So Much For Kindness

Written by Todd Friel Monday, 31 August 2009
transformed_BeaumontCA_thumb.jpgWilliam Tyndale was firmly tied to the stake. The kindling was piled high. The match was about to be struck.

Suddenly, as an act of kindness, the executioner approached Tyndale from the rear and graciously strangled him to death with a chain.  Or so I thought.

William Tyndale was an English Roman Catholic priest whose passion was to see the Bible translated into the language of the people. The Catholic Church and King Henry VIII disagreed. They believed that only the priests should have access to Scripture. When a Catholic priest warned Tyndale to stop his endeavor to translate the Bible, Tyndale fired, "I will make it possible for a boy behind the plow to know more Scripture than you do."

Threatened with death, he fled England and lived incognito in Europe until a friend betrayed him and Tyndale found himself in a dank prison in Vilvorde prison in Brussels, Belgium.

I stood in the place where Tyndale was lit on fire for his "heretical" views. I was told it was an act of kindness that he was strangled before the flames melted him. I was told wrong.

It was not uncommon that when a great reformer was to be set ablaze, they would preach, pray and sing so fervently, that many souls were saved before the flames silenced their message. That is why Tyndale was strangled to death. Not to keep him from pain, but to keep people from hearing the Gospel.

Tyndale's last words were, "Lord, open the King of England's eyes."

God granted that prayer.  Henry VIII had a change of heart and ordered that the Bible be translated into the language of the people.  Whose translation did they use? You guessed it: Tyndale's.

William Tyndale became a human torch so you and I could have the words of life. Are you and I willing to die like Tyndale so others can hear it?

To learn more about Tyndale and the other great reformers, check out "On the Shoulders of Giants" at http://www.wretchedradio.com

(Todd is a featured guest speaker at this years' DEEPER CONFERENCE, September 11-12. To register, go to: www.deeperconference.com What are you wading for?)



Last modified on Tuesday, 06 October 2009
Read 7044 times
Published in General
Social sharing
More in this category: « Authors Give Away Thousands of Books Getting Your Goose Cooked »

8 comments

  • Comment Link Chipper Tuesday, 27 July 2010 12:58 posted by Chipper

    Mr Hartzog,
    I have been a \"Christian\" for 37 years. I have been a preacher,street preacher,Sunday School teacher,etc etc etc. But something was wrong. A few years ago I made a list of all my known sins and went into a private place and poured out my heart to God, confessing them all. Fine. But I still sinned occasionally and on purpose.
    Then found the book \"Way of the Master\" lying in a hospital hallway. I read it,with tears. I found out how much God REALLY cares and feels about sin, that the TEN COMMANDMENTS are relevent, even though in Bible School and everywhere I was taught GRACE but not the truth about LAW. I examined the writings of C H Spurgeon, John Wesley,Augustine of Hippo,Martin Luther and others, finding out that the HISTORICAL DEFINITION OF SALVATION IS: Salvation FROM sin, not Salvation IN your sins. i.e. Repentence towards God does not mean AGREEING with God about sin,CONFESSING to God about sin, Asking FORGIVENESS from God about sins alone...It means DESERTING,FLEEING, Forsaking sin. (Getting out of the sinning buisness.) What a WONDERFUL change has been made in MY life since turning from sin to God.
    Some would say I just got saved, some that I was filled with the Holy Spirit, and some that I was growing in grace and knowledge. But whatever it is, LORD, PLEASE CONTINUE!
    Forgive my long windedness,please!

    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • Comment Link Jonathan Wednesday, 24 March 2010 15:46 posted by Jonathan

    Hey all,

    I think the message of this article is a call for us to give up our lives for the proclamtion of God\'s word. May our lives be a candle burning up for Christ. His light shines the more our wax melts down to extinction.

    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • Comment Link George Diaz Wednesday, 03 March 2010 13:49 posted by George Diaz

    Is it political to ask \"self proclaiming\" christians who they voted for? I have found that many who voted for Obamma are ignorant of the fact that he supports the aborting of the unborn up to 9 months... After they cringe I ask them if they believe in guilt by association!
    I contend that every pastor must present the \"whole gosple\" and that will expose politicians when compaired to scripture. I pray for those who voted uninformed and now regret it.

    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • Comment Link Barley Thursday, 17 December 2009 15:00 posted by Barley

    Paul made it clear that he was a Roman, and therefore had rights as a Roman. Jesus Christ did not refuse to answer the question of the tribute money, rather he answered, Render unto Caesar what is Caesar\'s and to God what is God\'s. David was a king. There were believers in Caesar\'s household. Our source of wisdom and truth is God\'s Word, not politics. If a certain category a political party agrees with the scripture why would I not agree with that political party in that category? The ultimate source of truth, light, love, and deliverance is God\'s Word. My allegiance is to God and His Word.

    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • Comment Link leslie todd Monday, 23 November 2009 16:31 posted by leslie todd

    just as WILLIAM TYNDALE had a problem with KING HENRY THE VIII,I PERSONALLY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE NOW DAY CHRCHES GETTING INVOLVED WITH OUR POLITICAL PARTIES IN WASHINGTON ,, ITS ONLY MY OPINION , BUT WHEN A PASTOR OR PRIEST USES THE ALTER FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES HE IS NO LONGER A PASTOR , HE IS NOW A POLITICIAN ,, I COULD BE WRONG , BUT, I DONT THINK JESUS IS FOND OF ANY POLITICAL PARTY AND THATS JUST MY OPINION,

    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • Comment Link Raul Friday, 13 November 2009 21:52 posted by Raul

    Yes, that is right. Only through that precious blood shed on Calvary. Holy, innocent blameless blood of Jesus Christ. In Him alone do we have access to the Father. He is our righteousness and our salvation. Only through Him we have forgiveness of sins. Hallelujah!

    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • Comment Link Lisa Saturday, 12 September 2009 16:44 posted by Lisa

    Salvation is a free gift from God. My salvation is \"got\" through repentance & faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ to make me presentable & blameless to God the Father who in return gives me to Christ. By grace I am saved through faith.

    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
  • Comment Link dudley hartzog Friday, 04 September 2009 09:53 posted by dudley hartzog

    what is your definition of salvation and what do you have to do to get it

    This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
back to top