1 Pet 2:1–12 Thriving even under Persecution
There are different opinions on how much persecution Christians endure in America. To avoid trivializing the real horrific persecution that Christians face around the world we must not use the word “persecution” lightly. At the same time, since people hated Jesus, we can assume they will also hate his followers (John 15:18). Surveys suggest discrimination against Christians in America. In 2019, a survey revealed that half of all Americans believe that evangelicals face discrimination. Another survey reveals that 32 percent of all Americans like conservative Christians much less than other social groups. A group of wealthy, educated, and irreligious people were asked about what they thought of Christians in America and their answers were scary. One of the more mild answers was, “I am only too well aware of their horrific attitudes and beliefs, and those make me see them as subhuman.” I am sure that this is a minority perspective in our society. But, this kind of unreasonable hatred...