Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus.
Acts 5:41 & 42
North American, first-world Christians, have a hard time wrapping their minds around persecution. We don't pray for foreign believers as we should. We oftentimes forget that in other parts of the world (and maybe subtly in our very own country) children of Christ are being persecuted for their faith.
Martyrdom always fascinated me. I used to lay awake in bed and wonder what it would be like to die for Christ... To be worthy to die for Him.
Millions of believers have been - and are being - killed for their faith in God. Sad, yes, but oh! Think of the joy that awaits them! Leave this sinful world 'early' and be face to face with Christ the Saviour forever?? Sounds like a sweet deal to me.
But then I think of a situation. Would I really be able to hold fast to Christ against my could-be killer if my life was on the line? Honestly, I don't know. With all my heart I would like to say I would never EVER renounce Christ for something as useless as my own life, but saying is different than doing. And I am afraid I wouldn't do it.
But there are those who have held fast and offered themselves into the strong arms of their Saviour in martyrdom. It happens every day. Roughly 100,000x every year, with numbers rising. And it's not only older people! Young people die for their faith.
I would like to share a story of one of these courageous young people: 19 year old William Hunter.
William Hunter had been trained to the doctrines of the Reformation from his earliest youth, being descended from pious parents, who carefully instructed him in the principles of true religion... One day, finding the chapel open, he entered, and began to read in the English Bible, which lay upon the desk, but was severely reprimanded by an officer of the bishop's court, who said to him, "William, why meddlest thou with the Bible? Understandest thou what thou readest? Canst thou expound Scripture?" He replied, "I presume not to expound Scripture; but finding the Bible here, I read for my comfort and edification." The officer then informed a priest... the priest severely chided him, saying, "Who gave thee leave to read the Bible?"... And on telling him...not to meddle with the Scriptures, [William] frankly declared his resolution to read them as long as he lived, as well as reproved the vicar for discouraging persons from that practice, which the Scriptures so strongly enjoined. The priest then upbraided him as a heretic.
After two days, the bishop sent for him, and demanded whether he would recant or not. But William made answer that he would never recant that which he had confessed before men concerning his faith in Christ... The bishop then sent him to the convict prison, and commanded the keeper to lay as many irons on him as he could bear; and moreover, asked [William] how old he was.
William said that he was nineteen years of age.
"Well," said the bishop, "you will be burned before you be twenty, if you will not yield yourself better than you have done yet."
He now continued in prison three quarters of a year during which time he was taken before the bishop five times. The bishop...reasoned with him saying, "If thou wilt yet recant, I will make thee a free man in the city, and give thee forty pounds in good money to set thee up in thine occupation; or I will make thee steward of my house, and set thee in office."
"I thank you for the great offers," answered William; "But notwithstanding, my lord, if you cannot persuade my conscience with Scriptures, I cannot find in my heart to turn away from God for the love of the world; for I count all worldly things but loss and dung in respect to the love of Christ."
William's father and mother came to him...and desired heartily of God that he might continue to the end as he had begun, and his mother said to him that she was happy to have such a child, who could find in his heart to lose his life for Christ's sake.
William said to his mother, "For the little pain I shall suffer, which will soon be at an end, Christ hath promised me, mother, a crown of joy; should you not be glad of that?"
Whereupon his mother kneeled down to her knees, saying, "I pray God strengthen thee, my son to the end; yea, I think thee as well bestowed as any child I ever bore."
Next morning, Mr. Brocket, the sheriff, called to bid him prepare for his fate. At the same time the son of Mr. Brocket came to embrace him, saying, "William, be not afraid of these men with bows, bills, and weapons ready prepared to bring you to the place where you shall be burned."
"I thank God I am not afraid," replied the undaunted youth, "for I have reckoned what it will cost me already." ...Then said the sheriff, "Here is a letter from the queen if thou wilt recant, thou shalt live; if not, thou shalt be burned."
"No," said William; "I will not recant, God willing." He then rose up and went to the stake, and stood upright against it...He then prayed, "Son of God, shine upon me!" and immediately the sun in the heavens shone out of a dark cloud so full in his face, that he was constrained to look another way; whereat the people wondered, because it was so dark a little time before.
William then cast his psalter to his brother's hand, who said, "William, think on thy holy passion of Christ, and be not afraid of death."
"I am not afraid," answered William. Then lifting up his hands to heaven, he said "Lord, Lord, Lord, receive my spirit!" and...yielded up his life for the truth.
March 27, 1555, England.
William was not afraid. His persistence and love for Christ is an example to live by, for all ages in all cultures.
Let the same be true for us - you and me - when persecution does come our way.
Rejoice in tribulation, shine on. The endurance of the persecuted church will not go unnoticed by our Beautiful Saviour.
<3 Berea
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