True Christian Faith

"You threaten me with a fire which will perhaps burn for an hour and then soon go out; but you are ignorant of the fire of the future judgment of God which is prepared and reserved for the everlasting punishment and torment of the ungodly. But why do you delay? Bring on the beasts, or the fire, or whatever you may choose: you shall not, by either of them, move me to deny Christ, my Lord and Savior.”

—(Pastor Polycarp of Smyrna; 156 AD).

What is true Christian faith?

For many who profess to be "Christians" in America today, "faith" means they believe God will keep them healthy and wealthy. Thus, the so-called 'prosperity gospel' of the "word-faith" religious movement. Just "name it and claim it." Speak it and believe it. Blab it and grab it. And everything you've always wanted will be yours!  "Here's that new BMW you've been dreaming about!"  

Sounds like a game show doesn't it.

But for others, their brand of "faith" helps them to believe that if they just try and be good people and follow the right biblical principles, they will have the 'happy little life' that much of modern Christianity is promoting today. You know; "Happy wife, happy life."  Just go to church on Sunday, maybe volunteer to be a parking lot usher, read your Bible every day, smile at people who cut you off in traffic, and God will give you a care-free life and your problems will disappear. Your kids will be perfect little angels. Just like the old TV show "Life With Father." And then everyone you meet will just "want what you have" because you are such shiny, happy people.

The more I read the Bible and see what the daily reality was in the lives of the disciples in Jesus' and John's day, the "Christianity" I see today in America doesn't begin to resemble the biblical Christianity of the first century church.

Here's a brief look at the "Christian life" of a pastor named Polycarp, in 156 AD:

“Polycarp, the venerable bishop of Smyrna, hearing that persons were seeking for him, escaped, but was discovered by a child. After feasting the guards who apprehended him, he desired an hour in prayer, which being allowed, he prayed with such fervency, that his guards repented that they had been instrumental in taking him. He was, however, carried before the proconsul, condemned, and burnt in the market place.

The proconsul then urged him, saying, "Swear, and I will release thee—reproach Christ!"

Polycarp answered, "Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never once wronged me; how then shall I blaspheme my King, Who hath saved me?" At the stake to which he was only tied, but not nailed as usual, as he assured them he should stand immovable, the flames, on their kindling the branches, encircled his body, like an arch, without touching him; and the executioner, on seeing this, was ordered to pierce him with a sword, when so great a quantity of blood flowed out as extinguished the fire.” - (Foxe's Book of Martyrs)

In first century Rome, when the persecution of Christians reached a bloody fervor, The Roman Emperor, Nero Claudius Caesar, used Christians as “human torches” to light up his gardens at night. Christians were dipped in pitch, tied to poles and then set on fire. Because Jesus gave His followers the command to be the "light of the world" this diabolical Madman, Nero, used Christians to be living, burning "lights" for his garden parties.

And yet, even in the midst of this kind of brutal, merciless persecution and suffering, Christianity was exploding across the known world. A small group of faithful Christian disciples were "turning the world upside down" for Jesus. The more the enemies of Christ persecuted His Church, the more the Church would grow and be strengthened.

But the loving Christian message of the first century, to a lost culture steeped in worldly philosophy was:

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

You don't hear much preaching today about repentance and God's judgment.

But you certainly hear a lot about Christians demanding their rights. "Try and take my guns—and I'll kill you!" I've heard people—"Christian" people say this. 

Do you think that is a good "witness" for Christ? 

What spiritual fruit is that bearing to God?

So, is it any wonder that many "Christians" in America are not "turning the world upside down" for Christ?

You'll have to decide for yourself.

The Apostle Paul said, to the Church at Corinth, who was divided, side-tracked and distracted by peripheral issues of their day:

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2)

As a friend of mine is fond of saying, "The main thing is to keep the Main Thing, the main thing."

Jesus preached:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” (John 3:16-21)

Jesus came to seek and save the lost... not to ask His Father to kill people to protect His personal rights.


On the Cross Jesus said: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

—God is Love and Love Never Fails.