If there's one trait that I think we need in order to be strong Christians in our world today, it's the courage to be disliked. At worst, we might even need the courage to be outright hated.

Of course, no one wants to be disliked or hated. That's why peer pressure is so strong. But if we always go along with the crowd just so that others will like us or accept us, then there's a chance that we'll end up in places we don't want to be.

For example, you might be familiar with a poem that was written by Martin Niemoller, a Lutheran pastor who lived in Nazi Germany:

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.1

The same idea is effectively summed up in the saying that "the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do nothing."

However, the easiest thing to do is to speak out against evil before it reaches the point where greater action becomes necessary. In this post, I hope to encourage you to speak out against evil, even if it means that you might face criticism, rejection, or even persecution for it.

Christians Need To Speak Out Against Evil

Today, we look back with admiration at people like Niemoller and others who stood up against evil, even if they suffered for doing so. But just because some forms of evil were overcome in the past doesn't mean that we no longer need to be on our guard.

Indeed, some astute observers of politics and history worry that a majority of people in our supposedly-tolerant Western societies are being psychologically formed and indoctrinated right now, to get them to go along with yet-another scheme of persecution against a new minority of people. These commentators worry that government-backed persecution of this new minority group could be right around the corner, and the indoctrinated majority will go along with it, possibly leading to new atrocities.

This possibility is certainly worrying, but it shouldn't be surprising.

Satan still wants to do what he has always wanted to do: steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). Our sinful human nature also means that we're all inclined to act in selfish ways, even at the expense of others.

Additionally, Paul warns us that as time goes on, "evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Timothy 3:13). Increasing deception is thus a sign of the approaching end-times.

After all, Paul warns us about the "man of lawlessness" (a.k.a, the Antichrist) who will rise to power during the future Tribulation, after the Rapture occurs. This man will deceive the world by declaring himself to be God in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4). His powerful religious supporter will convince most people to worship an image of the Antichrist, and to take the Mark of the Beast that will allow those who do take it to buy and sell (Revelation 13:11-17). Then, persecution of Christians and others who refuse the Mark will become so severe that many will be beheaded (Revelation 20:4).

But Paul says that currently, someone is restraining the Antichrist from making his appearance on the world stage (2 Thessalonians 2:7-8). Many Biblical end-times commentators speculate about who this "restrainer" could be. Two frequent suggestions I've read are that the restrainer could be the Holy Spirit, or maybe, the Church. Maybe both are correct, since, in this age, the Holy Spirit is especially at work in the world through the Church, comprised of all true believers in Jesus who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

This interpretation fits well with how Jesus says that Christians act like salt and light in the world (Matthew 5:13-16). Through our actions and prayers, we preserve the world from decaying faster into sin than it already is (like how salt preserves raw meat), and our witness to the truth helps God hold off the spiritual darkness that wants to overcome it (like how light banishes darkness). Supporting verses for this interpretation could include John 1:4-5 and Luke 22:53. Thus, it seems clear that Christians have a role to play in helping God promote righteousness and resist evil in the world.

But once the Church is removed from this world in the Rapture, then evil will quickly reach its ultimate peak. It will result in the Tribulation, which is described in the Bible as seven years of suffering that will be so bad that if Jesus didn't shorten it, no one on earth would survive (Matthew 24:22).

So as Christians, we need to be on the lookout for evil so that we can stand against it. Otherwise, evil will only grow worse and worse. Therefore, there will come times when we must speak out, even though doing so won't be popular, easy, or even safe. When that time comes, we'll need courage.

In the rest of this post, I want to highlight some Bible verses that can encourage us all to do what's right and speak out on behalf of the truth and for righteousness, even if some people dislike us for it, and even if it makes us potential targets for criticism, rejection, or persecution.

Following Jesus Won't Make People Like You

It's important to remember that as Christians, our goal isn't to make everyone like us. Our calling is to follow Jesus, and to fulfill the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20) by telling everyone that they can have eternal life only by believing in Jesus. So if we're following Jesus, then all we have to do is to look at how people treated Jesus, and we'll know what sort of treatment we should expect.

Jesus said "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will save it" (Luke 9:23-24, NRSV).

Back in Jesus' time, death by crucifixion wasn't just extremely painful, but it was also humiliating, and so it was reserved for the worst criminals. So when Jesus tells us that we'll have to take up our own crosses in order to follow him, we shouldn't expect it to be easy, and we shouldn't think that we'll never be criticized, disliked, or hated for it.

In fact, Jesus told his followers "If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you" (John 15:19).

Thus, Christians shouldn't expect any better treatment from the world than the world gave to Jesus when he was here. Jesus said he was hated for no good reason (John 15:25), and so he consoles us with the reminder that "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you" (John 15:18).

The world's hatred of Christ will overflow into outright persecution of Christians, for Jesus said "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20). Note how Jesus says here that they will persecute us, not that they only might persecute us.

Therefore, I am very suspicious when the world seems to celebrate and revere certain Christian leaders today (e.g., the Pope). I think that if these influential Christians were really doing their job and were preaching the true gospel, the world wouldn't love them nearly as much as it seems to.

After all, Jesus warns: "Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets" (Luke 6:26).

The world loves to hear things that make it feel good, as Paul warned Timothy: "The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths" (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

That's just a little encouragement to look carefully at any Christian that the world seems to celebrate. Pay attention to what they're teaching, and be discerning about whether it lines up with the Bible or not. Because if we're preaching the real gospel, history tells us that we should expect to face opposition.

Biblical Examples of Persecution For Preaching The Gospel

So if Jesus said that his followers would be persecuted and hated, how did that work out for the early church?

Well, pretty much right away after Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples started getting in trouble with the religious authorities in Jerusalem.

In one incident in Acts chapter 5, the High Priest had a bunch of the disciples arrested and put in jail. But God sent an angel to free them, and told them to go back to preaching in the temple like they had been doing.

When the High Priest found out about their miraculous escape, he wasn't happy, and so he had the disciples arrested again and brought in front of the Sanhedrin. The High Priest asked them why they were continuing to preach when they had been told not to.

Peter simply replied "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29).

As a result, the Sanhedrin

beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they [the disciples] left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus. (Acts 5:40-42)

It definitely took courage for the disciples to disobey the most important religious leaders in their country, and go right back to doing what had gotten them in trouble in the first place. Like Peter said, the only reason they had the courage to do this was because they knew that obeying God is more important than pleasing people.

Paul also was persecuted as he went around preaching and founding new churches across the Roman Empire. Yet he said something very similar: "just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts" (1 Thessalonians 2:4).

Even back in the Old Testament times, people who preached God's true word and called out society on its sin were persecuted for it.

Stephen asked the Pharisees, "Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it" (Acts 7:51-53).

Of course, saying this certainly didn't make the Pharisees happy, and they stoned Stephen to death (Acts 7:54-60). Ironically, their doing do only proved Stephen's point.

This incident with Stephen might remind us of how the author of Hebrews discusses some of the great 'heroes of the faith' in Hebrews chapter 11. This list ends with a summary of many others who were persecuted because of their faith:

Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (Hebrews 11:35-38)

One of the most famous examples of such a person was the prophet Elijah. At the end of Elijah's ministry he felt like a failure because he had to flee through the desert and hide in a cave, in order to save himself from being killed for the things he said to the evil king and queen.

He complained to God that "I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away" (1 Kings 19:10).

Another example was John the Baptist, who was executed as a result of how he spoke out against the immorality of how Herod married the wife of Herod's own brother (Mark 6:17-28).

So all these examples show us that in general, people who speak God's word accurately to the world and who condemn sin won't be popular. At worst, speaking truth to those in power can result in torture and/or death, as it did for many people who followed God in the past.

However, it's worth standing up for God's truth and for righteousness, not only because doing so can help push back against evil, but because God promises us that we'll be rewarded if we suffer for His cause.

You'll Be Blessed If You Suffer For Doing What's Right

The apostle Peter has a reminder for Christians when we're afraid of speaking out because of what others might say about us:

Do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Peter 4:12-14)

So Christians shouldn't be surprised when we face opposition and persecution. And yes, that does mean when we face persecution, not if, even though the persecution we face may be as minor as having someone dislike us because of something we said in defense of the truth.

Also, in the above verse, Peter actually says that we should rejoice when we suffer for Christ by being insulted by others, because of how we know we'll be rewarded when Jesus finally appears.

Paul showed a similar attitude, when he said, "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Jesus himself said that when we're called names or slandered or misrepresented for his cause, we can trust that we'll be eternally rewarded for it:

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12)

Or, to the same effect,

Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets. (Luke 6:22-23)

Who would've thought that we could earn eternal rewards by simply being disliked for speaking the truth? Maybe we should want this to happen a little more frequently! However, that's provided that we're treating those who disagree with us rightly, so that we don't give them a legitimate reason to dislike us.

How Should Christians Treat Those Who Dislike Us?

Just because we will face persecution by some people, though, doesn't mean that we have an excuse to mistreat the people who dislike us. Thus, as we speak out for truth and righteousness, let's remember to keep in mind what the Bible says about how we should treat those who persecute us:

• "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:43-45).
• "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them" (Romans 12:14).
• "But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame" (1 Peter 3:15-16).
• "Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless" (1 Peter 3:8).
• "A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap" (2 Timothy 2:24-26, NLT).

So, by acting in these ways, we're not only earning heavenly rewards and demonstrating God's love to those who are persecuting us, but we might also win over our opponents and gain an ally. In all three of these ways, then, we win.

What Practical Things Can We Do?

Are you feeling encouraged after reading these verses? I hope so.

Of course, it might also seem scary to stand up and speak out on important issues of our times, since there's a chance that we might become the target for someone's anger or hatred. But the only other option is to stay quiet and let evil continue to grow in our society, until it gets so bad that it does break out into full-out persecution of some group of people or another. Let's not make the same mistake that Martin Niemoller did, and stay quiet when we should be speaking out.

Not only that, but if we never stand up for anything, then effectively, we'll be no one and we'll never do anything important, out of fear of possibly offending someone. But then we'll end up like the servant in Jesus's parable who never made use of the resources that he was given to serve his Lord, and who was then criticized for his inaction when his Lord returned (Matthew 25:24-30).

So while we might face a little temporary discomfort, if we're insulted for holding on to solid Biblical truths or for speaking out about what's right, we're in good company. Many prophets were disliked. Jesus was disliked. Paul and the disciples were disliked. It's okay to be disliked, even if it feels like we're all alone.

However, what's helpful to remember is that if many people speak out together, then we're no longer alone.

For example, let's return to the story of Elijah. He complained that he was the only one left in Israel who hadn't given in to evil. Yet God told him that that no, he wasn't alone. In fact, there were seven thousand other people left in Israel who also hadn't given in to evil (1 Kings 19:18).

So although Elijah felt alone, he wasn't. If Elijah had only known about all these other people who agreed with him, then how much easier might it have been for him to endure his persecution?

In our world today, the silence of Christians and other good people who don't want to offend anyone helps make it appear that the small groups of very vocal people who denigrate Biblical truth and righteousness have far greater support than they actually do.

This effect is even more pronounced when the media takes these vocal groups' side and amplifies their voices, while silencing their critics. Thus, I think it's helpful to follow both mainstream media and alternative media, and to intentionally go out of our way to read both sides of important issues. In this way, I hope we can avoid letting ourselves be bullied into thinking that only one view is acceptable to hold, based only on how loud one side is.

Furthermore, the right response to the vocal people who criticize Biblical truth or morality isn't to stay quiet in hope that they won't insult us, because they dislike us anyway just for believing what we do. Instead, we should stand together with others who also value Biblical truth and righteousness, and let our voices be heard.

By making our voices heard, we'll also encourage others who agree with us that they're not alone, which will give them greater courage to speak out, too. Perhaps, then, immorality and deception can be restrained just a little longer, and we can prevent evil from gaining more power in our societies, thus warding off injustice and the atrocities that will occur if evil goes unchecked.

Conclusion

So, if you see something happening in the news or in your community that you disagree with, then say something!

As a start, talk to your family and friends about it, and let your opinion be known. Write to your politicians and your school-board representatives. Send in letters to the editors of news organizations to tell them your opinion on the positions they're pushing, even if your feedback is never published. Comment on online news articles, and share articles you agree with on social media. But if you do get into a discussion with others who disagree with you, remember to love them and treat them with respect.

Because if you say nothing, no one will be able to say that they agree with you. And that will make it harder for people who do agree with you to feel comfortable speaking out. And then that leads into a downward spiral where everyone is too afraid to say anything, and evil gains the upper hand. When actually, if we just spoke out, we might realize that there are more people who agree with us than we expected, and together, we could make a difference in our society for good.

But remember: even if you're insulted by some people, or the worst happens and you do have to stand alone against the world, you're in the very good company of the prophets, disciples, the early church, and Jesus himself. Then, when you finally stand before Jesus, he'll tell you "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21), which is of infinitely more value than any other person's opinion of you.

Footnotes:

• 1. Martin Niemoller, "First They Came For The Socialists," Holocaust Encyclopedia. Accessed January 24, 2022.