The Price of Faith and How It Fueled the Gospel’s Spread

The early church, immediately following the resurrection of Jesus, faced a persecution far beyond what we might imagine today. It wasn’t merely a threat—it was a concerted effort to erase the Christian movement before it had a chance to take root. Both the Jewish leadership and the Roman authorities sought to stamp out this new faith. Yet in the face of intense opposition, the Gospel did not diminish—it spread rapidly across the world. Let’s take a closer look at how this persecution unfolded and how it inadvertently fueled the growth of the church.

The first significant persecution began shortly after Jesus' ascension. The apostles boldly proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus and soon found themselves at odds with the religious authorities. After healing a man at the temple, Peter and John were arrested and warned to stop preaching in Jesus’ name. But they refused to obey, declaring, “We cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

The persecution didn’t stop there—it only grew stronger. The apostles continued their mission, preaching the Gospel with boldness, but the religious leaders were determined to quash the movement. Their strategy was clear: stop the message, and the movement would die. But they underestimated the power of the truth they were trying to suppress.

The turning point came with the martyrdom of Stephen, one of the first deacons of the church, around AD 34–36 (though this is just an estimate). Stephen’s bold preaching and his declaration that he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God led to his execution. The religious leaders, enraged by his testimony, stoned him to death in a public display of violence. This marked the first martyrdom of the Christian faith and set off a chain of events that would change the world.

Following Stephen’s death, a young man named Saul led the charge against the church. He ravaged Christian homes, imprisoning men and women, and seeking to destroy the new faith (Acts 8:1–3). However, rather than shutting it down, the persecution had the opposite effect. Christians fled Jerusalem, scattering across the regions of Judea and Samaria. And everywhere they went, they preached the Gospel.

In fact, it was through this scattering that the message of Christ began to reach new areas and cultures. What’s even more striking is how God may have used the persecution to push the disciples to fulfill the Great Commission. Jesus had told His followers to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19–20). Yet, despite the clear instruction, they remained in Jerusalem. Perhaps they were waiting, or perhaps reluctant to leave where it all began. But only after intense persecution were they scattered—and that scattering fulfilled the command.

As the church expanded, the Roman Empire began to take notice. At first, Christians were seen as a small Jewish sect. But as the movement grew, it drew the attention of the Roman authorities. In AD 64, under Emperor Nero, Christians were blamed for the Great Fire of Rome. Nero used this as an excuse to unleash a horrific wave of persecution. Believers were tortured, crucified, and thrown to wild animals in the Roman Colosseum. Some were even burned alive to serve as human torches in Nero’s gardens.

Yet the more Christians were persecuted, the more their numbers grew. The blood of the martyrs became a powerful witness to the truth of the Gospel. As Tertullian, an early Christian writer, would later say, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Every act of violence only caused the Gospel to spread further. What Rome tried to extinguish, God used to ignite a fire that would reach the ends of the earth.

Despite all the persecution, the truth of the Gospel could not be silenced. A lie, no matter how fiercely defended, can only last so long. But the truth endures. Through centuries of opposition, imprisonment, and martyrdom, the message of Jesus Christ continued to spread. The very fact that Christianity has endured for over two thousand years speaks to its truth and power.

If the Gospel were not true, it would have died out long ago. But it thrives—because the Word of God cannot be overcome.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“What I write is not for everyone, but what I write is meant for someone.” – Dean Butler

I am the author of two books: Embracing God's Wisdom: A Journey of Faith and Reflection and Embracing God’s Wisdom: Paul’s Commands for Victorious Living. Both are available on Amazon.

This work may be shared for ministry or personal use, but please credit the author when doing so. © Dean Butler – Dean’s Bible Blog. All rights reserved.

Please reach out at: hopeinchrist2024@yahoo.com

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service. (1 Timothy 1:12)