The worst persecution generally comes from those who are the most devoutly religious in a wrong way. Never is there persecution from the strictly non-religious. Sometimes the irreligious are intolerant, because supremely selfish, worshiping self as a god. But the non-religious cares not what people believe enough to lead him to endeavor to prohibit or coerce. The active persecutor is the active religionist. It was the Pharisee, “the strictest sect” of the Jews, who persecuted Jesus. The devoutest pagan emperors were the most intolerant. It was the most devoted of Roman Catholics who formed the army of persecutors in the medieval ages.
Jesus foretold this spirit of intolerance and revealed its secret. He shows us in a word that while it is religious it is not Christian. A man may be religiously Christian, possessing the Christian religion, or he may be a strong religionist, professedly Christian, and know nothing of Christianity. And so Jesus tells His disciples, after speaking the most comforting words: “These things I have spoken unto you, that ye should not be made to stumble. They shall put you out of the synagogues; yea, the hour cometh, that whosoever killeth you shall think that he offereth service unto God. And these things will they do, because they have not known the Father nor Me.” John 16:1–3, R.V.
When men do not know God, they are prone to put themselves in the place of God, on the judgment seat, condemning all who may not see things in their own narrow vision. That is the spirit of antichrist. But he who knows God, he who knows Christ Jesus, will see himself in the light of their glory so poor, so mean, so insignificant and unworthy, that he will have charity for all his enemies. He will not himself ignore God’s truth. He will endeavor to teach others to regard it. But he will have all charity for the transgressors. The religion of Jesus Christ knows no persecution of others, tho it has suffered all persecution from others. The Christian, he who knows Christ Jesus, knows that there is no one so competent to judge as his Master, and hence he is willing to leave all to Him.