The World Into Which Christianity Was Born

HOW WAS IT POSSIBLE TO GROW?

The Roman Empire• Filled with:• Paganism• Emperor Worship• Greek Philosophies:

• Stoicism• Platonism• Epicureanism

Egyptian and Persian Mystery Cults

ZoroastrianismMithraism

Judaism

How Can A New Religion of Faith in Jesus Triumph Over All of These?

Christ Faith Flourished in Spite of Opposition• Paganism could not compete – Acts 14, 19• Greek Philosophers could not squash the rational basis –Acts 17• Judaism converted or were crushed by the strength of the Christian argument that the Messiah had come in Jesus – Acts 2-7

Factors:• Prophetic Expectations Were Building – Dan.2, 9• Three years of miracles witnessed by many Jews• Eyewitness Excitement• Theological Excitement• An Exciting Hope Based Upon the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus as undeniable fact

Persecution Could Not Stop It

•The prevailing attitude of Christians was:

“Let the world be ashamed for not knowing Him,But Let Me never be ashamed of He who was not ashamed to die for Me!”