The saints are also joined together with Christ in persecutions and sufferings in this life. Christ promised that we would be persecuted.--But Christ also linked that persecution with our eternal life to come at the end- His teaching on this matter tracks well with Paul's exhortation, that if we suffer with Christ, we will also be glorified with Him.--Christ warned of personal betrayals by family and friends, and outright persecution for those who believe in Jesus. Christ promises that He will give us the words to speak as a testimony at the proper time by the Holy Ghost.--Christ even warns the saints that some of us will be put to death for His sake.--But then He promises us, that in all this, not an hair of our heads shall perish- He will raise up all of His people, and vindicate us completely, and restore that which was harmed and taken away, with new glorified bodies like unto His---We are joined with Christ in all these sufferings, because we are Christ's- We suffer with Him in this life, but Christ counts it all as done for His name's sake---This is because the world hated Christ before it hated us. If they would have persecuted Christ, they will persecute His people. That's because they don't know God at all.--Some saints today suffer far worse persecution than do believers in western countries - in China, in North Korea, in Indonesia, in Iran, in Israel, in Saudi Arabia, in many African counties, in far-left liberal countries in Europe, including England, as well as Canada.--Yet we see a rising tide of persecution even in our own country.--The reason Christ gave for this persecution is His revelation of the world's dark wickedness and sin.