We live in a world of darkness which is caused by man’s rebellion against God and his principles and laws. When Adam and Eve sinned, they did not sin for themselves alone, but, from their privileged position as the first, originally sinless couple, act as representatives for the human race. Since then sin, sinfulness, and the consequences of sin have marred all of us and plunged our world into darkness and under the power of Satan. The introduction and spread of sin in the world, also introduced the presence and reality of oppression and persecution that emanate from the spiritual world.

In the darkness of Satan and his kingdom and as products of that darkness in which we live, people persecute people, nations persecute nations, the wicked persecute the righteous, and even, in some cases, the seemingly righteous persecute the wicked or other righteous persons. Most significant to all true believers and followers of Jesus Christ is that the world’s hatred would be specifically directed at them because of whose they are.

The underlying reasons for persecution of the true believers and followers of Jesus Christ consist of Satan and the power that he wields from his kingdom of darkness flowing into an antipathy of evil toward the good (Romans 8:6-8); of wicked men opposing God and rejecting his divine precepts (Romans 3:10-18). As indicated in the graphic contained herein, Jesus Christ indicated that since the world hated him, it will hate his disciples and declared that if they persecuted him, they will also persecute his disciples.

A godly testimony will often result in ridicule, scorn, deprivation, physical harm, and even death. Jesus and his true followers were, are, and will be, subject to ridicule/insult, e.g. Jesus was "despised and rejected of men” (Isaiah 53:3; Matthew 27:39; 1 Peter 2:23) and finally crucified (John 19:16-18); his disciples were insulted (Matthew 5:11), jeered (Hebrew 11:36), mistreated, deprived (clothed in sheepskins and goatskins), destitute, persecuted, wandering in deserts and mountains, "in caves and holes in the ground", tortured, sawed in two, jailed (Acts 5:18; 16:23), flogged (Hebrews 11:36), chained, "put to death by the sword", "quenched the fury of the flames", and stoned (Acts 7:59).

Persecution comes in all forms and we must be mindful of the fact that when we decide to follow Jesus Christ as Our Lord and Savior, we may experience animosity from even our own family members and close friends. As we get closer to the end of times, we must expect persecution to increase as evil gets worse.

We should be mindful that the described persecution was not restricted to those of historical times, as it is written in 2 Timothy 3: 1-17:“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra--what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”