The 2nd century
Church Father Tertullian wrote: "The blood of martyrs is the seed of the
Church". Certainly, the Early Church grew either because or regardless of
martyrs. And today, more Christian martyrs are made than ever before.
“Today’s world is
sprinkled with martyrs: men and women who are put behind bars and killed just
because they are Christian. And there’s more of them today than there were in
the early days of Christianity,” Pope Francis said recently.
It has been
estimated that at least two thirds of Christian martyrs have died after the
beginning of the 20th century, and even these estimates are rapidly
changing. At least 100,000
Christians are killed for their faith each year.
What is striking
about these figures is that Christian martyrdom should be one of the main human
rights concerns in the Western world, expect it isn't. There is very little
campaigning for persecuted Christians, and only rarely is Christian martyrdom
discussed in mainstream media.
Tertullian was
probably right in his observation about the power of martyrdom as witness,
although it is likely that Christianity could have spread even more rapidly
without it.
Paul writes in 1
Timothy 2:1-2,
"I urge, then,
first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made
for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful
and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness."
Paul wasn't looking
for martyrdom; instead, he was looking to preach the gospel. In fact, he fled
martyrdom in many occasions, and there is no shame in fleeing it when possible.
And it is for this reason much of the Middle East is now emptying of Christians.
Although the Early
Church rose victoriously through martyrdom, persecution has also wiped out Christian
witness from many nations for hundreds and sometimes for over thousand years.
But our job is to
preach the gospel, regardless. Jesus said in Matthew 24:14,
"And this gospel
of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the
nations, and then the end will come."
Although martyrdom
should never be our goal, the multiplication of martyrs and preaching the
gospel to the nations point to the same point in time.
Revelation 6:9-11
says,
"When He opened
the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for
the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a
loud voice, saying, 'How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and
avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?' Then a white robe was given
to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while
longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their
brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed."
Rather than being the
sign for the advancement of the gospel, martyrs point to the last judgment. It
is because of the blood of martyrs that Jesus will have to come to bring
judgment.
Peter says in 2 Peter
3:9 about the coming of Jesus,
"The Lord is not
slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering
toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to
repentance."
The second coming of
Jesus will bring the final judgment. It will be God's final assessment on mankind.
It will bring a point of no return.
In His love and mercy,
God wants to delay that day. He really doesn't want to judge people according
to their works. But one day, because of martyrs, He will have to do it.
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