Would you renounce Christianity under torture?

Achilles6129

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Lately I have been reading a little bit of Eusebius's Church History. It seems that parts of the early church were subjected to a shocking level of persecution. What Eusebius writes has left me wondering if people would renounce their faith under torture, and if so, if they could still be considered Christian. So, what's your take?
 
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Godlovesmetwo

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Good question. Under torture, I'd be basically telling them anything they wanted to here, in order for them to stop torturing me. I'm neither a hero nor a martyr. I am a hypochondriac.
 
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nonaeroterraqueous

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I'm a coward. I'd probably offer them a million dollars, my firstborn son, a map to the golden city of El Dorado and a bottle of water from the fountain of youth. Unless God gives me strength to invite more abuse (for reasons I cannot fathom), I don't have human strength to resist.
 
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football5680

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I would not renounce my faith, but I would not consider those who did under the circumstances apostates unless they actually abandoned Christianity from that point going forward. If they sought immediate forgiveness then they should be accepted as Christians. Martyrdom is the greatest death possible so they missed out on an opportunity, but you must have the proper mindset beforehand to go against your human instinct.
 
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Hidden In Him

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Lately I have been reading a little bit of Eusebius's Church History. It seems that parts of the early church were subjected to a shocking level of persecution. What Eusebius writes has left me wondering if people would renounce their faith under torture, and if so, if they could still be considered Christian. So, what's your take?

Not to shame anyone who posts differently; not at all my intention. But in answer to your question, if I get to the place in my life and ministry where God allows me to suffer for His name, I'll be smiling. They can cut my tongue out, pull my nails off, chop my fingers off one by one, and then put the knife to my neck and ask me if I have any prayers to offer before the cutting starts, and through the pain I'll be doing my best to smile and let them know Jesus loves them, died for them, and that my reward will simply be that much greater for enduring in a Spirit of Love what they have done to me, asking God to forgive them (Acts 7:54-60).
 
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chevyontheriver

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Lately I have been reading a little bit of Eusebius's Church History. It seems that parts of the early church were subjected to a shocking level of persecution. What Eusebius writes has left me wondering if people would renounce their faith under torture, and if so, if they could still be considered Christian. So, what's your take?
I'd resist. Don't know how long it would be before I was totally broken.
 
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Humble me Lord

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i would like to think I would not deny HIM. Look at Jesus own disciples who denied him. The persecution of christians will only get worse, I fear, even in the US. I admire those in other countries who stand up to great evils and stay strong in their faith.
I do have peace that if I died in my sleep tonight, I would be with HIM in heaven, but someone with a machete to your throat is a different ballgame.
 
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Another Lazarus

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The Book of Enoch XCVIII. Self-indulgence of Sinners: Sin originated by Man: all Sin recorded in Heaven: Woes for the Sinners.

CHAPTER XCVIII.
1. And now I swear unto you, to the wise and to the foolish,
For ye shall have manifold experiences on the earth.

2. For ye men shall put on more adornments than a woman,
And coloured garments more than a virgin:
In royalty and in grandeur and in power,
And in silver and in gold and in purple,
And in splendour and in food they shall be poured out as water.

3. Therefore they shall be wanting in doctrine and wisdom,
And they shall perish thereby together with their possessions;
And with all their glory and their splendour,
And in shame and in slaughter and in great destitution,
Their spirits shall be cast into the furnace of fire.

4. I have sworn unto you, ye sinners, as a mountain has not become a slave,
And a hill does not become the handmaid of a woman,
Even so sin has not been sent upon the earth,
But man of himself has created it, p. 140
And under a great curse shall they fall who commit it.

5. And barrenness has not been given to the woman,
But on account of the deeds of her own hands she dies without children.

6. I have sworn unto you, ye sinners, by the Holy Great One,
That all your evil deeds are revealed in the heavens,
And that none of your deeds of oppression are covered and hidden.

7. And do not think in your spirit nor say in your heart that ye do not know and that ye do not see that every sin is every day recorded in heaven in the presence of the Most High. 8. From henceforth ye know that all your oppression wherewith ye oppress is written down every day till the day of your judgement.

9. Woe to you, ye fools, for through your folly shall ye perish: and ye transgress against the wise, and so good hap shall not be your portion. 10. And now, know ye that ye are prepared for the day of destruction: wherefore do not hope to live, ye sinners, but ye shall depart and die; for ye know no ransom; for ye are prepared for the day of the great judgement, for the day of tribulation and great shame for your spirits.

11. Woe to you, ye obstinate of heart, who work wickedness and eat blood:
Whence have ye good things to eat and to drink and to be filled?
From all the good things which the Lord the Most High has placed in abundance on the earth; therefore ye shall have no peace.

12. Woe to you who love the deeds of unrighteousness: wherefore do ye hope for good hap unto yourselves? know that ye shall be delivered into the hands of the righteous, and they shall cut off your necks and slay you, and have no mercy upon you.

13. Woe to you who rejoice in the tribulation of the righteous; for no grave shall be dug for you.

14. Woe to you who set at nought the words of the righteous; for ye shall have no hope of life.

15. Woe to you who write down lying and Godless words; for they write down their lies that men may hear them and act godlessly towards (their) neighbour. Therefore they shall have no peace but die a sudden death.
 
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SkyWriting

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Lately I have been reading a little bit of Eusebius's Church History. It seems that parts of the early church were subjected to a shocking level of persecution. What Eusebius writes has left me wondering if people would renounce their faith under torture, and if so, if they could still be considered Christian. So, what's your take?

No person is responsible for what is said to evil people.
 
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Phronema

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Lately I have been reading a little bit of Eusebius's Church History. It seems that parts of the early church were subjected to a shocking level of persecution. What Eusebius writes has left me wondering if people would renounce their faith under torture, and if so, if they could still be considered Christian. So, what's your take?

I've not read that book, but it sounds interesting, and I appreciate you bringing it to my attention, I REALLY enjoy reading about the early history of the Christian Church.

Also, to answer your question, yes, as laity in the early Church you could be re-admitted. The terms were fairly harsh, but not nearly as harsh as if you renounced Christ and the Church as a clergyman. The terms for re-admission were laid down during the Council of Carthage, and re-affirmed during the First Ecumenical Council.

As for me? I'd like to say I wouldn't, and I'd pray unceasingly.
 
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Galatea

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I don't know. But I do know that nothing can separate me from the love of God through Christ Jesus.

The Bible addresses this very situation.
Romans 8:35-39
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
 
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Kenny'sID

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Depends on the torture.

I don't think any of us can say we would not deny him under harsh enough torture.

At worst I'd just lie. IOW I'd say I denied him, but hopefully all I'd be held accountable for would be lying...hopefully.

At best, the torture would not be bad enough, and I could endure it.

If I was simply told I'd be killed, no, I would not deny him to save my life. Send me home...no problem. :)
 
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ewq1938

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Make sure all replies are respectful and do not flame anyone else please.

stop flaming.jpg
 
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Godlovesmetwo

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I don't think any of us can say we would not deny him under harsh enough torture.
Agreed.
I think the most honest answer is "I don't know."
 
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marineimaging

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I can't say what I would do but I would like to think I would discover that my belief in Christ was so solid that I would not deny Him under any circumstances. I feel pretty confident though that the more someone tortured me the more sure I would feel about my dedication to God. Consider what it would take to actually set up a place out of earshot, find the time, try to go unnoticed..., all the effort it would take to arrange to torture someone; then their desire to turn me away from Him stands out as a good indicator that He is worth the pain.
 
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david.d

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Peter denied Christ 3 times in a single day without any torture and was even told he was going to do it by Christ himself. Maybe Christ told him that so he could be spared...

I'd hopefully take the torture and be so obnoxiously christian they'd make it short. I'm a little hard headed like that. Maybe borrow some script from Braveheart.
 
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buzuxi02

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I pray I would have the courage to persevere the persecutions.
Sad fact is the overwhelming majority would indeed deny Christ and it does not require persecution. Just look at western civilization and the growing agnosticism, apostasy and non-belief it did not require persecution or higher tax rates only required was a bit of secular humanism.
 
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