By: John Van Der Brink
In the early church, the first 300 years, Christians suffered indescribable persecution. That was primarily because the doctrines and way of life conflicted with two major power sources – the Jews and the Romans.
Palestine in Jesus’ time was ruled by the Romans. The Romans controlled everything in society. They had a religion that included the worship of the gods, and they also deified their leaders. Failure to acknowledge and worship these gods was said to bring the wrath of gods upon the land. Therefore, Christians who refused to bow before the Roman gods were said to be the cause of all the evils that came upon the land - such as famines and earthquakes.
Christians did not fare much better at the hand of the Jews. Orthodox Jews we know were still waiting for a strong redeemer like David who would drive away Roman control. So, when the followers of Jesus claimed that the promised Messiah was one who had come to suffer and die for sinners and that they were sinners in need of his substitutionary death, this was greatly offensive to them. They thought that Christians were traitors to the Jews’ expectations, and so they too contributed to the persecution of Christians.
And then a major event occurred in history that changed the status of Christianity in public opinion. The emperor Constantine was facing a decisive battle against a formidable enemy. The night before he met his enemy in open conflict, he said that he saw a sign of the cross in the sky with words meaning, ‘In this sign, conquer”. The next day, he gained a decided victory, and he made Christianity the religion of the empire. This brought thousands of pagan people into the Christian church, which in turn resulted in a very watered-down form of Christianity.
Now each of these experiences that Christians had with their society has huge lessons for Christians in the 21st century. There are three lessons that seem obvious.
- Persecution. Most Christians today do not suffer persecution, at least not physically. Some Christians live in countries that do persecute Christians. They do not have the Christian freedoms most of the world enjoys. We should pray for fellow Christians in these places. In the past, it was through persecution that Christianity actually grew. Those who suffered a martyr’s death were an inspiration to those around them. What would we do if we were called to suffer and die for our faith?
- Error and Ignorance. The Jews in Jesus’ day were very religious people. They practiced their faith zealously. But it was a religion that was not according to the Bible. They completely misunderstood who the Messiah was. So they lived and died without a real Savior. And today too, if we have a religion that is not according to God’s Word, it is empty and vain. Regardless of how zealous and sincere we are, it is only the blood and righteousness of Christ Jesus which can cleanse us from all sin.
- Religious Freedom. Christians in Constantine’s day enjoyed unprecedented freedoms. But sadly, that freedom brought about much nominal Christianity. Those who were Christians in name did not hold onto doctrinal accuracy, and soon the church became polluted with error. We too have unprecedented Christian freedoms. What is the character of the church like today? Filled with nominal Christians and error. There is cause for us to consider and reflect.
Solomon said there is nothing new under the sun. Another one said that he who ignores history is bound to repeat it. Christianity today, like in all ages, seems to bear the brunt of opposition from all sides. The reason is that Satan does everything in his power to oppose it, and if possible, to destroy it. But Satan is a defeated enemy. He will not prevail. Scripture says that the gates of hell shall not prevail against His church. That is true in 2023 also. So true Christians can expect opposition. But they can also expect victory, not because of their strength but because He has promised to be faithful to His own. May the Lord bind us together in our unsettled day and grant that we might find refuge in Him.
John Van Der Brink, director of the Netherlands Reformed Christian School in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, and a member of the Board of Directors of Christian Council International (CCI)