The Lesson of the Ducks

A young Christian man was invited by an unbelieving friend to go hunting.
After crossing marshy areas and killing a good number of ducks, the young man decided to speak to his companion about his faith:
I am frequently tempted, and the devil always tries to lead me into sin, so I need to be constantly vigilant.
"But," said the unbeliever, "how is it that the devil tempts you, a Christian, and lets me, an unbeliever, enjoy the pleasures of life?"
The young Christian found the question difficult, reflected for a moment, and then replied:
"My friend, in this hunt I learned by watching how you weren't concerned with immediately gathering the dead ducks, but chased after the living ones that tried to escape: in the same way, the devil pursues those who still have spiritual life and try to escape his clutches, but leaves in peace those who, like you, are already dead ducks.".

Although this short story is relatively well-known within Christian circles, it doesn't usually receive the attention it deserves.
This is unfortunate because, far from being an explanation for a problem, it points to something very comforting and even encouraging for those who truly trust in Christ, and in his first letter, the apostle Peter states something that contradicts what is taught in this story:

Therefore, humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.,
Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you!
Be sensible and vigilant.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
Resist him, standing firm in the faith, knowing that your brothers and sisters throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.

(1 Peter 5:6-9 – KJA)

Peter wrote this letter to several brothers in faith who were suffering all kinds of persecution in the Diaspora—or Dispersion, that is, who were exiled from their homelands due to the relentless persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire—and he emphasized that such persecution and suffering came at the behest of the devil who, like a ferocious lion, sought whom he might devour.
This, in fact, does not refer to the physical death that many were suffering, but rather to Satan's attempt to turn believers away from Christ, hence the advice to remain steadfast in the faith, knowing that similar suffering was being inflicted on other brothers and sisters around the world.

This was not the case for the so-called "apostates," that is, those who had a "faith" in quotation marks, only in name.
In the Roman Empire, worship of the gods and the Emperor was mandatory: no threats were made against those who said they did not believe in the Roman deities or that the emperor himself was divine, as long as worship was offered.
In other words: the worship service didn't need to be sincere, but by law, it had to take place... or severe penalties would be imposed!

Thus, in order to preserve their lives, many who declared themselves Christians chose to rationalize their behavior—using the excuse that "what matters is what is in the heart"—and submitted to Roman law, performing the required pagan and imperial rites, but publicly denying their Savior.
Others, although they did not actually perform the ritual, resorted to a trick: they bribed the officials and thus bought the document that was given to those who had obeyed the law, thereby avoiding penalties, but—by avoiding persecution by hiding behind a lie—completely compromising their testimony.

Tertullian of Carthage — one of the so-called “fathers of the church,” who lived between the 2nd and 3rd centuries and witnessed such persecution — condemned both attitudes: worshipping pagan gods or a mere man is something that, in Christianity, is totally unacceptable and, in his own words, the act of carrying a document obtained through bribery to lend sincerity to a lie… was also not an acceptable attitude.
“When you pretend to honor something that you don't actually honor (just to get away with it or to be accepted), you take advantage of people who think you were being sincere.”

This persecution against Christians never truly ceased, at least not all at the same time throughout the world.
When, in the 4th century, the Roman Empire was "Christianized," initially—with the end of persecution during the reign of Constantine and, later, with Christianity declared the official religion of the state in the time of Theodosius—the problem ceased to be physical persecution and became paganization: the influx of many people who merely followed a fad and knew nothing about the true Gospel ended up infiltrating many anti-Christian doctrines into what should have been Christendom.
The persecution became veiled, using philosophical or ideological means that accused those who rejected pagan doctrines of "intolerance" and "fanaticism.".
It's no mere coincidence that this resembles the world today: physical persecution is STILL not happening in the West, but the ever-increasing spread of anti-Christian sentiment, with the same labels being applied to Christians today... it's to be expected that it won't be long before it starts.

Therefore, it is important to emphasize that — both in the story of the ducks and in the passage from 1 Peter — the fact that a Christian is persecuted (whether physically or ideologically) is not, contrary to what it may seem, a problem, but rather a consolation!
The enemies of God only persecute those who have spiritual life, those who truly demonstrate that they are Christians and witness to their faith, preaching and living the Gospel of Christ: those who are spiritually dead are already part of their domain and, therefore, far from being persecuted, are praised and honored.
That is precisely why — while true Christians are discriminated against, insulted, and treated as outcasts — we see many apostates and false believers today gaining more and more space and praise in the media.
Charles Haddon Spurgeon This describes the condition very well when it states:
“Christians are not in danger when they are hated by the world, but rather when they are admired.”

Jesus himself, on the eve of his crucifixion, warned his disciples about what awaited them in a world hostile to his Person, Word, and Work:

If you were of the world, it would love you as if you belonged to it.
However, you are not the property of the world; but I chose you and freed you from the world;
For this reason, the world hates you.
Remember the words I spoke to you: 'No servant is greater than his master.'.
If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.
If they obeyed my word, they will also obey your guidance.
However, the world will treat you badly because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.

(John 15:19-21 – KJA)

Thus, just as Jesus was persecuted to death and persevered—inheriting the name that is above every name (according to Philippians 2:9The persecution of all true Christians should be a source of comfort rather than a cause for concern, for it reveals that they, like Jesus, do not belong to the world.
Although such persecution may be a source of suffering and sadness, we must never forget that all of this is temporary: even if there are afflictions, Jesus has already overcome the world (see John 16:33And one day His ultimate victory will be fully shared with all who trust in Him.

In the Bonds of Calvary

Eduardo Pydd Teixeira

Fewer and fewer people have been able to acknowledge their sins because we live in a time when many ecclesiastical organizations welcome and encourage them as if they were ad hocs, but this is just another example. indication That the end times are rapidly unfolding, and before the Lord returns like a thief in the night, the prophesied reign of the Antichrist must be consolidated not only in Brazil, but throughout the world!
In the 2023 phase of "The Worst Gospel," I decided to use new formats in the hope of helping to increase the reach of content related to the Scriptures—stories, videos, shorter texts, guest authors…—and this publication, which I took the liberty of revising and illustrating, is part of that project.
Thank you for reading this far.
I still need all the help I can get: comments, shares, and reactions help spread this content, which was entirely produced with the intention of contributing to the edification of the Body of Christ in the world.