Sincerity as Evidence for the Christian Faith

A few nights ago, I was reading a portion of the Gospel of Luke to my son Christopher before bedtime. In that portion of the Scriptures, Jesus was healing men and women of various illnesses and afflictions.

At a break in the reading, my son asked, "How do you know that's true?" Puzzled, I responded, "What do you mean?"

Christopher said, "Those miracles. How do you know they happened? It sounds like someone's lying to us."

At that moment, I realized that our son was taking a huge step in his development. He was not believing something merely because his parents believed it. He was questioning it.

My wife Janet and I assured him that it was proper to question us and the Bible. He needed to know that he was not alone in his doubts; he needed to know that it was a part of spiritual growth to raise questions. After all, those kinds of miracles do not happen every day in our lives. We have seen some remarkable answers to prayers for healing, but we have not seen anything like someone walking on water or someone being raised from the dead. In fact, even the apostle Thomas did not accept the resurrection of Jesus until he saw the Lord for himself.

We explained to Christopher that we have not seen the miracles recorded in the Bible firsthand, but eyewitnesses to those miracles preserved a record of them for us.

A few nights later, we returned to the subject. I let my son know that those eyewitnesses spread the word about Jesus and his miracles to everyone they encountered for the rest of their lives. Even though they faced severe persecution and death for telling people about the resurrection of Christ, they never stopped spreading the good news that Jesus had died for their sins and had risen from the dead in order to save them.

If the apostles had not honestly believed what they were saying and what they were writing in the Scriptures, they could have changed their story very easily in the face of death. But they remained committed to their account of Christ's message.

Sincerity does not necessarily prove one's testimony to be true. However, when a man remains committed to his eyewitness testimony in the face of death, it's a strong indication that he truly believes his message. Something happened in his life that he cannot deny.

And that's one good reason to take seriously the message of the apostles and other early Christians who wrote the New Testament. We know that they were not lying.

"And they have conquered (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death" (Revelation 12:11).

(The picture above portrays the crucifixion of the apostle Peter)

People Who Inspire Me: Corrie ten Boom

Corrie ten Boom was a heroine of the Netherlands under Nazi occupation during World War II. Along with her father and sister, she helped many Jewish people escape the oppressive Nazi regime by providing a secret hiding place for them in their home. They also hid members of the Dutch resistance movement. After being captured, she endured the persecution of the concentration camps. Her father and sister did not survive.

Why does Corrie ten Boom inspire me?

1. She was kind to those in need. For years prior to the war, her family took in several foster children in need of homes. In addition, Corrie ran a special church service for developmentally disabled children in the years leading up to the war. Driven by their commitment to Christ, the ten Booms welcomed the Jewish refugees and Dutch resistance into their home when they were in need of protection.

2. She was courageously hospitable. The ten Booms opened their home to Jewish guests during a time when the Nazis were determined to murder them. In addition to hiding their guests, Corrie and her family provided them with kosher food and honored the Sabbath with them.

3. She was willing to forgive. After the war, she spoke at many gatherings about the need to forgive those who were guilty of great sins during the war. As she spoke at one conference, a former concentration camp guard who had been cruel and abusive to her and her sister approached her to ask for forgiveness. In a remarkable show of spiritual strength, Corrie ten Boom forgave her oppressor.

Corrie ten Boom and her family left a powerful legacy of faith in action.

People Who Inspire Me: William Wilberforce

William Wilberforce was a member of the British Parliament in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Early in his political career, he experienced "the great change" in his life due to a friend who shared the message of Jesus Christ with him as they vacationed together over the summer. He placed his faith in Christ and made a genuine commitment to follow him as Lord.

At first, he seriously considered leaving his position as a member of Parliament. Prior to following Jesus, Wilberforce had not done anything of true significance as a politician. He had been concerned merely with his own position in society, his own fame, wealth, and power. However, a former slave ship captain changed his way of thinking on the subject. John Newton, the author of the song Amazing Grace, urged him to live out his Christian convictions while serving the nation as a politician. Newton encouraged Wilberforce with these words: "It is hoped and believed that the Lord has raised you up for the good of His church and for the good of the nation." As an evangelical Christian committed to doing good for his nation in political circles, William Wilberforce became best known for leading the effort to abolish the trans-Atlantic slave trade and eventually slavery in the British empire.

Why does William Wilberforce inspire me?

1. He had a strong commitment to sound doctrine. This led to faithfully living out the implications of those doctrines. He pursued mercy and justice because he saw the God of mercy and justice through the pages of the Bible. His understanding of sin, grace, and Christ led him to oppose sin, extend grace, and honor Christ in every aspect of his life.

2. He was evangelistic. In his personal relationships, he sought every opportunity to share his faith. In the Parliament, he worked with many unbelievers. Some opposed him in every way. Others were his friends and allies. In both cases, he tried to persuade them of their need for Jesus. He even wrote A Practical View of Christianity, a popular book in which he shared his faith with the population at large.

3. He had a strong commitment to doing good. In addition to fighting the slave trade, he was heavily involved in the British Foreign Bible Society, the Church Missionary Society, and the Society for the Manufacturing Poor. He worked to alleviate harsh child labor conditions and to improve prison conditions. He was a founder of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. He did not limit himself to seeking good in one area. He sought every opportunity available to him to improve his world and to honor his Savior.

4. He persevered. Wilberforce endured years of poor health and problems with his children. He faced entrenched political forces that opposed everything he supported. He was slandered in public and humiliated in many ways. But he never gave up. He continued to seek the best for his family, his friends, and his society.

William Wilberforce was a man worthy of honor, because he was a man who consistently honored the name of God.

Remember Those Who Are in Prison

Christian prisoner Said Musa in Afghanistan

"Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body" (Hebrews 13:3).

"On May 24 (2010), Said Musa was arrested by government authorities in Afghanistan following a television broadcast that showed Christian baptisms and worship, according to The Voice of the Martyrs contacts.

"Musa has openly professed his faith, and he was interrogated about his conversion to Christianity on national television in June" (www.prisoneralert.com).

Said Musa is one among many Christians worldwide who are in prison for their faith in Jesus Christ. Like Mr. Musa, they are being abused and mistreated simply for believing in Christ and refusing to deny their faith. Like Mr. Musa, they are facing the death penalty for their faith.

Recently, I discovered that free Christians can write letters of encouragement to some of these persecuted believers in their own languages. If you would like to write to some of these fellow followers of Christ, check out www.prisoneralert.com.

Please let them know that they are appreciated. Let them know that they have not been forgotten. Keep them in your prayers. Life is difficult for them. And they could use a little encouragement.

Tough Joy

I've noticed a special quality of joy in the Christians of the New Testament.

"But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised" (Hebrews 10:32-36).

These early Christians were characterized by joy when they faced ridicule, cutting remarks, imprisonment, and the theft of their property. They were being persecuted for believing in Jesus Christ. But their joy could not be taken from them, because they had sincere faith and hope in the promises of God's word. They trusted their Savior and his word. Their joy was tough because their faith and hope in Christ were solid.

Their tough joy was a product of the Holy Spirit in their lives (Galatians 5:22). I want to see him produce it in the lives of all of us who follow Christ today as well.

Encouragement Through Hardship

"Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly" (Philippians 1:14).

I find Christianity to be most attractive when I see faithful Christians enduring hardship with God-honoring attitudes and actions.

When I read about a man who went to jail and ministered to fellow inmates rather than agree to stop offering pregnant women positive alternatives to abortion, I was encouraged.

When I heard about a cancer patient who thanked God for his cancer because he was able to share the gospel uninterrupted with his doctors and nurses, I was encouraged.

When I heard about a manager who lost his job for refusing to falsify records and spent the rest of his life in a low-paying job because loyalty to Christ was more important than money and status, I was encouraged.

Those men never compromised their faith. They accepted disgrace, criticism, and disruptions to their lives because they saw the glory of God as far more important than their physical or social discomfort. In doing so, they encouraged fellow believers and attracted the attention of unbelievers.

Take Up Your Cross

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."--Jesus Christ (Matthew 10:37-38).

During a Wednesday evening class at the Park Plaza Church last month, Harold Shank (http://www.haroldshank.com/) and Peter Cariaga shed some new light on these words of Jesus. I understood that Christ was calling on his disciples to be willing to die for him, but I did not understand how the original hearers would have processed this information. They probably would not have been looking ahead to Jesus' death on a cross as an example of taking up their crosses. They would have been looking back several decades to the days when the foreign terrorist Alexander Janneus ruled over Jerusalem.

The Jewish people hated the savage Alexander Janneus. When he arrogantly attempted to sacrifice an offering at the altar of the Temple, the Jews became enraged at his contempt for their God, pelting him with fruit. The idolatrous tyrant reacted by killing 6000 Jews.

After another rebellion by righteous Jews, Alexander Janneus ordered the crucifixion of 800 Jewish men. Crosses littered the landscape outside Jerusalem. While those men were slowly dying, their wives and children were brought to their crosses and slaughtered before their eyes. While faithful Jewish people were being murdered under his orders, Alexander Janneus was enjoying a feast with his concubines.

When Jesus called on his disciples to take up their crosses and follow him, he was calling them to exhibit a loyalty to him that rivaled the commitment of righteous Jews to their God in the face of a barbaric enemy. Christ was calling his disciples to follow him despite cruel opposition, pain, and torturous death. He wanted his disciples to embody a tough faithfulness. He promised that he was worth it.

Christ is calling for the same kind of faithfulness among his followers today. Let's not deny him or his words when opposition, pain, and even death await. He is worthy of our loyalty.

I'm Not Who I Need To Be Yet

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything" (James 1:2-4).

"Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions" (Hebrews 10:32-34).

When I read those Scriptures, I realize that I am such a wimp when compared to what God has called me to be. I do not approach trials and persecution with any sense of joy, never mind "pure joy." Even as I write this, I am fighting off another virus. My temperature is between 100 and 101 degrees. I have missed more church services, Bible studies, and work this winter than in the past 10 years combined. And I'm whining about it.

What would I be like if I really had problems? What if I had serious health issues? What if my job were in jeopardy because of my faith? What if I faced problems like those faced by the original recipients of the letters of Hebrews and James?

I'm convinced that I need to grow in this area. I need to be prepared to face such problems as serious persecution. I need to learn to face difficulties with joy. I need to develop a tougher faith in Christ, a faith that faces challenges with peace.

I'm convinced that the inerrant Scriptures hold the key to developing such strong faith. I know that the Holy Spirit has been given to comfort believers...I will need his help.

I'm not who I need to be yet, but with God's help, I will change.

The Future of the Church?

"(Jesus said) And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it" (Matthew 16:18).

I have been thinking about the future of the American church. Jesus promised that his church would survive, but he did not promise the absence of difficult times. In fact, he warned that we would face persecution and hardship.

Will the American church face difficult times in the near future? Possibly. Will we endure? I'm not sure. Christ's church as a whole will not be overcome by the gates of Hades, but could the American church? Could I?

I'm concerned because we have a tendency to be embarrassed and shamed into compromise. I don't want to be associated with those who celebrate the deaths of homosexuals, so I'm tempted to remain silent about the sin of homosexuality. I don't want to be lumped in with hateful Bible-thumpers, so I am tempted to tone down my belief in the accuracy and authority of the inspired Scriptures. I want to fit in with Christians who seem articulate and intelligent, so I am tempted to try to explain away the first few chapters of Genesis.

I'm concerned because American churches seem to be obsessed with their image. They seem to jump from fad to fad in order to appear appealing to people who couldn't care less about them or their message. Some churches have surveyed their communities in order to find out what people would want in a church; then, they have accommodated their communities by providing style without substance.

If genuine persecution comes to the American church, will I have a faith strong enough to endure? How many American churches will compromise their principles in order to remain acceptable to a community that rejects Christ? How many would be willing to give up their tax-exempt status? How many doctors and nurses would be willing to stop practicing medicine if forced to participate in abortions? How many government employees would be willing to risk their jobs to say that sex outside of a marriage between a man and a woman is immoral? How many Christians would be willing to lie in order to keep their jobs or their homes?

I want to believe that I have the faith to face persecution. I want to believe that American churches have the faith to face persecution. But the question mark remains in my mind. Do we have a faith that will endure? If so, we have a bright future despite temporary hard times.

"Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life" (Revelation 2:10).