Close your eyes and imagine for a moment that America has been taken over by Communists. The Communist leader has banned anything to do with Christianity. Believers that still meet for church services must come together in secret places like underground tunnels. You are attending one of these church services when all of a sudden, Communist soldiers rush in and order everyone to get on the ground. One by one they execute those who won't denounce the Christ's name. You watch men, women, and children bravely face their death, while others cower away after rejecting their faith to keep their life. Now a soldier walks up to you, puts a gun on your head, and says, "Are you a Christian?"
Now stop imagining. Would you associate yourself with those people under the ban, or would you deny your faith? It's a hard question about which I often find myself thinking. Would I die for Christ? While some have a definite answer to this question, others question themselves. Christ gave His life in the worst death one could have, which is crucifixion, so that we, the sinners, could live forever with Him, the God of all creation, forever in paradise! How could we do less than give our fleeting vapor of a life for Christ's sake?
Often I think that it is harder to live for Jesus than to die for Him. Satan seems to know that it is easier to get us to compromise than to go to outright denial. I sometimes think he is more busy in our colleges and seminaries than in the communist leadership. Of course some people would say those are the same places.
ReplyDeleteIt is a hard question, one we need to think about.
Grace and peace.