Archie the Preacher
Member
Webdog
The two passages are not contradictory. They address slightly different matters and circumstances.
Remaining 'faithful unto death' (martyrdom) is not to be conflated with 'seeking death'.
If you recall, Paul the Apostle went to great lengths to not be executed (or the functional equivalent of lynched by a mob). He asked for treatment as a Roman citizen - which guaranteed a fair trial (at the very least much fairer than the lynch mob) and even appealed to Caesar. He did NOT run headlong into a violent death at the first opportunity.
On the other hand, when he and many like him could have avoided death by denying Jesus, Paul and many like him died as a Christian.
Does that address your question?
The two passages are not contradictory. They address slightly different matters and circumstances.
Remaining 'faithful unto death' (martyrdom) is not to be conflated with 'seeking death'.
If you recall, Paul the Apostle went to great lengths to not be executed (or the functional equivalent of lynched by a mob). He asked for treatment as a Roman citizen - which guaranteed a fair trial (at the very least much fairer than the lynch mob) and even appealed to Caesar. He did NOT run headlong into a violent death at the first opportunity.
On the other hand, when he and many like him could have avoided death by denying Jesus, Paul and many like him died as a Christian.
Does that address your question?