Persecution in the Church: Meditation on John 9

There are few times in the life of the Christian which are more troubling, than when the leadership of their Church becomes an instrument of persecution to the faithful.  While this is not always prevalent, it does occur throughout the history of God’s people, and the story St. John recounts in chapter nine of his Gospel is one such event.

John paints a vignette of a man, blind from birth, whom Jesus heals.  It starts out enigmatically, as people ask Jesus, whether the sin of this man in particular or of his parents, has resulted in his affliction.  Jesus takes the opportunity to correct their poor theological assumptions, and tells them this affliction has come upon this man, not specifically because of anyone’s sin, but so that the glory of God might be revealed—which Jesus accomplishes, by giving him sight.

The miracle is notable for many reasons, not least of which are that it was witnessed by many; the man was old enough to be previously known by many more; and the man’s parents were still alive to attest to his having been blind since birth.  There was no way to sweep this miracle under the proverbial rug, or to deny its veracity.  It was a brilliant sign that pointed to Jesus, and verified Him as the Messiah He claimed to be.  The miracle made the reality of Jesus impossible to ignore.

But like so many times when Jesus presents Himself undeniably, the hearts of sinful people rebel in irrational ways.  The Pharisees call him in for questioning before their council of leaders, and drill him with questions about what happened and how.  They look for weaknesses in the story, and any attempt to discredit the people and event.  But they can’t find any.  The man speaks the same simple story.  The parents confirm his blindness at birth.  Finding themselves without rational or legitimate grounds to discredit the miracle, the people involved, or Jesus, they eventually demand that the man repudiate Jesus through bearing false witness.

The man refuses—and points out to the teachers of the Law, that God does not hear the prayers of the wicked.  Jesus had healed him, and this point was incontestable, no matter how that disrupted the plans and perceptions of the leaders.  Eventually, unable to contest or break this man, the council repudiates him and throws him out—ostensibly excommunicating him from the visible church community.

But of course, Jesus finds him, and calls the man to Himself by faith.  In this moment, Jesus teaches the people a very important lesson about the nature of His Church.  Though religious leaders (pastors, bishops, presidents, councils, synods, seminaries, etc.,) should not abuse their God-given office as under-shepherds to the Chief Shepherd, evil leaders cannot separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ.  If one pastor or lay board acts the tyrant in a local congregation, or one bishop acts the tyrant in a whole region… or if a large number of evil leaders gather themselves into councils and synods and conventions to embrace the devil and repudiate the Word of Christ, they cannot break the fellowship of the humble and faithful soul with their Savior.  Jesus reminds us, that even if the pastors and leaders of the Church turn their back on Him and His Word, He will always keep those who cling to Him by grace through faith.

In our day, many people find themselves in congregations, synods, churches, or other ecclesiastical constructs, where the leaders persecute the faithful.  The Word of God is under assault by the very leaders called to guard and preach it.  When God raises up witnesses to His Word in these places, the fate of those witnesses may well be excommunication or expulsion from the leaders’ political constructs.  Whether your local, regional, or national church community is plagued by false doctrine and unbelief of a thousand different stripes, from full blown apostasy and heresy to fanaticism and confusion, there is a word of the Lord for you.

If you are one, caught up in the errors and evils of this wicked time, whether you are a leader or a member at large:  Repent!  Return to the Lord and His Word, which alone is your salvation, and alone the Means of Grace that bind you to Him in His One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church.  Do not deceive yourself into believing your humanly constructed political association will save you.  Only Christ saves, and only by grace through faith in Him and His Word.  Turn, before your destruction overtakes you, as it did the Pharisees in 70 AD, when God sent the Romans to utterly destroy Jerusalem.  Repent, that you may be forgiven, and live.

If you are one persecuted for the Word of God, take comfort:  for there is no one, be they king or pauper, who can take you from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  There is no power of hell or earth that can overcome the love of Christ for you, and none can deny the reality and the power of His Holy Cross.  If they cast you out and revile you, be of good cheer—for here, Jesus will meet you, as he has met his faithful people in ages in past, who cling to Him by grace through faith.

And though it may seem that so much of the world’s political constructs, both inside and outside the Church, are united against the Lord and His Christ, He has always maintained for Himself a faithful remnant.  In this time of Lenten preparation and repentance, we hear the Word of the Lord once more call us to faith.  May the ears of all be opened, the hearts of all be broken, the eyes of all be brightened, that faith and repentance may once more mark the gatherings of Christians in this and every land.  Amen.