When Persecution Comes from Within

3 Nephi 12:10–12  

(See also Matthew 5) 

"And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake;

For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you."

These verses from the Savior’s sermon in the Book of Mormon echo the Beatitudes of the New Testament, promising joy and eternal reward to those who endure persecution for righteousness’ sake. We often imagine such persecution coming from outside the faith—from those who do not understand or accept the gospel. But what happens when the persecution comes from within our own community of Saints?

This is a harder truth to face. Yet, from personal experience and scriptural precedent, I have come to understand that sometimes the most painful reviling, judgment, or exclusion can come from those who share our pews, our covenants, and our sacred spaces. It can happen when fear, pride, or misunderstanding take root in hearts that have forgotten the grace that once saved them.

I have seen long-standing members, perhaps unintentionally, place heavy expectations on new converts—expecting them to run before they have learned to walk. They forget that spiritual infancy, like physical infancy, is marked by stumbling, learning, and growth. The newly baptized adult, though mature in years, is a child in the gospel. They need nurturing, not scrutiny; encouragement, not comparison.

Scripture is not silent on this pattern. Nephi was persecuted by his own brothers. Alma the Younger, once a persecutor himself, later faced opposition from within the Church. Even the Savior was rejected by those who claimed to be the most devout. These examples remind us that internal persecution is not new. It is a sorrowful part of our mortal experience and a test of our discipleship.

Yet, the Savior’s words remain: "Blessed are ye… Rejoice, and be exceeding glad." Why? Because to be misunderstood, misjudged, or mistreated for striving to follow Christ is to walk the same path He walked. It is to join the company of prophets and disciples who bore similar burdens. There is sanctifying power in such suffering, if we let it refine rather than embitter us.

Still, we are not called only to endure persecution—we are called to prevent it. As covenant people, we must remember our promise to "mourn with those that mourn" and "comfort those that stand in need of comfort" (Mosiah 18:9). This includes the awkward, the unsure, the newly converted, and the quietly struggling. It includes those who do not yet speak our spiritual language fluently, who are still learning the rhythms of discipleship.

Let us be a people who remember what it is to be new. Let us be a people who re-member the body of Christ—knitting together what has been wounded, restoring what has been cast aside. In doing so, we not only avoid becoming persecutors ourselves, but we become healers, builders, and true disciples of the One who bore all reviling with perfect love.

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Reflection Questions

- Have I ever placed expectations on others that I would not want placed on myself?  

- How can I better support those who are new or struggling in the gospel?  

- What does it mean to rejoice when misunderstood for Christ’s sake?