of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.”—Matt. 10:28.

CHRISTIAN CONDUCT UNDER PERSECUTION

12, 13. (a) Are we surprised when persecution arises and why do you so answer? (b) What should be our reaction to verbal abuse?

¹² Since persecution is clearly something that Jehovah allows to come upon his servants as a test of their integrity, we should not be surprised when persecution of one kind or another arises. Indeed, if we are not having to endure some such trial, we wonder if we are really on the Christian path. Of course, not everyone has to face death in order to experience the hatred of the adversary. Sometimes it is simply the verbal abuse that eventually is heaped upon all who share in the Christian’s work of preaching the good news from house to house. In this case, what should be the reaction of the Christian preacher?

¹³ The best way to answer this question is to ask: What would Christ Jesus do? We do not have to guess the answer, for it is given for us in 1 Peter 2:23: “When he was being reviled, he did not go reviling in return. When he was suffering, he did not go threatening, but kept on committing himself to the one who judges righteously.” If Jesus had reviled those who abused him, he would have degraded himself to their low level and he would have become like the Devil, which name means “Slanderer.” He would have denied the purpose for which he was born, which was to “bear witness to the truth,” not to be a slanderer of those who opposed him. (John 18:37) Jesus knew that any abusive speech hurled at him was only by permission of his Father, and so he demonstrated complete submission to the will of Jehovah by enduring this persecution in silence. When we are similarly subjected to derisive speech and lying accusations, there may even be an opportunity to make a mild-tempered answer, as Paul showed. “When being reviled, we bless; when being persecuted, we bear up; when being defamed, we entreat.” (1 Cor. 4:12, 13) When hot and angry words are being poured out, a quiet word can often be like oil on troubled waters. “A mild tongue itself can break a bone.” (Prov. 25:15) Yes, one who is so opposed that his spirit is as hard as bone can sometimes be entreated by a quiet answer.—Prov. 15:1.

14. (a) What understanding will help us to withstand persecution? (b) How did the apostles demonstrate the right outlook on persecution?

¹⁴ To be able to withstand bitter persecution over a long period of time we must understand why it is permitted. When we have studied the Bible and know the origin of wickedness, then we know that Satan is completely committed to trying to destroy the faith of every individual who serves God. We know that if we are to be blessed by Jehovah with life everlasting in his New Order, then our fitness to live there must first be proved. Our integrity and steadfastness must be tested. Jehovah has told us he will permit Satan to bring persecution upon us for this purpose and our faithful endurance will prove to be a vindication of his great Name. Knowing this, we can even rejoice under persecution as the apostles did. The Acts of the Apostles is a thrilling record of the testing of the faith of that small band of Christians. They were thrown into jail, and when God’s angel miraculously released them they immediately resumed their preaching in a bold manner. Once more they were haled before the Supreme Court of the Jews. Although they were commanded to stop preaching about the resurrected Jesus, they boldly replied: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) This time they were flogged and ordered to preach no more. Did this finally silence them? Did the increasing severity of the persecution now daunt them and make them hide away? Read the answer in Acts 5:41, 42: “These, therefore, went their way from before the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of his name. And every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.” Yes, they were happy that Jehovah had given them this opportunity of demonstrating their burning love for him. That is the right outlook on persecution.

15. What should be our attitude toward men who persecute us? Give examples.

¹⁵ But what should be our attitude toward the men inflicting the persecution? Jesus gave the simple answer: “Continue to love your enemies and to pray for those persecuting you.” (Matt. 5:44) Is this humanly possible? Could our brothers in Germany feel love for their Nazi persecutors who brutally beat them with steel whips until they were unconscious, who compelled elderly persons to do hard labor and bear heavy burdens until they collapsed, and who kept them so short of food that many became so weak that they were too helpless to resist the rats that gnawed them to death? Could they still show love to men who treated them so inhumanly? It depends on what kind of love you mean. They could obviously not feel brotherly affection for them as indicated by the Greek word philia. But what of the unselfish, principled love known by the Greeks as agape? Yes, that kind of love they could and did show. By continuing to preach to their persecutors, by manifesting Christian principles in dealing with them, they showed such love and this even resulted in some of the persecutors’ becoming Jehovah’s witnesses.

16. What outlook will help us to show love to human persecutors?

¹⁶ Some persecutors, however, carry on their ill-treatment of Christians in ignorance. Many are blinded to the truth of God’s Word by Satan, who presents himself as an angel of light. (2 Cor. 4:4; 11:14) When we can see Satan as the original and chief persecutor of the servants of God, and men as simply his tools, it helps us to take a more loving attitude toward human persecutors. Stephen saw things this way and, even as he was dying, cried out: “Jehovah, do not charge this sin against them.”—Acts 7:60.

17. Name two good things that can result from persecution.

¹⁷ So persecution should not always be regarded as a bad thing. It often has good results when we faithfully endure it. First, it strengthens us individually, providing we understand it and why Jehovah permits it. One who has undergone persecution because of his faith and has come out victorious with the backing of Jehovah’s holy spirit feels a sense of joy beyond description. He is grateful to Jehovah for allowing him to demonstrate his faithfulness and for giving him the strength to endure. He is drawn much closer to Jehovah. Secondly, our faithfulness under opposition is often a source of strength to our fellow believers. Paul’s faithful endurance in prison bonds and his boldness in continuing to preach the good news in that condition had a very strengthening effect on many of the Roman Christians. “My prison bonds have become public knowledge in association with Christ among all the praetorian guard and all the rest; and most of the brothers in the Lord, feeling confidence by reason of my prison bonds, are showing all the more courage to speak the word of God fearlessly.”—Phil. 1:13, 14.

18. What other good result can come from faithful endurance under persecution?

¹⁸ A third fine result of faithful endurance under persecution is that Jehovah’s name is honored. “For if someone, because of conscience toward God, bears up under grievous things and suffers unjustly, this is an agreeable thing. For what merit is there in it if, when you are sinning and being slapped, you endure it? But if, when you are doing good and you suffer, you endure it, this is a thing agreeable with God.” (1 Pet. 2:19, 20) Jehovah is always pleased when we take a wise and upright course. He says: “Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, that I may make a reply to him that is taunting me.” (Prov. 27:11) From the time of Adam’s fall Satan has taunted Jehovah. If we fail to endure under persecution, we just give Satan a further reason for taunting God. But when we draw strength from God’s Word and his holy spirit, and stand firm under all kinds of opposition, we give Jehovah a living answer to the taunter. Then Satan has to turn away without satisfaction. We do want to make Jehovah glad, do we not? Then let us joyfully, yes, happily, suffer shame on account of his matchless name.

19. Why do we not need to be ashamed when persecuted for serving Jehovah?

¹⁹ Looking at persecution in this way, we will never be ashamed. Although we are “objects of hatred by all people” on account of Christ’s name and are regarded as “the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all things,” we have no reason to be alarmed or concerned. (Matt. 10:22; 1 Cor. 4:13) That was how Paul felt about it as he said to Timothy: “Therefore do not become ashamed of the witness about our Lord, neither of me a prisoner for his sake . . . For this very cause I am also suffering these things, but I am not ashamed.” (2 Tim. 1:8, 12) With this Peter also agreed. “But if he suffers as a Christian, let him not feel shame, but let him keep on glorifying God in this name.” (1 Pet. 4:16) If we are convinced that our belief is right and we are doing God’s will, then all the shameful treatment, abuse and persecution we shall have to endure will not make us discouraged or quit Jehovah’s service. This has proved true in the case of Jehovah’s witnesses in Portugal in modern times. Though an entire congregation was recently arrested, brought to trial and falsely condemned, this has not made Jehovah’s witnesses in that land forsake the service of their God.

20. How can we be sure that we can even stand alone under persecution?

²⁰ Our confidence in Jehovah will enable us, if necessary, to stand alone under persecution. The faithful man Job stood such a test without human help or consolation, and Jehovah kindly sustained him. “You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome Jehovah gave, that Jehovah is very tender in affection and merciful.” (Jas. 5:11) Paul, too, had to take such a lone stand in Rome and came out victorious. “In my first defense no one came to my side, but they all proceeded to forsake me—may it not be put to their account—but the Lord stood near me and infused power into me, that through me the preaching might be fully accomplished and all the nations might hear it; and I was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will deliver me from every wicked work and will save me for his heavenly kingdom.” (2 Tim. 4:16-18) In our own times we have seen the steadfast examples of brothers like Stanley Jones and Harold King, who endured up to seven years and five years respectively of solitary confinement in Communist China’s prisons. Surely, Jehovah does not forsake those who put their whole trust and confidence in him. “Jehovah is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”—Heb. 13:6.

21. In spite of certain persecution, why can we face the future with full confidence?

²¹ Keeping Jehovah’s sure promises in mind and remembering the faithful example of our brothers under persecution, we do not need to fear the future, even though it will bring down upon us all of Satan’s fiery wrath, his death throes. We know that Jehovah is allowing us to undergo a testing for the proving of our faith and for the vindication of his great Name. We know too that “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear, but along with the temptation he will also make the way out in order for you to be able to endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13) For this reason we will face the future with full faith and confidence, assured that we can overcome “all the wicked one’s burning missiles.” (Eph. 6:16) And finally we shall be able to cry out joyfully: “Thanks to God, for he gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”—1 Cor. 15:57.

Serving with Everlasting Life in View

“By endurance on your part you will acquire your souls.”—Luke 21:19.

1. How do normal human creatures feel about life?

NO NORMAL human creature wants to die. Whether one is young or old, rich or poor, in good health or in sickness, the instinct to hold on to life is very strong. Not only is this true in the affluent countries of the world, where life is easier and more comfortable, but it holds good, too, in the underdeveloped countries, where life is often very squalid, hard and uncertain. Amid all their difficulties and problems the saying still holds good that ‘while there is life there is hope.’

2. How should Christians feel about everlasting life?

² If this earnest longing and striving for life is true in such circumstances, how much more diligent and determined should the Christian be in making fast his hold on everlasting life. Yes, indeed, the incentive to pursue everlasting life should be immeasurably stronger than the natural instinct to hold on to our present human life, which normally does not reach even a hundred years. One who reads and believes the Bible’s promise that “the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord,” surely has the greatest hope for the future that any human could want or conceive.—Rom. 6:23.

3. How did Jesus describe the response among people to God’s promises of everlasting life?

³ When we read right through the Bible and take in all the wonderful descriptions it contains of life everlasting in a paradise earth, with freedom from sickness and strife, we wonder how anyone could fail to believe them and put his whole trust in Jehovah, the Giver of life. And yet Jesus foretold that very few would accept Jehovah’s promises and set their feet on the pathway to everlasting life. “Go in through the narrow gate; because broad and spacious is the road leading off into destruction, and many are the ones going in through it; whereas narrow is the gate