The Christian church began under severe persecution. In Acts 8:1 Saul approved of the killing of Steven, and a great persecution broke out against the church and Christians were scattered. In context, the language reveals that Saul not only approved of it, but that he was glad about it. Now in Saul’s defense we should note that he went on later to become one of the greatest Apostle’s ever, if not the greatest. And he suffered severely for Christianity.
But back to persecution. Persecution of the Church lasted for hundreds of years. It wasn’t until the Roman Emperor Constantine I declared that Christianity was a legal religion in 313 A.D. in the Edict of Milan. While this didn’t stop all persecutions, it certainly paved the way to legalize Christianity and to change how Christians were treated in the Western world.
However, with this freedom came new questions. Now that Christianity was seen as a legal religion, what would the Church look like? Now that they were no longer considered criminals, and were free to live more openly, how would they manage that freedom? Would they remain firm in their faith? Or would this freedom lead them astray? Could it be that those who had stood before tortures and before beasts would now give way to the temptations of an easy life and of social prestige?
I wonder as I sit in my house, with the heat running this cool Arkansas morning, If I’ve given way to the easier life. No, I don’t want to go back to the days of persecution. No, I don’t want to live without electricity. But I can’t help but wonder how the freedoms I have today have maybe gotten in my way of being what God has called me to be.
Do you find yourself giving in to the easy life? Have you become too busy to worship God? Do you get sidetracked easily? Jesus said remember, if the world hated me it will hate you as well, for a servant is not greater than his master. Can I challenge you this morning, to ask yourself, has the easy life affected your walk with God? This is Jesse Walker with the Glenwood Church of Christ.
