Author Joel Rosenberg warns students to sharpen faith to fight evil

Best-selling author Joel C. Rosenberg addressed Liberty University students during Friday’s Convocation, telling them it is imperative for them to remain steadfast in their faith in order to stand up against oppression.

In addition to writing works of fiction and nonfiction, Rosenberg works as a communication adviser and has served as an aid to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He and his wife, Lynn, founded the Joshua Fund to provide food, clothing, and medical supplies to Israel and surrounding Arab countries.

His latest novel, “The Auschwitz Escape,” tells the story of four young men who managed to break out of the most infamous death camp to warn Jewish communities across Europe to avoid boarding the trains at all costs.

Before Rosenberg spoke, students had the opportunity to hear from Ghassan Thomas, an Iraqi pastor and church planter in the Middle East. He described the persecution he faced in his home country that eventually drove him to Turkey and Australia, but never stopped him from planting churches wherever he went.

Rosenberg began his message by comparing the oppression of Hitler’s Nazi regime to the demanding precepts of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel. He noted that while the Babylonian empire is ancient history, Hitler’s oppression of Christians and the Third Reich’s “final solution” (Nazi death camps) proves that evil is just as prevalent in modern history.

“(Hitler) was forcing people to bow down to worship the swastika,” Rosenberg said. “He was banning the Bible; he was banning the cross, banning the Gospel, taking over the church, creating the Third Reich Church, and then he was implementing final solutions.”

He reminded the audience that this crime against humanity took place in recent history, only a few generations before many of them were born.

Because evil can rise to power so quickly, Rosenberg said it is important that Christian young people challenge themselves and sharpen their faith, so they can stand up against injustice.

Following his message, Rosenberg took time to interact with students and sign copies of his books.