For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.…
Philippians 1:29 (NIV)

There was an interesting article in the Free Press recently written by a scientist who confesses that he purposely chose not to tell the whole truth in order to get his article published in a prestigious magazine. He brazenly admits he did so for personal gain. As a scientist and an academic, getting published is crucial to his career. He goes on to explain that it is currently impossible to get published if he doesn’t stick to the narrative that the magazine editors demand.

He writes:

In theory, scientific research should prize curiosity, dispassionate objectivity, and a commitment to uncovering the truth. Surely those are the qualities that editors of scientific journals should value. 

In reality, though, the biases of the editors (and the reviewers they call upon to evaluate submissions) exert a major influence on the collective output of entire fields. They select what gets published from a large pool of entries, and in doing so, they also shape how research is conducted more broadly. Savvy researchers tailor their studies to maximize the likelihood that their work is accepted. I know this because I am one of them.

When I was a young man and a relatively new disciple of Jesus, I observed that Christian fundamentalists wanted power to control the speech and behavior of everyone. For the record, I never agreed with this tactic and I still don’t. I find it the direct opposite of what Jesus calls me to do and be. What has been fascinating is to watch the pendulum swing in my lifetime. It is another type of fundamentalism that seeks to use power and fear to control both speech and behavior in culture today. One of the things I continue to observe in many different pockets of our current culture is the refusal to say what one believes or knows out of fear of being ostracized or canceled. I see it happening in business, entertainment, politics, religion, as well as in science and education at every level.

Today I begin the short, four-chapter trek through Paul’s letter to the followers of Jesus in the Roman city of Philippi. Paul writes the letter from imprisonment in Rome. He was actually under house arrest in a dwelling he had to pay for himself. It was a time when being a follower of Jesus could get you persecuted and canceled in the Roman Empire for a number of reasons by different constituencies.

In the opening of his letter, Paul expresses contentment in his circumstances of incarceration He finds a silver lining in the fact that his Roman guards are a captive audience to hear about Paul’s faith, and while under house arrest he could receive visitors. Paul also expresses appreciation for the fact that his imprisonment has prompted others not to be so afraid of identifying themselves as followers of Jesus, even if it means being canceled.

Paul then writes something that I found extraordinary as I read it in the quiet this morning: “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him….”

I read these words having just finished this chapter-a-day trek through the book of Job. The prevailing attitude in the Job story is that suffering is bad and a sure sign of God’s punishment for sin while prosperity is a sign of God’s approval and blessing. I observe that this prevailing attitude remains fairly entrenched, and this makes Paul’s statement downright counter-cultural!

Suffering for being a follower of Jesus is a privilege granted by the Almighty.

As I continue to observe and ponder the trends I see in our current culture, I also see that being a follower of Jesus seems to be increasingly out of vogue. Please don’t read what I’m not writing. I’m not trying to be hyperbolic or claim some sort of victim status. I am simply stating what I have observed as a growing trend in which, for the first time in my lifetime, it seems even possible that I could be canceled because of my faith. I hope this is not true, but just the possibility is sobering.

I head into my day reminded that Jesus told his disciples to expect suffering. As Paul writes to the disciples in Philippi, I’m to consider it a privilege if it were to happen. This is a teaching that many regular church attenders have never heard, and don’t want to hear. Even churches have their own version of cancel culture.

If you know anyone who might be encouraged by today’s post, please share.