My husband and I had just been to see the critically acclaimed movie Gladiator, and some of our friends asked us about it over lunch.

Some film critics have a knack for reviewing films without completely giving away the plot or unveiling the characters. I've always found that a challenge when asked to comment on a movie that the one asking hasn't seen yet. I gave it a shot.

"Russell Crowe plays the part of Maximus, a courageous and good-hearted Roman general. He finds himself up against a treacherous, self-obsessed young emperor, Commodus, played by Joaquin Phoenix. When the emperor calls for gladiatorial contests, Maximus must fight for a democratic Rome and win the support of the people and the Roman Senate by beating the emperor at his own game--as a gladiator in the arena, tigers, tridents, and all! As one might expect, there is no shortage of violence or barbaric acts in this film."

"It's hard to imagine that there was a time when things like gladiator fights and feeding Christians to lions were considered great entertainment," a friend commented.

"Can you imagine inviting your girlfriend out for a date at the Roman arena? 'Come on. Let's go see some killings,'" another quipped.

Then someone else added, "In those days everyone went to the arena to watch gladiators. Today we go to the cinema. What's the difference?"

The discussion had started.

"Is there any historical truth to the storyline?" another asked. "Was there ever some Maximus-like general-turned-gladiator who fought against the tyranny of ancient Rome?"

No, there wasn't. But that got me thinking. What did change Rome?

Then I remembered a history lesson from school: Christianity conquered the paganism of the Roman Empire--by preaching love!

How did the World get to the state that it's in, where tales of barbarism and blood lust don't belong solely to a bygone era?

Legend also has it that when Jesus was brought to trial before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, someone spoke out in Jesus' defense, saying, "All He's doing is teaching love!" And Pilate supposedly responded, "Love?! This man's doctrine is the greatest threat to Rome! It could destroy the Roman Empire! The Roman Empire doesn't survive by love! It survives by the sword! What if everybody believed this man? Everybody would lay down his arms and love one another, and there'd be no more wars. If we were to let this Jesus preach His doctrine of love, our soldiers wouldn't want to kill any more. They wouldn't want to conquer any more. They wouldn't want to pillage and bring the world's riches to Rome. That's a dangerous doctrine--very dangerous!"

That story doesn't correspond to the account of Jesus' trial in the Gospels, of course, but if Pilate had been able to see into the future, that is likely what he would have said--and he would have been right! The early Christians shared a love that turned out to be more powerful than all the legions of Rome. When their Roman captors saw that the Christians would rather be mauled by lions and burned at the stake than give up their faith in Jesus and His doctrine of love, they knew that what the Christians had was the real deal--and Christianity finally won out. The Roman Empire has lain in ruins for centuries, but Christianity still flourishes.

Soon other stories came to my mind--stories of ordinary people down through the ages who gave their lives for others, even perfect strangers, out of love. And as Jesus said would happen, by their love the world knew that they were Jesus' disciples, for "greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends" (John 13:35; 15:13). Demonstrations of love by "ordinary" Christians, in acts both big and small, have advanced the teachings of Christ more than all the sermons preached or wars fought in His name.

But what about the world today? How did it get to the state that it's in, where tales of barbarism and blood lust don't belong solely to a bygone era, and where horrific acts depicted on screen are carried out in real life? Has love lost the war for hearts and minds of the world?

It may appear so at the moment, but it's not over till it's over. Today's evils are helping to prepare the way for the final battle in which love and faith in the God of love will win out over hate and godlessness. Jesus said that these very things would be signs of His soon return: "Because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold" (Matthew 24:12).

The Bible also teaches that before long a final one-world government will come to power, headed by a Devil-possessed demigod, the Antichrist, who will be far worse than any Caesar or despot before him. "Then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be" (Matthew 24:21). But then, after just three and a half years of "great tribulation," Jesus will return with power and great glory. He will rescue all those who have received Him as their Savior, destroy the Antichrist and his kingdom, and set up His own eternal kingdom on Earth (Matthew 24:30-31; Daniel 2:44). This time, evil is going down--forever!

Today, we each can choose to claim His love and live by it. Like the early Christians, I also may meet my earthly end for possessing it. But then again, I hope to live to see that day when Christ's love triumphs in the arena.