As we come to this eighth in the series of the Master's Manifesto,

probably it is the most difficult one to explain,

the most difficult one to comprehend in our culture today.

Because there are very few of us, I suspect, who really know or understand,

let alone comprehend what it is to be persecuted for righteousness sake.

At the outset, I want to tell you, there are two different causes for persecution.

And most people muddle the two.

There's a big difference between being persecuted for righteousness and being persecuted for your own folly. There is a difference between being persecuted for righteousness and being persecuted for your own folly.

There is a difference between being persecuted for righteousness and the offense of the cross,

and being persecuted for being an offensive.

There is a difference between being persecuted for the sake of your witness for Christ

and being persecuted for placing yourself to be a prosecuting attorney

when Jesus said blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness

there is a word here that is a key word that he added, and that

is falsely. That is a key word. Put a circle around it in your Bible, falsely. That means if I

lose my job, because I have taken my employer's time to debate Christianity with others,

then I'm not persecuted for righteousness.

If I get rejected because I determine to push my opinion to the bitter end,

I'm not persecuted for righteousness.

If I get ostracized because I am arrogant or abusive in my attempt to witness so-called,

that is not being persecuted for righteousness.

I know there are some Christians around who have an ego problem and they want to be noticed

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