Resources/Articles
The Power in God's Word
When I contemplate how Christianity survived and prevailed over the cruel, ruthless Roman Empire, I am overwhelmingly forced to conclude that God was involved. Jesus had no standing army ready to fight with carnal weapons. His fisherman were no match for hardened Roman soldiers. The gospel was not to be spread by coercion, but by conversion.
Paul said, “We do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ…” (2 Corinthians 10.3-5). Jesus rebuked Peter for using violence (Matthew 26.51-53).
How likely was this small minority movement, which didn’t use coercion (but only the gospel), likely to survive and prevail over the mighty Roman Empire of which violence, torture, and murder were an integral part? Some of the persecutions of Christians were empire-wide in an effort to stamp it out. Many Christians died in the Roman Colosseum from ferocious beasts and gladiators.
So, how did Christianity come from being the extreme underdog, with all of its disadvantages, to become the official state religion of the Roman Empire in 323AD? Don’t treat that as a passing thought. Don’t dodge this. Try explaining it!
The mighty Roman Empire received its deathblow in 476AD. Christianity has outlasted it for over 15 centuries! It’s still alive and growing!
I wonder if the fact that we’re told that Jesus’ kingdom would last forever has anything to do with it (Hebrews 12.28; Daniel 7.14,18,27)? It has outlasted all the empires put tighter! The Caesars were so powerful that one had to burn incense to them under penalty of death. They were “larger than life” in their glory days. Why aren’t we dating our coins, calendars, and legal documents from them instead of from the carpenter? Where are they now? I greatly and gladly delight in pointing out that the Caesars have a salad named after them and the average person doesn’t remember any of their names!
There is only one explanation for all of this: The gospel is the power of God and Jesus is the Son of God. The word of God is called the “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6.17; Romans 1.16). It is the most powerful thing there is. It changes lives. Praise God!
