The goal of the Christian life is not to escape death—but to be faithful to Jesus.
That’s a sobering statement. Yet it cuts through the distractions and comforts that often lull us into spiritual complacency. The church in Smyrna, one of the seven churches addressed by Jesus in Revelation 2, knew this all too well. They lived under constant pressure—social, political, and spiritual—to abandon their faith. But instead of compromising, they chose Christ over comfort. And they weren’t alone.
Roughly 60 years after John wrote to Smyrna, their pastor—a man named Polycarp—stood as a living example of what Jesus called for. A disciple of John himself, Polycarp would not bow to Caesar. He would not deny Christ. When threatened with fire, he told his executioners, “You threaten me with fire which burns for an hour and after a little is extinguished. But you are ignorant of the fires of the coming judgment.” Then, as the flames engulfed him, he prayed, “I thank You that You have graciously thought me worthy of this day and of this hour.”
What if that becomes you?
Jesus’ words to the church at Smyrna challenges the western church’s comfort. It raises a vital question: are we preparing ourselves to remain faithful—even if it costs us everything?
Faithfulness Has a Context (Revelation 2:8–9)
Smyrna wasn’t a neutral place. It was a hotbed for emperor worship, where to refuse giving divine honor to Caesar meant economic exile—or worse. Christians there faced tribulation, poverty, and slander. They were cut off from trade, falsely accused, and subjected to torture. The Greek word for “tribulation” refers to pressure—like the crushing of myrrh, the spice Smyrna was named for.
It was in this pressure cooker of persecution that Jesus introduces Himself as “the First and the Last, who died and came to life again.” Why? Because when death seems to reign, resurrection hope must speak louder. When suffering clouds our view of God’s love, we must look to the cross and see that He shares in our suffering. We must learn to interpret our trials through God’s heart—not interpret God’s heart through our trials.
Faithfulness Has a Cost (Revelation 2:10)
Jesus doesn’t offer a rescue plan from persecution. He offers something better: His presence in the midst of it.
He tells the church they are about to suffer. Some will be thrown into prison. Others may die. But it will be “ten days”—a metaphor meaning it won’t last forever. It will be intense, but brief. Painful, but purposeful. God doesn’t waste anything.
The enemy’s goal is destruction, but God’s purpose is testing—a refining of our faith.
Death, after all, is not the ultimate loss. Unfaithfulness is.
As Hebrews 9:27 reminds us, death is an appointment. None of us will escape it unless Jesus returns first. So the goal isn’t to avoid death—but to honor Christ with every breath until that moment.
Faithfulness Has a Reward (Revelation 2:10b–11)
To those who overcome, Jesus promises the crown of life. In ancient Greek games, victors were given laurel crowns—not to keep, but to cast at the feet of their king. That’s what our faithfulness leads to: worship.
And what’s more, Jesus says overcomers “will not be hurt by the second death.” The first death is inevitable. The second—eternal separation from God—is not. Jesus has conquered that death, and through Him, so do we.
Faithfulness in Today’s World
Faithfulness may look different today, but the cost is still real. Christians in many parts of the world face job loss, exile, imprisonment, or death. In the West, persecution may come through legal battles, economic threats, or cultural scorn. Globally, persecution is even more intense.
How Should We Respond?
- Become Aware – Learn about the persecuted church. Hebrews 13:3 urges us to remember the mistreated as though we were suffering with them.
- Pray & Give – Lift them up. Support ministries that serve persecuted believers.
- Do Not Fear – Fear is the enemy of faith. We trust a Savior who is the First and the Last.
- Be Faithful to Death – Jesus measured His faithfulness by obedience to God. Shouldn’t we?
You may not be called to die for your faith—but you are called to live for it. And if we are not preparing ourselves to suffer for Christ, we may not be prepared to follow Him at all.
Jesus is worth more than life. Faithfulness to Him is our crown, and in Him, even death is defeated. May we be a people who live boldly, stand firmly, and love deeply—until the end.
Only the one gripped by something worth more than life can truly be faithful.
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MichaelStovall 