International (MNN) — Jesus never promised that following him would be popular. In fact, the Bible says the opposite. It is nevertheless shocking to see Western countries asking Christians to choose between “offensive” parts of the Bible.
For decades, lawsuits across the Western world have challenged the Bible as hate speech. In 2013, a lawsuit attempted to demonstrate that Bible verses commonly interpreted as prohibiting same-sex relations were in fact hate speech. The trial failedas are most attempts to legally classify Scripture as hate speech in the West. There is an ongoing case in Finland that calls for the same result.
Every failed lawsuit closes the way to an attempt to make Scripture illegal. Western courts appear reluctant to formally classify the Bible as hate speech, but each new effort reflects their country’s cultural context.
Floyd Brobbel Voice of Martyrs Canada says there is growing pressure on Christians to keep their faith private. “I think more and more in this world you will see an attack on Scripture. You will see an attack on the ability of Christians to publicly share Scripture, to publicly share their religious views.
Some countries have brutally strict governments or traditionally overt persecution, but Christians in Western countries may not be accustomed to religious discrimination. And yet, around the world, Scripture is “completely opposed to the agendas held by many in our societies and by government officials and leaders in our society.”
What is the solution ? According to some voices, if Christians want to persist in their beliefs, they have two choices: censor Scripture to make it harmless or keep Christianity private. “You can read what you want, you can preach what you want, you can say what you want, but it has to be done within the context of the four walls of the church. »
This tension is not exclusive to any region of the world. In fact, Brobbel says Christians can take comfort in the fact that the struggle between the ways of God and those of the world is universal. “We work with Christians who are used to this kind of thing, who have endured this kind of thing over the years,” says Brobbel. “What they would say is that they must remain faithful by preaching the Word and being faithful to God in the midst of this type of opposition and boldly proclaiming the Word where it is needed. »
Ultimately, this leaves Christians facing one question: “What really is the cost of being a follower of Jesus?” We haven’t had to ask ourselves too deeply in Western countries what it means to be a follower of Jesus. I think the time has come when we need to ask this question.
Pray for courage, wisdom and patience. Pray that regardless of culture or social climate, Christians will remain strong in their faith. Pray for God’s presence in every corner of the world.
Learn more about the work of Voice of the Martyrs Canada here.
Header photo courtesy of Unsplash.
