How We Win by Losing

By Bill Randles

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Daniel 7:25)

And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.  And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.  Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries.  And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed. (Daniel 11:32-35)

Why does God put His people in situations where Satan makes war against the saints and overcomes them? How do martyrdom and persecution serve God’s holy purposes?

Perhaps, it is a case, like the Cross of Jesus, where we win by losing.

Had the princes of this age known, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory who brought redemption to the world.

Time and again, the people of the present age languish under the damning lie of Satan. In our own age, unbelief and cynicism rage, mocking everything holy, desecrating the sacred, ridiculing that remnant which does believe. Even the practitioners of the true faith are tempted to falter and fail as their leaders and pastors, Christian publishing houses, Christian media, and so-called Christian education accommodate the Lie on varying levels.

How can the thick veil of unbelief and sin-jaded hardness of heart ever be penetrated?

When truth and faith are nearly dead and the sacred is mocked, ridiculed, and twisted, and when the remnant itself is nearly as jaded as the people they claim to want to reach, God uses extreme measures.
What would cause people to see the Christian Gospel has gravitas and is true? Would it be when God causes people to be put in situations where to identify with it would cost them something, maybe everything, and letting the whole world see it.

Remember John Lennon’s anthem to atheism, the God-rejecting song, “Imagine” which tells us to imagine a world without Heaven, Hell, religion, and basically God. We now live in such a sad, pathetic world, crafted by socialist- and Marxist-leaning leaders—a progressive movement inspired by Satan himself in which death is exalted. Think about it: be it evolution, homosexuality, transgenderism, abortion, suicide, occultism, sexual abuse and sex trafficking, violent video games and movies, they all lead to death, not life. What a sick, nihilistic world of people living for the present day and only to fulfill their own pleasures. I can’t think of a more depressing and empty world. No wonder so many are living for entertainment, or on various legal and illegal drugs, or seeking to sate themselves in sex or novel foods.

We live in the day of which Paul warned where people have become lovers of themselves and lovers of pleasure, with no God. They don’t believe in anything but the self and the now. They have scoffed at and dismissed the old rugged Cross while trying to fill the emptiness with other “values.”

Suddenly, people hear about two bakers who lose their business and are subject to great ridicule and loss because they wouldn’t cater a gay wedding.¹ Or they see the plight of a clerk in Kentucky who endured ridicule, abuse, and even some jail time because she wouldn’t distribute marriage licenses to homosexual couples.² A father in Canada risked arrest when he refused to call his 14-year-old daughter (who received hormone injections against his will) a boy.³

People are forced to ask themselves, “Why would they go through that abuse when they could just let it go? Why suffer such loss and abuse?”

Stories filter out to the wider world about Muslims killing Christians after giving them a chance to pray the Muslim prayer and save their lives.

Persecution and martyrdom are vivid testimonies to those of a jaded and self-seeking generation that there is something worth suffering loss and even dying for. In some circumstances, it is the only way that jaundiced people would ever believe in the Gospel of God and Christ.

I was forcefully struck by this situation in 2017 while walking through the historic university part of the town of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As I passed through the ancient, cobblestoned streets, I thought of the contrast of what was once being taught in this university compared to what is currently being taught in its famed halls.

The university was a Christian innovation, and the central and chief subject was theology. Every other subject revolved around the “queen of sciences” and the entire curriculum reflected a distinctly Christian worldview.

Yet now that same university is a virtual citadel of vain philosophies such as relativism, existentialism, and the humanities; it is primarily coming from an atheistic and humanistic outlook. To the same extent in which universities once offered to enrich and build up the world, they now tear down and destroy through these toxic and empty philosophies.

But standing in the campus plaza is a massive monument to three Christians (Nicholas Ridley, Hugh Latimer, and Thomas Cranmer) who, rather than acknowledge the pope as the head of the church and the mass as an offering of Christ, allowed themselves to be arrested and burnt at the stake. The following account describes the circumstances leading up to the deaths of Nicholas Ridley and Hugh Latimer, taken from Foxe’s Book of Martyrs written by John Foxe:

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These revered clergymen suffered October 17, 1555, at Oxford. Pillars of the church and accomplished ornaments of human nature, they were the admiration of the realm, amiably conspicuous in their lives and glorious in their deaths.

Dr. Ridley, born in Northumberland, was first taught grammar at Newcastle and afterward removed to Cambridge, where his aptitude in education raised him gradually until he came to be the head of Pembroke College where he received the title of Doctor of Divinity.

To his sermons the people resorted, swarming about him like bees, coveting the sweet flowers and wholesome juice of the fruitful doctrine which he did not only preach, but showed the same by his life, as a glittering lantern to the eyes and senses of the blind, in such pure order that his very enemies could not reprove him in any one jot. He was a pattern of godliness and virtue, and such he endeavored to make men wherever he came. . . .

When Edward VI was removed from the throne and the bloody Mary succeeded, Ridley was immediately marked as an object of slaughter. He was first sent to the Tower, and afterward at Oxford, was consigned to the common prison of Bocardo, with archbishop Cranmer and Hugh Latimer. . . .

Hugh Latimer was educated at the University of Cambridge, where he entered into the study of the school divinity and was from principle a zealous observer of the Romish superstitions of the time. In his oration when he commenced bachelor of divinity, he inveighed against the reformer Melancthon.

Once converted he became eager for the conversion of others and commenced to be a public preacher and private instructor in the university. His sermons were so pointed against the absurdity of praying in the Latin tongue and withholding the oracles of salvation from the people who were to be saved by belief in them. Inevitably, he was prohibited from preaching in the churches of the university, notwithstanding which, he continued during three years to advocate openly the cause of Christ, and even his enemies confessed the power of those talents he possessed. Mr. Bilney remained here some time with Mr. Latimer, and thus the place where they frequently walked together obtained the name of Heretics’ Hill.

For his sermons here against purgatory, the immaculacy of Mary, and the worship of images, he was cited to appear before the archbishop of Canterbury and the bishop of London.

Thus Master Latimer coming up to London through Smithfield was brought before the Council, where he patiently bore all the mocks and taunts given him by the scornful papists. He was cast into the Tower, where he, being assisted with the heavenly grace of Christ, sustained imprisonment a long time, notwithstanding the cruel and unmerciful handling of the lordly papists, who thought then their kingdom would never fall; he showed himself not only patient, but also cheerful in and above all that which they could work against him. Yea, such a valiant spirit the Lord gave him, that he was able not only to despise the terribleness of prisons and torments, but also to laugh to scorn the doings of his enemies.

Mr. Latimer, after remaining a long time in the Tower, was transported to Oxford, with Cranmer and Ridley. He remained imprisoned until October and the principal objects of all his prayers were threefold: that he might stand faithful to the doctrine he had professed, that God would restore his gospel to England once again, and preserve the Lady Elizabeth to be queen; all of which happened. When he stood at the stake without the Bocardo gate, Oxford, with Dr. Ridley, and fire was putting to the pile of [sticks], he raised his eyes benignantly towards Heaven and said, “God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able.” His body was forcibly penetrated by the fire, and the blood flowed abundantly from the heart; as if to verify his constant desire that his heart’s blood might be shed in defense of the gospel.

Dr. Ridley, the night before execution, was very facetious, had himself shaved, and called his supper a marriage feast. . . . The place of death was on the north side of the town, opposite Baliol College. Dr. Ridley was dressed in a black gown furred, and Mr. Latimer had a long shroud on, hanging down to his feet. When they came to the stake, Mr. Ridley embraced Latimer fervently and bid him: “Be of good heart, brother, for God will either assuage the fury of the flame or else strengthen us to abide it.” He then knelt by the stake, and after earnestly praying together, they had a short private conversation. Dr. Smith then preached a short sermon against the martyrs, who would have answered him, but were prevented by Dr. Marshal, the vice-chancellor. Dr. Ridley then took off his gown and tippet and gave them to his brother-in-law, Mr. Shipside. He gave away also many trifles to his weeping friends, and the populace was anxious to get even a fragment of his garments. Mr. Latimer gave nothing, and from the poverty of his garb, was soon stripped to his shroud, and stood venerable and erect, fearless of death.

Dr. Ridley being unclothed to his shirt, the smith placed an iron chain about their waists, and Dr. Ridley bid him fasten it securely; his brother having tied a bag of gunpowder about his neck, gave some also to Mr. Latimer.

A lighted [stick] was now laid at Dr. Ridley’s feet, which caused Mr. Latimer to say: “Be of good cheer, Ridley; and play the man. We shall this day, by God’s grace, light up such a candle in England, as I trust, will never be put out.”

When Dr. Ridley saw the fire flaming up towards him, he cried with a wonderful loud voice, “Lord, Lord, receive my spirit.” Master Latimer, crying as vehemently on the other side, “O Father of heaven, receive my soul!” received the flame as if embracing it. After that he had stroked his face with his hands, and as it were, bathed them a little in the fire, he soon died (as it appeared) with very little pain or none.⁴

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When I think of the deaths of these three believers, I think what a slap in the face this is to relativism and all of the other modern denials of truth. The monument at Oxford honoring these men, inscribed in 1841, reads:

To the Glory of God, and in grateful commemoration of His servants, Thomas Cranmer, Nicholas Ridley, Hugh Latimer, Prelates of the Church of England, who near this spot yielded their bodies to be burned, bearing witness to the sacred truths which they had affirmed and maintained against the errors of the Church of Rome, and rejoicing that to them it was given not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for His sake; this monument was erected by public subscription in the year of our Lord God, MDCCCXLI.

Through this kind of testimony, godless people are forced to see there is truth worth dying for instead of denying that same truth. Trusting in the truth of God is often how we are called to win the spiritual battle in which we, as believers in Christ, find ourselves. To the unbeliever, it may appear that we have lost as we give up our lives for truth, but it is in this “losing” that we have won and gained eternal life.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. (Revelation 12:11)

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Endnotes
1. Caitlin Burke, “Oregon Bakers Lost Everything Before Even Going to Court, Now Their Voice Is Heard” (CBN, March 2, 2017, https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2017/march/oregon-bakers-lose-everything-before-ever-going-to-court-today-that-changes).

2. Leah MarieAnn Klett, “Kim Davis Tells Her Side of the Story, Says Mainstream Media Painted ‘Unfair’ Picture” (Christian Post, March 16, 2018, https://www.christianpost.com/news/kim-davis-tells-her-side-of-the-story-says-mainstream-media-painted-unfair-picture-exclusive.html).

3. Jeremiah Keenan, “Authorities to Arrest Canadian Father if He Refers to Trans Child as Her Real Sex” (The Federalist, April 29, 2019, https://thefederalist.com/2019/04/29/authorities-arrest-canadian-father-refers-trans-child-real-sex/).

4. John Foxe, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs (Eureka, MT: Lighthouse Trails, 2010, 5th printing 2017), pp. 239-243.