如果上帝存在，为什么祂不拯救那些受苦和受迫害的基督徒？
If God exists, why doesn't He rescue Christians who are suffering and persecuted?
简答 Short Answer
上帝完全有能力拯救，有时也确实拯救了。但祂允许苦难，是因为苦难中的信心见证了祂更大的荣耀，也为信徒积累永恒的赏赐。
God is fully able to rescue and sometimes does. But He allows suffering because faith amid suffering displays His greater glory and stores up eternal reward for believers.
详细解答 Detailed Answer
首先要明白：基督徒受苦并非上帝无能，而是上帝所许可的。耶稣说连一只麻雀掉在地上都需要天父许可，何况祂的儿女（太10:29-31）。
上帝有时确实超自然地拯救祂的儿女脱离逼迫——使徒行传记载彼得在狱中被天使救出。但更多时候，上帝选择在苦难中同在，而非从苦难中挪去。
为什么？因为血肉之躯的软弱人，若没有上帝的力量，根本不可能在酷刑和逼迫中仍然喜乐、平安、坚定。每一个在患难中依然信靠基督的见证，都是上帝同在的铁证。历史上，无数人正是看到殉道者脸上的平安和喜乐，才被深深触动而归信基督。
此外，圣经应许苦难中的信心将来会得到「极重无比永远的荣耀」（林后4:17）。今生短暂的苦楚，换来的是永恒的赏赐。这就是为什么教会越受逼迫越兴旺——因为全能的上帝确实与他们同在。
First, understand: Christians suffering isn't evidence of God's inability but of His permission. Jesus said even a sparrow doesn't fall without the Father's will, how much more His children (Matt 10:29-31).
God sometimes does supernaturally rescue His people — Acts records Peter freed from prison by an angel. But more often, God chooses to be present in suffering rather than remove it.
Why? Because if weak, flesh-and-blood humans can still experience joy, peace, and steadfastness under torture and persecution, this is ironclad proof of God's presence. Throughout history, countless people were deeply moved to faith by seeing the peace and joy on martyrs' faces.
Furthermore, Scripture promises that faith amid suffering will receive 'an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison' (2 Cor 4:17). Brief suffering in this life yields eternal reward. This is why the church grows stronger under persecution — the Almighty God truly is with them.
📖 经文引用 Bible Verses
📚 推荐阅读 Related Readings
- •The Insanity of God (Nik Ripken)
- •Foxe's Book of Martyrs