A Man Named Polycarp

Today's post is something that my younger brother Luke sent me. It is a excerpt from Drew Kizer's book "Make Your Stand" and something that he wrote at the end. Enjoy.

Polycarp is a name most of you have never heard before. It is the name of a man who took a stand for his faith. The year was A.D. 156. The dominant empire at that time was Rome. The Caesars who ruled in those days considered themselves to be equal to divinity, and they wanted their citizenry to worship them. Almost everyone responded to these wishes, except for the Christians.

One Christian in particular who did not pay homage to early kings was an elder of the church at Smyrna in Asia Minor. At the age of 86, he was one of the wisest, most experienced members of the church. It is likely that he once sat at the feet of the apostle John when he was younger. Later, he became a great leader of the Christian people, and many looked to him for guidance. His name was Polycarp.

During those days, Rome was ruled by bloodthirsty men. If you did not follow Caesar, you were viciously executed for treason. Awful methods of capital punishment were employed in the coliseums. Many were thrown to wild beasts. Others were burned alive at the stake. Because Christians refused to worship Caesar, and because they claimed no king but Christ, they were often subjected to these cruel means of torture.

When Polycarp’s Christian influence was discovered in Asia Minor, he was arrested immediately and sentenced to death by being burned at the stake. Only one thing would save him. He could worship Caesar. Seeing his age, even the Roman authorities pitied him and plead with him to save his life by turning his back on Christ. However, Polycarp replied, “For eighty-six years I have been his servant, and he has done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?” They continued to insist, but he persisted by replying,

Listen Carefully: I am a Christian. Now if you want to learn the doctrine of Christianity, name a day and give me a hearing… You threaten with a fire that burns only briefly and after just a little while is extinguished, for you are ignorant of the fire of the coming judgment and eternal punishment, which is reserved for the ungodly. But why do you delay? Come, do what you wish.

At that, his persecutors began preparing a fire. They tied this peaceful, aged Christian to a stake.

-Drew Kizers “Make Your Stand”

This day and age I am aware that there will be no executions like this for Christianity, but there are many simple persecutions that that test your faith. Will you take a STAND for the truth or will you give in?

Faith without works cannot be called faith. “Faith without works is dead” James 2:26, and a dead faith is worse than no faith at all. Faith must work, it must produce, it must be visible. Verbal faith is not enough, mental faith is insufficient. Faith must be their, but it must inspire action.

I think this example of Polycarp shows a little bit of what the book of James is talking about. Polycarp proves that faith with works is the only option, there is no other way.

-Written by Luke Stevenson and reposted by Ben Stevenson