[Ohio-Communities-of-Faith] FW: [CWWC] THE MARTYRS HYMN

[mmoore11 at kent.edu]

From: committed-walk-with-Christ at groups.io
<committed-walk-with-Christ at groups.io> On Behalf Of Mr. Ed via groups.io
Sent: Monday, March 29, 2021 9:13 AM
To: Mr. Ed <pinky14 at abe.midco.net>
Subject: EXT: [CWWC] THE MARTYRS HYMN

 


THE MARTYRS HYMN


Here is a trustworthy saying: If we died with him, we will also live with
him; if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will
also disown us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful, for he cannot
disown himself.
<https://link.biblegateway.com/click/23357741.530/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmlibGVnYX
Rld2F5LmNvbS9wYXNzYWdlLz9zZWFyY2g9MlRpbS4yLjExLTJUaW0uMi4xMw/5ef562bd1022237
4f46b6174Bead80422> 2 Timothy 2:11-13

Paul is writing his last letter before execution addressed to his spiritual
son, Timothy. New Testament scholars are convinced that Paul is quoting here
an ancient Christian worship chorus or "hymn." It is assessed to be one of
the songs Christians sang as they were walking into the arena to face
certain death. Paul himself may have sung this hymn when he was executed in
Rome.

There is plenty of historical evidence that people of the pagan world were
amazed at the courage and joy - often expressed in music - Christians
exhibited when facing their death. Early church father, Tertullian was
reportedly converted soon after first observing this exhibition of abnormal
joyfulness. He later made the oft-quoted statement that "the blood of the
martyrs is seed!"

The first couplet is powerful because it is in the Greek aorist tense which
indicates a specific moment in the past. When Christ calls us, we die to sin
and to ourselves. Therefore, the song begins, "We have already died with Him
and we will therefore live with Him!" It goes on to proclaim that when we
endure, we'll reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will deny or disown us; but
when we are faithless, He always remains faithful because it is a
characteristic of His unchanging nature.

Korean Elder Kwan-Joon Park was called an "Elijah of Korea" or sometimes a
"Daniel of modern times." He died as a martyr for his faith in Christ and
his opposition to the Japanese colonial rule during the Second World War
when Korea was occupied by the Japanese Imperialists. The latter enforced
Shinto worship on the Korean people.

On March 24, 1939, Elder Park went to Japan to protest against inhuman
colonial policies of Japan. He walked into the 74th Imperial Diet of Japan.
When the opening pronouncement of the lower house was made, he stood up from
his seat in the visitor's balcony and shouted, "This is a great mission of
God, Jehovah's great message!" Then he threw leaflets to the floor below
exposing cruel abuse of Korean Christians by Japan and warning them of God's
imminent judgment and destruction of Japan as a result of her wrong doing
and tyranny. They also explained the resistance against Japanese imposition
of Shinto shrine worship upon Korean Christians.

Elder Park was arrested and sentenced to six years in Japanese prison. While
serving his sentence he was martyred at the age of seventy. We don't know if
he sang. But one line from his last poem written during his imprisonment
expresses well his firm resolution to die willingly for Jesus Christ: "Since
Jesus died for me, I will die for Jesus!"

RESPONSE: Today I will resolve to live courageously even if it means facing
death for Jesus who died for me. I will express my joy in living and dying
for Him in every way - including singing!

PRAYER: Lord, help me to be joyful even in the face of death knowing that
You are always faithful.

Provided by Bible Gateway:

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