A Russian commander, in fighting j|hadists, is credited with asking, “How do you fight an enemy who, when looking down the barrel of a gun, sees paradise?”
If terrorism is a war and j|hadists are the enemy, fighting and killing seems like a bit of a joke. A Mus|im killed in martyrdom is – to his tribe and to the Mus|im nation – a hero. He has secured his place in paradise.
Fellow believer, we ought to be shaken by extremists – not because we fear them, but because we fear God. They are willing to give up their earthly life and die a violent death because they think that it’s the one way to secure eternal pleasure. This should challenge our constant pursuit of comfort and security.
There’s one big problem with the j|hadist mentality: It is sorely selfish. They believe that by their own death they will secure eternal life for themselves.
We believe that by the death of One (the Messiah), life was secured for many. As followers of Him, our sole purpose isn’t to earn our own salvation by putting ourselves in harm’s way. Instead, may it be that we could say to those who don’t know of life in Christ: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered” (Romans 8:36). It’s not for our own salvation that we suffer. “Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions” (Colossians 1:24).
John Piper explains: “What is lacking in the afflictions of Christ is not that they are deficient in worth, as though they could not sufficiently cover the sins of all who believe. What is lacking is that the infinite value of Christ’s afflictions is not known and trusted in the world. These afflictions and what they mean are still hidden to most peoples. And God’s intention is that the mystery be revealed to all the nations” (from Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ).
The Mus|im suffers to purchase his own salvation. The Christ-follower faces suffering for the sake of the lost world. Over and over again, the New Testament talks about suffering – and in almost every passage, it is inherently related to the the sake of the Name.
Is my faith in eternal security less than the j|hadist’s? Am I – for some odd reason – afraid to proclaim Jesus because of the suffering it might bring? Why else would I stay silent?
Lord, help us proclaim Your truth – even if (and when, according to Your Scriptures) that means experiencing suffering for Your Name. May we be challenged by the Mus|ims who are willing to face death for what they think is eternal salvation. May we see the example of Paul, and be willing to “risk our lives hour by hours” (1 Cor 15:30).