes the world. Allegiance to Christ and obeying God in all circumstances is the best response a disciples can have to persecution, suffering, and even death.