It’s an era of advanced science & tech, the history remains as the past and we, live as the new gen. The saying goes, that Christians leave an impact wherever they go. Is it true or it’s a time to make some references to the recorded past?
Starting from the empire of Byzantine (330 – 1453 Anno Domini), the spreading of Christianity was so great even it was under the persecution of Diocletian (Emperor of Byzantine) till the time of his successor, Constantine I (Rule: 306 – 307 A.D.) issued an edict of toleration in 313 A.D. On 27 February 380 A.D., Emperor Theodosius I enacted a law establishing Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. The Emperor Constantine I was exposed to Christianity by his mother, Helena. At the Battle of Milvian Bridge in 312 A.D., Constantine I commanded his troops to adorn their shields with the Christian symbol in accordance with a vision that he had had the night before. After winning the battle, Constantine was able to claim the emperorship in the West. From at least the 4th century, Christianity has played a prominent role in the shaping of Western civilization.
During its existence of more than a thousand years, the Empire remained one of the most powerful economic, cultural, and military forces in Europe, despite setbacks and territorial losses, especially during the Roman–Persian and Byzantine–Arab Wars. The Empire recovered during the Macedonian dynasty, rising again to become a pre-eminent power in the Eastern Mediterranean by the late tenth century, rivaling the Fatimid Caliphate.
Constantine's son's successor, known as Julian the Apostate, was a philosopher who upon becoming emperor renounced Christianity and embraced a Neo-platonic and mystical form of paganism shocking the Christian establishment. He began reopening pagan temples, and intent on re-establishing the prestige of the old pagan beliefs, he modified them to resemble Christian traditions such as the episcopal structure and public charity (previously unknown in Roman paganism). Julian's short reign ended when he died while campaigning in the East.
The old practice of paganism reformed, to an extend that the Empire walked further & further from God till its total lost to the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. This was similar to King Solomon who was so wise as blessed by the Lord fell into worshiping gods. As written in “1 Kings 11” & “2 Chronicles 10”, Solomon’s kingdom which was succeeded from David split into the Northern Israel & southern Judah due to a revolt.
During the time of Elizabeth I of England, Spain’s powerful armada was about to invade England in 1588. She asked the whole nation to pray together for help from the Lord. Who knows, a wild storm ruined exactly half of the Spanish armada of 130 battleships, yet English armada was all in good state. Somehow, it was recorded as the foe was all dispersed as the Lord blew.
Sadly, the churches in UK have now become social places & pubs. The past gen is now really taken as the past, those who were so passionate & experienced the presence of God, are the past. See how far UK had reached to an economic downfall today. Would they awake & seek the Lord again? Hope so!
The formation of Russia was related to Christianity adopted from Byzantine in 988 A.D., beginning the synthesis of Byzantine and Slavic cultures that defined Russian culture for the next millennium. In the midst of persecution & execution, the Russian Orthodox Church survived but had periods of fluctuation in number. The persecution only ended at the dissolution of Soviet Union as the atheist communist with their “great thought” acted on those with opposing thought by means of violence. Still the Church stood as a testimony. Why would the Church be persecuted if the Lord isn’t too mighty to them?
Today, churches in China are oppressed yet still arise to His glory even in the midst of persecution. “The promises of the Lord are promises that are pure, silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times [Ps 12:6 RSV]” “However if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name [1 Pet 4:16]”
Last Sunday, my Pastor shared on a missionary conference he joined few years ago somewhere in Europe. He talked on universal church. He had this in his mind when he saw Christian missionaries all over the world of different cultures, races & languages came together, greeting each other in joy & praised the common God.
Jesus’ the same Lord who died & rose again, led to the reunion of His 11 disciples after being scattered everywhere since the His crucifixion 3 days ago, stirred a revival which propagates to the entire world today, reigns in this era of modernization as well.
What’s so great about Christianity? Tis’ love that says it all, bringing revivals & prosperous to where He abides as He’d promised. Greater thoughts have nothing more than this, it’s apparent in the history of mankind, that He’s the everlasting glorious God! Today, transformed people who commit themselves as Christians must have been touched somewhere, somehow, to testify this loving Father. There must be a significant story behind…
Ian
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