Burned for Christ

What would you do if you were living in 16th century with Mary Tudor ("Bloody Mary") reigning if she required you to recant your faith in order to return to Romanism?

Many protestants at this time were burned because they refused to acknowledge the King (i.e. Bloody Mary) as the sovereign ruler of the church of England.

Would YOU stand up, be bold, be unashamed, unequivocally affirm that Jesus Christ is the only Sovereign because of what the Scriptures teach...even if that meant your life was at stake? Literally?

When we learned today in my Historical Theology class about these Protestants who were burned for their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and refused to recant, it was sobering to me. I desperately want to be one who holds to the truth of God's Word just as these faithful men and women did in the 16th century.

Would we really be willing to die - and at that, to suffer horribly while dying - for the name of Jesus Christ? May God give us the strength to be so bold that if this is the only outcome possible, that we may be bold even to the flames for the sake of Christ.