Considering the recent election results coming dramatically in what has already been a tumultuous year, many Christians are talking about the possibility of coming religious persecution. Proverbial storm clouds seem to be appearing on the horizon. The pandemic-inspired surrendering of individual freedoms this past year plus the likely leftward shift of coming government policy evokes trepidations. So, besides swallowing hard, what are believers to do with these developments? Is there a playbook we can turn to right now to start becoming better prepared?

Well, of course, the Bible is where we always want to turn, and yes, you guessed it … we need not look far to find similar scenarios that God ordained and recorded long ago to help us today. Others—ancient believers—have gone before us. And in association with their suffering, we find timeless and explicit instruction on handling persecution.

James’s New Testament epistle was written to Jewish Christians suffering persecution resulting from dispersion under Herod Agrippa. James wrote to them with a certain directness, stressing a practical “what-not-to-do,” and then following with “what-to-do” under crushing pressure from governing authorities. It is a persecution playbook, you might say, and a good, pithy title could have been “Don’t Blame God, Do Obey His Word!” As such, the text admonishes wrong thinking about God and then urges embracing a Word-centered perspective to surviving persecution.

Accusing God: The Error and Correction (James 1:2–18)

Under pressure, we can be tempted to put God on trial. We want to blame Him for our troubles or weaknesses. Sadly, some Jewish believers receiving James’ letter were doing just that. But these new Christians who were accusing God of tempting them were told emphatically to stop! They were told that accusing God of tempting them to sin was a critical theological error that James squarely refuted: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one” (1:13).

Beyond this clear admonishment, James sought to offer a corrected view of God in the context of trials. He asserted that God ordains trials in the believer’s walk. His purposes in bringing them are to test our faith and to produce steadfastness, a mature Christian’s key character trait (1:2–4). James also described the place of wisdom in developing steadfastness: “If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God” (1:5). The believer was instructed to ask in faith, “with no doubting” because doubt creates sinful instability and delays God’s willingness to answer prayers. Moreover, James described the proper attitudes of a Christian: to trust in God, to pursue humility, and even to choose joyful appreciation for the blessing of growth that comes through the crucible of affliction: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial” (1:12). In sum, God does not tempt; He is the bestower of every good thing (1:16–18).

The Word of God: Hear and Do (1:19–5:20)

So if accusing God is “what-not-to-do,” what were they “to-do” under attack? James next brought Word-based practical teachings. Christians were exhorted to be “quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger” (1:19) because anger does not produce righteousness but leads to damaging sin. Instead, James encouraged readers to “receive in meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your soul” (1:21). Believers were also encouraged to be “doers of the word” (1:22) to demonstrate spiritual integrity and thus open oneself to blessing. Instruction for the doer of true religion followed. Practitioners of God-honoring religion were to be selfless, visiting “orphans and widows,” and keeping oneself “unstained from the world” (1:27).

Doers of the word must also be impartial: “show no partiality as you hold the faith in the Lord Christ” (2:1). Any temptations to favor rich over poor were labeled dishonorable and an offense to God who instructed “love your neighbor as yourself” (2:8). Faith then was offered as the motivation behind works; works then made visible to a watching world, prove a witness to saving faith: “faith apart from works is dead” (2:26).

James next directed attention to the human tongue in the context of his exhortation to be slow to speak (3:1–18). In colorful descriptions, James explained the caustic nature and explosive potential of speech, always emphasizing the importance of the faithful Christian controlling verbal communication through submission to the Holy Spirit. Believers were to humbly seek wisdom from above—something God promised to give freely—while rejecting all manner of earthy wisdom in order to produce a “harvest of righteousness” “sown in peace by those who make peace” (3:18).

James’ remaining appeals contained clear warnings to reject worldliness (4:1–5:12). Here Paul gave the steps to success, offering the importance of submission to God (4:1–10). Next, he directed them to avoid judging one another (4:11–12), to refrain from boasting in arrogance (4:13–17), and to never trust in riches or the luxuries of this world (5:1–6). Moreover, the readers were asked to be patient and endure suffering honorably, with dignity, patience, and grace ( 5:7–11). Lastly, the believers were admonished to avoid oaths and to always speak with integrity (5:12). James’ final words gave them two enduring practices to remember and do (5:13–20): they were to pray in faith, and they were to turn to each other in the truth.

If indeed persecution for our faith in Christ is coming, we do have a playbook! It is the Bible, and James is a great place to start studying the playbook. But beyond James, virtually every chapter in Scripture gives the right play for the right situation. God wants you to grow in your suffering because He is making you more like Christ, which is a goal that far surpasses any achievement of this world. So, study your playbook and be ready!