What Does It Mean to Be Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake? - Ask Ligonier

Summary4 min read

Ask Ligonier Podcast – Episode Summary

Episode Title: What Does It Mean to Be Persecuted for Righteousness’ Sake?
Air Date: October 2, 2025
Host: Nathan W. Bingham
Guest: Dr. Derek Thomas, Ligonier Ministries Teaching Fellow

Episode Theme

This episode centers on unpacking the biblical meaning of being "persecuted for righteousness’ sake," as highlighted in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5). Dr. Derek Thomas joins Nathan W. Bingham to discuss what true Christian persecution is, how it differs from other types of adversity, and why embracing this form of suffering is a hallmark of faithful Christian living.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Biblical Background and Definition

Reference to Matthew 5: Dr. Thomas links the topic directly to Jesus’ Beatitudes—"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (00:24)
Meaning of Righteousness:
- Dr. Thomas clarifies that being persecuted "for righteousness’ sake" is not the same as being disliked for being unpleasant or difficult.
- "You can be persecuted because you’re an awful person... but this is persecuted for righteousness sake. And how do you define righteousness? Well, biblically, the righteousness of God—being persecuted because you are not going to compromise what God has asked of you." (01:42)

2. Examples from Church History

Apostolic Martyrdom:
- Dr. Thomas recounts how almost all of the apostles, except John, were martyred for their faith.
- Special mention of Peter’s martyrdom in Rome under Emperor Nero and the environment of hostility faced by early Christians.
- "Thinking of Peter’s martyrdom... knowing full well that Nero had no time for Christianity, arresting both Peter and Paul... thinking of the twelve apostles, that eleven of them were martyred." (00:37–01:17)

3. Righteous Persecution vs. Cultural Offense

Societal Misuse of 'Persecution':
- Observes that in modern society, people can feel ‘persecuted’ for many reasons, not all of which are righteous or just.
- "We live in a society where everybody feels persecuted. You know that when you tell the truth and they don’t like the truth, they’re offended and they feel that you’re persecuting them." (01:31)
Stand for Truth Requires Winsomeness:
- Christians are called to stand for truth with a Christlike, winsome attitude, even if it brings conflict with societal, parental, or even church norms.
- "Christians have to stand up for the truth and to do it winsomely, to do it in a Jesus-like fashion." (02:07)

4. Cost and Contemporary Reality of Persecution

Modern-Day Martyrdom:
- Reflects on the real danger faced by Christians around the world today—imprisonment, torture, and even death.
- Points listeners to organizations like Voice of the Martyrs that document ongoing persecution.
Personal Reflection on Cost:
- Dr. Thomas invites listeners to consider their own willingness to suffer for the sake of righteousness.
- "I thought about, you know, how willing would I be to be imprisoned? I mean, there are tens of thousands of Christians, even as we speak in parts of the world who are tortured and are imprisoned and are dead, taken in the middle of the night..." (03:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On True Righteousness:
- "Being persecuted because you are not going to compromise what God has asked of you." – Dr. Derek Thomas (01:44)
On Standing Up for Truth:
- "To be willing to do so in a winsome way, and that’s hard because if you stand up for the truth, there are always those who will interpret that negatively and will call you a bully and so on." – Dr. Derek Thomas (02:18)
On the Ongoing Reality of Persecution:
- "There are tens of thousands of Christians right now who are being persecuted for righteousness sake, and it may cost them their lives." – Dr. Derek Thomas (03:43)

Timestamps for Key Segments

00:04 – Introduction of the question: What does it mean to be persecuted for righteousness' sake?
00:24–01:24 – Biblical context and historical examples of persecution.
01:25–02:18 – Distinction between true and false persecution; living righteously.
02:19–03:43 – The necessity and difficulty of standing for truth; present-day persecution and personal reflection.

Tone & Takeaway

Dr. Thomas speaks with gravity and pastoral warmth, urging listeners to understand persecution in its biblical sense—as a result of faithful, uncompromising allegiance to God’s truth, conducted in the spirit of Christ, even when it comes at a great personal cost. He challenges listeners to consider their own readiness to stand for righteous living, while also calling for solidarity with persecuted believers worldwide.

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Transcript4 lines

[00:04]
A
What does it mean to be persecuted for righteousness sake? This week on the Ask Ligonier podcast, we're joined by ligonier teaching fellow Dr. Derek Thomas. Dr. Thomas, what does it mean to be persecuted for righteousness sake?
[00:24]
B
Well, this is in the Sermon on the Mount again in Matthew 5, and it's part of those benedictions. Blessed, blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. I've just been spending a lot of time in Peter of late and thinking of Peter's martyrdom, his willingness to be in Rome, the capital of the empire, to be in Rome when the Caesar is Nero the megalomaniac that he was, knowing full well that Nero had no time for Christianity, arresting both Peter and Paul. Different prisons, different times of death, I think separated maybe just by months, maybe thinking of the 12 apostles that 11 of them were martyred. According to Christian tradition, only John lived to a ripe old age, probably reaching 100, ending his days in Ephesus and thinking of John being carried through the streets of Ephesus. But you can be persecuted because you're an awful person, you're a mean person, you're a lousy person, and people don't like you because you're unlikable, because you do things and say things that are unlikable. I mean, that's possible. And you can be persecuted, you can feel persecuted. We live in a society where everybody feels persecuted. You know that when you tell the truth and they don't like the truth, they're offended and they feel that you're persecuting them. But this is persecuted for righteousness sake. And how do you define righteousness? Well, biblically, the righteousness of God being persecuted because you are not going to compromise what God has asked of you. And increasingly within our society, you know, Christians have to stand up for the truth and to do it winsomely, to do it in a Jesus like fashion. But sometimes that involves a clash with societal norms, with parental norms, sometimes church norms, if the church has strayed from the path of righteousness. But to be willing to do so in a winsome way, and that's hard because if you stand up for the truth, there are always those who will interpret that negatively and will call you a bully and so on. I thought about, you know, how willing would I be to be imprisoned? I mean, there are tens of thousands of Christians, even as we speak in parts of the world who are tortured and are imprisoned and are dead, taken in the middle of the night by a bunch of, who knows who and taken to who knows where. And we're familiar, of course, with the magazine Voice of the Martyrs. It's real, and we can cocoon ourselves. But the reality is that there are tens of thousands of Christians right now who are being persecuted for righteousness sake, and it may cost them their lives.
[04:06]
A
This has been Ask Ligonier with me, Nathan W. Bingham if you have a Biblical question that you'd like to pose to one of our future guests, leave us a voicemail by calling 1-800-607-9386. That number again is 1-800-607-938 6, and you can always record that question on your smartphone and email it to us@askligonier vmigonier.org and if you'd like to go back and browse the entire archive of answers, you can find them at ask.ligonier.org podcast.
[04:44]
C
Sam.