Russian Restrictions

Jesus foretold that His people would encounter opposition, but He encourages us to stand strong,
even when there are those who would punish us for our faith in Him. In Matthew 10, He taught:
18 You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.
19 But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak;
20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

That can certainly cause us to be courageous as we face the prospect of hostility toward the expression of our Christian faith.  We can rely on the Lord to give us the right words, and the right demeanor, for that matter, so that we can be a bold witness for Him.  You know, God's Spirit is in the heart of a believer, and in our reliance on Him, He will speak through us; we can depend on Him for the words to speak in all situations, including the difficult ones we face.

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In 1st Peter 3, we can read some verses that provide encouragement to stand strong, even when there is opposition:
14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled."
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;
16 having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

As I have reported to you, Russia has enacted a new law, which was described in this way by Christianity Today:

To share their faith, citizens must secure a government permit through a registered religious organization, and they cannot evangelize anywhere besides churches and other religious sites. The restrictions even apply to activity in private residences and online.

This law, passed by the Russian parliament and signed into law by President Vladimir Putin, was said to have been a move to curb terrorist activity.  And, it has already had a chilling effect on religious expression, including Christian evangelism.

According to Baptist Press, two weeks ago, police entered Independent Baptist missionary Donald Ossewaard's Sunday morning Bible study in his home, which had 15 students, arrested him and fined him 40,000 rubles, which is about $600.  Ossewaard says that he will leave the country.  He has appealed the charges against him.  There have also been some veiled threats reported against his life. His wife, Ruth, has already returned home to Illinois.

The report says that Ossewaarde was charged under Article 5.26, Part 5 of the new religion law for holding religious services in his home, advertising services on bulletin boards in nearby neighborhoods, and failing to give authorities written notification when he began his religious activities. He said, "What we have in our favor ... is the way they wrote the law is very ineffective in accomplishing what they wanted to accomplish." He maintains that the law, which was passed July 20, limits missionary activity by religious organizations in particular, and he operates independently of any group. He stated: "They wanted to make all missionary activity illegal. The law as written doesn't apply to me, and that's why I believe that we will win this appeal. But long term, obviously they can write another law that says missionary activity is just plain outlawed. I certainly consider myself a missionary."

As of early last week, there had been five others arrested under the law, according to the news service Forum 18: another Baptist who was fined 5,000 rubles; a Hare Krishna, who was acquitted; a Protestant, fined 50,000 rubles; a Pentecostal, who was to appear in court Aug. 29, and a Seventh-day Adventist, who was awaiting a trial date.

Christian missionary Ossewaarde, according to Baptist Press, has conducted street evangelism, distributed printed materials and held weekly Bible studies and prayer meetings in his home. Those have all ended, and he continues to await his day in court, while making arrangements to return to the U.S.

This story can be a reminder to be in prayer for Christians in Russia who have had their ability to share their faith severely curtailed.  Shortly after the passage of the law, Sergey Rakhuba, president of Mission Eurasia and a former church planter in Moscow, told Christianity Today: “Most evangelicals—leaders from all seven denominations—have expressed concerns,” adding, “They’re calling on the global Christian community to pray that Putin can intervene and God can miraculously work in this process.”

We can also be motivated to continue to be in prayer for the persecuted church, as a whole, standing with those who call upon the name of the Lord, who may face death or punishment for their expression of faith in Christ.

When the world says, "no," do we say, "yes?"  I think that is a great question for us, even in America, as we find ourselves in a climate where the Christian faith, I don't believe, is as widely accepted as it used to be.  We can make up our minds how we will respond when we encounter opposition, and purpose in our hearts to be bold when we are challenged, and at all times seeking to reflect the character of Christ.