Church Fathers

During my devotions this morning, I was reading through the Sermon on the Mount and I came across this verse,

Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

...for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

My mind immediately went to the church fathers, for whom sacrificed their lives so that we might have the faith and doctrine we have today. 

Back in May I was packing up my books, but after I put my boxes down in storage one book showed up late, so I had to pack it in my bags for Florida. Getting to know the Church Fathers by Bryan M. Litfin. A book I read for CWC1, a book my professor for the class actually wrote. I “read” that book for a class amidst many other reading assignments during fall semester. I use quotations because I read it, but I never truly let it soak it, I read it for words and not for context. And now I deeply regret every book I have read that way. 

So I pulled out that book this morning and began reading about Ignatius of Antioch - a man who fought for faith of the heart and head among mystical heretics and legalistic heretics. He died being torn to pieces in the Colosseum, and some might consider that a defeat, but here is what Dr. Litfin has to say about Ignatius’ death:

“The crowd there that day would have viewed the spectacle as a crushing defeat of this meek man’s Christian religion. But Ignatius understood his death to be a shout of victory. Today a Christian cross stands in the Colosseum of Rome with a plaque that reads, ‘The amphitheater, once consecrate to triumphs, entertainments, and the impious worship of pagan gods, is now dedicated to the sufferings of the martyrs, purified from impious superstitions.’ Ignatius of Antioch bolstered the true teaching of Christianity against his opponents by laying down his life as a witness for the name of Jesus.”

How many times have I looked at what the world calls a defeat, and also given it that estimate. There is no defeat when you are fighting the battle for the gospel - there is no defeat in pursuing God’s will. What may seem like a defeat to us, is just another link in the chain of God’s plan. Ignatius of Antioch had no idea that his martyrdom (among many other of the early Christians) would form a chain of perseverance in the face of opposition. To stand for the truth of God’s word; even in the face of death. 

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. and if children, then heirs - heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” Romans 8:16-17

To be glorified with Christ means that we are to suffer with Him as well. Ignatius understood this and he was more than willing to lay down his life because he understood the purpose of his suffering.

Paul continues to say “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” (vs. 18)

There is a greater story going on here, as Christians we belong to a much bigger church than the one we go to on Sunday mornings. We belong to a church who’s history and doctrine is written in the blood of the church fathers who came before us and sacrificed their lives preserving God’s truth. 

Here are some of Ignatius’ own words in his last letters before the Colosseum:

“Oh how good it is to be like the sun now setting on this world - for that means I will soon rise up into the presence of God!”

“I don’t want to merely call myself a Christian - I want to back it up when it counts. For if I can back up my words, then I will be worthy of the name of Christian. I will be known as a man of faith even when the world can’t see me anymore.”