Reading church history reminds us of the faithfulness of God to his church and gives us so many interesting stories of regular men and women whom God used powerfully. Today is Reformation Day, which reminds me of a story of an ordinary man who gave his life so you and I could read the Bible in English.
While the reformation was spreading across Europe, England was left in the dark. God raised up one man, William Tyndale, who would give everything to bring the true gospel to England.
Tyndale would have to flee his country so he could translate the Scriptures into English since doing so was considered a crime punishable by death at the stake. He would spend the next twelve years of his life in exile fleeing from the English crown.
He finished translating the New Testament and smuggled copies, hidden in bales of cotton, back into England. Eventually, he was caught and arrested and taken back to England where he was condemned as a heretic. As he was tied to a stake, he cried out in prayer, “Lord, open the king of England’s eyes.” The signal was given, and Tyndale was strangled then burned.
In the same year he was martyred, a complete English Bible (mostly Tyndale’s work) began circulating. Within a year of his death, King Henry issued a decree that this English Bible be placed in every church.
One person was willing to lay down his life for something you and I often take for granted, having the Bible in our own language. May we read and live out the teachings of Scripture with the same passion and boldness as Willam Tyndale.
In Christ,
James Williams serves as associate pastor at FBC Atlanta, TX. James and his wife, Jenny, are blessed with four children and are actively involved in foster care. He is passionate about beholding the beauty of our Lord and helping others do the same. He enjoys writing, running, and gardening. You can follow James Twitter or his blog where he writes regularly.
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