An Early Christian on Why Christianity Will Win

A Second-century Christian tells why Christianity will be victorious

Back in the 13^th century a manuscript was discovered of a letter written by an anonymous Christian in the second century after Christ. It was written by someone who called himself simply “a disciple.” His purpose in writing was to tell someone named Diognetus what Christians are like and what Christianity is. You read this short epistle and you understand why Christianity has triumphed and built the largest and most powerful faith in the history of mankind, why it defeated the Roman Empire, and why it changes millions of lives today.

The writer begins, “For the Christians are distinguished from other men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life.”

The writer tell us that Christians are everywhere and at first they don’t seem all that different. But if you observe them for very long you see how radically different they really are. These are people who have been transformed by something different from ordinary human doctrines.

The Writer continues, “They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven.” The early Christians were pro-life unlike everyone else around them; they practiced biblical sexual morality, and although they lived out their days on this earth their lives were anchored in another world. They truly were citizens of heaven.

Then the writer says, “They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers.” The Christians were suffering terribly and yet they were the best citizens the empire had. They were victims of unrelenting hostility even though they lived exemplary lives. Remember this the next time you see Christians persecuted in the modern world.

Finally, “When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life…those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred. To sum up all in one word--what the soul is in the body, that are Christians in the world.”

Christians were the most important and powerful people in the Roman Empire even if no one knew it yet. And nothing has changed. Today believers in America, and the West, and the rest of the world continue to live transformed lives that have more power than any other lives in the world. The Holy Spirit, who transformed lives 1800 years ago, continues to do the same thing today, all over the world.

Thanks for listening. Be encouraged. May our God bless you this day in a mighty way.

More Resources: The whole epistle: https://files.romanroadsstatic.com/materials/romans/early-christianity/DiognetusV1-0.pdf

Why Christianity triumphed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3tMY0ybm0s&list=PLkHlTST983SpujnPAjgOE2AsDzsEBKkxh&index=6