“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mat. 28:18-20). Simon Peter was crucified upside down in Rome, as he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as Jesus. Andrew was crucified on an X-shaped cross in Patras, Greece. James, son of Zebedee was executed by Herod Agrippa I, who had him beheaded in Jerusalem (Act. 12:2).
Philip was martyred in Hierapolis, Phrygia, by crucifixion. Bartholomew was flayed alive and then either crucified or beheaded. Matthew was martyred in Ethiopia, traditionally by a sword. Thomas was killed by a spear in India while preaching the Gospel. James, son of Alphaeus, was martyred in Egypt by stoning or crucifixion. Thaddaeus was martyred with arrows. Simon the Zealot was martyred, possibly by crucifixion or being sawn in half. John died of natural causes, but even he did not escape persecution. And they were not the only ones. Polycarp was a bishop of Smyrna and a disciple of the apostle John. He was martyred by being burned at the stake after refusing to renounce his faith.
Justin Martyr, an early Christian apologist and philosopher, was martyred for refusing to sacrifice to the Roman gods. Perpetua and Felicity were martyred in Carthage for refusing to renounce their Christian faith. Ignatius of Antioch was martyred in Rome and thrown to wild beasts in the Colosseum for his steadfast faith in Christ. Even in modern times, persecution and death have been the end of many faithful Christians. Just Google the names of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Oscar Romero, the Nag Hammadi martyrs, the martyrs of Atlas, and Li Zhizao. Literally, millions of Christians have died by being tortured, burned alive, shot, and decapitated, to name only a tiny fraction of the methods used to quell the spread of Christianity.
I did not list those deaths to scare you but rather to highlight how insignificant our “persecutions” are when we spread the Gospel to those who are still floundering in the darkness of sin. Let’s face it: the most any of us will receive for our spiritual courage is a tongue-lashing of some kind. We may be belittled, maybe shoved, possibly even assaulted, but statistically speaking, none of us will be tortured, maimed, or killed. So, let me ask you this question. “What prevents you from walking up to that greeter in Walmart and handing him an invitation to join you for a Sunday service?” Why are you so afraid to speak to family and strangers about the amazing love of God and the opportunity the death of His perfect Son affords everyone?
I have thought about that question many times in my life. Both because I admittedly hesitate sometimes myself and because I witness so many Christians hide their faith from the world. At church, they are “eager-beavers” for the faith, but as soon as they walk out the doors, their courage leaves them, and they shove their Christianity into a corner of the darkest closet they can find. The reason is simple but also highly sobering, maybe even terrifying. We can often be more afraid of man than God. When faced with the possibility of a barrage of insults hurled at us by the world, we forget the words of Mat. 10:28, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
How will we confidently stand before the Lord on that great Day of Judgment and justify our fear of man? How will we feel when we see the throngs of people we came into contact with ushered off into the pits of hell because we were too scared to open our mouths and save them? What will we say if they scream, “Why didn’t you say something to me all the times you saw me? How could you leave knowing I could go to hell if you said nothing?” Final question: “Do you fear man or God?” You see, man cannot do more than kill you. I know that is not something any of us look forward to, but it is a reality that, in the worst-case scenario, our life is all they can take from us on this earth.
Again, the chances you and I have to suffer that fate is more improbable than being struck by lightning, so why are we so reluctant to save them with our words? Do we care so little for other people that we will live with them, know them as close friends or associates, work with them every day, or walk past them at Walmart several times a week without ever uttering “Jesus loves you” or “Can I invite you to church with me this weekend?” Ninety-nine percent of the time, the answer will be “No, thanks,” rather than something disparaging or worse. BTW, the words of Mat. 28:19are not a suggestion.
Instead, they are a command straight from the mouth of the Savior to save those who desperately need the hope He provided on the cross. I know it takes courage to speak up, and again, I admit that there are times I have failed to do so, but that does not mean I should refrain from opening my mouth. My fear of the consequences of not speaking is greater than my fear of doing so, so I usually just say something and hope for a positive response. However, I feel good even if I don’t get one because I know I planted the seed. I will leave the responsibility of watering it to the next person.
We all need to take outreach seriously, not only because it is a commandment to do so but also because remaining quiet is simply too costly for millions. Our silence may lead them to their eternal doom, and we should not want that on our consciences. We should not fear man over God.
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