Living and Dying for Christ
"For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21 Girolamo Savonarola considered his fate on the morning of May 23, 1498. He had been a Catholic friar, but was disturbed by the heresies that he saw promoted around around him. He had preached fervently against the Pope and preached repentance to the city of Florence. Revival had begun to take hold on Florence, and the masses were beginning to turn away from the Pope and the false teachings of Catholicism. After attempts to bribe him failed, the Pope had him arrested, tried and convicted of "reforming the government and cleansing the temple." As Savonarola and two other men were led to the executioner in Florence, Italy, a peace came over his heart. Girolamo had no regrets. The bishop who was overseeing his execution declared, "I separate you from the church militant, and the church triumphant." Savonarola replied, "Not from the church triumphant! That is beyond thy power." His ...