In chapter 5 of Acts, we find a Pharisee named Gamaliel rather presciently predicting the rise of Christianity when he convinced his fellow Pharisees to leave Peter and the other apostles alone at one point.

But first to set the scene, earlier in Acts chapter 5 we read how the Apostles had been jailed (v 18) for doing nothing more than healing “multitudes” from within Jerusalem (v14) and “a multitude” brought from surrounding cities (v16). But an angel of the Lord had sprung the Apostles from prison (v19) and commanded them to “Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” (v20) Having found them still “standing in the temple teaching the people”, they were again arrested and brought back before the high priest. (v26-27) He charged them: “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” (v28)

But Peter (the same Peter who had fled the scene of Jesus arrest), and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him.” (v29‭-‬32)

At the point where the high priest and council are plotting to kill the Apostles (v33) is where Gamaliel intervenes:

“And he [Gamaliel] said, “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago, Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God” (Acts 5:35-39).

Fast forwarding some 300 years later, by 313 AD, when Constantine legalized Christianity, the number of Christians was already between five and six million (Wawro, 2008). This in spite of massive persecution and two centuries of killing of Christians in Rome from the great fire in 64 AD under Nero to the empire wide persecution of 250 AD under Decius.

□ More on early Christian persecution under Roman rule.

For almost three hundred years, Christianity grew in soil that was wet with the blood of the martyrs.

Until the Emperor Trajan (about AD 98), persecution was permitted but not legal. From Trajan to Decius (about AD 250), persecution was legal. From Decius, who hated the Christians and feared their impact on his reforms, until the first edict of toleration in 311, the persecution was not only legal but widespread and general.

One writer described the situation in this third period:

“Horror spread everywhere through the congregations; and the number of lapsi [the ones who renounced their faith when threatened] . . . was enormous. There was no lack, however, of such as remained firm, and suffered martyrdom rather than yielding; and, as the persecution grew wider and more intense, the enthusiasm of the Christians and their power of resistance grew stronger and stronger.

So, for three hundred years, to be a Christian was an act of immense risk to your life and possessions and family. It was a test of what you loved more. And at the extremity of that test was martyrdom.

And above that martyrdom was a sovereign God who said there is an appointed number of martyrs. They have a special role to play in planting and empowering the church. They have a special role to play in shutting the mouth of Satan, who constantly says that the people of God serve him only because life goes better. That’s the point of Job 1:9–11.

Martyrdom is not something accidental. It is not taking God off guard. It is not unexpected. And it is emphatically not a strategic defeat for the cause of Christ.

It may look like defeat. But it is part of a plan in heaven that no human strategist would ever conceive or could ever design. And this plan will triumph for all those who endure to the end by faith in God’s all-sufficient grace.”
(From “The Desk Desiring God” ~ John Piper)

Stopping the clock right there in 313 AD would our Muslim friends agree with Gamaliel, that trying to stop the preaching of the Gospel had proved futile because as he rightly observed, if they were from God, it would indeed be fighting “against God”? By the time Muhammad appeared on the scene, a few hundred years further on still, Christianity was already an unstoppable movement. It is a pity that Muhammad did not take the same advice given by Gamaliel, when he declared war on Jews and Christians.

Because Christianity is from God, it is unstoppable. In spite of 1300 centuries of persecution and Islamic inspired defamation it remains the world’s largest faith and has adherents in every country of the world. It is not geographically limited to a single region or a few regions of the world as is the case with many other faiths. It is not based on the words of a single man from a single generation as Islam is.

The Bible remains unscathed and inviolable; the word of God has been translated into more languages and sold more copies than any other book in history. (At 5 billion copies, more than 6 times as many Bibles than its nearest challenger the Quran at circa 800 million). Written by forty authors, many of whom were martyred for their beliefs, it was compiled over a period of fifteen hundred years and across three continents. Only God could inspire and administer such a mammoth task. No one was able to stop the Apostles and early Christian disciples, despite cutting short their lives and their messages by martyring them. No one was able to stop their leader, Jesus, despite cutting his life short via the crucifixion. No one was able to thwart His multiply predicted resurrection in spite of the best laid plan to secure the tomb. Having failed in that, no one was able to stop the spread of the story of the resurrection and empty tomb in spite of a botched attempt to bribe the guards with the widely reported story that the disciples stole the body. And to this day in spite of millions of Christians suffering persecution, no one will ever be able to take the glory of the Lord away from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“I have told you these things, so that in me, you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Muslims should take note: as the wise Pharisee Gamaliel warned: what is from God can never be stopped and trying to do so is indeed fighting against God Himself.