This Survival Kit is written from the point of view of pilgrims in a foreign land or of a military unit operating in enemy territory. That is just what God tells us we Christians are in this world. In John 15:18-25 the Lord warned his disciples that the world that hated Him would hate and persecute them also. And most of Christ's apostles did die at the hands of unbelievers, but they gave up their lives willingly for the sake of the Lord Jesus whom they served. They suffered persecution and death because they faithfully bore witness to the truth as it is in Christ Jesus.

We can be thankful that here in America such persecution of Christian unto violence and death has been extremely rare. But if we are faithful in sharing the gospel with sinners and in standing for truth and righteousness, conflict and trial of other kinds may well come upon us. However, Christians in this easy age tend to fear bringing upon themselves even the silent disapproval of unbelievers who do not like to hear the truth, or who are unhappy when popular ideas are shown to be contrary to the Christian faith. So especially in a crowd it takes courage for a Christian to buck the majority anti-Christian opinions.

In a classroom in which textbook and/or teacher present anti-Christian error as if it were truth and fact, it is a sin for Christian students to remain silent. However, as we have tried to show in this Survival Kit, a classroom situation ought to provide the ideal atmosphere in which a Christian can effectively bear witness to the truth and against error. The tactic we have suggested is that of respectfully asking intelligent, informed questions which help to expose error and place truth in open competition with error in the classroom discussion. And who knows how the Holy Spirit may use such questions and the ensuing discussion and reactions to bring light into the minds teacher and students alike? This privilege and opportunity which Christian students have in secular schools and universities should not be avoided or allowed to slip away unused. Such opportunities are like the talents which the master in the Lord's parable gave to his servants. The Lord wants us to use them for the advancement of His kingdom.

We do not want leave the impression that all classroom situations in secular schools and universities are ruled by animosity toward Christianity. There is a tiny minority of Christian teachers even in some very anti-Christian colleges and universities. Also, you will find some excellent teachers who are not Christians, but who understand and practice the true spirit of science, scholarship and education. Such teachers will respect a Christian student who is an effective, intelligent and gracious witness for Christian truth in the market place of ideas which a classroom, especially at the college and university level, is supposed to be. So a Christian in this world should in general enter into any new situation in life with a positive attitude. We should not be naive, but normally it is good to assume that others with whom we must interact are people of good will--unless there is evidence which tells us otherwise. The Lord Jesus tells us to be "harmless as doves and wise as serpents." God promises wisdom to His children if they ask for it.(James 1:5)

Here is a true story from campus life. Back in the 1970s a professor of biology at San Francisco State University found Christ as his Lord and Saviour through the witness of a Christian student in his class. Dr. Dean H. Kenyon believed in evolution, and he had co-authored a book on the spontaneous origin of life, entitled Biochemical Predestination. One of his students was Darwin Raju, whose father, Solomon Raju, had as a university student of biology in India been so enthused with evolution that he named his son after Charles Darwin. Solomon and his entire family subsequently became Christians, and now his son was sitting in a university biology class taught by a leading evolutionist professor. Young Darwin spoke privately about the gospel with his teacher, Dr. Kenyon, who began to investigate the Christian faith. After a year or so he, too, surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. He is still on the faculty at the university and has become one of the leading Christian academics active in the promotion of biblical creation. Professor Kenyon has had to bear some persecution at the hands of his unbelieving colleagues in the university faculty, but God has honored him for his faithful stand for Christ.

Christian student, grasp the opportunities which God gives you to serve Him. Faithfully bear witness to the truth as it is in Christ, and let God take care of the consequences. He will take care of you. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23)

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16)