I was on Twitter a few days ago and saw the news about ISIS killing 21 Coptic Christians for their faith. It was, as I understand it, a 5 minute video depicting these believers being marched to a location on a beach in Lybia where they were beheaded. The video was entitled, ” A Message Signed With Blood To The Nation Of The Cross”.
I am genuinely saddened for these people and their families. Jesus promised persecution for believers (Matthew 24:9). So, things like this should not take me by surprise. But the image of these believers being walked down the beach then beheaded is something that is absolutely shocking, even though I know the groups like ISIS exist. But it led me to think about a number of things in the past few days.
Christians Will Suffer In This Life
I am sitting on my couch typing a message about Christians suffering in this life. I am not suffering here in America. Sure, the Western World is attempting to sideline Christianity by whatever means necessary, so there is a small piece of suffering for believers int he West. But, I think we have to admit that this is not even comparable to what goes on across the globe. Jesus promised that Christians would suffer in this life (Matthew 24:9). And that is seen throughout the world. Open Windows has claimed that 100 Christians die every month for their faith and other groups have this total much higher. Countless stories are told of believers being abused, tortured, and raped because of their being Christians. Believers will suffer in this life.
I Must Pray For My Persecuted Family Members
These people who cried out “O Lord Jesus” while there head was being sawed off with a sword are brothers in Christ. God has brought both myself and them into the great and glorious family of God through the finished work of Christ (Ephesians 2:19). I am saddened for them, but I must pray for their family members and loved ones in their loss. I must pray for the persecution to cease or lessen in the area where these people live. These people are part of the family of God, my family.
I Should Aid My Persecuted Family Members If Possible
I am thousands of miles away from these people and their families I should aid them however possible. We find in Scripture a mandate to help our fellow believers when they find themselves imprisoned for their faith (Hebrews 13:3). Though these men were not imprisoned their families now have to figure out a way in this world without their loved ones. Should not we, their family, help them out if we find out that there is a way?
There are ways that we see of helping persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. There are organizations that do things for the persecuted church like Voice of the Martyrs and others.
The World Hates Christianity
It is easy to feel like the world does not hate believers, and then we have a look around. We get comfortable and we forget. Again, here in the West, we have it pretty easy. There are many hate filled things said about Christians in America now-a-days, but we are not being marched to a location on the beach to have our heads taken off. It is that way for many believers. Yet, all of this is exactly like our Savior told us it would be.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 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 also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of My name, because they do not know Him who sent Me.” – John 15:18-21 ESV
The world, as a system, does not like the message of Christianity. The message we deliver is that they are not good, but sinners in rebellion against a Holy God and the only way to be made right with Him is through repentance and trusting in the finished work of another. This is not a message that the world likes to hear. And the people who bear that message are people that the world doesn’t like.
There Is A Cost To Following Jesus
Though I live in relative comfort in America, there is a cost to following Jesus. Jesus said as much during His time on earth. In fact, He told would be followers of His to count the cost before following Him because they would have to abandon everything to follow Him.
“Now great crowds accompanied Him, and He turned and said to them, ‘If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”-Luke 14:18-33 ESV
There may come a time in America when it may cost me my life to follow Jesus. I may have family members that abandon me because of my faith in Christ. I may lose friends because of my faith in Christ. I may lose my home or financial situation because of my faith in Christ. Following Christ may cost me everything. And for those men on that beach, it did.
Am I willing to lose everything for Christ?
The World Is Not Worthy Of Martyrs
The writer of Hebrews speaks of people in Scripture who endured great persecution in this life and this is what he said about them.
“They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated-of whom the world was not worthy-wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.”-Hebrews 11:37-38 ESV
The glory and honor of those people who gave their lives for Christ on the beach and their God outshines that of this world. Those who die for Christ should be honored and praised for what they have done. And that is what many people have done. Praise God for the bravery of those believers! Praise God for the example of godly courage in the midst of persecution that they have put forward! There is no way that I hope for the death of believers and this is a terribly sad occasion, but praise God for their bravery in the midst of it!
R. Dwain Minor
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