A Quiet and Peaceable Life?

Before I was converted, I had never heard the term ‘Anabaptist’ and the concept of someone sharing their faith in Jesus with others was foreign to me. After I was converted, I remember thinking about all my friends who didn’t know anything about what had just happened to me. One thing kept going through my mind, “I need to tell them!” When something good happens to someone, they usually tell others. Some people tell one or two, while others feel like telling everyone. That’s what I wanted to do, not for my sake, but for theirs.

Whenever I would see an old friend, I would tell them what had happened to me. They usually said they had heard about it and then tried to get me to settle down and relax. I will be the first to admit, I made mistakes those first years. I noticed that many people didn’t appreciate what I had to say, but what astonished me the most was that the people who claimed to be Christians seemed to be the most offended.

One day I was visiting with an older man who said that he had been a Christian for most his life. During the discussion he pointed up to a lightbulb and said “Do you see that lightbulb? It’s not speaking.” I was shocked. He was telling me that, yes, Jesus says we are the light of the world, but that lights are quiet. They don’t speak. I went home to do a personal Bible study on the matter. Was this true? It wasn’t long before I found verses like, And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. –Mat 4:23 Also, in Matthew, Jesus says that He was moved with compassion because the people with Him were tired and scattered about. Further on, we read, Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. –Mat 9:37-38 

It seems to me that wherever Jesus went, He was talking to people about the kingdom. I have seen people witnessing about God but doing it in an ugly way. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t witness. If you read the book of Acts, that’s about all you see—believers sharing the Gospel message with others! In one account the authorities captured the disciples and said they could go free if they would be quiet! The disciples, though, said they could not—For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. –Act 4:20 Eventually, they were permanently silenced—by death.

I later heard about these people called Anabaptists. I began to read about them, and how they, too would not be silent. I ordered the Martyr’s Mirror and was astounded at what I read. These dear people lived like the disciples that we find in the Bible. They fulfilled the things Jesus said,—And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. –Mat 10:22 And in Romans, As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. –Rom 8:36 After some time, I found a church with an Anabaptist vision.

So why am I writing this? Dear brothers and sisters, I believe the fire is going out. I keep hearing some of our Anabaptist people talking about living a quiet and peaceable life. Jesus tells us in the parable of the sower, He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. –Mat 13:22 Could that be where some of us are at? We live in a western culture where money seems easy to obtain, and we become focused on our own wealth and the cares of this world. Let’s be careful that we don’t become like the world, to avoid being persecuted by the world.

One group of Anabaptists was fleeing persecution and moved into a country not yet persecuted. They began a furniture shop to support themselves, but they couldn’t sell any furniture because they were the dreaded Anabaptists. Soon the situation got desperate because they needed money for food. One day a wealthy man walked into the shop. All the workers stopped working. “Maybe this man will buy something, and we can eat!” They thought. An old brother approached the possible client and asked him if he knew Jesus. After a short chat the man stormed out of the store in a fit of anger. Soon some hungry workers asked the old man why he had to scare away their only chance at a sale. He explained that for this man to know Jesus was far more important than them worrying about making a sale. That was the mindset of the early Anabaptists—the Gospel was number one. They couldn’t but speak of the things they’d seen and heard and they, too, were killed all the day long.

I’ve read numerous accounts of early Anabaptist Christians who had been arrested for their faith. The authorities would plead with them to just be quiet! But they refused, just as the disciples did. They too chose death, rather than the quiet life. One young man was arrested that left behind his dear wife expecting their first child. The authorities waited for the child to be born then brought the newborn infant to the new father in prison. They told him he was now a father and could go home and be with his wife and son. They said he could also continue to believe the same way, but he had to keep quiet, and not speak out against sin in the church. The young father refused, so they burnt him at the stake. Being quiet was not an option.

So, what do the Scriptures mean about a quiet and peaceable life? Paul writes to Timothy, I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. –1Ti 2:1-2. For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty? Yes, the apostle Paul says this, but what did he mean? Could he have meant that we should be quiet about the Gospel? Or that we should never confront a sinner? Paul is not telling us to do something that he never did, or something that Christ himself never did. In fact, the Scriptures, reveal something quite the opposite.

It seems that the New Testament Christians in the Bible and in the early church were actively spreading the Gospel and were excited about the Church of Jesus Christ. They went about preaching the Gospel: holding meetings in the mountains, in the woods, or anywhere people would come. That was their life. Paul here is saying that we should pray that if we are obeying God by doing things the authorities don’t like, that they will leave us alone as we go about our normal day-to-day activities. As Christians, we should be spreading the truth of God’s Word, and being active for the furtherance of God’s Kingdom. Our prayer should be that the authorities will let us live in peace, while serving the Prince of Peace.

Some Christians try to be the world in their efforts to win the world. Trying to get people to live a happy life, join our club, be free in Christ, go on an exciting mission trip, live life to the fullest, be everything you can be. It’s all about “loving Jesus,” not obeying Him.

What about us? Are we excited to tell people about Jesus even if it will cost us something? For many of us it is quite easy to talk about farming, construction work, deer hunting and many other things, yet when it comes to the things of God, we don’t have much to say. Are we that scared of persecution? Do we fear the world hating us? Remember what Jesus said, If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own… –Joh 15:18-19 And, Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. –Mar 8:38 

It’s easy to be a Christian, when you settle down and live a quiet and peaceable life, never challenging a sinner, never correcting a brother, or never stepping on Satan’s toes, but who said it would be easy? Here in Haiti we, as a church, are trying to follow Jesus no matter what the cost. Just yesterday we had two members tell us they are about to lose their jobs because of the Gospel. Another sister in the church reported that the school where her children attend require uniforms and that the girls must wear pants. She sent her daughter to school in a modest dress, but she was sent home with a note from the principle saying she was not to return to school wearing “that thing.” If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. –1Pe 4:14 

Happiness comes from suffering for righteousness. Biblical suffering comes from obeying Jesus in the face of opposition. Are we too busy arguing over personal opinions of doctrine and being politically correct while the world laughs at us and goes to hell? Let’s be like Jesus and faithful Christians down through the ages, living in a manner so that those around us cannot deny that the power of God is in us. We have something that everyone needs. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s reunite, gather back together, deny ourselves, pick up our crosses and follow him!

As a man was dying, his thoughts went back.
Will I leave a good mark, that none can attack?
I forsook all, on the altar I went
Keeping nothing back, not even a cent.
I wanted to do, all that was right.
I sometimes prayed, all through the night.
It was easy? I cannot say.
But rather a battle, I fought everyday.
Few understood why I lived this way.
Giving up everything was foolish they’d say.
They couldn’t have seen the peace inside.
A peace that I thought, no one could hide.
A life on the run, was not my desire.
But they wanted my body, to put in the fire.
From cave to cave, I would call home
Knowing one day, I’d never more roam.
As I look back, I wouldn’t change a thing.
It has been a great honor serving my king.
But I must go now, the smoke is too thick.
My body to ashes, as the flames lick.
There is one thing, I need to ask.
Will I die in vain, or will you take up the task?
Jesus is looking for A people today
That will stand the test, and not go astray.
Giving our life is part of the cost.
Will you make that decision, before time is lost?
The church is struggling, the world has come in.
They killed our Jesus, and love their sin.
Let’s not give in, there’s too much at stake.
But rather let’s fight! There’s a kingdom to take!
–Barry Grant