The Historical Era of Providential Preparation of the World for Christ and the Church

Abstract

This work argues that Christianity was born into a world where religion was fully tolerated in the Greco-Roman world. On the other hand the Jews, the Greeks and the Romans made so many oblivious preparations which enhanced the growth and development of Christianity. Although on a superficial glance the Roman Empire may seem the greatest enemy of the early Christianity, and at times a bitter persecutor, yet it was in many ways the greatest preparation and in some ways the best ally of Christianity. God so designed the coming of Jesus Christ completely or in a perfect way that the small width time slot in which He came to this world was perfectly the most possible time for His coming to the world. Saint Paul called attention in Galatians chapter 4 verses 4 to the historic era of timely preparation that go before the advent of Jesus Christ to earth in human form: “But as soon as the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his son, born of women, born under the law”. When the Lord Jesus came, he declared “in Matthew 16:18: I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”. This work adopted qualitative research approach with focus on historical and content analysis as a method. This shows that God in his infinite wisdom and sovereignty designed according to a plan to build the Church just at the very peculiar or suitable period in history. This work has shown how the Jews, the Greek and the Roman contributions helped in conveying historical development to the juncture where Jesus Christ could produce the highest or greatest significant or strong influence on history in such a way that not capable of being done or achieved previous to or since the period of his birth.