FROM THE VOICE OF THE MARTYRS PRESIDENT:
COLE RICHARDS

PART 3: OUR HERITAGE

As we obediently follow Christ by sharing His love and truth with the lost, we will face opposition at every turn. Our enemy works tirelessly to steal, kill and destroy — all with the objective of silencing Christ’s witnesses. Christ’s faithful witnesses have always been and will continue to be suffering witnesses who must take up their crosses daily. We do not seek suffering, but we resolve to obey our Lord at any cost, understanding that those costs will surely come if we are faithful.

Once we understand the reality of opposition and, undeterred by the enemy, choose to pay the price of obedience, many questions arise about applying scriptural principles in difficult situations: I must love my enemies and win them for Christ, but how is that possible? How can I proclaim truth – in love – to people who seek to silence truth by identifying it as hate? I must obey God rather than men, but how and when should I defy authority?

Many people respond to opposition by seeking instruction in the particulars, as if a how-to guide or seminar might teach them how to overcome it. But Scripture does not provide this kind of instruction. Having worked with persecuted Christians around the world for more than 25 years, I can assure you that no training curriculum or checklist of supplies will prepare you for persecution the way they might prepare you for crises such as natural disasters. Persecuting groups and regimes often overwhelm Christians’ physical defenses and anything that can be stockpiled for a crisis can also be stolen by an enemy (Matthew 6:19). We are called to actively advance God’s eternal objectives rather than merely defend our possessions in this world.

“We are called to actively advance God’s eternal objectives rather than merely defend our possessions in this world.”

COLE RICHARDS – VOM PRESIDENT

We cannot possibly prepare for persecution in every particular way, so God has given us something much better than training seminars, instruction manuals, or checklists. In addition to Christ’s example, God has given us countless testimonies of our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ. In Scripture, throughout church history and continuing today, their testimonies exemplify biblical discipleship in the face of any opposition. Their stories are our Christian heritage.

We must pass on this heritage to the young people in our lives. We sometimes err by overemphasizing the transfer of knowledge while underemphasizing the importance of exemplars — and of being one for them ourselves. Instead of just repeating discipleship principles, let us show them how to be disciples through our own victories and failures, as well as those of our Christian brothers and sisters around the world. The stories found in our magazine are a great start, and please do not miss the thoughts of VOM founder Richard Wurmbrand on the subject. What a great God we have! In Him, we have not only the love of a heavenly Father but also the encouragement and inspiration provided by His other children, our brothers and sisters, for eternity.

Read Prepared for Persecution Part 1 here.