Why the Persecuted Church Will Persevere (The Holy Spirit Cannot Fail)
From an unpublished Bible lesson by late Reverend Richard Wurmbrand
I am turning once again to the late Richard Wurmbrand to speak to us on behalf of those who are currently being imprisoned and tortured for Christ.
For those who don't know who Richard Wurmband is, here's a brief intro:
Romanian Lutheran minister who spent 14 years in Communist prisons.
After escaping, published “Tortured for Christ" and testified to Congress.
Founded Voice of the Martyrs (but son Michael doesn’t trust VOM today).
Michael Wurmbrand provides his father’s books for free in many languages.
Listen to the podcast version of this article at China Compass.
Why the Persecuted Church Will Persevere (The Holy Spirit Cannot Fail)
“So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.” (Acts 12:5).
Now there are some bishops and fake theologians who undermine the faith of Christian prisoners. The Marxist rulers in pro-communist regimes, who belong to the devouring system, called [by Daniel] "the fourth beast," speak great words against the most High stating "God died." In order to prove their point, they quote as authorities the Anglican Bishop John Robinson, the fake theological professor Thomas Altizer, and some German traitors to Christianity, who are allowed to remain leaders and teachers in the church, though they say that God is dead. Their misguided message comes from the 19th century German philosopher Nietzsche who as a heavy drug addict died in an insane asylum.
Tens of thousands of Christians have been imprisoned and tortured. I was imprisoned in communist Romania for more than 14 years. These bishops and fake theologians don't sympathize with those persecuted. They don't pity them. Just the quotations from the bishops are the worst poison.
They give to Marxists weapons wherewith they try to destroy the faith which [the faithful persecuted] have striven to keep through decades of hunger, torture and humiliation.
They call themselves Christians but have essentially the same conception as Lenin who wrote "Every religious idea, every idea of God, even flirting with the idea of God is unutterable vileness" (Letter to Gorki). The modernists are the mouthpiece of the beast, while Communist rulers are its butchers.
Closure of churches, jailing and torturing of Christians must surely cause a wearing out of the saints, as Daniel prophesied. But, surprisingly, the persecuted underground churches in all communist countries like in communist China are the fastest growing churches. How is this possible?1
According to the law of gravity, all objects are attracted towards the center of the earth. But flowers grow upwards, and planes rise to high altitudes, not [because] the law of gravity is false, but because gravity is not the only law. Biological laws are at work in the case of the flower, laws of aerodynamics in the case of the airplane. There exist forces in nature which overcome the force of gravity.
Psychology tells you that the result of prolonged persecution, united with betrayal from the side of some church leaders who weaken the faith, can only wear out the saints. But this depressive force is not the only one. It is counteracted by the power of the Holy Spirit. It is counteracted by the Communion of the Saints.
No, these persecuted Christians are not wearied or worn out, neither by the tyrants nor by their accomplices of modernist fake-theology. They are strengthened by the knowledge that they are not alone in their fight. And neither are the saints worn out in the free world. Here also the communion of saints is working. Christians, encouraged by the testimony of brethren in communist lands, take a stand.
If the Communists infiltrate the church, we Christians should infiltrate communist countries with smuggled-in Christian literature and Bibles. We have not been wearied by persecutors and torturers. We have not been wearied by traitors and crooks. We have not been wearied by the hopelessly naive. You also2 should not allow the many troubles of your own lives to wear you out.
You are not alone, but in a great communion of suffering and triumphing saints. Fourth beast, you fight in vain with the Bride of Christ! Yes, your oppression and deception wear out. The strength of God and that of the Communion of Saints shows itself more powerful than your tiring influence.
I am tempted to argue with Wurmbrand on this point, and say that extreme persecution does often objectively hinder the church for a season. However, he knew this much better than I and is obviously pointing to the ultimate victory, not the battles fought along the way.
I had to re-read this paragraph a few times to make sure I understood who Wurmbrand was identifying with. When he says “we” (4x), he is not referring to “him and us” (the readers), but “him and them” (the persecuted). “They” should smuggle more Bibles. “They” have not been “wearied” by persecutors, torturers, traitors, crooks, etc.
Richard only turns to speak to “us” (the unpersecuted readers) in the last sentence. Let me paraphrase: Since “we” (the persecuted) have persevered through such persecution, “you also should not allow the many troubles of your life to wear you out” and keep you from serving faithfully.