Because I’m a Christian, I’m cast out. Why do people do that?

When we study the life of the Apostle Paul and how he was persecuted, we learn that faith and persecution can always be found together. The sad truth is that persecution (whether it is just teasing or actually killing) happens for many, many reasons.

Your question is very close to another question that has been asked many times by many great people during the course of human history! Why do people dislike (or hate) each other just because they are different? (like different religions, different races, different jobs, different educations, different physical abilities, and a million others!)

The answer to why this happens, to why people hate each other, and to why we sometimes feel “cast out” from others, has to do with sin. This is difficult to understand, but it is still true. Because of sin our connection with God and with others – which was originally perfect – is broken and messed up. This is sad, but this is the way it is right now.

It is comorting to remember that the Holy Spirit came to give us power. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to persevere, to hang in there, to be strong and to have courage. Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians that “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21). Paul knew that even though there was persecution and trouble now, that to be one of Jesus’ followers meant that you could share in an awesome forever with Him, and that made everything better and OK for him!