As I’ve watched the hostility and resentment play out over Samaritan’s Purse emergency hospital erected in Central park, I can’t help but reflect on the sweeping cultural shift in America and resulting animosity towards followers of Christ.  John Adam’s recognized that “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” 

Fast forward to today, and we have secular leadership actively seeking to marginalize, ostracize, and persecute Christians, not primarily for their behaviors…but their beliefs.  [In this case adherence of Samaritan’s Purse to the biblical beliefs on marriage and sexuality.] Some clearly believe that America would be better off if we could rid the country of followers of Christ.

I was struck by the following section in Stephen Nichols’ A Time for Confidence, regards Rome’s similar view of the early Christians.

Rome had two designations for the religions it encountered across its spreading empire. One of those designations was religio licita, which means “legal religion.” The other was superstitio illicita, which means “illegal superstition.” The word superstition reveals how contemptuous Rome found these practices to be. As Rome overtook other peoples, for the most part those people groups were polytheists. This presented no problems to Rome. This simply meant more gods to add to the Roman pantheon. Most of the religions that came into the empire were dubbed religio licita. They had the stamp of approval of Rome and could be practiced freely. Judaism was granted religio licita status primarily because Jews didn’t tend to proselytize a great deal. But from its beginnings, Christianity was designated a superstitio illicita.

As a consequence, Christians were literally enemies of the state—marginalized, ostracized, and persecuted. They could be killed with impunity. To be a Christian was to identify with a group of people who were worthy of nothing but shame and scorn. To the best Romans, Christians were seen as worthy of sympathy for their primitive ways. To the worst Romans, the death of Christians could provide entertainment. Ridding Christians from the empire would be the best possible outcome.

Tacitus refers to Christianity with the designation superstitio illicita and testifies to the hatred the Roman populace had for Christians. This despite the fact that Christians in these early centuries lived exemplary lives. Early apologists such as Athenagoras and Justin Martyr testify to the lives Christians lived. They promoted virtue. They honored the emperor. They had a work ethic that set them apart. Paul admonished servants to work “as for the Lord” (Col. 3:23). Christians had loving families that showed genuine concern for each other. Yet, they were seen to be a criminal element and enemies of the state. They were hated—not because of their behavior, for their behavior was laudatory. If only all Romans lived like the Christians. They were hated for their beliefs. They were hated for their belief in Christ and in the gospel. Ultimately, Christians were hated because their beliefs were different, and their beliefs challenged the status quo.

So, we, as Christians, should heed Peter’s admonition to,

“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 1:21)

But, be prepared, even when our behavior is clearly beneficial to society, as in the case of Samaritan’s Purse service to New York, we should still be expected to be hated for our beliefs, because they challenge the status quo and are in keeping with Paul’s encouragement to Timothy,

Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Tim. 3:12)

“We’re going to give the best health care we can to all New Yorkers, it doesn’t matter who they are or what they are. We’re going to give them the best medical care that we possibly can in Jesus’ name.” – Franklin Graham