Edward Gibbon, in his classic work, the Decline and fall of the Roman Empire, once wrote:

“The primitive Christian demonstrated his faith by his virtues…” and as a result, won the heart of the culture.

Gibbon wrote that that single factor helped bring cultural influence and victory to the Church of Christ against the Roman Empire in the 4th Century AD.1

1) Christian history and the obedience of Christians: Such obedience rendered to the Lord is designed to actively portray principle and way of life higher and wiser than anything known to mankind naturally. Its values outshine all other systems of “morality” put together.

As a result, Scripture tells us that each Christian is to be a distinct “sign” and a “wonder” of Christ to society round about them. In other words, our Christian life credentials our Christian message, despite our sinful nature. This credentialing has moved our Christian history among the nations for the last 2000 years.

One example: the Christian history of the church records the fact that Afra of Augsburg, a former prostitute, repented of her sinful way of life and embraced Christ, she set up an orphanage for abandoned children of prisoners, smugglers, slaves, and thieves. Later, she became even more efficient in her love for these children by setting up a network through the churches for finding and putting them out for adoption.2 She very much represents the adage: “It’s not so much the presence of sin in life as it is the absence of repentance in the heart that distinguishes a bad man or woman from an upright one.”

The Roman state resented her work, especially since the “perception” was created by the propaganda of state agencies persecuting her saying that she was aiding and abetting “enemies of society” by helping these children… and saving children whom the state could only wish would “better” serve it as “productive” slaves.

So, the reality was that her activities put anything else to shame, including Roman “morality”. More to the point, she was caring for children who, in the eyes of slave masters and Roman rulers, could be put to work in places such as the Roman sulfur mines. That was money out of their pockets as far as they were concerned.

Afra was murdered by the Roman police state in the infamous persecution of Diocletian which began in the year 303 A.D. and extended over the next 10 years, the worst persecution to that date in the Christian history of the church.

2) Christian history and cultural institutions: Gibbon’s principle described far more than individual heroics throughout Christian history. Christians, he noted, are invariably moved to build institutions which makes their work more efficient and powerful.

Several such institutions, such as marriage and the family, are second nature to the creative impulse of Christian people. Christians have built schools, businesses, clinics, media, hospitals, charities, ministries of all types.

For example, the great 4th Century minister, Basil of Byzantium, built leper’s colonies for the humane medical treatment of lepers. His work drew the ire of many Roman aristocrats but such health care works undertaken by Christian people and churches glorified the Name of Christ.

In other words, Christianity is a new kind of civilization, not just a way to heaven. But, also, the way to heaven is credentialed by the quality of life and testimony we have shown throughout the Christian history of the church.

3) Christian history and deep societal reform: But Gibbon’s observation goes even deeper. Christ’s people bring a way of life that exposes and displaces a contrary civilization. For example, Telemachus of Laddia undertook the celebrated reform that eventually brought an end to the cruelties of gladiatorial combat in the arena. He was martyred in the arena for his work.3

The arena was used by the Caesars as a means of “corrupting the masses” for support and power politics. Cicero, the Roman Senator once described the real power and agenda of the arena. He said:

Setting out to seek power, and unable to gain their objectives by their own resources, they use every means to bribe and corrupt the masses. Then again, when they have rendered the many greedy for public benefits through their insane appetite for prestige, it evolves into a state of government by force. Once the people are accustomed to feeding off the property of others…they find a champion who is ambitious and daring, who brings the rule of force to completion carrying out murders, exiles and redistributions of properties – until, having come to live in the manner of beasts – they find a tyrannical master and monarch.4

4) Christian history and Christian virtue: Barlaam of Antioch, a humble shoe maker, represents yet another valuable lesson. As an infant boy, he had been rescued by Christians from the horrid Roman practice of placing unwanted children at a place just outside along the wall of the city designated by Roman law. There roving packs of dogs would find an easy meal. The historian puts it this way:

Barlaam of Antioch was a cobbler for the imperial forces who devoted all his free time to the care of orphans and widows in his church. Because he himself had been saved from the infanticide wall outside the city, he was especially concerned for exposed children. Even though he was not a pastor or church leader, his good deeds were so widely known that the enemies of the faith sought to have his witness silenced. During the calamitous persecution in 304, they succeeded in having him martyred.5

These virtuous lives – and many like them – won the culture.

Such a faith represented a wise and upright view of life in a corrupt world, which even the agnostic Edward Gibbon could see and admire.

Today, maintaining that heritage is the calling of the Christian faith as it stands poised to render its assistance to a beleaguered culture. Today, the sacred bond of marriage is “on trial” in our society. The issue of divorce among Christians has led to chaos in the churches and devastation in the homes.

But, Christians aren’t speaking out as they should. Scripture tells us pointedly, “As a trampled spring or a polluted well so is the upright who give way before the wicked.”

You can speak out. Leave your comment here!

- Chris Ostom

1.  Gibbon, Edward. The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. Vol. 1. (Milman edition. The John C. Winston Co., Philadelphia, 1788) p. 543.
2.  Grant, George. Third Time Around. (Wolgemuth and Hyatt Publishers. Brentwood, Tennessee, 1991) p. 28.
3.  Grant, George. Third Time Around. (Wolgemuth and Hyatt Publishers. Brentwood, Tennessee, 1991) p.29.
4.  Beacham, Richard C., Spectacle Entertainments of Early Imperial Rome (Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn. 1999) p. 46.
5. 5 Grant, George. Third Time Around. (Wolgemuth and Hyatt Publishers. Brentwood, Tennessee, 1991) p.28-29.
   

Bookmark It

Hide Sites