Hapi Nomata Iumi Kasem Persecution
“Hapi nao iufala taem pipol tok spoelem iufala and persecutim iufala and laea for talem evri barava nogud samting againstim iufala bikos long mi.”—MATTHEW 5:11.
1. Saed long persecution and wei for hapi, wanem nao Jesus promisim olketa follower bilong hem?
FIRSTAEM wea Jesus sendem olketa aposol bilong hem for preachim Kingdom, hem givim warning hao pipol bae againstim olketa. Hem sei: “Evri pipol bae heitim iufala bikos long nem bilong mi.” (Matthew 10:5-18, 22) Bat bifor datwan, long Sermon Long Maunten, hem promisim olketa aposol and olketa narawan hao nomata pipol bae againstim olketa, datwan bae no spoelem really hapi bilong olketa. Tru nao, Jesus talem hao wei wea olketa Christian bae kasem persecution hem join witim wei for hapi! Hao nao persecution savve mekem man hapi?
Safa Bikos Long Raeteous Fasin
2. Olsem Jesus and aposol Peter talem, wanem kaen wei for safa nao savve mekem iumi hapi?
2 Jesus storyim mek-eit reason for hapi olsem: “Hapi nao olketa wea kasem persecution bikos long raeteous fasin, from kingdom bilong heven hem bilong olketa.” (Matthew 5:10) Wei for safa hem no minim man shud kasem praise. Aposol Peter hem raet: “Wanem reward nao bae iufala kasem sapos iufala gohed strong taem iufala sin and olketa hitim iufala? Bat sapos iufala gohed strong nomata iufala safa from iufala duim gudfala samting, God hem hapi long diswan.” Hem sei moa: “Bat, nogud eniwan long iufala safa from hem man wea min for killim dae samwan or hem man for steal or man wea duim nogud samting or man wea poke nose long bisnis bilong nara pipol. Bat sapos man safa from hem wanfala Christian, hem mas no feel shame, bat hem mas gohed for givim glory long God long disfala nem.” (1 Peter 2:20; 4:15, 16) Toktok bilong Jesus showimaot hao sapos iumi stand strong taem iumi safa bikos long raeteous fasin, iumi savve hapi.
3. (a) Wanem nao hem minim for kasem persecution bikos long raeteous fasin? (b) Hao nao persecution affectim olketa firstfala Christian?
3 Trufala raeteous fasin hem showaot long wei wea man obeyim will bilong God and olketa komand bilong hem. So, for safa bikos long raeteous fasin hem minim iumi safa from iumi stand strong taem pipol putim hevi long iumi for go againstim olketa standard or mark bilong God. Olketa bigman bilong olketa Jew persecutim olketa aposol from olketa nating willing for stop for preach long nem bilong Jesus. (Acts 4:18-20; 5:27-29, 40) Waswe, datfala persecution spoelem hapi or stopem preaching bilong olketa? Barava nomoa nao! “Olketa hia go aot from Sanhedrin witim hapi, bikos olketa fit for kasem persecution from nem bilong hem. And evriday long temple and from haos tu haos olketa gohed and nating givap for teach and talemaot gud nius abaotem datfala Christ, Jesus.” (Acts 5:41, 42) Disfala persecution mekem olketa hapi and mekem olketa strong moa for duim preaching waka. Bihaen, Rome persecutim olketa firstfala Christian from olketa nating willing for worshipim emperor.
4. Wanem nao samfala reason why olketa Christian kasem persecution?
4 Long taem bilong iumi, Olketa Jehovah’s Witness kasem persecution from olketa nating willing for stop for preachim “gud nius bilong kingdom.” (Matthew 24:14) Taem gavman tambuim olketa Christian meeting bilong olketa, olketa willing for safa winim wei for no hipap tugeta olsem Bible komandim olketa for duim. (Hebrews 10:24, 25) Olketa kasem persecution from Christian wei for no teksaed and from olketa nating willing for iusim blood long rong wei. (John 17:14; Acts 15:28, 29) Nomata olsem, wei wea olketa stand strong for raeteous samting hem mekem pipol bilong God distaem garem hapi and peace.—1 Peter 3:14.
Pipol Tok Spoelem Iumi Bikos Long Christ
5. Wanem nao main reason why pipol bilong Jehovah kasem persecution distaem?
5 Mek-naen reason for hapi wea Jesus storyim long Sermon Long Maunten hem saed long persecution tu. Hem sei: “Hapi nao iufala taem pipol tok spoelem iufala and persecutim iufala and laea for talem evri barava nogud samting againstim iufala bikos long mi.” (Matthew 5:11) Main reason why pipol bilong Jehovah kasem persecution hem from olketa no part bilong disfala wicked world. Jesus talem olketa disaepol bilong hem: “Sapos iufala part bilong world, world savve laekem samting bilong hemseleva. Bat from iufala no part bilong world, bat mi chusim iufala aot from world, from diswan nao world hem heitim iufala.” (John 15:19) Aposol Peter talem semkaen samting taem hem sei: “From iufala no gohed for followim olketa long semkaen rabis wei, olketa konfius and gohed for tok nogud abaotem iufala.”—1 Peter 4:4.
6. (a) Why nao pipol tok spoelem and persecutim datfala remnant and olketa fren bilong olketa? (b) Waswe, wei wea pipol tok spoelem iumi hem aotem hapi bilong iumi?
6 Iumi lukim finis hao olketa firstfala Christian kasem persecution from olketa nating willing for stop for preach long nem bilong Jesus. Christ talem disfala komand for olketa follower bilong hem: “Iufala bae witness for mi . . . go kasem evri farawe ples long earth.” (Acts 1:8) Datfala faithful remnant bilong olketa anointed brata bilong Christ, witim help bilong olketa loyal fren bilong olketa, datfala “big crowd,” strong for followim datfala komand. (Revelation 7:9) Dastawe Satan hem faet “witim olketa seed bilong disfala woman wea stap yet [wea minim organization bilong God long heven], wea obeyim olketa komandment bilong God and wea garem waka for witness abaotem Jesus.” (Revelation 12:9, 17) Iumi olketa Witness bilong Jehovah witness abaotem Jesus, wea hem King long datfala Kingdom gavman distaem. Hem nao bae finisim olketa gavman bilong man wea againstim raeteous niu world bilong God. (Daniel 2:44; 2 Peter 3:13) From iumi duim diswan, pipol tok spoelem and persecutim iumi, bat iumi hapi for safa bikos long nem bilong Christ.—1 Peter 4:14.
7, 8. Olketa wea againstim olketa firstfala Christian laea for accusim olketa long wanem kaen samting?
7 Jesus sei olketa follower bilong hem shud hapi nomata taem pipol “laea for talem evri barava nogud samting” againstim olketa bikos long hem. (Matthew 5:11) Diswan barava kasem olketa firstfala Christian. Taem aposol Paul stap long prison long Rome long samting olsem 59-61 C.E., olketa bigman bilong olketa Jew sei olsem abaotem olketa Christian: “Mifala savve hao long evri ples pipol tok againstim disfala sect.” (Acts 28:22) Pipol talem hao Paul and Silas “mek trabol long full earth,” and duim samting “wea againstim law bilong Caesar.”—Acts 17:6, 7.
8 Man for raetem history, K. S. Latourette, wea raet abaotem olketa Christian long taem bilong Rul Bilong Rome, hem sei: “Pipol accusim olketa long planti samting. From olketa nating willing for join insaed olketa heathen ceremony olketa sei olketa Christian no biliv long God. From olketa no join insaed planti samting long community—olketa heathen festival and hapitaem bilong community . . .—olketa sei olketa nao pipol wea heitim olketa man. . . . Olketa sei olketa Christian man and woman hipap tugeta long naet . . . and duim dirty fasin. . . . From olketa celebratem [Memorial bilong dae bilong Christ] witim olketa narawan wea biliv nomoa, pipol tok spoelem olketa Christian and sei olketa evritaem sakrifaesim wanfala baby and kaikaim blood and body bilong hem.” And tu, from olketa firstfala Christian nating willing for worshipim emperor, pipol accusim olketa and sei olketa againstim Gavman.
9. Wanem nao olketa Christian long first century duim taem pipol laea for accusim olketa, and wanem nao happen distaem?
9 Olketa laea toktok olsem no stopem olketa Christian for fulfillim waka bilong olketa for preachim gud nius bilong Kingdom. Long 60-61 C.E., Paul storyim hao “gud nius” hem “garem frut and kamap big evriwea long world” and hem sei olketa “preachim finis evriwea anda long heven.” (Colossians 1:5, 6, 23) Pipol laea for accusim olketa Christian long first century and olketa duim sem samting long Olketa Jehovah’s Witness distaem. Nomata olsem, waka for preachim Kingdom message distaem hem gohed gud and olketa wea share for duim diswan kasem bigfala hapi.
Hapi for Kasem Persecution Olsem Olketa Profet
10, 11. (a) Wanem nao Jesus sei taem hem finisim story bilong hem abaotem mek-naen reason for hapi, and why nao hem sei olsem? (b) Why nao olketa profet kasem persecution? Storyim samfala example.
10 Taem Jesus finis for story abaotem mek-naen reason for hapi hem sei: “Hapi . . . , bikos long sem wei tu olketa persecutim olketa profet bifor iufala.” (Matthew 5:12) Planti taem pipol persecutim and againstim olketa profet wea Jehovah sendem for warnim Israel wea no faithful. (Jeremiah 7:25, 26) Aposol Paul storyim diswan taem hem raet: “Wanem moa samting mi savve talem? From bae mi no garem inaf taem sapos mi gohed for story abaotem . . . olketa nara profet, wea thru long faith . . . kasem test from pipol mekfani and whipim olketa, and tu, taemap olketa and putim olketa long prison.”—Hebrews 11:32-38.
11 Long taem bilong rul bilong wicked King Ahab and waef bilong hem, Jezebel, olketa killim dae planti profet bilong Jehovah witim sword. (1 Kings 18:4, 13; 19:10) Olketa enemy lokim hand and leg bilong Jeremiah and bihaen torowem hem long deep hol long graon wea fulap long wata and mud. (Jeremiah 20:1, 2; 38:6) King torowem Daniel insaed long hol bilong olketa lion. (Daniel 6:16, 17) Evri profet hia from taem bifor olketa Christian kasem persecution from wei wea olketa defendim klin worship bilong Jehovah. Olketa bigman bilong Jew religion persecutim staka profet. Jesus kolem olketa scribe and Pharisee olketa “son bilong olketa wea killim dae olketa profet.”—Matthew 23:31.
12. Why nao iumi Olketa Jehovah’s Witness ting hem wanfala privilege for kasem persecution olsem olketa profet bifor?
12 Distaem, iumi Olketa Jehovah’s Witness planti taem kasem persecution from iumi strong for preachim gud nius bilong Kingdom. Olketa enemy accusim iumi and sei iumi “ova tumas for trae kasem niu disaepol,” bat iumi savve hao pipol tok againstim olketa wea faithful for worshipim Jehovah bifor tu. (Jeremiah 11:21; 20:8, 11) Long tingting bilong iumi, wei for safa olsem olketa profet bifor hem wanfala privilege. Disaepol James hem raet olsem: “Olketa brata, followim example bilong olketa profet wea toktok long nem bilong Jehovah and wea safa long badfala samting and showimaot patient fasin. Mifala talemaot hao olketa wea gohed strong olketa hapi.”—James 5:10, 11.
Olketa Important Reason for Feel Hapi
13. (a) Why nao persecution no mekem iumi wikdaon? (b) Why nao iumi fit for stand strong, and diswan pruvim wanem?
13 Iumi no wikdaon taem iumi kasem persecution, bat iumi kasem comfort taem iumi tingim wei wea iumi followim example bilong olketa profet, olketa first Christian, and Christ Jesus tu. (1 Peter 2:21) Bible barava comfortim iumi, olsem disfala toktok bilong aposol Peter: “Olketa wea mi lovem, no konfius and tingse disfala samting for testim iufala wea olsem fire midolwan long iufala hem wanfala sapraesing samting. Sapos olketa tok spoelem iufala bikos long nem bilong Christ, iufala hapi, bikos spirit bilong glory, wea hem nao spirit bilong God, hem stap long iufala.” (1 Peter 4:12, 14) Iumi savve finis hao only wei wea iumi savve stand strong long persecution hem from spirit bilong Jehovah wea stap witim iumi and strongim iumi. Wei wea holy spirit hem sapotim iumi hem pruvim hao iumi kasem blessing bilong Jehovah and diswan mekem iumi hapi fogud.—Psalm 5:12; Philippians 1:27-29.
14. Why nao iumi savve hapi taem iumi kasem persecution bikos long raeteous fasin?
14 Nara reason why iumi hapi taem pipol againstim or persecutim iumi bikos long raeteous fasin, hem bikos datwan pruvim iumi olketa tru Christian wea lovem God. Aposol Paul hem raet: “Evriwan wea laek garem fasin for lovem God wea join witim Christ Jesus bae kasem persecution tu.” (2 Timothy 3:12) Iumi barava hapi for savve hao taem iumi stap faithful long taem bilong test hem givim ansa for toktok bilong Satan wea sei selfish samting nomoa muvim olketa man for servem Jehovah. (Job 1:9-11; 2:3, 4) Iumi hapi iumi share long smolfala wei for apim raeteous rul bilong Jehovah.—Proverbs 27:11.
Jampjamp From Iufala Hapi Long Reward
15, 16. (a) Jesus sei iumi garem wanem reason for ‘hapi and jampjamp from iumi hapi’? (b) Wanem nao reward long heven for olketa anointed Christian, and hao nao bae olketa “nara sheep” tu kasem reward?
15 Jesus talem nara reason for iumi hapi taem pipol tok spoelem and persecutim iumi olsem olketa duim long olketa profet bifor. Bihaen long mek-naen reason for hapi, hem sei: “Hapi and jampjamp from iufala hapi, from reward bilong iufala hem big long heven.” (Matthew 5:12) Aposol Paul hem raet olsem: “Pei bilong sin hem dae, bat present wea God givim hem laef olowe thru long Lord bilong iumi, Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:23) Tru nao, datfala ‘big reward’ hem laef, and hem no pei wea iumi kasem from samting wea iumi duim. Hem wanfala free present. Jesus sei datfala reward hem “long heven” from datwan hem kam from Jehovah.
16 Olketa anointed wan kasem “crown bilong laef,” wea minim olketa bae stap long heven witim Christ and kanduit dae. (James 1:12, 17) Olketa “nara sheep” wea hope for stap long earth luk forward for kasem laef olowe long wanfala paradaes long earth. (John 10:16; Revelation 21:3-5) “Reward” wea tufala sekson evriwan kasem hem wanfala present. Olketa wea anointed and olketa “nara sheep” kasem reward bilong olketa thru long “bigfala kaenfala fasin bilong [Jehovah] wea iumi no fit for kasem.” Diswan muvim aposol Paul for sei: “Thankiu long God for free present bilong hem wea winim evri samting.”—2 Corinthians 9:14, 15.
17. Why nao iumi savve hapi taem iumi kasem persecution and savve ‘jampjamp witim hapi’ long tokpiksa wei?
17 Taem samfala long olketa Christian klosap for kasem barava raf persecution from Emperor Nero, Paul hem raet long olketa and sei: “Iumi mas hapi taem iumi kasem hard taem, from iumi savve hard taem hem mekem fasin for stand strong hem kamap; fasin for stand strong mekem wei for [God] acceptim [iumi]; wei for [God] acceptim [iumi] lead go long hope, and datfala hope hem no savve fail.” Hem sei tu: “Hapi long datfala hope. Gohed strong long taem bilong trabol.” (Romans 5:3-5; 12:12) Nomata hope bilong iumi hem for go long heven or for stap long earth, reward for wei for stap faithful long taem bilong test hem barava moa big winim eni samting wea iumi fit for kasem. From iumi garem chance for laef olowe for servem and praisem loving Dadi bilong iumi, Jehovah, anda long King bilong iumi Jesus Christ, hapi bilong iumi hem no garem spialaen. Long tokpiksa wei iumi ‘jampjamp from iumi hapi.’
18. Taem end hem barava kam klosap, olketa nation bae duim wanem, and wanem nao bae Jehovah duim?
18 Long samfala kantri Olketa Jehovah’s Witness kasem persecution bifor and distaem tu. Long profesi bilong hem abaotem end bilong world, Jesus warnim olketa tru Christian: “Evri nation bae heitim iufala bikos long nem bilong mi.” (Matthew 24:9) Taem end hem barava kam klosap, Satan bae muvim olketa nation for showimaot wei wea olketa heitim pipol bilong Jehovah. (Ezekiel 38:10-12, 14-16) Taem datwan happen hem taem for Jehovah duim samting. “Mi bae mekem miseleva kamap hae and mekem miseleva kamap holy and mekem eye bilong planti nation savve long mi; and olketa mas savve mi nao Jehovah.” (Ezekiel 38:23) So, Jehovah bae mekem nambawan nem bilong hem holy and bae sevem pipol bilong hem from persecution. Dastawe, “hapi nao man wea gohed for stand strong.”—James 1:12.
19. Wanem nao iumi shud duim taem iumi weitim bigfala “day bilong Jehovah”?
19 Taem bigfala “day bilong Jehovah” hem barava kam klosap, iumi mas hapi from iumi “fit for kasem persecution” bikos long nem bilong Jesus. (2 Peter 3:10-13; Acts 5:41) Taem iumi weit for reward bilong iumi long raeteous niu world bilong Jehovah, olsem olketa firstfala Christian, iumi mas “gohed and nating givap for teach and talemaot gud nius abaotem datfala Christ” and Kingdom gavman bilong hem.—Acts 5:42; James 5:11.
Review
• Wanem nao hem minim for safa bikos long raeteous fasin?
• Hao nao persecution affectim olketa first Christian?
• Why nao hem stret for sei Olketa Jehovah’s Witness kasem persecution olsem olketa profet bifor?
• Taem iumi kasem persecution, why nao iumi savve ‘hapi and jampjamp from iumi hapi’?
[Olketa Piksa long page 16, 17]
“Hapi nao iufala taem pipol tok spoelem iufala and persecutim iufala”
[Credit Line]
Group in prison: Chicago Herald-American