The Nineteenth Century Anglican Bishop J. C. Ryle penned the following in his book titled Holiness about the state of the Church in his day. His words resonate with the Twenty First Century church too.
The times require at our hands distinct and decided views of Christian doctrine. I cannot withhold my conviction that the professing church is as much damaged by laxity and indistinctness about matters of doctrine within, as it is by skeptics and unbelievers without. Myriads of professing Christians nowadays seem utterly unable to distinguish things that differ. Like people afflicted with colour blindness, they are incapable of discerning what is true and what is false, what is sound and what is unsound. If a preacher of religion is only clever and eloquent and earnest, they appear to think he is all right, however strange and heterogeneous his sermons may be. They are destitute of spiritual sense, apparently, and cannot detect error. Popery or Protestantism, an atonement or no atonement, a personal Holy Spirit or no Holy Spirit, future punishment or no future punishment, "high" church or "low" church or "broad" church, Trinitarianism, Arianism, or Unitarianism, nothing comes amiss to them: they can swallow all, if they cannot digest it! Carried away by a fancied liberality and charity, they seem to think everybody is right and nobody is wrong, every clergyman is sound and none are unsound, everybody is going to be saved and nobody is going to be lost. Their religion is made up of negatives; and the only positive thing about them is, that they dislike distinctness, and think all extreme and decided and positive views are very naughty and very wrong!
These people live in a kind of mist or fog. They see nothing clearly, and do not know what they believe. They have not made up their minds about any great point in the gospel, and seem content to be honorary members of all schools of thought. For their lives they could not tell you what they think is truth about justification or regeneration or sanctification or the Lord’s Supper or baptism or faith or conversion or inspiration or the future state. They are eaten up with a morbid dread of controversy and an ignorant dislike of "party spirit," and yet they really cannot define what they mean by these phrases. The only point you can make out is that they admire earnestness and cleverness and charity, and cannot believe that any clever, earnest, charitable man can ever be in the wrong! And so they live on undecided; and too often undecided they drift down to the grave, without comfort in their religion and, I am afraid, often without hope.
The explanation of this boneless, nerveless, jellyfish condition of soul is not difficult to find. To begin with, the heart of man is naturally in the dark about religion, has no intuitive sense of truth and really needs instruction and illumination. Beside this, the natural heart in most men hates exertion in religion and cordially dislikes patient painstaking inquiry. Above all, the natural heart generally likes the praise of others, shrinks from collision and loves to be thought charitable and liberal. The whole result is that a kind of broad religious "agnosticism" just suits an immense number of people, and specially suits young people. They are content to shovel aside all disputed points as rubbish, and if you charge them with indecision, they will tell you, "I do not pretend to understand controversy; I decline to examine controverted points. I dare say it is all the same in the long run." Who does not know that such people swarm and abound everywhere?
Now I do beseech all who read this message to beware of this undecided state of mind in religion. It is a pestilence which walks in darkness, and a destruction that kills in noonday. It is a lazy, idle frame of soul which, doubtless, saves men the trouble of thought and investigation; but it is a frame of soul for which there is no warrant in the Bible, nor yet in the Articles or Prayer Book of the Church of England. For your own soul’s sake dare to make up your mind what you believe, and dare to have positive distinct views of truth and error. Never, never be afraid to hold decided doctrinal opinions; and let no fear of man and no morbid dread of being thought party–spirited, narrow or controversial, make you rest contented with a bloodless, boneless, tasteless, colourless, lukewarm, undogmatic Christianity.
Mark what I say. If you want to do good in these times, you must throw aside indecision, and take up a distinct, sharply cut, doctrinal religion. If you believe little, those to whom you try to do good will believe nothing. The victories of Christianity, wherever they have been won, have been won by distinct doctrinal theology, by telling men roundly of Christ’s vicarious death and sacrifice, by showing them Christ’s substitution on the cross and His precious blood, by teaching them justification by faith and bidding them believe on a crucified Savior, by preaching ruin by sin, redemption by Christ, regeneration by the Spirit, by lifting up the bronze serpent, by telling men to look and live, to believe, repent and be converted. This, this is the only teaching which for eighteen centuries God has honored with success, and is honoring at the present day both at home and abroad. Let the clever advocates of a broad and undogmatic theology—the preachers of the gospel of earnestness and sincerity and cold morality—let them, I say, show us at this day any English village or parish or city or town or district, which has been evangelized without "dogma," by their principles. They cannot do it, and they never will. Christianity without distinct doctrine is a powerless thing. It may be beautiful to some minds, but it is childless and barren. There is no getting over facts. The good that is done in the earth may be comparatively small. Evil may abound and ignorant impatience may murmur, and cry out that Christianity has failed. But, depend on it, if we want to "do good" and shake the world, we must fight with the old apostolic weapons, and stick to "dogma". No dogma, no fruits! No positive evangelical doctrine, no evangelization!
Mark once more what I say. The men who have done most for the Church of England, and made the deepest mark on their day and generation have always been men of most decided and distinct doctrinal views. It is the bold, decided outspoken man, like Capel Molyneux, or our grand old Protestant champion Hugh McNeile, who makes a deep impression, and sets people thinking, and "turns the world upside down". It was "dogma" in the apostolic ages which emptied the heathen temples, and shook Greece and Rome. It was "dogma" which awoke Christendom from its slumbers at the time of the Reformation, and spoiled the pope of one third of his subjects. It was "dogma" which one hundred years ago revived the Church of England in the days of Whitefield, Wesley, Venn and Romaine, and blew up our dying Christianity into a burning flame. It is "dogma" at this moment which gives power to every successful mission, whether at home or abroad. It is doctrine—doctrine, clear ringing doctrine—which, like the ram’s horns at Jericho, casts down the opposition of the devil and sin. Let us cling to decided doctrinal views, whatever some may please to say in these times, and we shall do well for ourselves, well for others, well for the Church of England, and well for Christ’s cause in the world.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Who do We Think We are?
In 2004, a TV series titled “Who Do You Think You Are?” first appeared on British television screens. The TV show starts with a famous figure outlining the limited knowledge the family circle has about those of earlier generations and the famous figure outlines possible avenues of enquiry that they want the TV programme to explore. Often the results are surprising. Sometimes ancestors are shown to have been squanderers or criminals. On other occasions previously unknown parental heroism and suffering has been revealed. Occasionally filming has been abandoned where ancestral research has not revealed anything out of the ordinary. The TV show title could be adapted to “Who Do We Think We Are?” to investigate the church family.
A 1975 Peanuts cartoon shows Sally writing a paper on church history. She states “When writing about church history, we have to go back to the very beginning. Our pastor was born in 1930.” Charlie Brown rolls his eyes on hearing this. To a child, someone in their 40s can seem rather ancient but adults too be can caught up with the here-and-now with their interest in church history focusing on their particular congregation rather than the distant historical reaches of the church.
Some Christians are prepared to consider the bigger picture. Yes, the true church existed during the apostolic era and shortly thereafter but then Catholicism extinguished it until its resurrection during the reformation. The Seventeenth Century Anglican theologian Mark Frank addressed this “And indeed in itself it is most ridiculous to think the custom, and practice, and order, and interpretations of all times and Churches should be false, and those of yesterday only true, unless we can think the Spirit of Truth has been fifteen or sixteen hundred years asleep, and never waked till now of late; or can imagine that Christ should found a Church, and promise to be with it to the end of the world, and then leave it presently to Antichrist to be guided by him for above fifteen hundred years together.” So likewise a view that dismisses three quarters of church history contradicts Christ’s promise to always be with the church (Matthew 28:20).
Let us be clear, church history incorporates much more than the history of our particular local church. There are benefits in knowing the circumstances how our assembly of Christian believers came into existence and the struggles and blessings it has known. However, when we ignore the history of the universal church there is much of value that we are missing. We need to see beyond the historical myopia we impose on ourselves with such thinking. It's good to remember that we are part of God's family and God has never deserted the Church.
A 1975 Peanuts cartoon shows Sally writing a paper on church history. She states “When writing about church history, we have to go back to the very beginning. Our pastor was born in 1930.” Charlie Brown rolls his eyes on hearing this. To a child, someone in their 40s can seem rather ancient but adults too be can caught up with the here-and-now with their interest in church history focusing on their particular congregation rather than the distant historical reaches of the church.
Some Christians are prepared to consider the bigger picture. Yes, the true church existed during the apostolic era and shortly thereafter but then Catholicism extinguished it until its resurrection during the reformation. The Seventeenth Century Anglican theologian Mark Frank addressed this “And indeed in itself it is most ridiculous to think the custom, and practice, and order, and interpretations of all times and Churches should be false, and those of yesterday only true, unless we can think the Spirit of Truth has been fifteen or sixteen hundred years asleep, and never waked till now of late; or can imagine that Christ should found a Church, and promise to be with it to the end of the world, and then leave it presently to Antichrist to be guided by him for above fifteen hundred years together.” So likewise a view that dismisses three quarters of church history contradicts Christ’s promise to always be with the church (Matthew 28:20).
Let us be clear, church history incorporates much more than the history of our particular local church. There are benefits in knowing the circumstances how our assembly of Christian believers came into existence and the struggles and blessings it has known. However, when we ignore the history of the universal church there is much of value that we are missing. We need to see beyond the historical myopia we impose on ourselves with such thinking. It's good to remember that we are part of God's family and God has never deserted the Church.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Church History – The First Century Part 6
Please note that the following is taken from a book published in 1840 which was written from a Presbyterian perspective. Therefore some of this might be outdated but nevertheless I hope this is of some benefit to Christians.
Excerpted from Chapter 1 of James Wharey Church History (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board Of Publication, 1840).
6. Persecution
From the very beginning, the church has been called to suffer persecution. This was first from the Jews, and about the time that Stephen was stoned to death, persecution seems to have raged very high; so that the disciples were compelled to make their escape, and to flee into distant countries. After this, we are told (Acts 12:1) that "Herod the king stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the church." James he killed with the sword, and Peter he imprisoned. And this he did to gain favour with the Jews. But the Jewish power was then limited, and soon after destroyed, by the utter destruction of their city and temple by Titus, and the final dispersion of their nation.
Nero was the first Roman emperor that persecuted the Christians; and his cruelty was extreme. He falsely accused them of setting fire to the city of Rome, of which crime he was guilty himself. Multitudes were put to the most excruciating death in a variety of ways. The streets of the city, and pleasure gardens, were illuminated at night by the burning of those whom he caused to be sewed up alive in garments covered over with pitch. This persecution commenced about A. D. 64, and raged until the death of Nero, about four years. Paul and Peter are said to have suffered martyrdom at Rome during this persecution; the one by decapitation, the other by crucifixion, with his head downwards. This manner he chose, as being less honourable than that in which his Lord had been crucified. The fury of this persecution subsided after the death of Nero, until it was renewed, near the end of the century by Domitian; in character little inferior to Nero for baseness and cruelty. Under this persecution the apostle John was banished to the isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Revelation. It has been said upon the authority of Tertullian, that he had been previously thrown into a caldron of boiling oil, and came out unhurt. But this is doubted.
(This concludes the First Century)
Excerpted from Chapter 1 of James Wharey Church History (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board Of Publication, 1840).
6. Persecution
From the very beginning, the church has been called to suffer persecution. This was first from the Jews, and about the time that Stephen was stoned to death, persecution seems to have raged very high; so that the disciples were compelled to make their escape, and to flee into distant countries. After this, we are told (Acts 12:1) that "Herod the king stretched forth his hand to vex certain of the church." James he killed with the sword, and Peter he imprisoned. And this he did to gain favour with the Jews. But the Jewish power was then limited, and soon after destroyed, by the utter destruction of their city and temple by Titus, and the final dispersion of their nation.
Nero was the first Roman emperor that persecuted the Christians; and his cruelty was extreme. He falsely accused them of setting fire to the city of Rome, of which crime he was guilty himself. Multitudes were put to the most excruciating death in a variety of ways. The streets of the city, and pleasure gardens, were illuminated at night by the burning of those whom he caused to be sewed up alive in garments covered over with pitch. This persecution commenced about A. D. 64, and raged until the death of Nero, about four years. Paul and Peter are said to have suffered martyrdom at Rome during this persecution; the one by decapitation, the other by crucifixion, with his head downwards. This manner he chose, as being less honourable than that in which his Lord had been crucified. The fury of this persecution subsided after the death of Nero, until it was renewed, near the end of the century by Domitian; in character little inferior to Nero for baseness and cruelty. Under this persecution the apostle John was banished to the isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Revelation. It has been said upon the authority of Tertullian, that he had been previously thrown into a caldron of boiling oil, and came out unhurt. But this is doubted.
(This concludes the First Century)
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Church History – The First Century Part 5
Please note that the following is taken from a book published in 1840 which was written from a Presbyterian perspective. Therefore some of this might be outdated but nevertheless I hope this is of some benefit to Christians.
Excerpted from Chapter 1 of James Wharey Church History (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board Of Publication, 1840).
5. Errorists in the Primitive Churches
Even in this first century, several errors made their appearance, and heresies began to spring up. A difference of opinion very early arose between the Jewish and gentile converts, about the necessity of an observance of the rules of the Mosaic Law. This subject called together the first council or synod, which was held by the apostles at Jerusalem, and decided upon this question, as we read in Acts 15.
When Jews were converted to Christianity, it was natural that they should still retain some leaning towards the opinions they had formerly entertained, and a partiality for their old ceremonies and institutions. These prejudices, which are natural to the human mind, would not fail to give to Christianity a peculiar model among Jewish converts, suitable to their particular views and feelings. A spice of the old leaven still retained, would leaven the new lump. This thing we find the apostles often labouring to correct; and the whole epistle to the Hebrews seems mainly designed for this purpose.
In like manner, when heathen converts were received into the church, it was natural they should bring with them some taint of their old philosophy, and former superstitions; and some fondness for the rites and ceremonies of their idolatrous worship. Long established opinions are seldom entirely eradicated, and old habits, with which we have been brought up, are not likely to be totally renounced. Sometimes the teachers of religion were too indulgent to those prejudices; and in order that the gospel might be the less offensive, tolerated in their new converts, opinions and practices little consistent with it. An indulgent feeling of this sort was natural, and duly regulated, was very proper. Thus Paul was made "all things to all men that by all means he might save some." But the principle was often carried too far.
From these sources, therefore, we shall find, springing up many of the errors and heresies that deformed the beauty, and marred the peace of the church, during the first three or four centuries. Some of them were Jewish, but most of them of heathen origin; and all proceeded from the same source, a fondness for old opinions and practices, and a disposition to yield as far as possible to these Jewish and heathen prejudices, and thus in a good degree, to remote the offence of the cross. Indeed we shall find that when Christianity became the established religion of the Roman Empire, and took the place of paganism, it assumed, in a great degree, the forms and rites of paganism, and participated in no small measure of its spirit also. Christianity as it existed in the dark ages might be termed, without much impropriety of language, baptized paganism.
"At the head of all the sects," says Dr. Mosheim, "which disturbed the peace of the church, stand the Gnostics. Under this appellation, are included all those in the first ages of the church, who modified the religion of Christ, by joining with it the Oriental philosophy, in regard to the source of evil, and the origin of this material universe." They were divided into a number of particular sects or parties, but seem to have held the following errors in common. They taught that Jesus Christ is inferior to the Father; that he did not possess a real body, and consequently did not really suffer; that evil dwells essentially in matter; and therefore they denied the future resurrection of the body, and enjoined severe bodily penances and mortifications, and held other notions of like character, derived from that false philosophy which they professed, and upon which they attempted to engraft Christianity.
The followers of Simon Magus are reckoned by some, among the Gnostic sects, which, in this century, corrupted the gospel. But, according to the best evidence we possess, Simon, after the memorable rebuke given him by the apostle, (Acts 8:20-23) became, not a corrupter, but a persevering enemy of Christianity.
The Nicolaitans are generally supposed to have been a branch of the Gnostics, although this is uncertain. They rather appear to have been a class of Antinomians, who turned the grace of God into lasciviousness. The Docetae, a Gnostic sect, received their name from their distinguishing tenet that Jesus had not a real, but only an apparent human body, and that consequently his sufferings on the cross were only in appearance. Cerinthus, who was cotemporary with John, the apostle, taught, on the contrary, that Jesus had a real body, and indeed was merely a man, the son of Joseph and Mary; but that, at his baptism, the Christ, a being of superior nature, descended on him in the form of a dove, remained in him during his public ministry, and leaving him, when he was apprehended by the Jews, ascended again to heaven; so that not Christ, but Jesus died. It is related by Irenaeus, on the authority of Polycarp, who was acquainted with John, that this aged apostle once going into a bath at Ephesus, discovered Cerinthus there; upon which, leaping out of the bath, he hastened away, saying, he was afraid lest the building should fall on him, and crush him along with the heretic.
The Nazarenes and Ebionites were Judaizing Christians that sprung up in the first century, but were not organized into distinct sects, until the second century. The Nazarenes differed little from the orthodox, except that they adhered to the rites of the Mosaic Law. The Ebionites denied the Divinity of Christ, rejected the Jewish Scriptures, except the five books of Moses, and all of Paul's epistles.
The writers of the first century are the apostles and apostolic fathers. At what time, and by whom the books of the New Testament were collected into one volume, is uncertain; but it is certain that before the middle of the second century, the most of them were read in every Christian church, and regarded as the divine rule of faith and practice. The apostolic fathers are, Clement, bishop of Rome, and author of the Epistles to the Corinthians; Ignatius, disciple and companion of the apostles, who suffered martyrdom under Trajan, being exposed to wild beasts in the theatre at Rome; Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, who suffered martyrdom at an extreme age, in the middle of the second century. Several works ascribed to these fathers, are known to be spurious; others are doubtful; and those, which are generally received as genuine, are not free from interpolations.
(To be continued)
Excerpted from Chapter 1 of James Wharey Church History (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board Of Publication, 1840).
5. Errorists in the Primitive Churches
Even in this first century, several errors made their appearance, and heresies began to spring up. A difference of opinion very early arose between the Jewish and gentile converts, about the necessity of an observance of the rules of the Mosaic Law. This subject called together the first council or synod, which was held by the apostles at Jerusalem, and decided upon this question, as we read in Acts 15.
When Jews were converted to Christianity, it was natural that they should still retain some leaning towards the opinions they had formerly entertained, and a partiality for their old ceremonies and institutions. These prejudices, which are natural to the human mind, would not fail to give to Christianity a peculiar model among Jewish converts, suitable to their particular views and feelings. A spice of the old leaven still retained, would leaven the new lump. This thing we find the apostles often labouring to correct; and the whole epistle to the Hebrews seems mainly designed for this purpose.
In like manner, when heathen converts were received into the church, it was natural they should bring with them some taint of their old philosophy, and former superstitions; and some fondness for the rites and ceremonies of their idolatrous worship. Long established opinions are seldom entirely eradicated, and old habits, with which we have been brought up, are not likely to be totally renounced. Sometimes the teachers of religion were too indulgent to those prejudices; and in order that the gospel might be the less offensive, tolerated in their new converts, opinions and practices little consistent with it. An indulgent feeling of this sort was natural, and duly regulated, was very proper. Thus Paul was made "all things to all men that by all means he might save some." But the principle was often carried too far.
From these sources, therefore, we shall find, springing up many of the errors and heresies that deformed the beauty, and marred the peace of the church, during the first three or four centuries. Some of them were Jewish, but most of them of heathen origin; and all proceeded from the same source, a fondness for old opinions and practices, and a disposition to yield as far as possible to these Jewish and heathen prejudices, and thus in a good degree, to remote the offence of the cross. Indeed we shall find that when Christianity became the established religion of the Roman Empire, and took the place of paganism, it assumed, in a great degree, the forms and rites of paganism, and participated in no small measure of its spirit also. Christianity as it existed in the dark ages might be termed, without much impropriety of language, baptized paganism.
"At the head of all the sects," says Dr. Mosheim, "which disturbed the peace of the church, stand the Gnostics. Under this appellation, are included all those in the first ages of the church, who modified the religion of Christ, by joining with it the Oriental philosophy, in regard to the source of evil, and the origin of this material universe." They were divided into a number of particular sects or parties, but seem to have held the following errors in common. They taught that Jesus Christ is inferior to the Father; that he did not possess a real body, and consequently did not really suffer; that evil dwells essentially in matter; and therefore they denied the future resurrection of the body, and enjoined severe bodily penances and mortifications, and held other notions of like character, derived from that false philosophy which they professed, and upon which they attempted to engraft Christianity.
The followers of Simon Magus are reckoned by some, among the Gnostic sects, which, in this century, corrupted the gospel. But, according to the best evidence we possess, Simon, after the memorable rebuke given him by the apostle, (Acts 8:20-23) became, not a corrupter, but a persevering enemy of Christianity.
The Nicolaitans are generally supposed to have been a branch of the Gnostics, although this is uncertain. They rather appear to have been a class of Antinomians, who turned the grace of God into lasciviousness. The Docetae, a Gnostic sect, received their name from their distinguishing tenet that Jesus had not a real, but only an apparent human body, and that consequently his sufferings on the cross were only in appearance. Cerinthus, who was cotemporary with John, the apostle, taught, on the contrary, that Jesus had a real body, and indeed was merely a man, the son of Joseph and Mary; but that, at his baptism, the Christ, a being of superior nature, descended on him in the form of a dove, remained in him during his public ministry, and leaving him, when he was apprehended by the Jews, ascended again to heaven; so that not Christ, but Jesus died. It is related by Irenaeus, on the authority of Polycarp, who was acquainted with John, that this aged apostle once going into a bath at Ephesus, discovered Cerinthus there; upon which, leaping out of the bath, he hastened away, saying, he was afraid lest the building should fall on him, and crush him along with the heretic.
The Nazarenes and Ebionites were Judaizing Christians that sprung up in the first century, but were not organized into distinct sects, until the second century. The Nazarenes differed little from the orthodox, except that they adhered to the rites of the Mosaic Law. The Ebionites denied the Divinity of Christ, rejected the Jewish Scriptures, except the five books of Moses, and all of Paul's epistles.
The writers of the first century are the apostles and apostolic fathers. At what time, and by whom the books of the New Testament were collected into one volume, is uncertain; but it is certain that before the middle of the second century, the most of them were read in every Christian church, and regarded as the divine rule of faith and practice. The apostolic fathers are, Clement, bishop of Rome, and author of the Epistles to the Corinthians; Ignatius, disciple and companion of the apostles, who suffered martyrdom under Trajan, being exposed to wild beasts in the theatre at Rome; Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, who suffered martyrdom at an extreme age, in the middle of the second century. Several works ascribed to these fathers, are known to be spurious; others are doubtful; and those, which are generally received as genuine, are not free from interpolations.
(To be continued)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Church History – The First Century Part 4
Please note that the following is taken from a book published in 1840 which was written from a Presbyterian perspective. Therefore some of this might be outdated but nevertheless I hope this is of some benefit to Christians.
Excerpted from Chapter 1 of James Wharey Church History (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board Of Publication, 1840).
4. Form and order of the primitive churches
The organization of the church by the apostles, and during the first century, was most simple; and seems to have been modelled after the form of the Jewish Synagogue. The officers were,
1. Elders or Bishops, who laboured in word and doctrine. These were their public teachers —the pastors of churches, who led in their worshipping assemblies, and publicly instructed the people. Of these there were frequently several in the same church, especially the large churches collected in the principal cities. They seem to have stood upon a perfect parity or equality of office; except that, for the sake of order, one was chosen president or moderator. This president was sometimes called the angel of the church, as a similar officer in the Jewish Synagogue was called angel or messenger. To this angel of each of the seven Asiatic churches, are the several epistles in the Revelation addressed. These bishops or pastors of churches were chosen by the people, on account of their wisdom, piety, and aptness to teach; and were regularly set apart to their office by the “laying on of the hands of the Presbytery.” We may suppose that they were generally supported by the people among whom they laboured; according to the particular direction of Christ and his apostles on this head.
2. Elders who ruled—who assisted in the government and discipline of the church; but who did not engage in the business of public instruction. There was a similar class of officers in the Jewish Synagogues, called Rulers of the Synagogue. These lay elders might be properly regarded as the representatives of the people, and the guardians of their rights. Their business was to inspect the conduct of the members, to keep order in their public assemblies, and to assist the bishops in the proper administration of the ordinances and discipline of the church.
3. Deacons, who were the public servants of the church, managed its secular concerns, and had particular oversight of the funds, and the charities of the church.
The forms of worship in the first century, were plain and simple. Their public assemblies were held on the first day of the week, commonly in private houses, or in some building appropriated to that purpose. There is no account of churches built and consecrated to the worship of God, sooner than about the beginning of the third century. These meetings, in time of persecution, were often after night, or before day in the morning. Here prayers were offered, the Scriptures read, short addresses made to the people by their public teachers, the Lord's Supper was celebrated, accompanied with the singing of hymns; and the whole was closed with free will offerings of money or provisions to their common stock, and the feast of charity. This feast of charity seems to have been intended for the benefit of the poor. They who were wealthy, and could afford it, brought something with them, on which they made a common meal; the poor, and strangers, who could bring nothing, being allowed a full share. Converts seem at first, to have been admitted to the communion of the church upon a simple profession of their faith.
(To be continued)
Excerpted from Chapter 1 of James Wharey Church History (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board Of Publication, 1840).
4. Form and order of the primitive churches
The organization of the church by the apostles, and during the first century, was most simple; and seems to have been modelled after the form of the Jewish Synagogue. The officers were,
1. Elders or Bishops, who laboured in word and doctrine. These were their public teachers —the pastors of churches, who led in their worshipping assemblies, and publicly instructed the people. Of these there were frequently several in the same church, especially the large churches collected in the principal cities. They seem to have stood upon a perfect parity or equality of office; except that, for the sake of order, one was chosen president or moderator. This president was sometimes called the angel of the church, as a similar officer in the Jewish Synagogue was called angel or messenger. To this angel of each of the seven Asiatic churches, are the several epistles in the Revelation addressed. These bishops or pastors of churches were chosen by the people, on account of their wisdom, piety, and aptness to teach; and were regularly set apart to their office by the “laying on of the hands of the Presbytery.” We may suppose that they were generally supported by the people among whom they laboured; according to the particular direction of Christ and his apostles on this head.
2. Elders who ruled—who assisted in the government and discipline of the church; but who did not engage in the business of public instruction. There was a similar class of officers in the Jewish Synagogues, called Rulers of the Synagogue. These lay elders might be properly regarded as the representatives of the people, and the guardians of their rights. Their business was to inspect the conduct of the members, to keep order in their public assemblies, and to assist the bishops in the proper administration of the ordinances and discipline of the church.
3. Deacons, who were the public servants of the church, managed its secular concerns, and had particular oversight of the funds, and the charities of the church.
The forms of worship in the first century, were plain and simple. Their public assemblies were held on the first day of the week, commonly in private houses, or in some building appropriated to that purpose. There is no account of churches built and consecrated to the worship of God, sooner than about the beginning of the third century. These meetings, in time of persecution, were often after night, or before day in the morning. Here prayers were offered, the Scriptures read, short addresses made to the people by their public teachers, the Lord's Supper was celebrated, accompanied with the singing of hymns; and the whole was closed with free will offerings of money or provisions to their common stock, and the feast of charity. This feast of charity seems to have been intended for the benefit of the poor. They who were wealthy, and could afford it, brought something with them, on which they made a common meal; the poor, and strangers, who could bring nothing, being allowed a full share. Converts seem at first, to have been admitted to the communion of the church upon a simple profession of their faith.
(To be continued)
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
The Second Commandment
Never a man to do things by half, TurretinFan has been turning out some articles on the Second Commandment. Please note that the Roman Catholic Church and the Lutherans follow a differing numbering system for the commandments.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:4-6)
From the Scriptures
The Sort of Evangelical I'm Not
Because Painted Images Can't Do Anything
Did Israel Ever Make Idols of God?
306
An Inconvenient Conciliar Truth - Part 01
754
An Inconvenient Conciliar Truth - Part 11
Circa 827
The Apology of Claudius of Turin and His Commentary on Galatians
1545
Catechism of the Church at Geneva on the Second Commandment
Circa 1556
Cranmer on the Second Commandment
1563
Heidelberg Catechism on the Second Commandment
1640s
Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechisms on the Second Commandment
Circa 1714
Matthew Henry on the Second Commandment
1765
Fisher's Catechism on the Second Commandment
Circa 1828
John Whitecross on the Second Commandment
1884
Spurgeon on Crosses in Worship
1896
Francis R. Beattie on the Second Commandment
1961
John Murray on Pictures of Christ
Circa 21st Century
On God's Covenant to Save His People from Idolatry
Latest blog posts
Thomas Vincent's "The Shorter Catechism Explained from Scripture" on the Second Commandment
Jonathan Cross on the Second Commandment
Samuel Fisher on the Second Commandment
Thomas Watson's Body of Divinity on the Second Commandment
Ursinus Catechisms on the Second Commandment
J.J. Lim on the Second Commandment
R. Scott Clark on the Second Commandment
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:4-6)
From the Scriptures
The Sort of Evangelical I'm Not
Because Painted Images Can't Do Anything
Did Israel Ever Make Idols of God?
306
An Inconvenient Conciliar Truth - Part 01
754
An Inconvenient Conciliar Truth - Part 11
Circa 827
The Apology of Claudius of Turin and His Commentary on Galatians
1545
Catechism of the Church at Geneva on the Second Commandment
Circa 1556
Cranmer on the Second Commandment
1563
Heidelberg Catechism on the Second Commandment
1640s
Westminster Shorter and Larger Catechisms on the Second Commandment
Circa 1714
Matthew Henry on the Second Commandment
1765
Fisher's Catechism on the Second Commandment
Circa 1828
John Whitecross on the Second Commandment
1884
Spurgeon on Crosses in Worship
1896
Francis R. Beattie on the Second Commandment
1961
John Murray on Pictures of Christ
Circa 21st Century
On God's Covenant to Save His People from Idolatry
Latest blog posts
Thomas Vincent's "The Shorter Catechism Explained from Scripture" on the Second Commandment
Jonathan Cross on the Second Commandment
Samuel Fisher on the Second Commandment
Thomas Watson's Body of Divinity on the Second Commandment
Ursinus Catechisms on the Second Commandment
J.J. Lim on the Second Commandment
R. Scott Clark on the Second Commandment
Monday, August 16, 2010
Church History – The First Century Part 3
Please note that the following is taken from a book published in 1840 which was written from a Presbyterian perspective. Therefore some of this might be outdated but nevertheless I hope this is of some benefit to Christians.
Excerpted from Chapter 1 of James Wharey Church History (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board Of Publication, 1840).
3. Extraordinary success of the Gospel
Only a few days after his ascension, according to his promise, the Spirit was poured out on the disciples, on the day of Pentecost, and three thousand converts were added to the church. From this time the word of the Lord began to take root and spread. At this feast of Pentecost there were great numbers of Jews and Jewish proselytes present, from almost all the surrounding countries; and many of them were probably converted on that occasion; and when they returned home, carried the gospel with them. These would be pioneers to the apostles in their future travels through those countries, and greatly assist them in establishing churches. Paul was raised up by the providence of God, and called in a most extraordinary manner, from being a most virulent persecutor, to be the great apostle of the gentiles. By his abundant labours, assisted by various companions, the gospel was spread in a short time, throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and the islands of the Archipelago; and churches established in all their principal cities.
To what extent the gospel was preached by the apostles themselves, except so far as indicated in the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles, is involved in great obscurity. From the most ancient traditions, which have reached us, (more to be relied on than those of later date, and yet not greatly to be trusted,) it appears more or less probable, that Peter extended his labours beyond Judea and Syria, to Babylon, and to parts of Asia Minor; hat Matthew, Jude, and Thomas, penetrated still farther eastward, to Persia, Parthia, and India; that Andrew and Philip spent some portion of their time, the latter in Phrygia, and the former along the shores of the Black sea; that James, the son of Alpheus, remained at Jerusalem, till his martyrdom, shortly before the destruction of that city; and that Bartholomew went to Arabia, and John to Ephesus, after the death of Mary, the mother of Jesus, where he lived to an advanced age. But although we are left to glean only a few uncertain and unsatisfactory statements respecting the apostles, beyond what the New Testament records of them; it is, nevertheless, certain, that in the first century, and even during the lives of the apostles themselves, Christianity obtained a considerable prevalence throughout a great part of the then known world.
The spread of the Christian religion in the first century, is truly wonderful; and can be accounted for only on the supposition, that it was the Lord's doing. “The cause must have been divine that enabled men, destitute of all human aid, poor, friendless, neither eloquent nor learned, fishermen, publicans, and moreover Jews, that is, persons odious to all other nations, in so short a time, to persuade so great a part of mankind to abandon the religions of their fathers, and to embrace a new religion, which is opposed to the natural dispositions of men.” In the hands of these weak, but heaven-commissioned, and heaven-directed instruments, the gospel was the “power of God, and the wisdom of God unto salvation.” They were no doubt much aided in exciting an interest, and making an impression upon the minds of men, and in stopping the mouths of gainsayers, by the miraculous powers with which they were endowed. Their general want of human learning was no doubt more than compensated by the extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit which were afforded to them, and the gift of tongues by which they were enabled to speak languages which they had never learned. Their humble, devoted, blameless lives too, would gain them credit and influence. But nothing will account for the extraordinary spread of the gospel, opposing as it did, the passions, prejudices, and worldly interests of all men, but the supposition that it was accompanied by the mighty power of God. It was “mighty through, God, to the pulling down of strongholds.”
(To be continued)
Excerpted from Chapter 1 of James Wharey Church History (Philadelphia: Presbyterian Board Of Publication, 1840).
3. Extraordinary success of the Gospel
Only a few days after his ascension, according to his promise, the Spirit was poured out on the disciples, on the day of Pentecost, and three thousand converts were added to the church. From this time the word of the Lord began to take root and spread. At this feast of Pentecost there were great numbers of Jews and Jewish proselytes present, from almost all the surrounding countries; and many of them were probably converted on that occasion; and when they returned home, carried the gospel with them. These would be pioneers to the apostles in their future travels through those countries, and greatly assist them in establishing churches. Paul was raised up by the providence of God, and called in a most extraordinary manner, from being a most virulent persecutor, to be the great apostle of the gentiles. By his abundant labours, assisted by various companions, the gospel was spread in a short time, throughout Asia Minor, Greece, and the islands of the Archipelago; and churches established in all their principal cities.
To what extent the gospel was preached by the apostles themselves, except so far as indicated in the Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles, is involved in great obscurity. From the most ancient traditions, which have reached us, (more to be relied on than those of later date, and yet not greatly to be trusted,) it appears more or less probable, that Peter extended his labours beyond Judea and Syria, to Babylon, and to parts of Asia Minor; hat Matthew, Jude, and Thomas, penetrated still farther eastward, to Persia, Parthia, and India; that Andrew and Philip spent some portion of their time, the latter in Phrygia, and the former along the shores of the Black sea; that James, the son of Alpheus, remained at Jerusalem, till his martyrdom, shortly before the destruction of that city; and that Bartholomew went to Arabia, and John to Ephesus, after the death of Mary, the mother of Jesus, where he lived to an advanced age. But although we are left to glean only a few uncertain and unsatisfactory statements respecting the apostles, beyond what the New Testament records of them; it is, nevertheless, certain, that in the first century, and even during the lives of the apostles themselves, Christianity obtained a considerable prevalence throughout a great part of the then known world.
The spread of the Christian religion in the first century, is truly wonderful; and can be accounted for only on the supposition, that it was the Lord's doing. “The cause must have been divine that enabled men, destitute of all human aid, poor, friendless, neither eloquent nor learned, fishermen, publicans, and moreover Jews, that is, persons odious to all other nations, in so short a time, to persuade so great a part of mankind to abandon the religions of their fathers, and to embrace a new religion, which is opposed to the natural dispositions of men.” In the hands of these weak, but heaven-commissioned, and heaven-directed instruments, the gospel was the “power of God, and the wisdom of God unto salvation.” They were no doubt much aided in exciting an interest, and making an impression upon the minds of men, and in stopping the mouths of gainsayers, by the miraculous powers with which they were endowed. Their general want of human learning was no doubt more than compensated by the extraordinary influences of the Holy Spirit which were afforded to them, and the gift of tongues by which they were enabled to speak languages which they had never learned. Their humble, devoted, blameless lives too, would gain them credit and influence. But nothing will account for the extraordinary spread of the gospel, opposing as it did, the passions, prejudices, and worldly interests of all men, but the supposition that it was accompanied by the mighty power of God. It was “mighty through, God, to the pulling down of strongholds.”
(To be continued)
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