Throughout the ages there unfortunately has been a
history of religious persecution. Today,
in the Middle East Islamic extremism and complacent politicians in places like
Egypt, Pakistan and Nigeria lead to the persecution, suffering and death of
literally tens of thousands of Christians every year.
While there has been progress in many places in the
advancement of human rights including religious freedom, some of the historical
centers of Christianity in the Middle East are facing the most significant
surge of persecution of all time. These
persecutions likely well surpass even the Roman Empire's persecution of the
Christians in the first centuries up until the time of Constantine the Great
according to John O’Sullivan of the National Review (April 4, 2013)
The Islamic
terrorist network Boko Haram in Nigeria has been targeting Christians since
2009. Daily Nigerian Christians face Church
bombings, drive-by shootings and armed raids on their villages.
An Islamic jihadi group connected to the infamous Muslim
Brotherhood in Egypt offered bounties to anyone that would execute any
Christian. Most of these Christians are
Coptic, a part of the Orthodox Church headquartered in Alexandria, Egypt, one
of the ancient centers of Christianity.
Coptic men are easily identifiable for would be assassins due to their practice
of having a small cross tattooed on their wrists
What I find just as troubling however is the lack of
concern and even the outright ridicule and scorn that some Christians receive
from other Christians. Jesus prayed for
unity in the Church “so that the world would believe” (John 17:23) and the
Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth: "Now I plead with you,
brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same
thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly
joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment," (1 Cor.
1:10).
When one group of Christians mistakenly center their
faith on denominational creeds, traditions, or the teaching and practices of
their local congregation rather than the essential and foundational beliefs of
the Church its very easy to find identifiable targets within the broader
Christian Church. Earnest and
passionate but misguided, these Christians launch out using modern technology
and press conferences and even host conferences regarding their disdain for
other members of the Body of Christ.
We have always had our differences but when we air our
differences in public the rest of the unbelieving world gets to see how
self-centered, divided and even hateful we can become. These unbelievers are the very people that
should be the intended object of our affection and our evangelism efforts but
they have now tasted a very bitter Christianity.
The Apostle Paul does a great job of encouraging the
church to be one and unified in the 12th chapter of his epistle to the
Corinthians. He compares the Body of
Christ to a human body and demonstrates the unity as well as the diversity of
an actual body. He says that all the
various parts are still members and all still significant. He then goes on to mention that we should
not be divided but have ‘equal concern’ for one another. In verse 26 of the same chapter he states,
“if one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored,
all the parts are glad."
Our brothers and sisters in places like Egypt, Pakistan
and Nigeria are suffering at the hands of Islamic extremists. Pray for them. Our brothers and sisters in our local towns and cities across America are suffering as well when we shout
and write and attack based on denominational and sectarian doctrines.
Let’s major on the majors, embrace the
essentials of the faith and find a way to honor each other.
