No, it was not by human means—early Christianity survived only because of God's sovereign, miraculous power.
Les Feldick is amazed that Christianity ever survived given the overwhelming odds: widespread idolatry, a Jewish nation rooted in Judaism, and Paul's brief visits that left new believers without thorough grounding. He emphasizes that without God's intervention, the gospel would have died, but God's power enabled it to spread throughout the Roman Empire, even using unexpected means like Roman soldiers.
Romans 15:19 — Paul states that he fully preached the gospel from Jerusalem to Illyricum, showing the miraculous spread despite the odds.
The Bible records that early Christianity grew rapidly despite persecution and apparent disadvantages. In Acts 1:15, only 120 believers were gathered in the upper room after Christ's resurrection, yet within decades the gospel had spread throughout the Roman Empire. Paul wrote in Romans 15:19 that he had 'fully preached the gospel of Christ' from Jerusalem to Illyricum, and Colossians 1:23 speaks of the gospel being 'preached to every creature which is under heaven.' Scripture also shows that God used various means, such as Roman soldiers guarding Paul (Philippians 1:13), to advance the gospel.
Les Feldick emphasizes that the survival of early Christianity was a miracle of God's power. He marvels that God chose to depend almost entirely on one man, Paul, who was physically downtrodden and unhealthy, yet persevered to establish churches everywhere. Les notes that Paul often stayed only a week or two in a city, leaving new believers from paganism without deep biblical grounding, yet they continued in the faith. He credits God's sovereign grace for preventing the gospel from dying, especially when Jewish legalists tried to impose the Mosaic system on Gentile believers. Les also highlights that without modern media, the gospel spread remarkably fast—within thirty years—through every believer being a living testimony, and even through Roman soldiers who guarded Paul under house arrest.
Les points out that the odds were stacked against Christianity. Most people were deeply involved in idolatry, while the Jewish element was firmly rooted in Judaism. Even after three years of Christ's ministry, only 120 Jewish believers were in Jerusalem, as recorded in Acts 1. Paul could not stay long in most places; for example, he was in Thessalonica for only about two weeks, leaving new believers without thorough teaching on morality and spirituality.
Les Feldick wonders why God didn't entrust the gospel to angels or hundreds of people, but instead depended almost entirely on Paul. He sees it as an amazing feat that Paul, despite physical problems and beatings, persevered and established churches everywhere. This underscores the miraculous nature of the survival.
Les explains that believers didn't need great evangelistic campaigns or coliseums; each believer was taught from the Word to be a living testimony. Also, Paul's house arrest in Rome allowed the gospel to spread among the Roman army as soldiers rotated in guarding him. Within thirty years (37-67 AD), the whole known world had heard the plan of salvation.
The Jerusalem church, led by the twelve apostles, remained in Jerusalem for years, continuing Christ's ministry to the Jews. They stayed even under persecution, as they were waiting for the King's return. This continuity helped preserve the Christian faith among Jewish believers.
Les points out that if Paul had allowed Gentile believers to be subjected to the Mosaic system, the gospel of grace would have died. But God, as the sovereign God of all grace, did not allow that. This was a pivotal moment where the fate of Christianity hung in the balance.
What 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Really Says About Who Goes to Heaven
it, and make license of it, because the Holy Spirit now is controlling every facet of his life, and so it should be with us. All things are lawful for me, because I'm not under the law, but I will not be brought under the power of any of those things that the law forbids.
Paul's Perseverance
Les is amazed that Christianity survived given Paul's physical hardships and the fact that God depended almost entirely on one man.
Living Testimonies
Les explains that early believers turned the Roman Empire upside down simply by being living testimonies, without large campaigns.
The Judaizer Threat
Les teaches that if Paul had given in to the Judaizers, the gospel of grace would have died, but God sovereignly preserved it.
Roman Soldiers as Missionaries
Les shows that God used Paul's house arrest and the rotation of Roman soldiers to spread the gospel throughout the empire.
The Odds at the Beginning
Les notes that after three years of Christ's ministry, only 120 believers were in Jerusalem, underscoring the minuscule starting point.
Ezekiel 37 Explained: Israel's Dry Bones Prophecy Fulfilled?
Always remember from 70 A.D. when Titus destroyed the city and the temple, and the Jews were scattered throughout the then known world, and they've been scattering throughout the whole world ever since. So they were very dry. They've been there a long time. And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? Well the normal answer from a human standpoint would have been what? No way.
Jerusalem Church's Continuity
Les highlights that the twelve apostles stayed in Jerusalem for years, preserving the Jewish-Christian movement despite persecution.
Romans 15:19: Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
This shows Paul's own testimony of the gospel's spread, with the help of the Holy Spirit, despite the odds.
Acts 1:15: And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
This reveals the small number of believers at the start, making the subsequent growth miraculous.
Philippians 1:13: So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;
Paul's imprisonment actually advanced the gospel, showing God's sovereign use of circumstances.
According to Les, early Christianity had no human advantages. The believers were few, often uneducated, and faced severe persecution. The odds were impossible, so survival was purely by God's miraculous power.
Les explains that the gospel spread through every believer being a living testimony, and also through Roman soldiers who came into contact with Paul during his house arrest. This allowed the message to travel throughout the empire within thirty years.
One major threat was the Judaizers who wanted to impose the Mosaic law on Gentile believers. Les teaches that if Paul had given in, the gospel of grace would have died, but God sovereignly prevented that.
Watch the Teaching: What 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Really Says About Who Goes to Heaven