CSI: Christians Seriously Investigated

If they investigated your life could they find credible evidence of your Christian faith?

Julins Palmer lived in England in the 1500s. He graduated from Oxford in 1550. He was a devout Roman Catholic who would teach at Oxford under the reign of King Edward VI. King Edward was a staunch protestant supporter. This did not make life easy for Palmer on account that he was pretty outspoken about his Catholicism. Because of his Roman Catholic beliefs, Palmer would loose his teaching position at Oxford.

But this changed after the death of King Edward VI. After his death, the new queen, Mary Tudor took the throne. She was an ardent Roman Catholic. She is better known as “Bloody Mary” because of her burning of Protestants on the stake.

Julins Palmer believed that Protestants would never choose to die for their faith, but they did. So he decided to investigate how they died. He learned in his investigation that Protestants were brutally tortured and murdered, yet they kept their faith to the very end.

As he investigated the faith of the martyrs God began to change Palmer’s heart. He started to earnestly study the Scriptures, which eventually led him to Christ and to become a protestant himself.

He was condemned to death for his faith in 1556. When he was brought to the place of execution he prayed Psalm 31. The last verse of Psalm 31 says, “Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord.” When the flames began to engulf his body, Palmer cried out, “Lord Jesus, strengthen me, Lord Jesus, receive my soul.”

Julins Palmer’s life was changed because he investigated the lives of devoted Christians and the evidence led him to Christ.

Christians should leave plenty of evidence in their daily living that can lead others to Christ!