Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday December 9, 2008

The Apostle Paul wrote to his son in the faith, Timothy, the following words that the Church of the Lord Jesus must always keep in the fore of our mind and heart:

"The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he oft refreshed me, and was not ashamed of my chain:" 2 Timothy 1:16.

As I read the Time magazine Editorial of December 23, 1940, I immediately thought of Paul's praise of Onesiphorus, "he was NOT ashamed of my chain." Paul's commendation is a beautiful testimony to the courage of the faith of the man with such a strange name. Time will not permit me to list the many thousands of saints who were and are not ashamed of me, though I "wore chains" for which I really do thank the Lord.

The 1940 Christmas editorial from Time told of the suffering of Pastor Niemoller:

"At Sachsenhausen (Concentration Camp) Pastor Niemoller has been placed on a regime of half rations, double heavy labor, solitary confinement. Rock breaking, roadbuilding, ditch digging, harsh treatment are fast wearing him out. He has not been beaten, but has told his wife on the rare visits she is permitted that he has seen others beaten unconscious."

The Third Reich endeavored to cause the populace to be ashamed of those whom they deemed "unfit" for the thousand year Reich of Mr. Hitler. In response to this campaign one of Niemoller's daughters wrote:

"When I write the address, 'Concentration Camp, Sachsenhausen,' then I am always very PROUD."

The courage of Niemoller and others is carved in granite with letters of lead in that many refused freedom offered with the stipulation that they refrain from preaching.

A while ago I offered a prayer for a group that has come to be called "The Philadelphia 11." This group was arrested and later won their case for preaching to passersby at a Gay Parade. After my prayer for this group, a fellow pastor asked, "Larry why on earth are you praying for those nut cases?" One reason is they have the courage to face imprisonment, ridicule and loss, to stand for what they believe and for that matter what all Christian's held to be true throughout history.

I use the above to point out that one of Hitler's attacks on the Christian faith involved blatant denial of the tenets of the faith delivered unto the saints. I will comment on a few of these denials tomorrow.

Historically religious freedom's string is always tenuous at best and can only be strengthened by rigorous and courageous insistence on truth.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2008 Use with credit.

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