Continued 👇🏾
✍🏾 Witness Through Suffering
On the day of His ascension, our Lord said to His apostles:
“You will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”(Acts 1:8)
Accordingly, the light of the world, Saint Peter, taught that true witness includes sharing in the sufferings of Christ. He says:
“I, therefore, a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed, exhort the elders among you: shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.”(1 Peter 5:1–4)
This teaching shows that witnessing for Christ is not only by word, but also by sharing in His sufferings and living as an example to the flock.
✍🏾The Ethics Worthy of Honor
Saint Peter also teaches the Christian virtues that are worthy of honor, saying:
“By these He has given us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.”
(2 Peter 1:4–8)
He further teaches:
“If you endure suffering for doing good, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow in His steps.”(1 Peter 2:20–21)
✍🏾Asergewa Le betekrstiyan Bedeme sema'etat
The former Fathers, in the Judgment of the King, wrote:
“Do not neglect the Christians who are suffering punishment for the sake of the name of our Lord, the purity of the faith, and the love of God. If you find that your wealth is of no use to you, send it to those who are imprisoned and suffering, so that they may find relief.”
They further describe the holy martyrs as those who are the brethren of Christ, the children of the Most High, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and the witnesses of the sufferings of Christ, co-workers in the manifestation of His Lordship (Judgment of the King, Article 20, No. 745). For this reason, the Church honors them greatly.
✍🏾In the same article, we are commanded to honor those who suffer for Christ as martyrs. It teaches that those who are persecuted for their faith and those who are forced to flee from country to country for the name of Christ are worthy of honor, for they have shared in the sufferings of Christ and borne witness to His truth.
👉🏾Saint John also saw in a vision:
“When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ And a white robe was given to each of them, and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”
(Revelation 6:9–11)
✍🏾This passage teaches us that the souls who shared in the sufferings of Christ were given white robes, which signify eternal glory. Therefore, rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven. This reward is eternal life.
Continues 👇🏾