Tag Archives: Early Christianity

Origins

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A Sefer Torah, the traditional form of the Heb...

A Sefer Torah, the traditional form of the Hebrew Bible, is a scroll of parchment. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How amazingly striking is the difference in the writings of the early Church Elders and the writings of men today who consider themselves elders.  What began our faith is not the same power among men today.  We hear the constant ringing of a limp bell which touts the Love of God in Jesus.  But the dedication unto death is the blazing fire which should have strengthened that bell.

What is called the Church today hands out fuzzy blankets to a people stranded in Arctic conditions, wishes them well, then abandons them to the wiles of wickedness all around them.  I do not say this without foundation.  Purity toward the holy life has dissipated in the rising heat of hell itself among the people today.

I urge you to consider what I have posted here.  The world is not void of their writings.  Yet how many take the time to look into these things?  We have all heard the constant voice which appeals to us to remember the height from which we have fallen.

I am no more than anyone who reads these words.  Indeed, I am far less than even the saints of this day.  But why should we settle for a diluted message?  The call of God is urgent, pure, and sure.  It is the same today as it was in the beginning.  It is only the adaptation of this age which waters down the Gospel to a sweet savor of “love”.  As the love between a husband and wife has been reduced to sexual behavior between adulterers, so that LOVE of God has become dispersed to simply mean kindness or restraint from murder.

What of warriors for Christ Jesus?  What of men and women born of the Holy Spirit into a holy life?  How can what is Holy give birth to anything less than Holy?  But the world and the corrupt message of certain men regarding the Gospel have allowed any sin to attach itself to the life of their people.  How will such things become acceptable to the Holy Lord of Life?  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!  It is man who has determined, in his “eternal” wisdom, that he can change that pure message from water to tar.

Grasp and return to that message which God has delivered to this day.  He has given His very blood to keep that Word through the ages.  And we would do well to read and learn of the kind of men and women who were used by God to found our faith.  Listening to the message today and reading the message of the starting, one would think we are serving an entirely different God.

By His Grace.

2nd Notes From Reading “The Shepherd of Hermas”

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Stone Tower, Lynn Woods

Stone Tower, Lynn Woods (Photo credit: d4vidbruce)

The Church has not decided to include “The Shepherd of Hermas” in what we know of today as the Bible.  And I can see why such writings were not considered directly from God’s Holy Throne.  The author’s writings are much like mine.  They are not the pure revelation from God, but the interpretation of revelation.  However, let us not dismiss such work as worthless (or even worse, that of demons).  For there is great benefit to be had as men speak to one another regarding the things of God.

There is an item worth mention in his writings.  The reader of this post should do their soul good by reading the original text.  Some things such men write penetrate as deeply as a word from the Lord Himself.  And how do I know but this particular vision was not from the Lord.  By the power it is having on my heart I would consider the vision as God given.

There was a tower being built by Angels.  The stones used were so perfectly unionized that their joints were not visible.  When the Shepherd asked what was the meaning of this, he was told that the stones represented obedient Christians.  And that the tower was created entirely for God’s eternal purposes, and composed entirely of such men.  There were other stones which could not be used due to cracking, unevenness, and even rounded corners.  These other stones were not necessarily unusable.  But their use was less than glory.

I am given pause to consider that my past will come with me into my appearance before the Lord of Life.  And I confess that the vision related has left a mark on my thinking.  May God allow that the vision will not leave me till I appear before Him.

By His Grace.

Church History, a Reflection of Today?

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Christian fis symbol

Christian fis symbol (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Blogs are a direct representation of each blogger’s personality, attitude, desires, past deeds, and who is their hero.  This blog is no different.

Listening to Eusibius’ Church History (listening while I drive for hours), I am struck by the quality of men, women and children of the early Church.  They did not have central heating, electricity, cars, planes and trains.  Yet the character of men was little different from today.

Perhaps the only difference that can be perceived is social law.  I live in America.  So the social law I perceive is a burning ember of hatred for God’s things.  There are other countries where hatred for God’s things is a raging bonfire.  Since America is on the decline from relaxation of its own laws (or a proliferation of nullifying laws and regulations), I can’t believe that it is far in the future when the physical violence we see against Christians disembarks onto our shores.

With this in mind I have been considering what I know about America’s dedication to the Holiness of God.  There are striking differences between now and the age of the early Christian Church.  There are many differences.  But one difference stands out quite starkly.

The Christian Church today (this includes Catholics) is rather inclusive.  All you have to do to be counted as a Christian within their walls is speak a few words and show up on time and often.  With that you are “automatically” considered one of them.  The early Church would have considered this level of commitment to Christianity as youthful, elementary, basic and catechismic (as if the person in question is just beginning to learn the basics of the Christian faith).

This was not the case in the early Church.  Each one was required to give all they had to the service of the Lord Jesus.  They were required to repent (stop doing) from sinful ways.  They were required to pray earnestly and often.  They were required to learn the Scriptures as if their life depended on it.  And I am struck with a certain awe when I listen to the members of the early Church beg for salvation from the Lord.  They did not consider salvation to be an automatic warm fuzzy.

The Church today opens its doors to all.  And it certainly should.  But it requires very little from those who begin to profess faith in Christ Jesus.  While there is teaching regarding the Gospel there is little display of The Faith even among the more senior members.

I’m not trying to tear at the fabric of the Church today.  I’m simply pointing out a drastic difference between what we were in the first 300 years, and what we have become today.  And I will take note that there is exceedingly little persecution pressing on the members of the Church in America today.   It is possible that this can change in the blink of an eye.  Especially with the current trends of compromise between the leaders of our country and the islamics.

We will see what happens.  But I urge my brothers and sisters to dig into the history of the Church and take a look at who we were from the beginning.  What we are not is like a man who never ventures into the sunshine; pale, listless, over weight, and sullen.  Please give this serious consideration.  The time to prepare for service is not at the moment of calling.  Practise brings the servant to his toes when called.

By His Grace.