Blood
of the Martyrs
Ever since the days of the Book of Acts, when religious
opponents picked up rocks and made Stephen Christianity’s first martyr,
the strangest thing has happened.
When faced with the greatest adversity, the Christian church
has grown like wildfire.
Jesus said, "Unless a grain of wheat falls to the
ground and dies, it cannot bear much fruit."
He personally established the principle with his own
sacrificial death and resurrection. When the "Son of Man" was
"lifted up," He drew mankind to Himself.
Love is that strong. A love that would give itself for
unworthy sinners, as we all are, makes us more than curious. It makes us
hungry.
And so the church grew…through the bloody sands of the
Roman Coliseum, within the dank dungeons of the Inquisition and atop the
blazing bonfires of the counter-reformation.
Today, the church faces new challenges from the Islamic
world. During the Middle Ages, church fathers and their statist benefactors
conspired to seize back lands lost to the Muslim infidels at the point of a
sword. By the time the Crusades had ended, an uneasy truce existed between
the two religions. By and large, the Islamic faith was in control of the
Holy Land, North Africa and throughout regions of Eastern Europe.
But a spirited self-defense had left Christianity in
possession of Western Europe. From there, the rule of the cross spread to
the New World where it remains a major factor to this day.
Now, we are involved in the "new Crusade."
Although President Bush quickly backtracked on that term for fear of
offending moderate Muslims at home and abroad, his description aptly fits
the latest challenges posed by murderous Mujahadeen dedicated to eradicating
Christianity and Judaism with any weapons at their disposal.
The latest example is Pakistan, a nation whose leaders have
pledged allegiance to the anti-terrorist goals of the western coalition but
whose people are signing up in droves to fight us to the death. Sunday, six
terrorists armed with AK-47’s staged a raid on a Catholic church. They
opened fire, killing up to 18 Christians during their worship services.
Hideous as this latest atrocity was, those numbers are small
compared to the millions of Christians that have perished in the Sudan, the
thousands killed, tortured and imprisoned in China and the countless others
martyred in Indonesia, Nigeria, Egypt, the Philippines and elsewhere.
Now, President Bush is preparing us for a war on terrorism
but at its heart, the real opponent is an intolerant brand of Islam that
rejects all the freedoms we hold dear.
Another generation of Christians must decide how we are to
respond to this threat. Our sword is the Word of God. His Spirit is our
Protector. And, in fact, the only safe place to hide is in the shadow of the
Rock of Ages.
Most, but certainly not all, Christians have determined they
may serve their nation and go to war on its behalf in good conscience. That
said, each of us must ask whether it is proper or appropriate for Christians
to physically defend our families from threats both foreign and domestic.
The tension arises from the Lord’s call for us to turn the
other cheek and the Bible’s admonition to protect our families. Scripture
tells us that he who fails to provide for his family is worse than an
unbeliever. The most basic rights, spelled out in our Declaration of
Independence are those of "life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness."
I suspect many of us are wrestling with this question. We
know it is wrong to lash out offensively against others. But at what point,
if any, is it Biblically acceptable for a Christian to take up defensive
arms?
The Koran teaches others to kill. The Bible tells its
adherents to offer themselves up as a living sacrifice. Yet, without the
Crusades, could Christianity have survived to become our national heritage?
These are difficult questions with no easy answers. At times
like this, it’s clear the only trustworthy guide remains the Spirit of the
Lord.
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