Early Christians spread the Gospel through everyday believers - especially Roman soldiers rotated from Paul's house arrest in Rome - who carried it wherever their duties took them.
Les Feldick teaches that the Roman soldiers who guarded Paul around the clock during his house arrest were saved through their time chained to him. When the Roman army rotated these young men to new posts across the empire, they took the Gospel with them to places like Spain, India, and even Caesar's palace. In about thirty years the whole then-known world, the Roman Empire, heard the plan of salvation. There were no big evangelistic campaigns; every believer was simply a living testimony to the world around him.
Romans 1:8 — Directly answers the question by showing the Gospel was already spoken of throughout the whole world - the then-known Roman Empire.
Titus 2:11 — Paul says the grace of God bringing salvation had already appeared to all men, confirming the Gospel's reach in his lifetime.
The Bible records that the Gospel had reached the whole known world in the first century. Writing to believers in Rome, Paul says, 'First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world' (Romans 1:8). In his letter to Titus he writes, 'For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men' (Titus 2:11) - using the past tense to show the message had already gone out. Paul also teaches that God 'hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation' (Acts 17:26), showing God's sovereign control over the nations. The book of Acts records Paul's house arrest in Rome, where 'Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him' (Acts 28:30) - the setting where he witnessed to his rotating Roman guards.
Les Feldick explains that without radio, television, or the printed page, the Gospel covered the whole then-known world - the Roman Empire - in about thirty years. He points to Paul's house arrest in Rome as the key. Roman soldiers guarded Paul 24 hours a day, and the army routinely rotated them to new places of duty. Les is convinced that anyone who spent time in Paul's house left a believer, so when those soldiers were moved out to the far reaches of the empire - Spain, India, even the Emperor's palace - they carried the Gospel with them. Les also notes there were no great evangelistic campaigns and no coliseums full of people. The early believers turned the Roman Empire upside down because every believer was taught from the Word to be a living testimony wherever he went. This is why Paul could write that the faith of the Romans was spoken of throughout the whole world, and why the grace of God that brings salvation had appeared to all men.
Les Feldick explains that during the two or three years of Paul's house arrest in Rome, Roman soldiers guarded him day and night. The Roman army did not leave one soldier there forever; after a few months they moved him out and brought in another. By the time those young men had spent a few days chained to Paul, they left as believers. When they were rotated to their next assignment - perhaps the palace of the Emperor, perhaps Spain, perhaps India - they took the message of salvation with them. Les says this is how the Gospel penetrated places like the Roman palace.
Les sets the scene by noting that the Roman Empire was the then-known world, stretching from Great Britain on the west, around both shores of the Mediterranean Sea, and out to the Ganges River of India. Paul was converted about 37 AD and put to death about 67 AD - roughly thirty years of ministry. In that short span, without modern communication, the whole then-known world heard the plan of salvation. Paul wrote by inspiration that the grace of God had 'appeared' - past tense - to all men, and he could not have said that if it were not true.
Les emphasizes that the early believers did not have great evangelistic campaigns and did not fill great coliseums with people. They turned the Roman Empire inside out or upside down by simply every believer being taught from the Word that he could go out and be a living testimony to the world around him. He applies this to believers today: no matter how little education a person has, they can be a gifted person in God's program by being a testimony wherever they go.
The Bible gives direct statements that the Gospel had gone out to the whole known world. Paul told the Roman believers that their faith was 'spoken of throughout the whole world' (Romans 1:8). He also wrote to Titus that 'the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men' (Titus 2:11). These inspired words back up the historical reality of the Gospel's spread across the empire.
Why God Holds Everyone Without Excuse — Romans 1:18-21
is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands, neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he this God giveth to all, not just believers, but he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things, and hath made of one blood, that is out of Adam, all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before ap…
Paul's Roman Guards Carry the Gospel
Les explains that during Paul's two or three years of house arrest in Rome, Roman soldiers rotated through guard duty, and anyone who spent time in Paul's house left a believer, carrying the message to the far reaches of the empire and even Caesar's palace.
Soldiers Take the Gospel to the Ends of the Earth
Les says these Roman soldiers could be transferred to the Emperor's palace, India, or Spain, and wherever they went they took the Gospel - which is why Paul could write that grace had appeared to all men.
The Whole World Had Heard
Les describes the Roman Empire as the then-known world, stretching from Britain to India, and highlights Paul's statement that the Romans' faith was spoken of throughout the whole world.
The Puzzle of the Gospel's Spread
Les poses the question of how the Gospel covered the known world in just thirty years without media, and points to the 24-hour presence of Roman guards and their rotation as the answer.
Army Rotation System
Les compares the Roman army's rotation of soldiers to the modern military: young soldiers chained to Paul would leave as believers after a few days, which is how the Gospel reached the Roman palace.
Paul Journeyed to Rome
Les provides background that Paul appealed to Rome and went into the very capital of the pagan Roman Empire, which set the stage for his house arrest and witness to the guards.
Every Believer a Living Testimony
Les teaches that there were no great campaigns or coliseums; the empire was turned upside down because every believer was taught to be a living testimony to the world around him.
Romans 1:8: First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
Shows the Gospel was already known across the then-known Roman Empire, which is the starting point for the question of how it spread.
Titus 2:11: For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Paul's past-tense statement confirms the Gospel had already gone out to all men in his lifetime.
Titus 2:12: Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Les references this verse when describing how the grace of God changes believers who then live as testimonies.
Acts 17:26: And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Shows God sovereignly set the times and boundaries of nations, underlying how the Roman Empire was positioned for the Gospel.
Acts 28:30: And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him,
This is the biblical setting of Paul's house arrest, where Les says he witnessed to his rotating Roman guards.
Les Feldick explains the Gospel traveled through people - especially the Roman soldiers who guarded Paul. The Roman army rotated these soldiers to new duty stations across the empire, and those who had been with Paul left as believers and carried the message with them. Additionally, every believer was taught to be a living testimony wherever he went.
Les says he is almost confident that anyone who spent time in Paul's house left a believer. The soldiers were chained to Paul for days or months at a time, and his witness reached even Caesar's palace through them.
Les teaches that the whole then-known world - the Roman Empire stretching from Britain around the Mediterranean to the Ganges River in India - heard the plan of salvation in about thirty years. He bases this on Paul's inspired words in Romans 1:8 and Titus 2:11.
Watch the Teaching: Why God Holds Everyone Without Excuse — Romans 1:18-21