Death is inevitable.
This is a fact none of us like to think about, but all of us should. It's more important than taxes. It's more important than work. It's more important than fulfilling our needs while we live. Death is not only inevitable, but permanent. You will live, if you are extremely lucky, a little over a century. Most of us won't even get that. But once you leave this world, you're gone. You're not coming back.
With that in mind, it's important to have a solid worldview. A good test for that worldview is whether it is worth dying for. The first reason for this is that, quite simply, you might. There are a few reasons for this. First, some worldviews are just inherently dangerous. Some people, for example, believe it's a good idea to test their faith by playing with venomous snakes. One preacher, whom I've decided not to name simply because I'm not sure he'd want to be remembered as the numpty who played a stupid game and won a stupid prize, actually died for this reason. He mishandled a rattlesnake, the snake bit him, he died.
Second, some worldviews, while not inherently dangerous, are hated by other dangerous worldviews. It sucks, but human beings are dangerous creatures. We kill each other for reasons such as not liking each other's religions, or not being liked within a certain religion. Some religions, likewise, will ask you to die while killing for it. Lest I derail this article by drawing accusations of "bigotry", I won't give specific examples here. All I will say is that ultimately, due simply to human nature, many people die for their worldview, be it due to the inherently dangerous nature of it, or even due to the dangerous nature of the human race.
But obviously, not everyone dies because of their worldview. Many people live to a ripe old age and die of complications that arise from being old. If we're lucky, peacefully in our sleep. But while not everyone dies for their worldview, everyone dies with their worldview. If you're a Christian, you die as a Christian. If you're a Muslim, you die as a Muslim. If you're an atheist, you die as an atheist. If you're a Hindu, a Buddhist, a Zoroastrian, a pagan, no matter what you believe, you die believing it.
What comes next depends on A. how right you are, and B. what is actually right. Of course, there are some worldviews that would suggest it doesn't matter what you believe. Evolution, for example. If Evolution is true, what you believe when you die makes no difference what so ever. Your consciousness permanently ceases regardless. But of course, some religions have an all or nothing kind of view. If you get it wrong, you spend eternity in a place you really don't want to go.
Christianity is one of those faiths. It teaches that God, being Holy, cannot tolerate even the smallest of sins, and must punish them. Yet, from the moment we become morally accountable, we start committing sins for which He must hold us accountable. Not one person has ever reached adulthood without sinning. There is a single exception: Jesus.
Jesus, according to the Christian faith, is the flesh incarnation of God Himself, who lived a perfect life, being tempted in all ways as we are, yet without sin. We lie, yet Jesus never lied. We commit adultery, yet Jesus never committed adultery. We steal, Jesus never stole. In every possible way we fail, Jesus succeeded. Nevertheless, He considered us a worthwhile thing to die for. When He died, every evil deed, every idle word, even every corrupt thought, was nailed to His cross. The wrath of God, owed to us as sinners, was fully poured out on Jesus. The result is that those who believe in Him, rather than being punished for our sin, will be granted eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Now, is this belief worth dying for? Around the world, many Christians not only answer "yes", but they put their money where their mouths are, laying down their lives for Jesus. Whether at the hands of evil government regimes where Christianity is punishable by death, or at the hands of angry mobs who care nothing for laws against persecuting Christians, these people are so faithful that they do die.
But obviously, as courageous and tragic as their deaths are, their will to die doesn't prove much about whether they made the right call. It proves they believed enough to die, but it doesn't prove they were right. But here's my question: How many non-Christians would be willing to die for Christianity? If you don't believe Christianity is true, you're obviously not going to lay down your life for it, are you? Most people are not even willing to die for what they believe is true. Who would die for what they didn't believe? Or, more importantly, who would die for what they knew they made up?
The death of a modern Christian proves nothing. But it's interesting to note that Christianity was born out of persecution. In a world filled with violent bigots, witnesses of Christ were willing to lay down their lives, and so much more, for their testimony. Christians today did not see Jesus, but Christians in the first century did.
Peter walked with Jesus all throughout His ministry. He saw His miracles, He even swung a sword at those who came to arrest Jesus. It's worth noting, in spite of his big words, Peter actually did famously deny Christ. As He was being taken to be tried, Peter denied three times that he knew who Jesus was. This same Peter, however, would make up for this betrayal by not only going to his own cross, but actually by being crucified upside down at his own request, not believing himself worthy to die in the same manner as his Lord.
Paul is even more spectacular. Unlike Peter, Paul never walked with Jesus as a faithful companion. Rather, his faith began as a persecutor. These are the words of his testimony: "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:12-17).
In spite of previously killing Christians, Paul spent the rest of his life enduring bogus trials, brutal beatings, false imprisonment, mob attacks, and all sorts of other horrors for his testimony that the risen Lord had indeed appeared to, and selected him.
Would either of these men, who are but two examples in at least 12 Apostles, be willing to endure such persecution for something they knew was a lie? If, as the legend goes, the disciples merely stole Jesus' body, they would know. Why, then, would they not confess? They would escape the persecution. They would be spared the scorn. They may even be heralded as heroes for exposing the least popular belief in the Roman Empire as a lie. Yet, the first century produced the most stoic martyrs of all.
Just as the death of modern Christians proves they believe the Christian faith, the death of the Apostles proves they believe what they were saying: Each of them believed they saw Jesus. They believed their faith was worth dying with, and they believed their faith was worth dying for. We are therefore faced with a simple question: Why did so many people believe this man, who was brutally murdered by the most efficient killing machines of their time, had appeared to them with, at worst, holes in His hands and feet and a spear mark in His side? The simplest and most obvious explanation is that He did.
And so we come full circle. Are our beliefs worthy dying for? Are they worth dying with? Dear reader, your time will come. I pray it does so in a manner worthy of my fellow image bearers of God. May you live a long and happy life, and when you pass on to God's judgement seat, I pray it is as peaceful as death may be. But it will happen. Today, or in a century, you will pass from this world, into the presence of God. And He will judge you for everything you have ever thought, said, and done. When that time comes, make sure you know His Son. Make sure Jesus presents you blameless before the Father, having taken the wrath of God on your behalf.
"...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9