Here’s how Martin Lloyd-Jones explained it in his sermon on Matthew 5:10-12: …It does not say, ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because they are objectionable.’ It does not say, ‘Blessed are those who are having a hard time in their Christian life because they are being difficult.’

In many different places the New Testament talks about Christians being persecuted. There are various stories in Acts where Christians were mocked, beaten, imprisoned, and even killed because they were followers of Christ. Jesus said that people who hated him will hate his followers. In their letters to the early church, Peter and Paul write about persecution several times. One part of cross-bearing as a disciple is being persecuted for trusting in Christ and obeying him. True persecution is persecution for “righteousness sake” and for Christ’s sake (Mt. 5:10-12).

Sometimes Christians do foolish things and face mocking, oppression, and abuse for it. But that’s not persecution as Jesus defines it in Matthew 5:10-12. It’s not persecution if I use cruel and malicious language to describe some unbeliever and face social media backlash for it. It’s not persecution if I post a video of myself ranting rudely and crudely about homosexuals and get death threats for it. Persecution is not being oppressed or mistreated for doing stupid things as a Christian.

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