Nathan W. Bingham

Christ's word is worth contending for.

It's the means by which he gives life.

Christ is worth contending for.

This is worth being spent for.

Christ.

So we contend completely.

completely.

One of my favorite episodes from all of church history is when that great Bishop Polycorp is grabbed by the Romans, and he's being led off to Rome to be put to death in the Colosseum.

He's led into that Colosseum and the pro-council is there and is threatening Polycarp with death.

And the entire Colosseum is filled with people chanting for his death.

And the pro-council says to him, you know, just say away with the atheists because Christians were called atheists then because they didn't believe in the myriad of gods.

Polycarp in this wonderful moment points at the crowd and says away with the atheists.

And the procouncil says to him, he says, just curse Christ.

Just curse Christ.

It's all you have to do.

And I won't feed you to the lions.

That's all you have to do.

Curse Christ.

Polycarp's 86 years old, old man.

And he says this.