An Impossible Choice: Standing Firm (part 3 of 3)

The Dilemma of Early Christians

Christian exclusivity to the Triune God was seen as a direct challenge to the established order. By refusing to participate in the state religion’s ceremonies—whether offering sacrifices to the emperor or participating in civic feasts—Christians were perceived as subversive, anti-social, and potentially traitors. They were seen as insulting the gods, and the Romans believed that this would bring divine retribution upon them, resulting in public disasters such as famine, plague, or earthquakes.

As Tertullian (c. 155–c. 220 AD) put it, the Christians were blamed for every calamity that befell the empire:

“They think the Christians are the cause of every public disaster, of every affliction with which the people are visited. If the Tiber rises as high as the city walls, if the Nile does not send its waters up over the fields, if the heavens give no rain, if there is an earthquake, if there is famine or pestilence, straightway the cry is, ‘Away with the Christians to the lions!’”

The Martyrdom of Justin Martyr 

Justin Martyr (c. 100–c. 165 AD), one of the most well-known Christian apologists of the early church, was among those who refused to deny Christ under pressure. Despite writing multiple defenses of Christianity and attempting to convince the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius to cease persecuting Christians, Justin, as you can guess by his name, failed. (A bearded Justin Martyr presenting an open book to a Roman emperor. Engraving by Jacques Callot.)

After refusing to offer sacrifices to the Roman gods, Justin and some of his students were scourged and beheaded. He was a philosopher who knew the risks but believed that the Christian faith was worth the cost of his life. He is venerated as a saint by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican traditions. (Mosaic of the beheading of Justin Martyr)

A Thin Moral Line

Like many early Christians, the believers in my novels must navigate the thin line between survival and martyrdom. The Roman authorities often gave Christians a choice: deny Christ, offer sacrifices to the Roman gods, and live—or remain steadfast in their beliefs and die. Could a Christian compromise and save their life with a little white lie? (15th-century icon of Justin Martyr by Theophanes the Cretan)

A “white lie” is often described as a harmless or trivial falsehood, usually told to avoid hurting someone’s feelings. But is it always harmless? For a Christian, could lying to save one’s life really be justified if it meant denying their faith? 

“Therefore, whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matt 10:32-33 NKJV)

This teaching made the act of sacrificing to the emperor—or denying Christ in any way—a spiritual betrayal, even if the lie were small.

A Modern Dilemma

The persecution of Christians continues in many parts of our world, as documented by groups like Voice of the Martyrs. Christians today still face the decision: lie to save their lives or remain true to their faith? Would a little white lie be acceptable, or is there always a moral cost to compromising one’s beliefs?

The early Christians faced a monumental test of faith. Their legacy calls on us to consider how far we would go to stand by our beliefs in the face of severe persecution.

This blog also seen on HHHistory.com – https://www.hhhistory.com/2025/08/an-impossible-choice-standing-firm-part.html 

Bibliography:

-Cairns, Earle E. (1996). “Chapter 7:Christ or Caesar”. Christianity Through the Centuries: A History of the Christian Church (Third ed.). Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan. ISBN 978-0-310-20812-9.
-Clark, Mark Edward (1983). “Spes in the Early Imperial Cult: “The Hope of Augustus””. Numen. 30 (1): 80–105. doi:10.1163/156852783X00168. JSTOR 3270103
– Whitby, Michael; Streeter, Joseph, eds. (2006). Christian Persecution, Martyrdom, and Orthodoxy GEM de Ste.Croix. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-927812-1.
–Jump up to:a b Catherwood, Christopher (2011). “Chapter Three, From Christ to Christendom: The Early Church”. A Brief History of the Middle East (Second ed.). London: Constable and Robin Ltd. ISBN 978-1-84901-508-0.
-A Short History of the Early Church, By Harry R. Boer page 45
–Bart D. Ehrman, A Brief Introduction to the New Testament (Oxford University Press 2004 ISBN 978-0-19-536934-2), pp. 313–314
-Bryant, Joseph M. (1993). “The Sect-Church Dynamic and Christian Expansion in the Roman Empire: Persecution, Penitential Discipline, and Schism in Sociological Perspective”. The British Journal of Sociology. 44 (2): 303–339. doi:10.2307/591221. JSTOR 591221.