For a historical analysis, I would have to rely upon the writings of others. They in turn would have to rely upon the writings of the elite, as those who were not among the elite, I am led to believe, could not read or write. The amanuenses of the one-per-centers of bygone eras recorded the victors’ versions of history or produced the propaganda that pleased the nobles. The complete veracity of their accounts is questionable, even if some truth that can be ascertained from them.
When it comes to being a Christian, this is a personal matter, not something that is done en masse. The Bible is very clear that the Son of God searches the hearts of men to see whether they are genuine or worthy.
- But from there you shall seek Yahweh [ Son of God] your God, and you shall find him, when you search after him with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29)
- [The Son of God] who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit’s mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God. (Romans 8:27)
- For the word of God [Son of God] is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account. Having then a great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold tightly to our confession. For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:12-16)
- I will kill her children with Death, and all the assemblies will know that I am he [Son of God] who searches the minds and hearts. I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. (Revelation 2:23)
- For I, Yahweh [Son of God], don’t change; therefore you, sons of Jacob, are not consumed. (Malachi 3:6)
- Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ (John 14:9)
- I and the Father are one (John 10:30)
To become a Christian one has to call upon the Lord God to be shown the way to the truth that leads to life—eternal. Life that is not eternal is not life. Temporal life is death: meaningless, futile and of no value. Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. If a person does not know the name of God, call out to the Creator, and if you are that person, and you are genuine, you will be heard.
An anecdote that I heard from a preacher, about a village that he came across in Indonesia, illustrates the point about people becoming Christians. The tribe worshiped the Creator God, whose Son had died for their sins. But they wanted nothing to do with the god of the heathen Roman Catholics that had set up a building down by the sea, who worshiped idols of Mary and other gods (i.e. saints).
Evidently, the tribal shaman had become frustrated with the spirits and had sought out the Creator of the Universe for the truth. In answer to his earnest and genuine cry for truth, Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Him. The shaman taught the tribe the truths he had been shown by the Son of God and they all worshiped Him as Lord Jesus Christ.
The missionary was astounded. He realized that God was able to meet people’s needs wherever they were, without the need of missionaries, which changed his theology somewhat. This tribe had no Bible and yet they were worshiping Lord Jesus Christ, who died for their sins.
In the event that any pagans were in such desperate circumstances that they were to call out to the Creator of Heaven and Hell, the Son of God would answer them. However, only those who are genuine qualify as worthy of His attention. Many are those who fake it to make it and look good in the eyes of those around them, but then there are the few who are honest enough to recognize that they are the same as everybody else and will have to face death, but realize that there has to be more to life than being born to die and then having to suffer: disappointments, anguish,fear, terror, grief, depression, anger, frustration, inner turmoil, paranoia, psychotic episodes, physical pain, etc.
As for the nobles of Europe, in the main, political expediency would be behind any conversion or allegiance that they may have declared. Any who were genuine and sought the truth would find the Roman Catholic Church was opposed to them. Because of this, they were in danger of being beheaded or burned at the stake. But this reign of the anti-Christ evidently extended beyond the Roman Catholic Church. Michael Servetus, for example, was burned at the stake because of a difference of opinion or was it really because the authorities at Geneva saw him as a threat.
From what I know of human beings, expediency is the predominating factor when it comes to most things. Only those who believe in their convictions will swim against the tide of popular opinion. Discontents, disgruntled with the failure of their expediency, will change sides if there is sufficient critical mass to signal that a change of the guard could be on the horizon and now is a good time to stake a claim for a position among the emerging elite seeming to take over the reigns of power.
When it comes to being a Christian, this is not the same as being politically expedient. In which case, from what I have been able to glean from history, even the the emancipation of the Russian serfs in 1861 was an act of expediency:
Coming to the throne in 1855 in the middle of the conflict, Alexander II was unable to save Russia from military failure, but the humiliation convinced him that, if his nation was to have stability and peace at home and be honoured abroad, military and domestic reforms were vitally necessary. The first step on that path would be the removal of serfdom, whose manifest inefficiency benefited neither lord, peasant, nor nation. Alexander declared that, despite Russia’s defeat, the end of the war marked a golden moment in the nation’s history. Now was the hour when every Russian, under the protection of the law, could begin to enjoy ‘the fruits of his own labours’.[1]
Mind you, some have said that the Tsar actually became a true Christian and this is why the serfs were freed.
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