Jumpstarter 6 of 10

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Question 6

They describe the early church as simply believing Jesus “for what He said,” even accepting martyrdom with the confidence that “in reality, they would never die”; how does that early Christian assumption about death, resurrection, and witness expose the practical ways modern Christians may be trying to “save our skin” while still calling it faith?

Another way to ask: If early Christians faced death without fear because they trusted resurrection, how does that expose ways we try to protect ourselves today? Where might we be “saving our skin” but still calling it faith?

Direct Answer Dean’s account implies the early church could obey Jesus’ hard teachings because they trusted Jesus’ promise about life beyond death, while modern Christians often look for ethical loopholes because we fear loss and safety threats. In his wording, many defenses of violence are driven by “a natural desire to save our skin,” not Scripture.

Support from Transcript:

Dean says early Christians “simply believed the teachings of Jesus for what He said,” and “thousands were martyred.”
He notes they were “equipped with the knowledge that Jesus told them that in reality, they would never die.”
He connects their witness to growth: “the blood of the martyrs became the seed of the church,” and “Jesus’ words actually worked.”
Dean critiques modern rationales for Christians killing as “human traditions…unbiblical philosophies…a natural desire to save our skin.”
His own military context shows the pressure point: when deadly force became real, it stopped being a “theological abstract” and required trustful obedience.

Discussion Follow-ups Where do you see self-protection shaping your ethics—conflict, finances, reputation, physical safety? If you truly believed “you would never die” in Christ, what choice would become easier to make?

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Jumpstarter 6 of 10