Are we really willing to go that far?

Tabletalk's Craig Williams examines Rom. 12:18-21 and the potentially fatal consequences for Christians. Drawing from Josephus, he notes that the Jews persuaded Pontius Pilate to remove idolatrous images from Jerusalem through their resolution to die. As the Jews bent their necks for the swords, Pilate was "deeply affected with their firm resolution to keep their laws inviolable," and the Roman governor relented. Craig shows how that approach is relevant to us now:

Christians can pay attention. The world would be "deeply affected by our firm resolution" to respond to threat and even death by the means of God's Kingdom. One theme in Luke as Jesus makes his way to the cross is that the warning to the people to repent is more than to repent of personal sin. They are also being warned to repent of the means of earthly kingdoms to solve their problems. To be a follower of Jesus is to be obedient to both his words and his means. If you are in the Kingdom of Heaven, then start acting like it because the ways of worldly kingdoms will not have a place in the Kingdom of God.

Are we paying attention?