Your Daily Devotional for August 5, 2006

 

August 5, 2006

 

Incognito Christians

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.”

  

Acts 9:1-2

  

In our passage of Scripture today, we see the Apostle Paul before his conversion. Here, he is the proud persecutor Saul who is zealous about finding Christians and persecuting them. He was so passionate about killing Christians that he procured letters from the high priest of the temple to go to Damascus to find Christians. That may not seem so zealous unless you consider that Damascus was over 100 miles away from where Saul was!

 

In Acts 26:11, we see Paul telling King Agrippa of this time in his life, “And I punished them oft in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities.” Paul had truly hated Christians!

 

Take a look at the last part of verse two, “that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women…” Back during the time of Saul and the early church, it was not hard to discern who was a Christian; Christians were noticeably different from the rest of society. Saul would have had no problem finding Christians to persecute.

 

Can people tell that you are a Christian? Do they know that you believe in Christ? Many of the early Christians died for their belief in Christ! Most of us will never have to face that kind of persecution, yet we don’t always show that we are Christians! We sometimes remain incognito or hidden amidst this sinful world. God didn’t keep us on earth to conform to the world, but to help transform the world. How can we ever hope to transform it if our own lives aren’t transformed?

 

Polycarp (A.D. 70-155) was a godly bishop of the church at Smyrna. He had known the Apostle John personally. When he was urged by the Roman proconsul to renounce Christ, Polycarp said: “Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury. How then can I blaspheme my King and my Saviour?”

 

“I have respect for your age,” said the official. “Simply say, ‘Away with the atheists!’ and be set free.” The aged Polycarp pointed to the pagan crowd and said, “Away with the atheists!” He was burned at the stake and gave joyful testimony of his faith in Jesus Christ.

 

Many people have been willing to die for their faith in Christ. God does not require that we all die for Him, but He does ask us to live for Him. We should be living our lives so that all who see us would know that we are different from the world; we are Christians.

 

Are you a testimony for Christ at your work place? Do you show that you are a Christian wherever you go? The first century Christians were willing to show their faith even though it meant certain death! Don’t be an incognito Christian! What are some things that you need to change so that others can see Christ through your life? Ask God to help you change those things and to let Him shine through you today!

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