Persecution in the First Centuries: The initial attempt from the enemy was to destroy the Christian church by violence and force and this was brutally done in the early centuries. During this time a profession of faith in Jesus was akin to a death sentence with many Christians feeling the effects of being on the front line of the battle between good and evil.

<p>Persecution in the First Centuries: The initial attempt from the enemy was to destroy the Christian church by violence and force and this was brutally done in the early centuries. During this time a profession of faith in Jesus was akin to a death sentence with many Christians feeling the effects of being on the front line of the battle between good and evil.</p>

Lineage Journey

Adam Ramdin

The Great Controversy

01 The Destruction of Jerusalem

02 Persecution in the First Centuries

03 An Era of Spiritual Darkness

04 The Waldenses

05 John Wycliffe

06 Huss and Jerome

07 Luther’s Separation from Rome

08 Luther Before the Diet

09 The Swiss Reformer

10 Progress of Reform in Germany

11 Protest of the Princes

12 The French Reformation

13 The Netherlands & Scandinavia

14 Later English Reformers

15 The Bible & The French Revolution

16 The Pilgrim Fathers

17 Heralds of The Morning

18 An American Reformer

19 Light Through Darkness

20 A Great Religious Awakening

21 A Warning Rejected

22 Prophecies Fulfilled

23 What is the Sanctuary?

24 In the Holy of Holies

25 God’s Law Immutable

27 Modern Revivals

28 Facing Life’s Record

29 The Origin of Evil

30 Enmity Between Man and Satan

31 Agency of Evil Spirits

32 Snares of Satan

33 The First Great Deception

34 Can Our Dead Speak to Us?

35 Liberty of Conscience Threatened

36 The Impending Conflict


The Great Controversy of Christ and Satan The great controversy between Christ and Satan did not end at the cross, but continues to play out in the lives of men and women down here on earth. After the ascension of Jesus, the early struggle was between the dominant paganism of the Roman Empire and the new religion of Christianity. There was a concerted attempt to stamp out Christianity by force, with Christians made to flee their homes, stripped of their possessions, both young and old, rich and poor, free and enslaved, educated and uneducated. All were persecuted alike. [♪ music ♪ Persecution began under Nero, who became emperor at the young age of just 16.

He was a cruel man who had his own mother Agrippina killed, as well as his wife Claudia, and was known for his sexual debauchery. He did not live long, dying in AD 68 at the age of 30 by suicide, but before he did he persecuted the Christians a lot. After the great fire of Rome of AD 64, some people accused Nero of starting the fire, and so to remove suspicion from himself, he accused the Christians. They were subjected to lots of persecution, crucifixions, being thrown to the wild animals, and being burned alive, which was not motivated by a sense of justice, but of personal cruelty. [♪ music ♪ It was during the time of Nero that many historians believe both Peter and Paul were executed here in Rome.

This began decades, even centuries, of persecution where Christians were killed for the pleasure of those watching. Sporting stadiums like the Colosseum behind me were commonplace throughout the empire, and where gladiatorial games would take place, and often Christians killed for the pleasure of those watching. It's claimed today by many that many Christians were not killed in this fashion, or they were only killed because they were poor or enslaved, but this constitutes a rewriting of history. [♪ music ♪ Denied their full rights as Roman citizens, the catacombs afforded them a place where they could offer a Christian burial for their dead. Today they extend for miles underneath Rome and they were a place where the Christians buried their dead with Christian symbols and also a place where they could retreat when their life was in danger.

The Christian church was persecuted a lot but it became more resilient under more persecution. It was Tertullian who said those famous words the blood of Christians is seed to the gospel. The more they were killed, the more they multiplied and grew. [♪ music ♪ Realizing that the Christian church cannot be stamped out by force, the tactics of the enemy switched. If you can't beat them, then join them.

Rome transitioned from pagan to papal. Temples dedicated to paganism were converted to Christian, such as the Pantheon here behind me. Built in 125 AD by Emperor Hadrian, it was converted to a Catholic Church in 609 AD. Idols dedicated to various gods were given Christian names such as Saint Peter, and paganism walked in the front door and in exchange the persecution of the masses stopped. There was, however, a small and faithful minority who refused to accept this compromised and watered-down aberration of the Christian faith.

🎵 Today the Christian church in many parts of the world does not suffer the persecution of this time, but polarized in 2 Timothy 3 verse 12 that all who live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Perhaps today we've become too accustomed to living out our faith privately in a way that does not cause us any opposition or trouble. In many countries Christianity is mainstream, or at least accepted as part of society, but there's little real godliness on show and the Christian church really doesn't suffer any persecution. May we be faithful in living out our lives, not in a distasteful way that brings on persecution needlessly, but living out our life with endurance and patience. And if and when persecution does come, may we bear it faithfully knowing that Christ has suffered much more for us.

♪♪ ♪♪ You you

Series

The Great Controversy

02 Persecution in the First Centuries

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Parent Series

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Other Teachings in Series

01 The Destruction of Jerusalem

02 Persecution in the First Centuries

03 An Era of Spiritual Darkness

04 The Waldenses

05 John Wycliffe

06 Huss and Jerome

07 Luther’s Separation from Rome

08 Luther Before the Diet

09 The Swiss Reformer

10 Progress of Reform in Germany

11 Protest of the Princes

12 The French Reformation

13 The Netherlands & Scandinavia

14 Later English Reformers

15 The Bible & The French Revolution

16 The Pilgrim Fathers

17 Heralds of The Morning

18 An American Reformer

19 Light Through Darkness

20 A Great Religious Awakening

21 A Warning Rejected

22 Prophecies Fulfilled

23 What is the Sanctuary?

24 In the Holy of Holies

25 God’s Law Immutable

27 Modern Revivals

28 Facing Life’s Record

29 The Origin of Evil

30 Enmity Between Man and Satan

31 Agency of Evil Spirits

32 Snares of Satan

33 The First Great Deception

34 Can Our Dead Speak to Us?

35 Liberty of Conscience Threatened

36 The Impending Conflict

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