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What can we learn from the First Century Church? Part 2

January 13, 2025 / / 0 Comments

All Christian groups that consider themselves orthodox agree on 2 things. It is absolutely necessary to them to acknowledge that Jesus was born of the virgin Mary. His birth was miraculous. They also insist that Jesus was literally and bodily resurrected from the grave. These and other amazing signs are proof that Jesus is the Son of God, and not simply a wise teacher or a very good man.

The stories of the miracles that Jesus performed are well known even among unbelievers today. In Luke’s second volume of Gospel history many miracles are recorded as well. These are not nearly as well known. In a previous article I shared a quote from the British minister and bible translator, J. B. Phillips. He suggested that the modern church world has reason to become disturbed or uncomfortable by what we see in the New Testament book of Acts.

Could it be possible that we hear less preaching and teaching from the book of Acts because of the challenges the Early Church presents to us? It is so wonderful to think of our lovely Savior and His power to forgive, heal, control nature, atone for our sins and rise from the grave. We quickly cry “heresy” when anyone denies that His miracles were real. He was the Son of God! However, in Acts we see the same power to heal and work miracles in ordinary humans like us!

Not only do we see them healing the sick but we also see other strange behaviors. Today if someone claims that God talked to them we might roll our eyes or even begin to avoid them. In Acts, as in many other biblical passages, it appears very normal for God to give counsel and direction to individuals in various unusual ways. Again, conservative Christians can be very dogmatic in proclaiming that we have a book that came into being by the very fact that God spoke to and through men. Interestingly, some of those same people claim that God would never, ever do that again!

As I look around I have to admit that miracles like those we see in the bible are not as common place today. Then I have to ask myself, “why is that so?” Some offer various explanations to to answer that question, but Jesus gave one explanation to His disciples that might just apply to us today. They asked Him why they could not deliver a certain child from demon possession. His answer was this: It was because of their unbelief. (Matthew 17:19-20).

Instead of making excuses for our shortcomings today, maybe we would do better to share the confession of the father of the boy in that same story, he cried out
“I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) I don’t know about you, but I believe that is a prayer that God will answer!

If you are interested in considering things that the First Century Church could teach us, I hope you will join me in this study by subscribing to my blog at https://livingtruth.com or my facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/livingtruthcom

 

What can we learn from the First Century Church?

January 12, 2025 / / 0 Comments

The Western World has the story of Jesus Christ embedded in its culture and its history. The four accounts of His life in the New Testament are among the most well-known books in the world today. But what of the events that followed His life, His teachings, His death, resurrection and ascension to heaven?

Today I would submit that the second volume of this story that began in Luke’s gospel has the potential of shaking modern Christianity down to its foundations! In our bibles this book is entitled “Acts,” or “The Acts of the Apostles.”

In the preface of his translation of Acts, “The Young Church In Action,” J.B. Phillips wrote:

“It is impossible to spend several months in close study of the remarkable short book, conventionally known as the Acts of the Apostles, without being profoundly stirred and to be honest, disturbed. The reader is stirred because he is seeing Christianity, the real thing, in action for the first time in human history. The newborn Church, as vulnerable as any human child, having neither money, influence nor power in any ordinary sense, is setting forth joyfully  and courageously to win the pagan world for God through Christ. The young Church, like all young creatures, is appealing in its simplicity and its singleheartedness. Here we are seeing the Church in its first youth, valiant and unspoiled — a body of ordinary men and women joined in an unconquerable fellowship never before seen on this earth.

“Yet we cannot help feeling disturbed as well as moved, for this is surely the Church as it was meant to be. It is vigorous and flexible, for these are the days before it  . . . .  became fat and short of breath through prosperity, or muscle bound by over organization. These men did not make ‘acts of faith’ they believed. They did not ‘say their prayers,’ they really prayed.  They did not hold conferences on psychosomatic medicine, they simply healed the sick. But if they were uncomplicated and naive by modern standards, we have ruefully to admit that they were open on the God-ward side in a way that is almost unknown today.”

If anyone is interested in why these comments were made, and want to be challenged by them, I hope you will subscribe to my blog at https://livingtruth.com or my facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/livingtruthcom where we will seek to find what can be learned from the First Century Church!

Judgement or Truth?

January 10, 2025 / / 2 Comments

It is not hard to be narrow-minded and judgmental. In fact it can be difficult to resist that tendency for some of us. It is even more difficult when surrounded by others who take pleasure in discovering the faults of others.

My mother and a few others who were important in my growing up actively worked to find the good in others and in our circumstances. For that I am grateful to God to this day. However, at times I have felt at times a gnawing sense of responsibility to my fellow human beings that I cannot ignore.

Around the world and for the past 2,000 years people have received Christ within their own cultural contexts. I have learned to accept this as well as the fact that I do not have to understand why everyone worships in their particular form. At the same time I have learned that there can be inherent problems in some forms.

Whenever Christians develop customs or traditions that contradict the teachings of Christ we should all be concerned. That should be obvious. Yet it is possible that in our desire to fulfill His purposes, we can develop traditions that actually hinder us from fulfilling them. I know this because I have been caught up in these situations myself.

Recently I wrote a post encouraging older believers to pass their wisdom and experience down to succeeding generations. During this new year I will be attempting to take my own advice. While trying to not be offensive or controversial, I am expecting that controversy will become unavoidable. To some my concerns might seem petty or reactionary. All I ask is that you consider what I offer, and that you develop your own critical thinking skills.

My faith in Christ is built upon His work in my life through personal experience, His Word in the bible, and the power of the Holy Spirit Who works within me. If that is also true for you, I believe we have some common ground already! If you are interested in where I am going with this topic, I invite you to subscribe to my blog, https://livingtruth.com or my facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/livingtruthcom and join the discussion!

By speaking the truth in love, we can grow up into Christ in all things, and fulfill our destiny in Him! (Ephesians 4:15, Romans 8:29).

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