The committed follower of Jesus is a holy rebel. Make no mistake, this world is at war with God. Well, we’ve rejected the broad and wide path of mindless pleasure, careless rebellion against the Lord and stubborn insistence about our own supposed goodness. We have taken the road less traveled, the narrow path of life: the Way, Jesus Christ. No doubt, we’re dangerous. After all, we’re a threat to this world and its tragic love affair with sin. We have the truth, it has set us free and it’s plain for the world to see.
While the world indulges in all types of pleasures and promotes all forms of rebellion against God, we’ve presented our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to Him (Romans 12:1). We’ve refused to be conformed to this world; we joyfully swim against the tide (Romans 12:2). We are filled with “love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). The life of the holy rebel is marked by righteousness, joy and peace (Romans 14:17). In any circumstance, we are able to rejoice (Philippians 4:4); in the middle of any trial, we can be at peace (Philippians 4:7). Although we used to sin without a care, we’ve turned to Christ and in Him we’ve been made new creations. Our old, sinful ways of living have been left behind (2 Corinthians 5:17). Now, we live for Him (2 Corinthians 5:15). The very existence of the holy rebel is evidence that Jesus is exactly what He claimed to be, and that scares the world half to death.
What’s more, the holy rebel is a loyal soldier on a mission from God (2 Timothy 2:3-4). We respect God and love others too much to let anyone sin their way into eternal torment without a warning. Sometimes, what we say doesn’t make people happy, but we’re all about pleasing God, not people (Galatians 1:10). No pastor, church organization, media conglomerate, government entity, political party, or criminal cartel can stop us from carrying out the mission of preaching the Gospel to all creation (Mark 16:15). We can’t be controlled, brainwashed, tamed, bargained with or bought. If it doesn’t line up with the Bible, we’re not going to do it.
Naturally, our unwillingness to compromise or squeeze into this world’s sinful mold creates enemies. With all due respect to the haters, we’re not a part of this world. Frankly, you can have it! We’re a part of a different Kingdom, one that will soon destroy all forms of human government and remain forever (Daniel 7:27). That’s right; we’re on the winning team. People may hate, slander, torture and even kill us, but the holy rebel can never be defeated (Romans 8:37). We don’t fear them, because for us death means going to be with Jesus (Philippians 1:21). In this way, the holy rebel is free from sin and death, and this freedom is the envy of the world.
Indeed, the worst thing that can happen to a person isn’t death, it’s dying without Jesus (Matthew 10:28). The shed blood of a holy rebel will never satisfy the persecutor; only receiving the blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins will. Yet, to acknowledge Christ as Creator and King, as Lord and Savior, would mean that everything the holy rebel fought and died for was righteous. By extension, it would confirm that the persecutor’s opposition to the holy rebel was not only wrong, but a complete waste of time.
Although we don’t know for sure if Napoleon Bonaparte said the following or not, he is often reported to have remarked “I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.” Those millions are holy rebels, soldiers from another Kingdom sent behind enemy lines to fight the good fight of faith on behalf of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Have you enlisted in His army?