There was
a Lutheran pastor in Germany during the Third Reich by the name of Dietrich
Bonhoeffer. He was one of the many
Christians who hid Jewish people and tried to help them get away from the
Nazis. He led a seminary that resisted
the government’s intrusion into the faith.
He even conspired to assassinate Hitler, and was executed for it.
Opportunities
abounded to compromise the faith during WWII in Germany. The Nazis initially favored the churches and
got them to espouse the party line. The
swastika was hung in many churches, and congregations of all denominations
became places for training the Hitler youth and extoling the fuehrer. By the time many of these Christians realized
what was going on they were complicit in the Nazi agenda.
Bonhoeffer
was one of the voices in Germany calling his brothers and sisters to return to
God’s Word, to proclaim Christ as savior, and to turn away from holocaust, war,
and madness. But it is hard to turn away
from one’s mistakes. There were risks. The Nazis often imprisoned and executed those
who spoke out against them.
This was
the context Bonhoeffer faced when he wrote The Cost of Discipleship, and penned
his most famous phrase: “When Christ
calls a man, He bids him, ‘Come and die.’”
Temptations
to compromise the faith for a government, a culture, or even expediency has not
diminished since the 1940’s. What should
the Christian do when faced with a requirement to pay for abortions as part of
their insurance package? What should we
do when society demands that we accept their degraded morals regarding
marriage, cohabitation, and extramarital sex?
What if our choice is to compromise or lose our jobs? Go to jail?
Face execution?
Jesus’
words today are not comfortable ones. He
tells us there is someone who is more important than family, possessions,
status or life, and that someone is Him.
His answer to the questions above is, “Follow me.” The good news is, He has also promised, “I
will never leave you or forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) “I am with you always.” (Matthew 28:20) Even in the valley of the shadow of death. (Psalm 23)
He is faithful and will give us the strength we need to follow Him.
Lord Jesus,
the world is intimidating. You
know. Give me courage and faith to
follow where you lead me, that I may be Your disciple. Amen.
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