The Christian and Self-Preservation

The viewpoints expressed here are mine and may not represent any given congregation.

 I do not believe that the first century Christians were "martyr-happy."  I believe they wanted to live out a full life just as much as you and I do.  Martyrdom was not their first choice when they faced a crisis; it was their last.  Unless or until it got to the point that Stephen got to, they used all the resources they could lay their hands on to (1) be good stewards of the life and health that God had given them (I Corinthians 6: 19, 20) and (2) to proclaim and serve Christ while they were upon the earth (Mark 16: 15).

Stephen in Acts chapter 7 showed us what the Christian does when the choices have narrowed to only two:  (A) renounce Christ and live for a little while longer, or (B) confess Him and die today.  What a marvelous example Stephen gave us of how to make that decision!  Stephen was speaking before the council (this in the New Testament is usually the Sanhedrin), a group of 70 men.  Seventy men can throw a lot of rocks.  Stephen proclaimed his Lord Jesus until the Sanhedrin drove the last breath of life from his young body.  Stephen is someone I respect for his faith, his bravery, and his priorities.  If I am ever faced with that two-way-only decision, I hope I make it like Stephen did.

Acts 8 does not begin with "As soon as the church heard that the persecution had commenced, they all paraded down to the local temple, lined up in orderly rows, and waited for their beheadings."  Instead it says in the RSV that "And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church which was in Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. . . . Act 8:4  They therefore that were scattered abroad went about preaching the word."  It is permissible for Christians to try to escape violence if they can, as long as they don't do it in ways that directly deny the Christ (Matthew 10: 32, 33).  Numerous Proverbs speak of diffusing aggression ("A gentle answer turneth away wrath," etc. ).    

Much of the remainder of the book of Acts tells how Paul was able to "work the system" and continue his preaching of the Gospel, rather than immediately giving himself over to martyrdom.  Briefly:

• Acts 9: 23-25, Paul used a rope to get over the walls of the city to escape those who were trying to kill him.
• In Acts 16: 37 ff Paul uses his Roman citizenship to accelerate his and Barnabas' release from the Philippian prison. 
• Near the end of Acts 22, Paul uses his Roman citizenship again in much the same way, while gaining opportunities to preach as he did so. 
• In Acts 23, Paul called Ananias' hand about a seemingly swift and unjust physical punishment until he learned that Ananias was the high priest; then
• immediately Paul divided the Sanhedrin against itself by declaring "Touching the hope of the resurrection I am called in question."  This kept the Council from immediately uniting against Paul and arriving at a death penalty, if not a riot (like Stephen). 
• In Acts 23: 12 and verses following, we read of the plot against Paul by 40 men who had solemnly sworn to neither eat nor drink until Paul was dead.  Paul availed himself of a heavily-armed military guard and was escorted to Caeserea in the middle of the night.  Those 40 men died because of what Paul had done in self-defense. 
• In Acts 25: 10 Paul appealed to Caeser, avoiding another death plot from the Jews(Acts 25: 3) .  He bought more time rather than to submit immediately to a martyr's death.  Paul was being a good steward of his life and health, I Corinthians 6: 19, 20, "Or know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have from God? and ye are not your own;  for ye were bought with a price: glorify God therefore in your body. "  For the suicidal and/or martyr-happy person, it is difficult to justify their viewpoints with the Biblical teaching about stewardship of the physical body. 
• Act 26:32  "And Agrippa said unto Festus, This man might have been set at liberty, if he had not appealed unto Caesar. "  Paul did not make these moves just because he was afraid to die; he did them to prolong his usefulness to the Lord while he was upon the earth.