Sam Brownback: Our Silence Fuels China’s Religious Persecution - National Catholic Register
Sam Brownback warns that Western silence emboldens China's ongoing persecution of Christians, echoing Scripture's call to speak for the oppressed and the promise that the Church will be hated for Christ's name.
John 15:18-20
Prophetic Fulfillment“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.”
Why this passage
In John 15, Jesus prepares His disciples for the hostility they will face after His departure. The context is the Upper Room Discourse, where He speaks of the world's hatred as inevitable for those who belong to Him.
The plain meaning is that persecution is not a sign of failure but of faithful identification with Christ.
This principle directly applies to the Chinese Church today, where believers are targeted precisely because they are not of the world. The article's focus on China's systematic persecution—including arrests, church closures, and forced loyalty oaths—matches the pattern Jesus described: the world hates those whom Christ has chosen out of the world.
Historical context, theological significance, application today — denomination-neutral, ~1,000-word walk-through.
The silence of the nations is a roar in the ears of the persecuted. As Sam Brownback warns, when the West stays quiet, China's crackdown on Christians only intensifies.
But Scripture declares, 'If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you' (John 15:18). Our Lord did not promise ease; He promised that the world's hatred would be a sign of our belonging to Him.
Let us not be silent, but cry out for our brothers and sisters who suffer for the faith.
Today's Prayer
Pray for the persecuted Church in China, that they would be strengthened by the Holy Spirit to endure, and for Western leaders to break their silence and speak boldly for religious freedom.
Further Scripture
Additional passages that illuminate this event, each grounded in a distinct interpretive lens.
“Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
Why this passage
Proverbs 31:8-9 is a wisdom command to speak on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves. In its original context, it addresses the king and all who hold influence, calling them to use their voice for justice.
The 'mute' and 'destitute' include the oppressed who lack power or platform.
Brownback's article directly applies this principle: Western silence is a failure to 'open the mouth for the mute.' The persecuted Christians in China are the destitute in this scenario, and those with a voice—politicians, media, churches—are commanded to speak.
How it applies
The article calls out the silence of Western governments and institutions as complicity. Proverbs demands the opposite: active, righteous advocacy.
This is not optional for believers; it is a biblical duty to defend the persecuted.
“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
Why this passage
Paul writes to Timothy in the context of the last days, warning that persecution is the normal experience for those who pursue godliness. The Greek word for 'all' (pantes) is inclusive and emphatic—this is not a possibility but a certainty for the faithful.
China's persecution of Christians who refuse to submit to state-controlled churches is a direct fulfillment of this principle. The article describes believers being arrested for meeting in homes or sharing the gospel, which is precisely the 'godly life' that provokes persecution.
How it applies
The Chinese Church's suffering is not an anomaly but a confirmation of Paul's warning. This should sober Western Christians who face little opposition, reminding them that persecution is the biblical norm, not the exception.
Related by Scripture
Other events we've interpreted through the same passage or hermeneutical lens.
Hindu nationalists face scrutiny over persecution in India - Mission Network News
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Persecution of ChristiansShares John 15:18-20
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Source: National Catholic Register— we link to the original for full context.