1st Book of Peter, chapter 4, verses 12-19.
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And
“If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.
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Peter is encouraging us to be outspoken. Why else would people insult and attack us except for our declarations of God and His kingdom? For the mere mention of heaven is a reminder to our material world that its days are numbered, like ours. What the unbeliever calls a “fairy tale” will last forever, while his fantasy world will one day draw its last breath. So let’s not be surprised that when we take a public stand for Christ, we are no longer undercover agents keeping our identity on the lowdown. We have taken on the uniform of the coming occupation force.
Unlike the children of Israel, who were sent by God to take the promised land by sword and spear, we are sent to conquer with the sword of the spirit, the word of God. “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5). And that is if we’re doing it right. We are doing it wrong if we leave every lie we encounter unanswered because it’s, “none of our business.”
The early church spoke up and declared its allegiance to another king when there was no first amendment to protect them. How much more should we use the freedoms we have today to help preserve them in the future. If we remain silent today, we will not have that right in the future, and we’ll pay for our testimony of Christ with our blood.