Some time ago, I was watching a Christian leader talk about a bold project he was preparing. His interlocutor congratulated and strongly encouraged him, and concluded the conversation by expressing the hope that this leader would not find himself facing virulent opposition. And then I thought, what difference does it make? Later, I was reminded of a now deceased Nigerian atheist maverick educator, Tai Solarin. Tai Solarin used to say to his interlocutor, 'Rough be your path,' as a farewell. He believed that adversity builds character, and a strong character will enable you to live victoriously. He did not believe in avoiding or fleeing opposition, but rather in meeting it head-on. I would go so far as to say that in this his thinking was closer to the Bible than he and some believers imagined.
Certainly, as Christians we don't wish adversity on anyone, however, one might wonder if we haven't gone too far in the opposite direction by seeking at all costs to avoid any specter of offense or opposition? After all, the Epistle of James calls us to 'consider it all joy when you fall into various trials.' Adversity and persecution are not the standard by which to judge whether or not you have done well; it simply means that you have disturbed someone's peace of mind, and indeed, some people do need their peace of mind seriously disturbed. In our society, simply saying that you believe in God is enough to provoke someone's ire, that's just how it is. Either we choose to bury our heads in the sand or we get used to the fact that we are not always going to be liked.
We contemporary Christians are sometimes terrified of provoking any negative reaction from non-Christians because it would be a disservice to the Gospel; far from it. Being popular with men does not mean being popular with God and vice versa. Almost everywhere he went,The apostle Paul faced fierce opposition—not the 'they said bad things about us in the newspaper' kind, but the 'they tried to kill me and threw me in jail' kind—yet people overwhelmingly received the gospel. This is nothing like our generation of Christians who are allergic to even the slightest adversity and risk. Not only was Paul no stranger to adversity, he thrived despite it, even in its midst. Nor did he believe that adversity hindered the spread of the gospel—quite the opposite.
Writing to the church in Thessalonica, he recalled how he had preached the gospel to them amidst much struggle and how they received it with the joy of the Holy Spirit. These people then became a 'model' for other believers, and the Lord's message was widely spread through them. Wonderful, but that's not all. It turns out that not only did Paul experience persecution in Thessalonica, but even before going there, he writes, they had 'suffered and received insults in Philip.' That is to say, having suffered violent attacks in Philip, Paul and his companions hardly thought for a moment of retreating to their den to lick their wounds and feel sorry for themselves; on the contrary, God gave them the confidence to send them to Thessalonica, where they continued to preach the gospel in the face of great opposition, with spectacular results.
A beautiful expression, this one 'in spite of great opposition'. It should become our leitmotif as we proclaim the gospel and in all our service to God. We are not supposed to fear opposition or want to avoid it at all costs, desperately seeking refuge from the evil stares and poisonous pens bent on excoriating us, praying for 'zero opposition'; At On the contrary, we must be among those who 'despite great opposition' continue to flourish, and this, in the midst of our enemies.
Our faith is that of courageous men and women who voluntarily agreed to die so that the Gospel could be heard. And sometimes just being a Christian is enough to get you into trouble, to provoke opposition.
[bctt tweet=”Our faith is that of courageous individuals who have agreed to die so that the Gospel can be heard” username=”bolaoged“]
A story of courage
There are places in the world today where Christians are showing unimaginable courage in the face of fierce opposition; the courage to survive, to preach. The story of the Christian faith is a story of courage.
I heard a Nigerian bishop describe the massacre of his priests by Islamic militants and the elimination of entire local congregations in northern Nigeria. Then he transferred his own son, also a priest, to a dangerous area. Some were shocked and asked him why he had done such a thing. His answer? How could he send another's son if he wasn't prepared to send his own. I was devastated by it.
Dying for Christ
Young women were abducted from school by terrorists Boko Haram. Some Christian women were pressured to convert. Yet, day by day, brave young girls continue to walk the path to school when they don't have to hide. Pastor Marc's eldest daughter Enoch was one of the nearly 300 abducted girls known worldwide as the 'Chibok girls'. She was reportedly buried alive for refusing to convert. According to Christian Today , the pastor had said “I was told that my daughter had refused to change her religion. I was told that they dug a hole and buried her. until neck and stoned her. To die for the cause of Christ is the most wonderful thing for me. I'm grateful she didn't change her religion. She trusted in God. ”
Equally powerful is the testimony of the family members of the 21 Copts brutally murdered by the Islamic State in 2015 because they refused to renounce their faith in Jesus. Their children are proud of their fathers and their faithfulness to Christ. The widow of one of them said 'I I am proud of him. He lifted up our heads and honored us as well as all Christians.'Just as the Apostle Paul felt that his imprisonment gave boldness to others to preach the Gospel, the Coptic community in Egypt would have been 'emboldened' by the example of these 21 men...In their refusal to deny Christ.‘'‘ (Source; The Christian Post)
How do we live for Christ?
In much of northern Nigeria, going to worship on Sundays is a perilous undertaking. Yet, these servants of God are faithful to their posts and preach the Gospel. Many could have fled south but chose to stay. Father Gideon Obasegie, assistant to the Catholic bishop of Maiduguri, a city plagued by vicious attacks by Boko Haram, is one of them, as is his bishop. He had these powerful words: 'You can destroy churches, you can destroy rectories, but you cannot destroy the faith.'
Amazing stories of courage.
In other parts of the world, we fear criticism, ridicule, or other seemingly trivial inconveniences.
Could it be that the change we long for, that we pray for, will only come when God finds people willing to endure adversity as good soldiers of Christ? Is it possible that God is looking for people who will dare to say and do what God wants, who trust Him to lead them to triumph in every circumstance and in the face of every challenge; people who choose to stand and overcome rather than fear and fail?
You can destroy churches, you can destroy presbyteries, but you cannot destroy faith. Share on X
PS – This article, previously published in a shorter form, has been revised and expanded. You can read the original version here. here.
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