THE “MARTYRS”

THE “MARTYRS” “A Call to Unconverted” & “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

I was recalling the Scripture while I was reading the tremendous testimonies of faith, courage, sacrificial and faithful lives of the followers of Christ in the different persecution times.

The Bible reminds us that a follower of Christ does not run for vain. The faith in Christ does have a reason, a rationale and a sense of taking risk, which has cost as well as reward afterward, but that is in faith to achieve it. Jesus warned His followers not just confess Him as Lord and Master, but the Lordship truly comes by denying self and in every walks of faith even in the midst of persecution and threats for the live. The life of martyr prominently conveys only one thing that is to life for Him alone, no compromising should take place in life. The book of Hebrew (11:33-38) says about faith:

[33] who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, received promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

[34] quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

[35] Women received their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, that they might rise again to a better life.

[36] Others suffered mocking and scourging, and even chains and imprisonment.

[37] They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated –

[38] of whom the world was not worthy — wandering over deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. [Revised Standard Version]

Talking about faith, which has a strong sense of continually believing in Christ even up to the point of death, this is a total surrender. Jesus’ emphatic orientation to His (to be) disciples was to deny themselves and carry their own cross daily and follow Him (Luke 9:23), but His urges does not end there, He continues talking about the future security of the soul with full of rewards (FF verses 24, Rev. 2:10b).

Thus the martyrdom is based on the rationale of the Scripture, it is not a mythical superstition. This is free choice and decision made in an awareness of the anticipated cost and risk. Above-mentioned Scriptures from Hebrew is true to reveal the faith-behavior of a believer of Jesus Christ. Again this hangs on the Christ-told reward (not compensation). I do not see this as compensation of the bold living in Christ, but it is more focusing on surrendering oneself to the Master and offers the life for His glory even if it might go through death. This faith’s requirement is the sacrifice (not payback of gratitude to the Christ’s sacrifice for humanity). But it will constitute a gradual preparing heart for an ultimate sacrifice and martyrdom in a confident that the reward if preserved for all counted steps of the faith-demonstration.

These articles led reviving my silent commitment to the Lord, as the English puritans in that time suffered for their faith, as the first Baptist started reviewing their foundational stand on the Scriptures and begun practicing adult baptism, and more seriously, as Jonathan Edward’s insightful article on Human sinfulness and God’s Righteousness (“Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God”) make me speak out loud that I will remain faithful in my daily walks would be with the Lord, and in the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. This, as for me, is indeed the “call” to renew my commitment in the Lord not as a “sinner” but as cold and sallow follower of Him who saved me and appoint me to bring His light in the darkness. This urge also revives my prayer to ask for more grace from the Lord that would increase my faith in Him, and an ever-readiness would be my orientation that would drive my life to be obedient witness of the Lord.

Republished in new layout 6/11/2013