Helping people grasp suffering for Christ

Dear JimBob,

In a conversation with two co-workers, the topic of choices and sacrifices for God came up.  I mentioned that I had read stories (Voice of the Martyrs) about people having to make choices between surrendering their children or denouncing their faith.  Both of my co-workers became very animated and declared that God would never, never ask a believer to make such a choice.  I replied that GOD was not asking them to make this choice, but rather the demand was being made by an earthly, non-believing human.  Again, my co-workers were adamant that "we" (meaning believers) would never be asked to make such a choice, because that would be an impossible thing to do. 

The truth is that these horrible choices are being made on a daily basis all over our world.  The Bible says that we must have nothing before our God, including our families.  My struggle is that I really didn’t know what to say to my co-workers. I didn't want to upset their beliefs, but I think they’re missing out on the real meat of the gospel.

            Silent

Dear Silent,

            You are right. Today, Christians are being persecuted for their faith all over the world. The magazine you referenced, The Voice of the Martyrs (www.persecution.com), has noted that more Christians suffered for their faith in the last century than in the previous 1900 years.

You’re also not off track in that there are numerous examples in the Bible where persons have had to make a choice between God and their families, their lives, their livelihood, or other precious attachments. In fact, God specifically asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac (Gen 22:2). Thankfully, God gave Abraham an “out” before he actually did it. Jesus said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). Jesus said that to follow him was to die to self (Luke 9:24). Sometimes that dying to self entails making some of these tough choices.

At our church this past spring, we had a guest missionary from China who spoke on the persecution and suffering of Christians in China. Many found it hard to believe. Sometimes I find it hard to believe, or at least grasp the depth of that type of faith. Those of us who have been brought up in the prosperity of the American church (and especially those who have bought into the prosperity gospel) cannot fathom a God that would “make” or even allow someone to face the suffering thousands of believers face every day. But the ultimate question is if we are faced with the same choices, the same opportunities to demonstrate our love for God by surrendering something precious, would we? Do we love Him that much?

As far as how to respond to those who seem unwilling to acknowledge or embrace the more challenging aspects of the Christian faith, sometimes all we can do is what you did: Tell them the truth, share how it’s challenged your life, and pray that they’ll hear the truth before they’re faced with one of those choices. The read danger for those who expect only candy from God is that when they experience a cross, their belief system crashes.

Jim

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