Our Message: Jesus is The Way!
"Though beheaded, and crucified, and thrown to wild beasts, and
chains, and fire, and all other kinds of torture, we do not give up our
confession; but, the more such things happen, the more do others in larger
numbers become faithful."
-- Justin Martyr
The persecution of Christians began early, documented by Luke in the book of
Acts. THREATS, Acts 4; BEATINGS, Acts 5; KILLING, Acts 7; ARRESTS, Acts 8;
PLOTS, Acts 9; KILLING, Acts 12; MOB VIOLENCE, Acts 13; STONING, Acts 14;
PRISON, Acts 16; RIOT, Acts 17, etc.
After the apostolic era, persecution was taken up against God’s people by the
Roman Empire. Why? A short answer might be, they would not shut up! As reported
by Luke, “…they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ,” (Acts
5:42).
I read this recently: “The early Christians were thrown to the lions and burnt
alive in royal gardens – not because they were saying that Jesus was a way to
God, but because they were claiming that he was the way. By proclaiming Jesus as
the Lord, they were pledging allegiance to someone greater than Caesar. That was
the belief that unmasked Rome’s hypocritical ‘tolerance’ and unleashed waves of
persecution,” (Holy Subversion, by Trevin Wax).
By Warren Berkley
From Expository Files 19.8; June 2012
