“In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.” – Hebrews 12:4

Weird example to use, no doubt, but there’s a popular quote from the movie “The Hangover” where a character says to the others, “But did you die?”

We see that phrase on T-shirts now and on memes and such. Hebrews 12:4 is the Bible’s version of “But did you die?“

The closer we get to the end times, the uglier the world is. People constantly tearing each other down, abusing each other personally, in business, verbally. Some of us are afraid to share our faith, some of us are afraid to even show our faith.

In the meantime, overseas, Christians are being executed. They refuse to denounce their God, and they are willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice.

Here in America, we cry about “a war on Christians,” and to us that means celebrities mocking our faith or this thing where people really think you’re not allowed to say “Merry Christmas.” We think it’s hard to be a Christian because we are afraid of being ridiculed or mocked.

And when it comes to resisting our sin, how serious are we about that?

Have you resisted to the point of shedding blood? I suggest, as we talked about Friday, that you get rid of anything that is shakable: the dramatics, the theatrics, the hysterics. We are entering a new time in history where ultimate commitment to Christ will become the most important piece of an epic battle between good and evil. We see it everywhere even now.

If they lined you up on a beach and threatened to behead you if you didn’t denounce your faith, what would you do? We all hope we know the answer.

So my question to you is: Are you willing to resist to the point of shedding blood? How much do you love your God? What would you give? Because other Christians are giving that and more.

In the season of joy and gratitude, praise the Lord that these days in our faith are incredibly easy compared to what the early church went through and what His people around the world deal with every day.

Because Christ resisted evil and sin to the ultimate extent for us. To the point of shedding blood. We owe him. ❤️

“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” – Hebrews 13:20-21