Opposition to the Christian movement is nothing new. During the first century, many believers experienced hostility and mistreatment from both the Roman authorities and from their Jewish opponents. While the circumstances facing early believers often changed over the years, believers often found themselves in situations in which they had to rely upon the Lord’s protection and to trust in His providential care. Christians understood that even though they were only a relatively small movement and had little means of standing up to those who sought their harm, that they could take comfort in the fact that God was aware of their situation and that they could depend upon His promises. Nothing could thwart the progress of the gospel, not even those who had the power to persecute believers!
Following the rise of Constantine in the fourth century, Christians were no longer a persecuted minority, but a powerful majority. It has often been said that while it was a great risk to be a believer in the early fourth century, it was also a great risk to be an unbeliever by the end of the fourth century! The circumstances that took place during the age of Constantine and in the following decades radically changed the situation facing Christians. One of the most important changes that took place at this time, of course, was the close association that developed between the church and the state and the society that resulted from it, a society that has been referred to as Christendom. No longer facing persecution from those within society, Christians began to focus upon external threats such as the various Gothic and Muslim invaders. As Christendom faced these threats, the conflicts facing Christians increasingly came to be understood as physical rather than spiritual in nature. Rather than praying that God would deliver them from evil and sustain them during times of spiritual duress, believers began to look to wealth, armies, and political alliances as the means of defeating their perceived enemies.
Upon reflection, please answer the following questions.
- As you read Ephesians 6:10-20, do you get the impression that the church largely overlooked the reality of spiritual warfare during the years of the Crusades?
- In your view, how might this passage inform our understanding of the mission of believers in a fallen world?
Comments are closed