Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness

The last of the Beatitudes of Christ says:

Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:10)(NASB)

Righteousness means innocence, a condition when you are entitled to God. To be persecuted for the sake of righteousness means to be persecuted for choosing to live right before God and in accordance with His Word. Once He said that beatitude, Jesus added:

Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)(NASB)

Although it seems paradoxical, everyone who chose to go the way of God should know that he would be persecuted. The Apostle Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy that:

… all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (2 Timothy 3:12)(NASB)

If you chose to follow Jesus wholeheartedly, you might be persecuted even by those from your house and to this was Jesus referring when He said:

Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to SET A MAN AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND A DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND A DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER-IN-LAW; and A MAN’S ENEMIES WILL BE THE MEMBERS OF HIS HOUSEHOLD. He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it. (Matthew 10:34-39)(NASB)

Suffer with Christ.

Translated by Felicia Rotaru