Church Persecution from Within?

"In my honest opinion one of the big problems we have today in the church is that we are all so comfortable. We don't really know who the real believers are vs. those who claim Christ but have no intention of living for Him when they get uncomfortable.

Other countries who experience what we traditionally think of as persecution know who the enemy is. Our persecution comes from individuals who verbally claim Christ yet persecute the church from within."
-A Pastor's Wife

These thoughtful words were written in response to a question posed to minister's wives about whether or not they can be close friends with people within the congregations where they serve. That is an interesting subject, and important to me right now, as I navigate through hurt, strained and lost friendships, though mine are not within the church, but within my extended family. However this dimension of the subject is not what I'm focusing on right now.

What I'd like to explore today is the notion that the Western Church is suffering from persecution from within. I find this an a very interesting concept. For discussion purposes here, I would define traditional persecution as radical harm done to a group of people who hold to a differing belief system. By radical harm I mean serious threats and actual violence, and loss of basic human rights to the persecuted group.

Is the church really persecuted by people who are within the church, calling themselves Christians, yet do not genuinely follow Christ with their actions? There are numerous warnings in the New Testament regarding such people. We are encouraged to beware of wolves in sheep's clothing who would do harm to the flock. There are mentions of those who taught heretical doctrines being dis-fellowship-ed. There is also an account of someone who was in a flagrant sin (sleeping with his father's wife) being dis-fellowship-ed. This was all to keep the Gospel message on track, so that others would not be led astray. It also served the purpose that hopefully the estranged one would grasp the reality of their sin and desire to leave it behind and return again to a right standing with the Lord and His faithful followers.

How do we tell the difference between a person who is indeed a wolf, and one who is simply a stumbling or weak Christian? I make that distinction because hopefully a weak or stumbling Christian is moving toward spiritual growth and maturity. The scriptures say we'll know a tree by it's fruit. That would lead me to conclude that we can tell by the consistent actions of an individual whether or not they are real or genuine. I say consistent because everyone has times and instances of stumbling. In the life and heart of a true Christian those should be rather isolated incidences and become fewer and farther between as time goes on. Scripture also teaches that a "humble and contrite" attitude show repentance. True repentance is change: A change in character, priorities and actions.

What types of people characterize the majority in our churches? Are our churches full of those who seem to only have a marginal commitment evidenced by a life of compromise? Or, are our churches full of people who are growing and changing, perhaps stumbling a bit here and there, but otherwise are truly a 'light' evidenced by good works? Jesus gave a parable about a field that was planted with wheat. During the night an enemy came and planted weeds among the good wheat seeds. Later they both grew together and Jesus said it would be sorted out at the harvest time. I suppose then that this is nothing new. However, it does seem more pronounced these days. Perhaps the fact that the Western Church is not under persecution influences the proliferation of half-hearted or disingenuous Christians. The threat of real persecution sifts those who are ardently committed from those who care little.



I think that the persecution from within is an interesting notion but not quite an accurate description for what is going on. I think what we are seeing is complacency and laziness and "the little foxes spoiling the vine." We are seeing a gradual spiritual decline, it's corrupt, distasteful, and so very sad, but I cannot call it persecution from within. Persecution denotes a radical subjugation and imminent danger. Our lazy Western spirituality is a gradual slide down a slippery slope. God, I hope we wake up.
Was there ever a time when the church was more good than bad? It seems so to me.