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Early 'Church History'
Posted : 27 Sep, 2010 07:39 AM
Hello everyone:
This might be a little lengthy,yet I believe this is worth reading;
The Early Church
by Darrel Meeks
Did You Know? The early Christians, strange as it may seem:
Never built "church" buildings and sanctuaries!
[They met in homes or other public places available to them. Corporate property controlled by a man, or group of men, was never a consideration.]
Never called a physical building a church!
[This is a ludicrous practice for those walking in the Spirit]
Never incorporated with the state!
[Special tax status and business structure are the exact opposite to their thinking since we are called to be separate from the worldliness all around us, and to be a peculiar people (different) in relation to the rest of society.]
Never perpetuated denominational names (distinctions based upon doctrinal differences)!
[This does nothing but create division in the hearts of people, although there is only one true church regardless of man's attempts at distinctions.]
Never had a central headquarters on earth!
[Paul was an itinerant church planter. Although the church in Jerusalem was deemed to be an authority on final doctrinal issues, it was not to be that way for very long since Jerusalem was destroyed in 70 AD. Also, the assumption that Rome became the second center of control stands upon no facts whatsoever. It is pure heresy to assume such.]
Never maintained human membership roles!
[The Lord placed true believers in His church, not men. He knows His sheep and His sheep know his voice.]
Never built or conducted seminaries!
[It was the Gospel of Jesus Christ that was conveyed to the world, thus there was no need for any worldly educational institution of any kind. Other teachings by the apostles were the result of addressing the almost limitless questions and problems we mortals are capable of instigating.]
Never created missionary societies!
[It was not only preaching the Gospel that attracted people to the Lord, but also the very testimony of the individual and corporate lives of the early believers. Their very lives were a testimony unto our glorious Lord.]
Never used Sunday schools!
[This was a creation of men many centuries later in England due to the overwhelming illiteracy of the common people. This is no longer the case. Sunday schools still carry with them the inherent tendency to encourage dependency upon others for Bible-knowledge rather than each person taking responsibility for what they ultimately choose to believe. This is diabolically opposed to 1 John 2:27]
Never had a supreme bishop on earth!
[The idea that the Pope of the Roman Catholic church is a legitimate supreme "bishop" goes far beyond any Biblical integrity. Even worse is the idea that he alone is Christ's representative on earth, as opposed to each and every true believer being His representative, which is scriptural.]
Never used clerical titles for ministers!
[The early church had elders as the overseers and teachers, as is pointed out in 1 Peter 5:1-5. The idea of the first century church having a complex hierarchy such as is practiced in today's churches, again, goes far beyond scriptural integrity. Such structures are patterned after business structures, not the scriptures.]
Never wore clerical or religious garb!
[This in itself would have been foreign enough to them as a practice without having to mention how this, among many other practices in christiandom, are pagan in origin.]
Never allowed women in positions of authority or leadership, either in the home or in the church!
[Women then, as now, have a God-given place in the world and in the family. The drive of feminists to obtain authoritative positions above men speaks of rebellion more than obedience. Although in Christ there are no distinctions, our function in the church and in the family unit are still laid out by God for both men and women. Deviation from this can only be judged as rebellion. There is no shame in a woman serving in the capacity that God has given for women.]
Never had earthly priests!
[Each true believer is a priest unto the Most High God. Anything else is a counterfeit.]
Never voted a person into any church office!
[Elders were eventually selected by the apostles, but this practice came much later in Paul's ministry here on earth, and there is indication that he had good reason and intent for instructing this to be done in the first century as opposed to today's general practice of voting elders into "office" without these reasons and intents existing.]
Never had a Ministerial Association!
[Fellowship and each believer functioning in the body of Christ was generally understood and encouraged without forming man-made organizations. We as a corporate body are a living, breathing organism, not merely an organization.]
Never wanted a World Council of Churches!
[Looking at this organization, the apostasy of such a thing becomes quite clear to those with eyes that see and whom also understand that such an entity is not of God. Such an organization relies upon worldly, carnal wisdom to solve problems and overcome obstacles rather than upon the Head, which is Jesus Christ alone. Various members of the World Council of Churches do not recognize Christ as the Head, but look to their own intellect and pagan deities (demonic beings) for such decision-making.]
Never used ornamental crosses!
[Whether Christ was crucified on a tree with a cross member or not, it is still a symbol of torture and shame. Christ has risen above such shame and instruments of torture. He is the risen, living Lord of glory, Who is no longer on the cross nor in the tomb. We, however, in this life are instructed to take up our crosses daily as He did in His earthly life.]
Never used statues, prayer beads or candles, nor admired relics of cloth, wood, metal or stone!!
[Each of these and other articles and practices have been proven to have their roots in earliest paganism. There is absolutely no integrity in any attempt at christianizing such relics and practices. They are all pagan, therefore cultic and should have no foothold in the life of a true believer.]
Never celebrated Christ's birth or resurrection!
[There is no Biblical mandate, or allowance, for such observances. We may rejoice that He came to redeem us and is risen, but to involve ourselves in holidays that have their roots in, and are symbolic of, paganism speaks of a falling away from truth for which there is no excuse.]
Never gloried in numbers or physical wealth!
[Although much of the first century church experienced poverty, their needs were still met through mutual provision, fellowship, caring, and love. They were family. This stands in stark contrast to today's strong individualism in the various bodies of believers.]
Never mixed with politics!
[Today's churches are a mixture of religion, politics, business, and paganism. Not one of these things has a place in the true body of Christ. None of these things can be physically added to your body, therefore we should not attempt to add these to the living, breathing, singular body of believers.]
Never begged for money from the general public!
[This practice is very prevalent in today's "ministries." Again, if it is of God, then it will thrive based upon His supplying the increase rather than our having to allow the unbelieving public access to any measure of authority in our midst.]
The first century church had greater influence upon the world than all other generations of Christianity combined. Many profess to admire them and so very few actually imitate them.
How is it with you? Would you like to walk like the early Christians? It is not a matter of establishing the first century model. Models have a tendency to become concrete, therefore inflexible. We are to be flexible for the Lord to use as He will. It is more a matter of the attributes and lifestyle of family and body-life dynamics that far exceed virtually anything that exists in today's organizations of churches.
Did you know?
The early Christians were well Organized!
Please do not think that the early Christians were not organized--they were. The one who organized the universe and set all of the stars in orbit is the same one who said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16:18) With Him as the organizer, the result is a living organism, not an organization. Furthermore, "the Lord added to them (the church) daily such as should be saved." (Acts 2:47) Man cannot organize a simple living cell, but God has. With Him as the Author and Finisher, the result is life, not lifeless organizational structure.
In finality, "God set the members, every one of them, in the body (the church), as it pleased Him." (1 Corinthians 12:18) This whole composite structure, "In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord an habitation of God through the Spirit." (Ephesians 2:21-22) Only a religious infidel would think that he could improve on this Divine organization, and the apostles certainly never dreamed of attempting to successfully usurping this from the Lord.
Did you know?
When a broken-hearted, formerly unbelieving sinner calls upon the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation, that penitent believer is instantly born again--"for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord," (Romans 6:23; 10:13) and that gracious miracle, or new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), makes him a living member of the one, true, spiritual church--"for by one Spirit are we all baptized into ONE body ..." (1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 1:22-23. (Emphasis mine))
Did you know?
All true Christians are in that one true church. Christ alone adds the members to it. However, most Christians today are walking in a variety of man-made "churches"--divided by sectarian attitudes and denominated by different names. In the Bible, this condition is referred to as "carnal babies walking like men" (i.e., the Christians were acting like natural, unregenerate and uninspired men), see 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 and 3:1-4.
Christians are commanded by the Head of the church to walk in the truth that we are all "One Body in Christ," see Ephesians 4:1-6. Most preachers will admit this is what should be done. At the same time, those very preachers desire to keep their popular, traditional divisions and just have a token unity on occasion. Of course, this in no way suggests that today's ecumenical movement is to be accepted. Truth should never be sacrificed on an altar of unity. When truth is the force of distinction in relation to the false teachings of paganism, then it carries the mark of God. The early Christians were not concerned about what was popular--they simply purposed to walk in God's Word. Some Christians are endeavoring to walk in the truth today. How is it with you? Would you like to walk with us--in the truth?
Did you know?
Someone may still ask, "So, what church are you a member of--or what do you call yourselves?" I would like to answer this way--If the Apostle Paul were here, and you asked him that question, how do you think he would answer? Would Paul say, "I'm a Baptist," or "I'm a Methodist?" You would respond, "No! because those names were not used that way back then." Would Paul then say, "I'm a Roman Catholic," or "a Pentecostal?" Again you would respond, "No! the Bible does not say that!" So then, how would Paul or any of the saints back then answer? One man may respond by saying, "I guess Paul would simply say he was a member of the body of Christ or something like that!"
Yes! The various designations of the church in the Bible like, "the body of Christ," or "the church of God," "the church in Corinth," "the church at Ephesus," were never intended to be sectarian names but, rather, the simple descriptions of what they were and the common property of all believers. Why we cannot return to original Christianity and practice the simplicity and purity of church life that was patterned for us is unreasonable at best. The fact is we can, and surprisingly enough many have done it throughout the centuries, though their stories have rarely been told on the pages of traditional "Church History."
Did you know?
Whenever and wherever a group of Christians begin to discover the beauty and holiness of meeting together outside of man-made religious traditionalism and under the headship of the Lord Jesus Christ alone, they will have a sparkling revival in their souls and an enthusiasm that cannot be abated. They will discover anew the realism and vitality of God's Holy Word and turn from every pollution of man's religious invention. Like the kings of Judah of old--Asa, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah and Josiah--they will clean out of their lives the idolatry and paganism of our modern "high places." In addition, they will reactivate for themselves the only efficient system that Almighty God has designed--which is the proper spiritual church life as exemplified in the pages of the Greek Scriptures. Nor will they hesitate to implement proper disciplinary judgment, which, of necessity, must accompany such profession of godliness. (See 2 Chronicles 19:5-5 and 1 Corinthians 5:1-13)
When this enthusiasm is truly heaven-inspired, unselfish and unprideful, there will once again be granted to them the privilege of functioning in a local congregation as God designed it and Christ, Himself, will be the Head. Such Biblical Christianity cannot help but be admired by believers and hated by Satan. Success in these days of apostasy should never be judged in the quantity of numbers but by the quality of members. Faithfulness to God's Word is the standard for judgment--not theatrical success in a Babylonish, religious performance.
Shalom and Chesed:
St.George
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