The First Century Christian Martyrs
The First Century Christian martyrs very closely followed the example of Jesus. Theirs’s was a time of unrelenting prosecution by both the religious and civil authorities of the day. But Jesus had given them fair warning. Becoming and being a Christian in those days was not for the faint of heart. (The Christian Martyr, Part 1)
John 15:20; 16:2 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” And again, “They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.
Time and again Jesus spoke of the persecution His followers would face. But never once did Jesus give his disciples a single word of license to do harm to any. No follower of Jesus was ever to seek revenge for any wrong done to them. They were to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, following His perfect example.
Love Your Enemies
Jesus had clearly told them how they were to treat their enemies, their persecutors. (What is Love?)
John 5:44-45 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Jesus lived and died by these words. And likewise, His disciples also lived and died by these words. Christians were never to employ any carnal weapon in their defense.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.
Only One Sword
The only sword the Christian was to carry was the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God.
Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Theirs was to be a spiritual battle for the saving of lost souls. Nothing was to take precedent over that.
Stephen, the First Christian Martyr
Steven, the first Christian martyr, was a deacon in the early church, and a mighty preacher.
Acts 6:9-12 Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen … disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, ‘We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.’ And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council.
Stephen knew full well why that counsel had brought him before them. But there, standing before his enemies, Stephen boldly preached to them, and the Word of God, the sword of the Spirit cut them to the heart.
Acts 7:54-60 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. … Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
“Lord, do not charge them with this sin”
In the midst of this enraged mob, even as he was being stoned by them, with his last breath Stephen breathed a prayer for them, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.“ And when he had said this, he fell asleep. That is a true example of Christian martyrdom. Steven faithfully followed in the footsteps of Jesus.
- His concern was not for himself, for he knew that his life was secure in Christ.
- His concern was for the lost souls, trapped in spiritual darkness.
- His desire was that they too may be saved, that their lives, like his, may also be made secure in Christ.
A Great Persecution
After this the Bible tells us, “a great persecution arose against the church” (Acts 8:1). But the Christians did not react in kind, but following the counsel of Jesus who said, “When they persecute you in this city, flee to another.” (Matt 10:23), they “went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).
The early Christians did not let the behavior of others destroy their Christian witness. They did not consent to sink down to the level of their enemies and answer violence with violence. They would not be diverted from their purpose of preaching the gospel. For life or death, they committed themselves into God’s hands. God Himself would be their defense. Here was the spirit and power that turned the world upside down.
A Fearless Holy Boldness
This was not some kind of weak passivity on the part of the Christians. Never were there a more bold and courageous people. This was not passive resistance, but active godliness. When Peter and John were arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin to answer for their “crime” of healing a lame man and preaching Christ, they stood boldly before them and boldly proclaimed:
Acts 4:10-12 Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone. Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
These are not the words of fearful men. The men of the Sanhedrin never expected such boldness on the part of Christ’s disciples and knew not what to do. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John … they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). Yes, that is the kind of boldness that comes from being with Jesus. And if such boldness is not seen so often in Christians today, it is because they have not spent much time in the presence of Jesus.
Obey God rather than Men
Forbidden from preaching any more in the name of Jesus by the Sanhedrin, these bold disciples proclaimed that their allegiance was to God and not to man.
Acts 4:19-20 Peter and John answered and said to them, ‘Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard’
Yet again the disciples were arrested for the “crime” of preaching Christ, and yet again the Sanhedrin was to witness the holy boldness of these men.
Acts 5:28-29 ’Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!’ But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: ‘We ought to obey God rather than men.’
Wielding A Most Powerful Sword
Hebrews 4:12 The word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
People will react in one of two ways when this living sword is wielded in the hands of a true disciple of Christ. They will repent, confess, and be converted, or they will become absolutely infuriated – for that sword is powerful and it cuts deep. “When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them” (Acts 5:33). But there were to be no new blood shed that day. God gave voice to Gamaliel, and the Sanhedrin settled for beating them instead. How did the disciples react to their beating?
Acts 5:41-12 So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Seek No Revenge
No cursing, no swearing of vengeance, no thought of getting even. They of all things rejoiced and kept on preaching Jesus as Christ. Jesus had said:
Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
This is the spirit of the true martyr. This is what turned the world upside down. With no sword in their hands but the Word of God they conquered empires.
A Praying Church
At yet another time persecution came on the church. Herod killed the apostle James. And because James death pleased the Jews, he decided to have Peter killed too. So, he had Peter arrested and cast into prison to await his execution. Herod planned to making it a grand public spectacle. (Acts 12:1-3). And how did the church rally to Peter’s defense? Was there a call to arms? In a manner of speaking, YES!!! They pulled out the heavy artillery. — They prayed!
Acts 12:5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
And poor Herod never had a chance.
Acts 12:24 but the word of God grew and multiplied.
Demonstrate a True Christian Spirit
Yet another time, Paul and Silas were beaten with rods and cast into prison. In intense pain, deep in the depths of a loathsome prison, they demonstrated to the world once again what the true spirit of a Christian really is. With every reason to curse and swear and vent their wrath on their persecutors, they instead sang songs of praise and prayed.
Acts 16:25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
The prisoners listened because this was unheard of. Nobody sang and prayed in prison like that, especially not when the stripes of rods were still fresh on their backs. Who were these people?
Acts 16:26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.
Always Seeking to Save the Lost
And guess what. So entranced were the prisoners by what they were hearing not one of them thought to make their escape. Thinking that the prisoners had escaped, the keeper of the jail “drew his sword and was about to kill himself. Those prisoners were apparently keeping silent so as not to miss a word Paul and Silas said. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying, ‘Do yourself no harm, for we are all here’” (Acts 16:27-28).
That day, neither Paul nor Silas were martyred. But the entire household of the jailer was saved. Here again is illustrated the true spirit of a true Christian martyr.
Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Those words of Jesus define the Christian mission. And whatever may be the cost to ourselves, that mission must never be forgotten.
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