Cain killed Abel because he was jealous of God’s favor toward his sacrifice. An entire population mocked Noah for explicitly obeying God’s commands. God’s people have seen attack after attack from enemy nations.
God Himself, in the form of His son, Jesus, was nailed to a cross.
When we read the Bible and consider human history, therefore, it should be no surprise to us that Christians world-wide are still under attacks of various forms. Why don't we hear about them, and what can we do about it?
The fact that these attacks are not well reported is a subtle yet active form of persecution in our own nation done by our own major media companies. But there are a few good sources of these happenings. In an interview with the Christian Post, John Allen Jr. of the National Catholic Reporter discusses what Christians are facing worldwide and how we can help.
Allen says Christian persecution exists not just in nations where Christianity is a minority. Certainly we’ve seen persecution in the U.S. and have been hearing reports of Isis, a minority group on a raging war against all religions unlike their own. We know it exists worldwide. Allen points out two factors that he believes are fueling persecution toward Christians today: ill feelings toward the West (which Christianity is often associated with), and continued fast growth of Christianity across the developing world.
Allen’s point that Christianity is growing so vastly in the developing world is encouraging, and also one that has been the theme throughout our human history. Yes, persecution has thrived, but no amount of physical threat or political power has halted God’s very real work in the human heart. In fact, I would not be surprised if such persecution has brought the reality of sin and the need for hope more strongly to the minds of those who have seen it.
So while persecution brings more opportunities for growth, it also brings more opportunities to help. We are called to remember our fellow believers who are suffering. Two key ways which Allen points out would be of help is to pray and support our fellow believers worldwide. He said when he asks persecuted Christians what can be done to help them, their response is “‘Don’t forget about us.’ They have a powerful sense of having been abandoned and ignored, which exacerbates their hardships.”
He also says that “prayer is no substitute for effort.” While prayer is of primary importance, God has also given us gifts and abilities to act. Allen says that “at-risk Christians around the world need the best efforts of their fellow Christians, human rights activists, political and media leaders, and so on, to make their case.”
This is where it certainly would be of help if our nation’s media was more vocal about the atrocities being done to innocent people in these hostile nations. But their lack of action does not excuse us from our lack of support. Hebrews 13:3 says, "Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.”
So what can we do? Spread the word. Subscribe to receive reports of persecution (ex. VOM magazine) and pass the reports around. Contact your federal legislators and make sure they are aware of these accounts. Ask them to do something. Mobilize your church to get involved. More information may be found in Allen’s book “The Gobal War in Christians” and at the Voice of the Martyrs website at persecution.com.
Persecution has been occurring since the first family, but one thing is different now: there are more believers to support the persecuted than Able or Noah had in their day. That's both a reason to be thankful and a reason to respond.