A FLAME WAS KINDLED IN MY SOUL (PART 1)

A Search for Truth

Justin Martyr (Martyr was the surname given to him after his death) was born in AD 100 to Greek parents in the Roman colony of Flavia Neapolis in ancient Judea. He was a brilliant scholar and philosopher who studied all of the Greek classics with an insatiable appetite for truth. First he was a disciple of Stoicism, then of the philosopher/mathematician Pythagoras and finally Plato, but nothing he pursued filled the void in his soul. No writings convinced him that he had found the essence of truth. Justin’s journey finally took him to the ancient shores of Ephesus in AD 132. There, on the beaches of the Mediterranean, he had his own “Damascus Road” experience and met the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

From Philosopher to Christian

Justin the Greek philosopher became Justin the Christian philosopher, evangelist, and teacher. To his fellow philosophy students, to the pagans in the Roman elite, to the poor man on the street, Justin proclaimed that Jesus Christ was the entire divine Logos, the Word of God, and all of the truth that man needed. His message was clear. In the Greek philosophies only little traces of truth could be found, but in Jesus Christ he had found the embodiment of all truth. Christ came into the world, Justin announced, to reveal Himself as the truth and to save men and women from the power of demons and darkness.

Justin Martyr continued to function in his spiritual gift as a philosopher/teacher, but his philosophy had undergone a complete transformation! In spite of the accusations against Christians throughout the empire, the brilliant teacher was bold in the profession of his faith. In fact, Justin is the first great Christian apologist—a word taken from the Greek apologia which means “defender.” The Holy Spirit used Justin’s intellectual gifts to fearlessly defend the faith from heresies and to declare Christian truth to pagans and Christians alike.

There are no coincidences or forgotten gifts in God’s plan. By AD 136, after several years of ministry in Ephesus, Justin set sail for Rome. He had a call on his life to confront the Roman Emperor with a defense of true Christianity…

TO BE CONTINUED…

Date: 30th December 2023
Martyr: Justin Martyr
Location: Not specified
Source: God’s Generals: The Martyrs
Author: Roberts Liardon

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