The New Testament saints lived in a time wherein incarceration for the sake of one's religious conviction was somewhat common. Consider this handful of examples:- Peter & John arrested in Jerusalem (Acts 4:1-23)
- Apostles arrested again and beaten in Jerusalem (Acts 5:17-42)
- King Herod persecutes the churc, murders James, and imprisions Peter (Acts 12:1-17)
21st century Americans (and others) have a difficult time relating to that sort of environment. Incredibly, it was the fierece mistreatment of the churches of Christ in the first century that fueled explosive growth and dedication to the cause of Christ.
Here's a challenging hypothetical to consider: If you were arrested on suspicion of being a Christian, could the court produce enough evidence to find you guilty?
Think about it!
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