Chapter Ten

Faith is not what we live for, but what we are willing to die for.

The history of the Christian Church has been consistently punctuated with martyrs and martyrdom.  For about 2,000 years people have given their lives for the Lord Who gave His life for them.  Jesus warned that those who followed Him would face persecution and warned about our response to that persecution.

“"For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.” (Luke 9:26 NKJV)

One of the earliest stories of the Church is of the first Martyr as Stephen is killed while Saul, who would later give his life as a Martyr stood by in approval.

“58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60 Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not charge them with this sin." And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:58-60 NKJV)

           There are many things that we believe, there are fewer things we believe in but there are very few things that we believe in enough to give our life for.  My interest in the Civil War began as I wondered why anyone would stand in line facing troops a short distance away and shoot at each other!  What makes a person stand there in line especially as the war went on and 25 to 40% casualties in a battle were normal!  Some units had 80 to 90% casualty rates in a single battle. 

            What made them not only stand there, but come back for the next battle?  When I read the histories and the books written by Generals I thought it was for their love of country or for the flag.  But as I read the journals and letters of those who stood in line again and again they said they were there and stayed there for their families, their friends and their homes.

            What are you willing to give your life for?  Or should I ask, who are you willing to give your life for?  Who would you stand up for in the face of the flames, crucifixions, stoning, rapes and the endless ways Christians have died because of their faith and for Jesus who died for them!

                        

Make a list of whom or what you are willing to give your life to or for.

Look over your list and for each one show why you would be willing to either live for or die for it or them.

            We may think being able to give our life is unusual or out dated thing but look at the world around us in our lifetime.

1.       Christians in the Soviet Union were arrested and put under psychiatric care because the State believed that being a Christian was a sign of insanity.

2.       In China children of Christian parents were not allowed in the better schools or training programs.  Christians are jailed under very harsh conditions.

3.       In the Middle East Christian girls are kidnapped and either forced into marriage or converted to Islam through rape.  Churches are not allowed to make repairs and crosses openly displayed are being taken down.  Bibles are used as toilet paper as they were in Bethlehem.

4.       Under ISIS Christian boys and girls are sold into sexual slavery and girls as young as 9 are sent back to their parents only after they have been made pregnant.  Religious buildings that are not Islamic or are the wrong kind of Islamic are destroyed.

This does not include the shootings in Columbine and Utah which targeted Christians specifically.  There are many attacks on Christians around the world and they not only have to fear for their own safety but for their families!

What would you do if someone with a gun asked you if you were a Christian?  While there is no way to know for sure it would help if you had thought it through before.  How should you respond?  By the example of Jesus Christ, the examples of those who have given themselves for their God and the Written Word of God what should you do?

What are you willing to sacrifice for Jesus?  What are you NOT willing to sacrifice for Jesus?