CARNAL OR SPIRITUAL

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs." Matthew 5:10 (CSB)

Continuing our thoughts about Persecution that Jesus speaks to in this 8^th and final Beatitude today, we need to see that a person can respond one of two ways when it comes to persecution. They can respond carnally or spiritually.

What does it look like if we are Responding Carnally. We are going to see are going to see three common ways –  

First, there is Retaliation. The first thing we want to do when we’re persecuted is to retaliate, but to do so would be a purely carnal response. Merely human; temporal; worldly.  The mind of man wants to get even (I don’t get mad, I get even). Paul in Romans 12 encourages us to seek to return good for evil. Allow God to vindicate us.

Next is Resentment. While it is carnal to openly retaliate against those who hurt us, it is just as carnal to harbor inward feelings of resentment toward them and toward the Lord for allowing persecution to come our way. In Philippians 1, Paul demonstrates the right attitude toward persecution. Far from resenting it, he acknowledges the good that was accomplished through his suffering.

Finally, consider Religious Superiority. Feelings of religious superiority are sometimes the result of persecution. While we are called upon to "rejoice" and to be glad with "exceeding joy", it is not because we are so much more spiritual than everybody else. As a matter of fact, this kind of Pharisaical attitude is proof of a lack of inward spirituality. Instead of manifesting an attitude of religious superiority toward their persecutors, the Christian ought to be grieved for them because it’s the domination of sin in their lives that’s causing them to persecute others. In most cases, the reason why people are compelled to persecute believers is that they don’t know the Lord (John 15:21; 16:3), and that ought to grieve our hearts.

Now, let us consider how to Respond Spiritually. A spiritual response to persecution is one of rejoicing. Not in the persecution itself, no one likes to be persecuted, but in what the persecution does. Consider three things that come from Persecution for the right reasons.

Persecution Confirms our Relationship. To be persecuted for "righteousness’ sake" is to be persecuted for being like Christ, and Christ-likeness is evidence of a genuine relationship with the Lord. Such was the case with the prophets (Matthew 5:12).

Persecution Causes Reliance. Listen to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:10 (CSB) –

“So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.:

Paul did not enjoy persecution, but he knew that the power of God was at its strongest when he was at his weakest. Sometimes it takes some persecution and suffering to bring us to the end of our own strength and to cause us to begin relying on the strength of the Lord.

And, finally, Persecution Cultivates Righteousness. 1 Peter 5:10 states –

“The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.^”

Sometimes the Lord allows a time of suffering and persecution in order to cultivate Christ-likeness in the lives of His followers. Check yourself – are you suffering for the right reasons? Then, what is God going to do through this time? Hang on and see Him work!