Apostolic Mission (Page 4)
What happened as history bear records: for fifty years after St. Paul’s life a curtain hangs over the church, through which we strive vainly to look; and when at last it rises, about 120 A.D. with the writings of the earliest church fathers, we find a church in many aspects very different from that in the days of St. Peter and St. Paul.
This is true even in the days of the Old Testament when the Lord was in their midst. Still the human factor made the congregation weaker as the days went by. We cannot say otherwise because it has been observed and it happened already, but from time to time God intervened. How? 2 Chronicles 24:19;
“Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the LORD; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.”
The Lord always sends prophets to them to restore them to God. From time to time, they would have revival like the promise of God in 2 Chronicles 7:14,
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” This verse shows the readiness of God to forgive them if they would return to the Lord. Likewise in Isaiah 55:7, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.”
That is how God dealt with His people in the Old Testament.
In the New Testament, Christ built His church and we know the History of the Church from the New Testament Scripture especially in the book of Acts. Now, in carefully reading and studying the New Testament Scriptures from the day of Christ to the early apostles up to our time, can we honestly say that the church before, specifically from 33 A.D. to 100 A.D. is the same church today? Is it the same today and is identified closely as before? Can we say as the history of the church that for fifty years after St. Paul’s life a curtain hangs over the church, through which we strive vainly to look; and when at last it rises, about 120 A.D. with the writings of the earliest church fathers do, we find a church in many aspects very different from that in the days of St. Peter and St. Paul? Indeed the churches today are even different than before.
The Early Church Compare the Evangelical Churches today.
1. The early church has complete gifts of the Holy Spirit.
In 1 Corinthians 1:7, “So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:”
Gift of Administration (Ephesians 4:11)
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;” Gift of Operation (1 Corinthians 12:5-10)
“And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:”
2. The early disciples are witnesses of Christ.
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” - Acts 1:8
And it was fulfilled, “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” - Acts 8:4
Being so bold, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” - Revelations 12:11