Particular Concern
Nigeria is once again a “country of particular concern,” according to U.S. President Donald Trump and the U.S. State Department. The CPC designation is used for countries determined to be experiencing “systemic, ongoing, and egregious” religious freedom violations. The current designation is in response to recent reports of thousands of Christians being killed for their faith. The violence originally led to a similar designation by President Trump in 2020, but the action was reversed by President Joe Biden in 2021. In addition to pointing the attention of the world to the Christian persecution happening in Nigeria, the designation requires the U.S. government to advance within 90 days a plan of action to respond to the persecution.
Analysis and eternal perspective: “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:10).
Persecution is discussed frequently in the Bible:
You are warned you will be hated specifically because of your faith in Jesus (Matt. 10:22).
You are told that that persecution will land on your doorstep (Jn. 16:33).
You are instructed to pray for both the persecuted and for those who persecute you (Matt. 5:44).
And finally, Matthew 5:10 calls the persecuted “blessed.”
In all reality, those of us living in the West almost certainly use the word persecution far too loosely when it comes to the discrimination we face. There are certainly instances where your faith in Jesus subjects you to a double standard or to an infringement on the free exercise of your faith, and those are concerning realities that should be taken seriously and addressed under the law before they balloon into something more significant.
But the circumstances in Nigeria are of an entirely different dynamic. The systematic and mass slaughter of human beings made in the image of God specifically for their faith in Jesus is an atrocity that demands the world’s attention. Fortunately, history informs us that even the act of attaching the CPC designation can be a significant deterrent for some of the most intense violence. Of course, sustained protection of those living in the region will require more significant action, as evidenced by the need for this re-designation five years later.
What can you do now for your brothers and sisters in Nigeria?
First, you should absolutely pray (Matt. 5:10). These are your brothers and sisters in Christ, and they desperately need your covering.
Next, you should continue to ask your government (no matter where you are a citizen) to stand up and protect the innocent.
Third, you should be cleared-eyed about the current level of persecution and/or discrimination you face and should prepare spiritually for the possibility it will grow.
Finally, you should accept the Word’s beautiful reminder and promise that the persecuted will be blessed! This is not an acquiescence to the evil of persecution, but in fact an acknowledgement of holy defiance that reminds both the world and you that your eternal reality is beyond the reach of persecution. It is standing on Matthew 10:28 for both your brothers and sisters in Nigeria and yourself:
“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.”
The following article originally appeared in Thann’s “The Equipped” Weekly Newsletter. For more information on Thann’s weekly email, click here.