All of Grace in Modern English: With Scripture Texts from the English Standard Version (ESV)

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Work this into your soul, “Christ died for me,” and soon you will be ready even to die for him. Believe it! Believe that he suffered in your place as your substitute, and endured God’s wrath for you. If you believe that fact, you will be forced to feel, “I cannot be ashamed of him who died for me.” The person who is fully persuaded of this can meet persecution with fearless courage. Look at the saints in the age of the martyrs. In the early days of Christianity, when this thought of Christ’s great love was sparkling in all its freshness in the church, people were not only ready to die, but they became eager to suffer. They came voluntarily by the hundreds to the judgment seats of the rulers and confessed Christ. I do not say that they were wise to welcome a cruel death, but it does prove my point. A true understanding of the love of Jesus lifts the mind above all fear of what the world can do to us. Why should it not produce the same effect in you? Oh, that it would inspire you right now to join the Lord’s side and be his brave follower to the end!