The gospels make it very clear that salvation is not a partnership between God and man. God alone can save sinners. Salvation is by grace alone received through faith alone. However, in the gospels, we also see the powerful call of King Jesus given to His disciples:

“Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.’ ” (Luke 9:23–26)

The Apostle Paul, about 30 years later, stated,

“Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Tim 3:12)

I don’t find too many refrigerator magnets or coffee cups featuring these verses. These and other passages are important reminders for us, even though most Christians in the U.S. and other Western nations have not suffered to the point of bloodshed. We have not really known the price of being a disciple of Jesus.

Scripture does teach that not all believers will suffer in the same way. The writer of the book of Hebrews reminded his first listeners that they had suffered for the sake of the gospel, but not to the point of shedding blood.

“[F]or you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven.” (Heb 10:34)

“You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.” (Heb 12:4)

And then in the following chapter, we are given a very important command:

“Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.” (Heb 13:3)

Based on Scripture and church history, we can say that there are not only degrees of suffering but also waves of suffering.

Chapter 2 of Fox’s Book of Martyrs summarizes ten primitive (first) persecutions of the church that took place under different Roman emperors:

1] Nero, 67; 2] Domitian, 81; 3] Trajan, 108; 4] Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, 162; 5] Severus, 192; 6] Maximinus, 235; 7] Decius, 249; 8] Valerian, 257; 9] Aurelian, 274; 10] Diocletian, 303. This persecution of the early church came to an end under Constantine the Great.

The early Christian apologist Tertullian famously said,

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.”

God used these painful times of persecution to refine, purify, and grow His church. As moving as these words are, we should be careful not to romanticize suffering, especially as it remains a daily reality for many of our brothers and sisters around the world.

We give thanks that nations that were once significant hotspots for Christian persecution are no longer. We praise God that the Iron Curtain is a thing of the past and that Christians living in Romania, Bulgaria, Poland, and other Eastern European countries no longer suffer as they once did.

The Soviet Union officially ended on December 26, 1991. But persecution certainly remains in communist nations like China and North Korea. Additionally, many Christians today are under intense persecution in Islamic nations and where terrorist groups can be found.

Voice of the Martyrs, the ministry established by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, categorizes 71 nations into three groups:

Restricted (41 total)

These are countries with anti-Christian laws or conditions where the government may actively harass believers and restrict access to Christian resources. Examples: China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, and Somalia.

Hostile (23 total)

In these areas, governments may not be the primary persecutors, but Christians face routine hostility and danger from communities or political groups. Examples: Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, DRC, and Israel (including West Bank and Gaza).

Monitored (approximately 7)

These are countries where there’s a trend of increasing persecution, though it hasn’t yet reached the severity of the other two categories. Examples: Chad, Guinea, Russia, and Venezuela.

Open Doors notes that more than 380 million Christians worldwide face high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith. Open Doors provides a slightly different classification than Voice of the Martyrs.

Using a persecution score, they rank the top 10 worst countries: North Korea, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Sudan, Eritrea, Nigeria, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan.

What can Christians in Western nations do in support of our brothers and sisters in fulfillment of Hebrews 13:3?

Pray, learn, give, advocate, and tell others.

Both persecution.com and opendoors.com are excellent websites to encourage you and your local church to remember and support these suffering brothers and sisters.

My next two articles will share the situation faced by Christians living in Western European nations, Canada, and the US. Although what we face cannot compare to Christians in other nations, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus face a price.

Let us seek to stand with all who suffer for Him!