The Immanence of Christ's Rule in the Earth - Malachi 3:13-18

Here is something I want you to ponder – if Rome tolerated so many odd and weird religions (and Rome did) – why did Rome persecute the Christians so heavily and view Christianity as a threat?

Ponder that.

I submit to you that it was because the early Christians held to and practiced the immanence of Christ's rule in the earth – that the Roman establishment found Christianity intolerable and a threat.

Understand what I am saying – Christianity holds to the transcendence of God - but not to the exclusion of divine immanence in the earth. As Christ Himself taught us to pray – thy kingdom come, they will be done on earth as it is in heaven. His kingdom impacts the kingdoms of the earth. His kingdom impacts individuals and nations. Confronts the evils, idols, and tyrants of the day. Confronts the status quo and pagan thought. In all areas of life – ethics, law, economics, etc.

Christianity teaches the transcendence of God, but not to the exclusion of divine immanence in the earth and THIS is what made Christianity a threat to the status quo – and hence their persecution of Christians and Christianity.

Right from the beginning – in the book of Acts – we see the conflict between Rome and Christianity – between the followers of Christ and the Roman officials. This is why they were accused of treason in Acts 17 wherein the hue and cry against them was "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. Jason has harbored them and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying there is another King – Jesus."

But that isn't the hue and cry against Christians in our day.
31-min.

http://mercyseat.net/2007/06/06/apologetics-and-the-state/