The events that transpired in the first century served as a tangible testament to the reality that the advancement of God’s kingdom is often marked by hardships, scars, trials, pain, tribulations, and much affliction, which often accompany the spread of the Gospel, as the apostles, courageous and unwavering, were living examples. They were not weekend preachers or armchair theologians—they were men of valor who walked into hostile cities knowing imprisonment or death could be the outcome.
The truth was evident from Jesus Christ’s ascension into heaven. He commissioned His disciples to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). The apostles understood that this mission would come at a tremendous personal cost. Christ had not promised them comfort, safety, or applause from the world, but rather warned, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). The events that transpired in the first century served as a tangible testament to the reality that the advancement of God’s kingdom is often marked by hardships, scars, trials, pain, tribulations, and much affliction, which often accompany the spread of the Gospel, as the apostles, courageous and unwavering, were living examples. They were not weekend preachers or armchair theologians—they were men of valor who walked into hostile cities knowing imprisonment or death could be the outcome. Their sacrifices, though immense, were but a shadow compared to the price Jesus Christ paid on the cross to redeem us from sin. And yet, their willingness to pay that price stands in sharp contrast to the lukewarmness, apathy, and lack of zeal so prevalent in much of the modern church—where persecution is rare and comfort is abundant.
The Apostolic Calling and the Cost of Obedience
Jesus Christ commissioned His Apostles not merely to proclaim the Gospel but also to endure suffering for its sake. This profound instruction was evident with Paul during his transformative conversion experience. When the Lord spoke to Ananias, He declared, “I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:16). This moment marked the beginning of a journey where Suffering would become an integral part of spreading the message of faith. Peter and John, after being beaten for preaching Christ in Jerusalem, “departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).
God has always used Suffering as an instrument for expanding the Gospel by faith. Churches in Judea and Asia Minor didn’t arise through political means or cultural norms, but rather through faithful people holding firm in the face of suffering for their beliefs.
Paul reminded the Thessalonians of this reality: “You became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6). He later warned them, “These afflictions should shake no one; for you know that we are appointed to this” (1 Thessalonians 3:3). Suffering was not an accident—it was part of the calling.
Paul’s Afflictions as a Case Study in Gospel Expansion
Paul’s ministry reads like a travel journal written in blood and tears. In 2 Corinthians 11:23–28, he catalogues his sufferings:
- In labor more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.
- Five times beaten with forty stripes minus one.
- Three times beaten with rods.
- Once stoned and left for dead.
- Three shipwrecks.
- Perils from rivers, robbers, false brethren.
- Weariness, sleeplessness, hunger, thirst, cold, and nakedness.
Yet, Paul saw these afflictions not as setbacks but as opportunities. From a prison cell in Rome, he wrote to the Philippians: “The things which happened to me have turned out for the furtherance of the gospel” (Philippians 1:12). His chains emboldened others to preach Christ without fear (Philippians 1:14). This joy in Suffering, this unwavering hope, is a testament to the power of the Gospel to transform even the most dire circumstances into opportunities for God’s glory.
To the Colossians, also from prison, he wrote of “rejoicing in my sufferings for you” (Colossians 1:24) and urged them to remain steadfast. His letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon—known as the “Prison Epistles”—stand as monuments to the truth that the Word of God is not bound, even if His servants are.
Apostolic Affliction Beyond Paul
While Paul’s sufferings are well-documented, the other apostles also bore the cost of proclaiming the Gospel. Peter, who was jailed frequently for the sake of the Gospel (Acts 12:3–11), implored believers not to be taken aback by painful tribulations: “Rejoice when you take part in the sufferings of Christ, so that you might be exceptionally joyous when his glory is unveiled” (1 Peter 4:13).
Herod Agrippa I executed James (Acts 12:2), John’s brother, making him the first apostolic martyr. John, the beloved disciple, was exiled to the island of Patmos for his testimony of Jesus (Revelation 1:9), where he received the visions recorded in the Book of Revelation—visions given in the context of suffering to strengthen the persecuted church.
The churches in Judea endured great persecution following Stephen’s martyrdom (Acts 8:1), yet this scattering only served to spread the Gospel further, fulfilling Jesus’ command to be His witnesses “in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Affliction as a Vehicle for the Gospel
The New Testament consistently portrays affliction not as an obstacle to the Gospel but as a vehicle for its advance. Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:9, “I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.” In Romans 8:35-37, he asked, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
The Apostle Paul commended the Thessalonian church for becoming “examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe” because they received the word “in much affliction” (1 Thessalonians 1:6-7). The early Christians understood that Suffering was part of their identification with Christ, who Himself was “despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3).
The Price Paid by the Apostles vs. the Price Paid by Christ
Although the apostles experienced immense Suffering sharing the Gospel, it’s nothing compared to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. His atoning sacrifice was the once-for-all payment for sin, securing eternal redemption for all who believe (Hebrews 9:12). The apostles could endure their afflictions because Christ had already borne the wrath of God in their place.
Their sufferings were not redemptive in the sense of purchasing salvation, but they were instrumental in proclaiming the message of that salvation to the nations. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:10, “Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”
The Remnant Principle: From Elijah to the Early Church
In every generation, God preserves a remnant. When Elijah, fleeing from Jezebel, lamented that he was the only prophet left, God corrected him: “I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal” (1 Kings 19:18).
Likewise, in the early church, although persecution was fierce, God preserved faithful men and women who would not bow to the idols of their time. Even when apostasy crept in, as in some of the churches addressed in Revelation 2–3, there remained those who had “not defiled their garments” (Revelation 3:4).
The Lukewarm Church Today
In much of the modern Western church, the absence of persecution has contributed to a spiritual lethargy. The Laodicean spirit—neither hot nor cold—is alive and well (Revelation 3:15–17). Apostles faced daily life-threatening risks, but many today risk slight social unease.
Although spreading the Gospel worldwide is now easy, few people are passionate about evangelizing. Comfort has replaced courage, and entertainment has replaced endurance. Only a remnant burns with the same fervor as the apostles, willing to endure loss, rejection, or suffering for the sake of Christ.
The Global Expansion of the Gospel Through Suffering
Historically, persecution has often sped up the spread of the Gospel. The blood of the martyrs has been the seed of the church. In Acts 8, the persecution in Jerusalem forced believers to scatter, taking the Gospel with them. In Philippians 1, Paul’s imprisonment emboldened others to preach with greater courage.
Even today, in parts of the world where Christians face imprisonment, violence, or death, the church is growing rapidly. Persecution isn’t accidental; suffering strips away surface-level faith, prompting believers to rely solely on Christ.
Conclusion: Rekindling Apostolic Zeal
The apostles’ example leaves no room for a casual approach to the Great Commission. They understood that the Gospel is worth more than comfort, safety, or even life itself. Their willingness to endure affliction was rooted in their love for Christ and their unshakable belief in the reality of eternity.
If the modern church is to recapture that zeal, we must reject lukewarmness and embrace the mindset of Paul, who said, “None of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24).
God has always preserved a remnant, and He continues to do so today. But the call is to be part of that remnant—to stand firm against opposition, speak the truth in love, and preach the Gospel, no matter the cost. For though the apostles suffered much, they also rejoiced much, knowing that their light affliction was “but for a moment” and was “working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17).
The same glory awaits all who follow in their footsteps.
