Shocking news is coming out of the country of India recently. A widespread anti-Christian sentiment has been rising in the midst of the social fervor surrounding what will be the largest democratic election the nation of India has ever experienced. Many observers estimate that 900 million people will be eligible to vote in the election that many believe is essentially a referendum on the current Prime Minister. However, more than just political motivations are in play. According to Open Doors USA – an international agency that monitors and help minister to persecuted Christian around the world – India is the tenth most-persecuted country for Christians! The predominate religion in India is Hinduism and along with tensions stemming from India’s caste system, many radical Hindus are fiercely anti-Christian and are driving by a desire to cleanse their country of Christianity and will not hesitate to use violence and intimidation to achieve their goals. Along with public humiliation, beatings, and even murder, radical Hindus have now resorted to burning Bibles by the thousands!
Men and Women Attacked
According to International Christian Concern – a religious organization that aids persecuted Christians internationally – radical Hindus have seized and burned thousands of Bibles and threatened the lives of Christians who were distributing the Bibles legally! This shocking event took place in Singtom village in the Nagar Kurnool district. It is evident that Satan is at work in this situation using these radical Hindus to attempt to stamp out God’s Word and silence His witnesses. After stealing the Bibles from the vehicles the Christians were using to transport the Bibles, the extremist Hindus went so far as beat the men and women who had been distributing Bibles in this region for 30 years and even threaten grotesque physical deformation (not suitable to repeat in our forum) against the Christians. This horrible event comes in the wake of what has been one of the most dangerous years of Christian persecution in India according to the Evangelical Fellowship of India. Across the southern part of India, there have been more than 60 reported cases of violence against Christians already this year.
Relevant Scriptural Passages
As upsetting as this situation is, we are told in the pages of Scripture to expect such events as the last days draw near. Matthew 10:22 warns that Christians “shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (KJV). In this verse our Lord is warning His disciples, and His followers in our modern time, to prepare for persecution. This persecution will take the form of the wrath and indignation from those who reject Jesus as Lord. Yet, perseverance in the face of such anger and affliction, as we “endureth to the end” (Matt 10:22), will be the evidence of our eternal salvation. Oddly enough, perhaps by seeking out Christian material to destroy some militants may actually be exposed to the truths of God’s Word. We should remain in prayer over this situation.