.
Martyrdom
and
Persecution:
A Path to
Unity
by Jean Barbara
Martyrdom:
By martyrdom,
we normally
mean dying for
Christ. But
the Greek word
for ‘martyr’
also is the
word for
‘witness’.
Every disciple
of Jesus is
essentially a
‘witness’
(Acts 1:7-8),
and thus a
‘martyr’.
Traditionally,
martyrdom was
understood
under three
forms: a
witness by
word, that is,
an evangelist;
a witness by
life, that is,
obedience to
Christ and to
his will (Acts
5:24-32); and
a witness by
blood, that
is, the
pouring of
one’s blood
for the truth
of the
Gospel.
Acts 6-7
describe how
Stephen lived
these three
forms of
martyrdom in
an excellent
way.
While the
first two
forms of
martyrdom are
the bread and
butter of
every
disciple, the
last form is
reserved to a
few. Although,
saying ‘a few’
is perhaps an
understatement.
During the two
years of 2015
and 2016
alone, there
were more
Christian
martyrs than
all the
martyrs since
Stephen.
But, how did
men and women
embrace with
joy the idea
of dying as
martyrs? I
believe the
answer is
because they
loved to be
with God in
heaven more
that they
desired life
on earth (see
Philippians
1:23).
We could ask:
“Why is there
such a thing
as martyrdom?”
The answer
lies in the
mystery of a
God who
accepts the
sacrifice of
the life of
one martyr and
pours it back
to bring forth
new life for
many. After
Stephen’s
martyrdom, the
Good News
quickly spread
beyond the
borders of the
Holy Land,
imparting
spiritual life
to the
gentiles. In
our times,
when the
number of
martyrs has
reached
unprecedented
proportions,
should we not
expect an
unprecedented
spread of the
Gospel and an
outpouring of
the Holy
Spirit?
Persecution:
No person in
his right mind
would seek
persecution,
but the Lord
promised us
blessedness
and joy in it
(Matthew
5:10-12). And
today
persecution is
coming from
the most
unsuspecting
places, from
modern,
so-called
‘civilized’
society that
worships
‘tolerance’
but is so
intolerant
towards
Christianity
that it has
enshrined
persecution
into national
law.
Considering
this, what
should our
spiritual
posture be?
Fundamentally,
the same as
that of the
Apostles who
boasted and
rejoiced when
they ‘merited’
persecution
(Acts 5:41, 1
Peter
4:12-15).
Sometimes, we
must flee
(Matthew
10:23), and we
need to be
shrewd,
innocent, and
on our guard,
but we don’t
need to be
worried,
because the
Holy Spirit
will speak and
act in us in
an exceptional
way (Matthew
10:16-20).
As in
martyrdom,
there is a
mystery in
persecution:
it not only
advances
mission, it
also hastens
it (Matthew
10:23).
Unity:
Perhaps there
is another
mystery at
work when
martyrdom and
persecution go
together, as
so many
Christians in
the world are
experiencing
today: they
lead to deeper
unity among
those who
suffer. Our
differences,
though
important, now
seem petty as
we come to
fight together
for a cause
that is far
more important
than our
differences –
the salvation
of the whole
world – a
cause for
which our Lord
himself
suffered both
persecution
and martyrdom.
Jean
Barbara is the
President of
the Sword
of the Spirit
and lives with
his family in
Beirut,
Lebanon.
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