Are you a believer "coriaceous" ? (1)

Friday May 14, 2021

Are you a believer "coriaceous" ? (1)

“It is through many hardships that we must enter the kingdom of God.” Acts 14. 22

The word coriaceous comes from the Latin corium, which means leather. The image speaks to us both of hardness, but also of flexibility. A tough or tenacious person remains steadfast in spite of adversity and does not bow down under heavy blows. She also knows how to show flexibility and resilience to move forward. We read in Acts that “Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch. They strengthened the minds of the disciples, encouraged them to persevere in the faith and said : It is through many difficulties that we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14. 21-22). On the one hand, they encouraged believers to remain faithful against all odds, fixing their eyes on the glory of the Kingdom of God promised to them, on the other, they warned them that they would best suffer mockery and abuse. contempt of the people around them, at worst prison, torture or even death. Our time is ultimately not that different from that of Paul and the apostles. According to Open Doors US 260 million Christians were persecuted around the world last year. Almost 3000 suffered martyrdom. Almost 4,000 are currently in prison without having been convicted. They can be called “coriaceous” believers. It is easy to fall asleep, we who live in western countries where physical persecution is rare. But it will be too late to harden us when the persecution comes. Gary Thomas wrote : “To teach how one can be sure to one day enter the Kingdom of God without at the same time explaining that the disciples of Jesus are to remain faithful to Him no matter what the circumstances here on earth are spiritual malpractice !” We live in a world that is daily becoming more hostile to God and the gospel. So we need to become tough believers ourselves and make tough and courageous disciples !

Source (His Word for Today)