"Yea and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
2 Timothy 3:12
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus.”
Paul is talking to believers here, more specifically, believers who are striving to live godly. As believers, we understand we are living, moving, and breathing in Jesus Christ. A holy life is the goal for every believer, for we want to glorify God in all that we do and say and with our very being (1 Corinthians 10:31). We realize our lives are about Him and not ourselves.
“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:12).
If we live this way, some people will be angry with us.
“Shall suffer persecution.”
Paul was drawing on his wealth of personal knowledge of persecution. He has a history of being persecuted. But note please his attitude is one of praising the Lord. He is not disheartened but encouraged because he is in the Lord, and He has blessed his life even through persecution.
“Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me” (2 Timothy 3:11).
Throughout biblical history, persecution has been the norm for believers.
David saw persecution:
“The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation” (Psalm 37:12-14).
Jesus taught us that persecution is regular for His child, and it calls for a time of rejoicing.
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 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 great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).
Jesus also describes our relationship with the lost of this world:
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord” (Matthew 10:22-24).
Jesus knew the Christian life is to be one of suffering.
“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).
Persecution and hardship is not an easy message to accept. When we signed up to be a disciple of Jesus Christ, a stressful life is what we signed up for. If we never see any persecution, there must be something dreadfully wrong with our testimony for Christ! When we do see abuse, we rejoice in the fact that Christ counts us worthy to suffer for his namesake. Let’s be willing to suffer for Him.