Forty Men Died on Ice Rather than Renounce Christ.

Governor Agricola of Armenia was confronted with "mutiny." Forty soldiers refused to offer the sacrifice ordered by emperor Licinius. The forty who stood before him that wintry fourth-century day in Sevaste were fine specimens of manhood who radiated an aura of courage. He was determined to make them see reason.
Traditional icon of the forty. Christ awaits above to receive them.
But the soldiers were adamant. They refused to sacrifice. To do so was to betray their faith in Christ. "But what about your comrades?" asked Agricola. "Consider--you alone of all Caesar's thousands of troops defy him! Think of the disgrace you bring upon your legion!"
"To disgrace the name of our Lord Jesus Christ is more terrible still," replied the men. Exasperated, the governor threatened to flog and torture them. The soldiers stood firm, although they knew he would carry out his threat. In the fourth century, there were few civil rights. Boldly the men answered, "Nothing you can offer us would replace what we would lose in the next world. As for your threats-- we despise our bodies when the welfare of our souls is at stake."
Pairs of guards seized each man and dragged them out into the cold where they were stripped and tied to posts. Whips laid open their backs and iron hooks tore their sides. Still the forty refused to surrender. Agricola chained them in his dungeons. Finally, he commanded that they be stripped naked and driven onto the ice of a pond below Sevaste.
The "rebels" did not wait for the sentence to be imposed, but tearing off their own clothes, ran to the pond in the raw March air. "We are soldiers of the Lord and fear no hardship," they said. "What is death for us but an entrance into eternal life?" On this day, March 9, 320, singing hymns, they stood shivering on the pond as the sun sank.
Baffled, Agricola ordered hot baths around the pond. Surely the warm water would lure the men off the ice! But the crisp night air carried a prayer to all ears: "Lord, there are forty of us engaged in this battle; grant that forty may be crowned and not one be wanting from this sacred number."
One of the men did lose his nerve, however, and crawled off the ice to a bath. He died the instant he touched the hot water. That was too much for one of the guards. He shucked off his clothes, marched onto the ice and took the place of the man who had failed.

Source: http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2002/03/daily-03-09-2002.shtml

Wow. I was surfing the Net yesterday when I came across this article about Christian history. I was utterly amazed by the determination and the strength of these forty men. I start to ponder, in modern day context, when we are faced with dillemmas in our lives whether to follow the lord or succumb to the ways of the world, are we able to have the strength of these forty men to reject the ways of the world and follow the lord?

Sometimes, I struggle with the ways of the world as well, especially if it is pressure from a higher authority like your boss at work or my parents.

One of the main reasons why my mum is very against me and my sister getting baptised is due to the fact that my brother had once made a statement that he would not pray and offer joss sticks to my mum if she so passes away and that actually broke my mum who is a devout taoist that believes that the offering of joss sticks is a form of fillial piety.

At that time, I had already accept Christ but had not been consistent with reading the Word of God. I could not understand why my brother could not compromise and give in to my mum's request.

It's Just ONE small issue. The lord will forgive you.

When I stumbled upon this article yesterday, I finally understood why. It would be betraying his faith in Christ. It is like the forty men who refused to sarcifice. "To disgrace the name of our Lord Jesus Christ is more terrible still," that was how the men replied. They placed their faith above that of their lives and their pride as a roman soldier. I believe that my brother also placed his faith in the lord greater than giving in to authority (my mum) who wants him to walk away from his faith.

I'm not saying that you should renounce and go against authority in our lives but I hope that we as christians will be given the wisdom and the strength to do the right thing for the lord even if it means going against the higher authorities in our lives.

Ecc 5:8If you see the extortion of the poor, or the perversion of justice and fairness in the government, do not be astonished by the matter. For the high official is watched by a higher official, and there are higher ones over them!

Know your place in the kingdom of God, know who is in charge of your lives. It is not the way of your superior on earth but the one that sit high in heaven watching over all of us.

"Nothing you can offer us would replace what we would lose in the next world. As for your threats-- we despise our bodies when the welfare of our souls is at stake."

Who is the authority in your life?

Men or God? Will You renounce Your faith under pressure from authority?

This is the key to be able to sit tight in the kingdom of God before you can walk right and stand up to fight for the lord.

GO DEEP

LOOK FAR

ASK BIG