Let us be bold, unapologetic and unwavering to declare our Lord, Jesus Christ as the one true and living God!
We find in Matthew 28, Jewish leaders discredited the resurrection as a conspiracy, claiming disciples stole Jesus’ crucified body. If this were all just a contrived scheme, would all these men face torture and execution to defend a known lie? Peter declares:
“For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” 2 Peter 1:16
What about how we present our faith to the world? Should we be timid? Or would our reticence or perceived insecurity benefit those who would see our commission fail? Let it not be so! Let us imitate Paul as he imitates Christ:
“My eager expectation and hope is that I will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all courage, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death.” Philippians 1:20
What is a greater display of faith than to be steadfast in courage and devotion through persecution? The bravery of early Christians is what Justin Martyr (130 AD) attributes as the impulse of his conversion.
“For though we are beheaded, and crucified, and exposed to beasts and chains and fire and all other forms of torture, it is plain that we do not forsake the confession of our faith, but the more things of this kind happen to us so much the more are there many others who become believers and truly religious through the name of Jesus.”
If we are hesitant, let us be emboldened by the courage of the early church who, in the face of mockery, persecution and torture, proclaimed the resurrection with unshakable assurance in the hope of Jesus Christ!
Clay Bradford
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