FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT

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

Let us pause to dissect this verse to understand it fully.

The term dediogmenoi – means to cause to run, molest, persecute. It is in passive voice – meaning it is something done to us. It is also plural – meaning many things. Thus it means that one is molested and persecuted over and over.

So as we set the stage to meditate upon this concept that Jesus presents to us, Let us first discover what these verses DO NOT say.

These verses do not say "Blessed are they which are persecuted because they’re obnoxious."

These verses do not say "Blessed are they which are persecuted because they were arrogant and abusive in their attempts to witness."

These verses do not say "Blessed are they which are persecuted because they had a ‘holier-than-thou’ attitude."

We can bring endless suffering upon ourselves and can create difficulties for ourselves simply because we act foolishly or self-righteously. Peter makes it very clear in his writings that it is possible to suffer for the wrong reasons (1 Peter 4:15).

Then, what these verses DO say?

It is not merely those who are persecuted that are blessed, but those who are persecuted for "righteousness’ sake."

To be righteous means to be Christ-like. Those are blessed who are persecuted for being like Christ (1 Peter 3:14-17; 4:14-16).

In John 15:18-22 (CSB) we read:

“If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they don’t know the one who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now they have no excuse for their sin.”

Jesus was not persecuted because He was good, but because He was different. There was something about Him that condemned those in the world. His righteousness exposed their unrighteousness and it was their feelings of guilt that brought about their persecution.

The world persecutes Christians today for the same reason they persecuted Christ. It’s because we are different, and that difference makes a fundamental difference.

Christians are not like everybody else with a slight difference, we are essentially different. We have a completely different nature than the unbeliever. At the time of salvation, the believer becomes a new creation in Christ Jesus. We begin to live their life differently. We begin to live and demonstrate a life of righteousness. We don’t compromise with the world and its sinful behavior. We realize that we owe everything to Christ and that we are not their own but that we are bought with a price, therefore we seek to live our lives for the One who died so that we might live. For this reason, we are persecuted (1 Peter 3:1-4).

So, does the life I now live show a fundamental difference? If not, the real question becomes why? Think on that today.