Articles
Faith of Discomfort
Have you ever idly wondered how much your faith actually matters to you? Many American Christians talk a good game about the “persecution” that we face today; our political rights are occasionally infringed, Christianity is widely mocked by scientific minds, and we live in a world that increasingly is anti-Christian in disposition and character. I don’t want to diminish these issues, but at the same time I don’t want to blow them out of proportion. We live incredibly blessed lives as American Christians, and I believe most Christians that live in Western nations could say the same. Our “persecutions” are minor inconveniences at best, and because of that many Christians have a very tenuous connection to their faith; this tenuous connection is easily snapped at the first sign of struggle, and many Christian’s faith is lost at the slightest hint of true persecution, strife, or difficulty. This is not the faith that we see demonstrated in the New Testament. Faith according to the Scriptures is powerful, steadfast, and life-changing.
One of the best example of this strong faith we see is the account of the apostles in Acts, beginning in the fourth chapter. By this point in the narrative, the apostles have seen the resurrected Christ ascend to heaven and have been strengthened to confidence by the Holy Spirit. They have preached Christ with fervor and performed miracles before men, and thousands have converted to the Lord. At the beginning of the chapter, the apostles Peter and John (the two leading apostles at the time) are arrested in the midst of their preaching by the Jewish rulers. These rulers question Peter and John on who they are preaching about, and Peter boldly replies that they preached and healed in the name of “Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead…He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved,” (Acts 4:10-12). Taken aback by Peter’s forthrightness, despite his lack of formal education or training, the rulers quickly recognize that these were men who had walked with Jesus himself. Realizing that they cannot deny the miracles that are taking place, but not wishing for their preaching to be spread farther the rulers command Peter and John to cease preaching the Lord or face further punishment. Peter and John pointedly say “whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard,” (Acts 4:19-20).
Amazingly, Peter and John back up their words with solid action. The next two chapters detail the further spreading of the church and the communal sharing of food and support between the brethren. The fame of the miracles and healing of the apostles spread beyond Jerusalem to the outlying regions, and people were coming from afar to see the events occurring in the Holy City. Once more filled with jealousy, the Jewish rulers, Pharisees, and Sadducees arrest the apostles and, this time, throw the men in jail. During the night, however, the apostles are freed by an angel of the Lord and commanded to go speak at the Temple and proclaim the Gospel once more. The apostles could have fled from their responsibilities here; their faith was actually coming at a cost now! They had been imprisoned, and further disobedience of the authorities could result in greater punishment. Despite this, however, the apostles obey the Lord and preach the Gospel at daybreak. Confused by the discovery of an empty prison, the rulers are stunned to find the apostles disobeying their command by preaching in the Temple and once more arrest them. The high priest questions the apostles and says that “we gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name, and yet, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us,” (Acts 5:28). In the face of the unspoken threat of further retribution, Peter once more boldly proclaims that “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
These bold words almost came at the ultimate price. The Jewish rulers, cut to the quick and enraged by the truth they have heard, move to kill the apostles. Only the advice of Gamaliel, a particularly respected Pharisee, to spare the apostles, lest they be found in opposition to God, saves the apostles from execution. Instead the rulers flog and beat the apostles before ordering them to no longer speak the name of Jesus and releasing them. Yet despite the physical suffering the name of Christ had cost these men, the next verses say “they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name,” (Acts 5:41) and they continue preaching the Word of God!
The resilience of the apostles to preach the word of God is incredible. In the seventh chapter, the disciple Stephen is executed for the name of Christ. In the next chapter Saul begins his deadly persecution of all the saints in Jerusalem. By the twelfth chapter one of the apostles, James the brother of John, is beheaded by King Herod while Peter is imprisoned for execution. Despite all of these persecution and killings, the apostles never ceased preaching the Gospel; in fact the close of Acts finds the apostle Paul, “preaching the kingdom of God and teaching concerning the Lord Jesus Christ with all openness, unhindered,” (Acts 28:31). All of the apostles, with the exception of John, are historically recorded as having been martyred for the name of Christ. Despite this, the words of Christ are never stopped. The message of the salvation of God is constantly rung out, and the men and women of the New Testament let nothing, even death, get in the way of their devotion.
The question, then, is are we Christians of the 21st century willing to have a 1st century faith? A faith that is willing to endure real persecution for the sake of Christ? Paul asked his Roman brethren, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword…I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord,” (Romans 8:35-39). The apostles firmly believed that, although their faith would be tested, the Lord would never abandon His people. Paul would also tell the Corinthians, speaking of the earthly suffering that he himself was undergoing, that “I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong,” (2 Corinthians 12:10). No matter how difficult our trials may be, we should glory in them for one reason: they proclaim the Lord’s death, burial, and resurrection.
If we are being persecuted, then we are speaking the Word of God loudly enough to discomfort people. Good! Let the Word do its work in people’s hearts. Are you facing little to no persecution for your faith? Consider the possibility that your faith might not be substantial enough to persecute, and that your light might have been dimmed by the world’s shadows. Whatever your situation in life, feast or famine, blessings or disappointments, continue to ring the bold words of Jesus Christ out. Press on toward the upward call, brethren! To God be the glory.
Grace and Peace,
Andrew
