Why Persecution is Growing
Last Friday, Mission Network News posted a story with a fascinating headline: "Extremists historically strong, Gospel still spreading rapidly." That headline sums up why Christian persecution continues to grow!
There is no doubt about it: The Gospel of Jesus Christ is spreading. All over the world, more are telling, more are hearing, and more are responding. The Gospel is going places that it has never gone before, the Bible is being printed in languages it has never been in before, and the light of truth is shining ever brighter.
But as the gospel spreads and grows, so does the opposition to it. Whether the gospel is going to new places or expanding where it is already known, persecution draws alongside. Persecution is especially intense when a new Christian converts out of darkness. The highly-publicized case of Lina Joy in Malaysia is one example, but this persecution does not only exist in Islamic countries; in India, for instance, Hindus that come to Jesus experience persecution from their families, communities, and governments.
Wherever the Gospel goes, it goes carried by the sacrifice of those willing to give as much as it takes to share the good news with a lost world. As they raise the truth by their commitment, let us raise them up in our prayers.