Christians or Cowards

Philippians 1:29 For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him,

Continuing with his theme seen throughout chapter one of Philippians, Paul reminds us that God's grace provides us with faith and the ability to suffer for that faith. John Calvin said something like, our adoption into Christ's family cannot be accepted without the cross any more than Christ can be separated from Himself.

Jesus said:

Matthew 5:10 -11
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

And in

Matthew 16:24
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

I'm afraid that we as a church body in America and in the West (in general and across denominational lines) have become more and more irrelevant as we have become more and more comfortable.

As our comfort increases, our motivation and desire to walk boldly declines.

Comfort breeds cowardice.

I am asking myself this week,
“Am I a Christian by name or association, but a coward in demonstration?”

How about you?

The solution to the problem of Christian cowardice, I think, is to find our fearlessness in fellowship and Faith.

Back to Philippians, in Philippians 1:19-20 Paul writes:

19 for I know that through your prayers (FELLOWSHIP) and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ (FAITH), what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance (FEARLESSNESS). 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage (FEARLESSNESS) so that now as always Christ will be exalted (FAITH) in my body, whether by life or by death (FEARLESSNESS).