The People of the Cross

1 Corinthians 13:13 “ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.” 

Last week, I was graciously invited to attend the annual conference of the Family Research Council by our generous friends and table hosts, the Bowers, and able to invite Pastor Rick also to join. FRC President Tony Perkins (a former Pastor) was the opening speaker for the event and here are my notes on his powerful Christian message, plus some of my thoughts.

A term used for Christians used today is “People of the Cross”, and it truly is a badge of praise because we know the true value of the Cross of Calvary for salvation and eternal life through the atoning death and resurrection of our Redeemer, Savior and Lord Jesus Christ on that cross. We owe our life to the work on that cross and it is our hope of heaven. There is, and has always been, persecution against Christians by those who do not know the Lord. The Lord Jesus himself warned us in John 15:17-19 to expect these assaults in this fallen world. With today’s anti-Christian attitudes and actions, the days ahead could be challenging. But, challenges bring opportunities. Faith, hope and love identify the Christian. New persecutions arise, and though they are shocking, they are not a shock. Jesus explains the reason for us in John 3:18-20. But, holding on to the great hope of the preceding words of Christ in John 3:16-17, we know that the cross is enough.

Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”

Tony Perkins detailed the inhuman execution by the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians in Libya on a beach in front of Tripoli by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) as an example of the persecution today. He gave a description of the personal life of many of these decent, working class family men who were targeted, kidnapped, dressed in orange prison attire, then marched along the beach to be martyred for the so-called crime of faith in Jesus Christ alone.

James 1:12 “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

It brings to mind that the Lord Jesus was also treated like a criminal and unjustly executed, crucified between two true criminals. I hope that we remember this, this Holy Week of Easter. Those 21 Egyptian Christians lived “according to the Book”, the holy Word of God; living and dying for their faith. Could you or I do this? Could you or I forgive those terrorists as Jesus did in Luke 23:34, where Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Matthew 5:44 “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

We have to know that both Western culture and ISIS worship the “culture of death”. Jesus said, “people love darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil (absent of the living true Creator God)”. All that dissension is less than human, because they are trying to destroy the only force that can truly love, support, change and save.

John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

This does not mean that there needs to be silence on religious persecution at home and abroad. Like Pastor Rick says, “We affirm what the Bible affirms, and we condemn what the Word of God condemns” in love, based upon the Great Commission of our Lord to be salt and light in the darkness of this day and age, for the advancement of the kingdom of Jesus Christ and to restore honor, praise and glory to God. Silence will only encourage the opposition. Fear not.

John 5:24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.”

John 6:47 “Very truly I tell you, the one who believes has eternal life.”

Then, how shall we live in these times? Prayerfully, speak the truth in love and restore honor to the Lord. Jesus has promised in Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” The just shall live by faith. May we, “the People of the Cross”, never grow weary in “well doing” for the Lord and our neighbor.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

In Christ, Brian