Martyrdom is the
greatest act of worship a believer can offer to God, apart from the celebration
of the Eucharist, and the greatest gift a believer can offer from himself. But
to be a martyr for God, does not only mean to suffer a violent death at the
hands of unbelievers or while performing a dangerous missionary work in some
jungle or desert. An average believer can offer martyrdom every day from their
current position in life.
To be a Martyr, comes
from the Greek word Μάρτυς/Μάρτυρ, which in turn means to be a “Witness”.
Generally speaking,
every time we bear witness of our Faith wherever we are, in front of the world
that surrounds us, we are officially “martyrs” of Christ, and most probably we
have heard that many times in Church, evangelistic crusades or Bible class;
however, in life there are many opportunities to suffer real martyrdom for the
sake of Jesus Christ and his Gospel.
Every time we are
subjected to abuse, or material and personal loss for doing God’s Will, we are
offering a real act of martyrdom to God.
Christians will
encounter in everyday life, situations where the refusal to do the wrong thing
will bring adverse circumstances that will make their lives difficult.
A storeman who will
not steal unaccounted goods, a policeman who will not take bribes, a secretary
who refuses sexual advances from her superior knowing that she may lose her job,
a clerk that struggles to survive with a small salary and refuses illegal activity
to increase his income, a Christian man or woman who sacrifices his or her
personal life in order to look after their children, sick sibling or elderly
parents. Every time a Christian decides to forgive an adulterous partner without
paying them with the same coin. Every time that a Christian suffers loss or pain,
physical or spiritual, for the sake of Jesus Christ and his Gospel, he or she is
suffering real martyrdom.
Every tear, every
drop of blood, every drop of sweat, every loss opportunity, every dream
shuttered, becomes a real act of martyrdom, if it is done for the sake of doing
God’s Will.
The difference between
Christian suffering and a natural man’s suffering, is that a Christian possesses
the Holy Spirit, and his/her whole being is owned by God; body, soul and
spirit. They carry an invisible spiritual seal on them that only angels can
see. (Ephesians 1:13), and because of this seal, and our status as Children of
God and Royal Priesthood (John 1:12; 1 Peter 2:9), Christian righteous actions
and righteous suffering are sanctified by the Holy Spirit, so they can be
offered to God as sweet sacrifice.
(Acts 10:4; Romans
15:16; 2 Corinthians 2:14-15; Philippians 4:18; 2 Timothy 4:6; Hebrews 13:16).
Every time we
encounter suffering in our lives as a consequence of doing God’s Will, our
suffering is not wasted or taken by the wind and forgotten. It is taken into
account in Heaven on our favour, and we are counted among the Holy Martyrs of
God. Conscious of this, let us offer our suffering and loss to God as a gift,
from our heart, with faith and love, because a Crown awaits to all those who
gave their lives one way or another for God’s Glory, in Jesus Christ our
Saviour and through the Holy Spirit.
Omar Flores
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