1 Church History

1 CHURCH HISTORY: FROM JESUS TO THE PRESENT TIME By Rev. Dr. Norbert Kleidon Introduction: Why is Church History Important? Church history is vital to our understanding of the institution of the Christian Church and its place in the world today. In First Corinthians 10:1-13, the Apostle Paul exhorts the Corinthian Church to learn from the examples of Israel’s past, least they make the same mistakes. Likewise, the history of the Christian Church is to be learned from and remembered. For instance, many who are skeptical of the Christian faith often associate Christianity with the violence and imperialism of the crusades. But an objective look at church history will show that the crusades happened at a time when the Papacy was a political institution corrupted by power and greed. Today our culture is confronted with new and bizarre religions philosophies, some of which present themselves as Christian. This is nothing new. History is littered with heresies that have attempted to infiltrate the church, including false ideas such as Arianism, Gnosticism and a host of others. Understanding Christian doctrine in light of church history helps us to separate fiction and fads from the facts and doctrine of the true Christian faith. In writing a condensed version of Church history, one has to pick out the high points or most important events. Names, places, and some theological terms have to be used which may be confusing and, no doubt, some of these names and places have not been heard of before and will soon be forgotten shortly thereafter. But in writing history it is vital that names and places be used. Yet, while it is not all that important to remember these names and places, what is of more importance is the affect these names and places had on the history of the Christian Church. JESUS AND THE GOSPLES: THE FOUNDATION OF CHRISTIANITY. Jesus said, ―This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.‖ (Matt. 24:34). This indicates that Jesus expected history to climax in judgment. Jesus’ death on the cross was a judgment on sin and Satan. The final judgment will come at the end of time. As for now, Jesus’ death and resurrection are the foundation of the Christian Gospel, and that Gospel was to be proclaimed to the entire world as we discover in the Great Commission which we read in Matthew 28:19-20, ―Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.‖ Other vital events for the beginning of the history of Christianity are the Ascension of Jesus into heaven and Pentecost. Forty days after his resurrection, Jesus met with and told his disciples not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit who would baptize them with fire. They would receive a special power when the Holy Spirit would come upon them, and they would be witnesses of Jesus in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. (Acts: 2:1-11). Notice the circular spread of the Gospel. It would start in Jerusalem, then in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the world. And as we study the history of the Christian Church, we see how far and wide the Gospel has spread. And the Christian church is also here in Cambodia. You are part of God’s plan; you are part of church history! 2 Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit came true ten days from his ascension into heaven where he now rules over his church. On the day of Pentecost the disciples were gathered in one place. (Acts 2:1-13). As they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in the languages of the various people that were in Jerusalem. After the Apostle Peter preached a powerful sermon, telling the people that they had crucified the Lord Jesus Christ, they were cut to the heart and cried out,‖ What shall we do?‖ Peter replied, ―Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.‖ Three thousand people accepted the message and were baptized. So Pentecost has been called the ―Birthday of the Church.‖ As the believers gathered together in Christian fellowship, people were added daily to the church. PAUL, BARNABAS AND ANTICOCH. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch, and it was at the church in Antioch that the Apostle Paul and Barnabas were commissioned by the laying on of hands and sent off on their first missionary journey. (Acts 13:2-3). Now, Paul had been a persecutor of Christians. But on his way to Damascus to arrest Christians, he was struck down by a bright light. He fell to the ground and heard the voice of Jesus, who told him to go to Damascus, and there he would find a man named Ananias. (Acts 9:1ff). The Lord told Ananias to seek out Paul. Finding him, Ananias laid hands on Paul, and Paul’s eyes were opened, and he was baptized. The news of Paul’s conversion had reached the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch to find Paul. By the way, Paul’s partner, Barnabas’s name means, ―son of exhortation or consolation.‖ He was a Levite from Cyprus, an early convert to Christianity. He spoke on Paul’s behalf to remove their fears concerning Paul. For an entire year Paul and Barnabas met with the church in Antioch. The Holy Spirit said to the members of the church there to set aside Paul and Barnabas for special missionary work. And then they sent them off on a journey through Asia Minor that would prove fruitful for the growth of Christianity. PAUL’S MISSIONARY JOURNEYS. Paul’s first missionary journey took place in 46-48 A.D. Paul and Barnabas sailed to Cyprus and then to Pathos. From there they traveled to Perga in Pamphylia and Antioch Pisidian. It was there that Paul preached in the synagogue. Since the Jews rejected his message, Paul and Barnabas turned their ministry to the Gentiles. The Jews incited the people against Paul and Barnabas and drove them from their region. Then it was on to Iconium. There a number of Jews and Gentiles believed. Paul and Barnabas met with much hostility, and Paul was actually stoned. So they left for Derbe. On the way back to Antioch, they returned to Lystra and Iconium. Their efforts paid off as a church was established with elders appointed. THE FIRST CHURCH COUNCIL IN JERUSELEM A controversy arose over whether one was saved by grace alone or by being circumcised according to the Law of Moses. This caused a sharp dispute as Paul and Barnabas opposed those who held to such views. They were summoned to Jerusalem, and a council was called in Jerusalem to debate the issue. The conclusion reached was that no burden should be placed 3 before Gentiles, and that all alike, Jew and Gentile, are saved by God’s grace and not by observing the law. Paul and Barnabas also had their differences. Paul didn’t want to take Mark with them on another mission trip since Mark had deserted them on the first missionary journey, So Barnabas and Paul split this and Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed to Cyprus, whereas Paul chose Silas. They were later joined by Timothy in Lystra on the second missionary journey, a trip that included Troas, Philippi, Athens, and Corinth. It was at Philippi that Paul and Silas were thrown into prison for casting out an evil spirit from a girl. While in prison, there was an earthquake, and the jail doors flew open freeing them both. After preaching in Thessalonica, they went to Athens, where on the Areopagus, Paul preached to the men about the unknown god. Paul said that God can be known from his creation and in His Son, Jesus Christ. In Corinth Paul preached every day in the synagogue. From there they sailed to Ephesus where a riot broke out, and they went on through Macedonia back to Jerusalem. On his third missionary journey, Paul returned to many of the places he had visited before. Many churches were established. Back in Jerusalem, Paul was arrested and placed on trial. Paul was sent to Caesarea, where he appeared before Governor Felix. Festus succeeded Felix, but back in Jerusalem, Agrippa told Festus he would hear Paul himself. Paul appealed to his Roman citizenship, and thus he was sent to Rome for trial. After several years in a house prison in Rome, it is believed that Paul was martyred. Because Paul obeyed the Lord, many people in Asia were brought to faith in Jesus Christ, and Several churches were created, even in Rome. Thus, Christianity was spreading from Jerusalem to the world. (Assignment: Read the Book of Acts). PERSECUTION AND THE ROMAN EMPIRE. Large scale persecutions of Christians took place by the authorities of the Roman Empire. It was reported by Tacitus that Emperor Nero blamed Christians for the great fire of Rome. According to tradition, it was under Nero that Peter and Paul were martyred in Rome. For nearly 250 years Christians suffered persecution for their refusal to worship the Roman emperor. Early Christianity and the Roman Empire were closely linked and that is important to the study of the history of the church.

Load more