[briemmm]

Would Christianity have grown or would it even have survived if it had continued to be outlawed in the Roman Empire?

[Wondergirl]

It grew and survived even when early Christians were persecuted for their faith at the hands of both Jews from whose religion Christianity arose and the Roman Empire. This continued until the early 4th century when the religion was legalized by Constantine.

[Fr_Chuck]

It grew the most when it was "outlawed" You look at Russia under the control when Christianity was outlawed, they had more people baptized in Russia than there was in the US.

Also being "outlawed" and the risk of jail or death, a person will not play at being a Christian, and the faith is taken much more seriously.

It is where it is too free, that it often gets misused, not taken seriously and often grows less.

[hauntinghelper]

The only time the church will cease is when Christ returns for it ;)

[classyT]

It still going and going... like the energizer bunny... up until the rapture...

[paraclete]

You can't bury the truth. Christianity survived to the third century before it was adopted as a state religion. It continues to grow despite persecution

[SERGIO41593]

Christianity have grown beyond your wildest dream. What god have planned, no man can stop. It has grown before you and it will continue to grow after you. You can never see anything that you never look at. Out of site out of mind. You are either in it , or out of it.

[jakester]

Consider the parable of the mustard seed, told by Jesus.

Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds perched in its branches.”

20 Again he asked, “What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? 21 It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[a] of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

Christianity was a small sect of 12 disciples and a rabbi, Jesus Christ. He died and rose again and left the earth. His disciples took his message to the world. His disciples all died. And yet 2,000 years later people are still trying to come to terms with Jesus of Nazareth. His name is known throughout the whole world and the influence of Christianity spans the globe.

So you see, as small as the mustard seed is, its impact is greater than its size. What is the point Jesus is making? God's Kingdom started with something so tiny but he was motivated to take that small thing and build it into something great. And he has done that... although, he has not finished that work yet. He is taking in peoples from all nations into his kingdom. No man, no edict, no law, no earthly kingdom, will keep God's Kingdom from being established.

[cherished777]

Matthew 16: 17-19... The gates of hell will not prevail against Christ's church. The church will cease upon Jesus Christ's return!

[tomder55]

Paraclete is right . Rome ended the persecutions in 313 Edict of Milan . That means that Christianity survived and grew ;despite the killing of 100,000 Christians by the Romans ,for 3 centuries .