Suffering Shame for His Name

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that GOD has promised to those who love him.”--James 1:12

By Patrick Halbrook

Threats, punishments, tortures, and crosses: these words describe what many of our brothers and sisters in Christ had to face during the first few centuries of Christianity. Although Christianity was severely despised and persecuted during these years, the church thrived spiritually in a great way. Those of us living in 21st century America - a country founded in part on the very concept of freedom of religion - ought to consider this. Christianity thrived in the first few centuries because Christians had no doubt that the world rejected them - and so they, in turn, rejected the world. Let's briefly consider the connection between one's dedication to Christ and subsequent relationship with the world.

True Christianity is - and has always been - counter cultural. Jesus told His disciples, "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:18 19).

If the world rejected Jesus Christ, the epitome of everything we as Christians should stand for, then how could we possibly expect the world to accept us? Jesus suffered for our sakes at the hands of a cruel and unfair world, and I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that we should be willing to suffer the same for His sake and His name. As far as physical persecution goes, those of us in the United States don't have much to fear -- but if we did, how would we handle it?

Observe what the apostles did when persecuted. Shortly after the establishment of the church and Peter's sermon on Pentecost, some apostles were arrested for preaching the gospel. Here's what happened next: "...when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name" (Acts 5:40 41). A public beating was not only painful, but terribly disgraceful. And yet, the apostles rejoiced in their suffering. Why?

The answer lies in their love for and desire to be like Jesus. When we are like Christ in our attitudes, we will be like Him in our actions. The apostles rejoiced because they were imitating Christ. "Rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy...if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify GOD in this matter" (1 Peter 3:13,16). Jesus gave up His own rights and fleshly interests to be part of a greater purpose, and that is what the apostles were imitating. Only months before, He had told them, "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. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matt. 5:10 12).

Even the fact they had done nothing wrong didn't matter. They saw the situation instead as an opportunity to demonstrate their devotion to their Lord. Peter, one of the apostles arrested and beaten, clearly understood this; surely this incident came to his mind when, years later, he wrote, "For what credit is it if when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer for it, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before GOD. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps" (1 Peter 2:20 21).

When I lived in northern Virginia, I sometimes listened to a Christian radio show that focused on the rights of Christians in America. The host accepted calls from listeners who were being discriminated against because of their faith, and would then put them into contact with lawyers who would take these cases to court. I suppose it is somewhat of a noble cause - I certainly enjoy my freedoms in this country and believe Christians should be actively involved to make our nation a better place. But I ask you: whatever happened to "rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings" and "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake"? It takes courage to stand up for our rights as Christians and proclaim our faith to unbelievers. But it takes something else entirely to allow them to trample upon us, and to mock us, and to persecute us - because that takes a truly Christ like attitude. That takes humility.

The early church thrived under Rome's terrible persecution; however, in the year AD 313 something devastating happened. Emperor Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, legalizing Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. For the first time, the world accepted Christianity - at least, the watered down version that it quickly became. But here's what happened when the world accepted the church: the church accepted the world. And that, I sincerely believe, is the danger we face today in America. Let's not forget that "friendship with the world is enmity with GOD," and that "Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of GOD" (James 4:4).

Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it" (Luke 9:23 24). Jesus has called all of us to be selfless followers of Him, and if we're still thinking in terms of ourselves and our own physical rights, then I think we're missing His point. Being a Christian is a great blessing, but while we're still on earth we may be called to suffer, either physically or in another way. Despite this, we have tremendous hope:

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us... As it is written: 'For your sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.' Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of GOD which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:18,36 19).

Have you been counted worthy to suffer shame for His name? If you have, rejoice!