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POST APOSTOLIC CHANGES
Lecture Objectives:
To learn about changes in the church following the first century, resulting in the departures seen in medieval times. This study will show (a)the organization of the church in New Testament times, (b)the changes that were made from near the end of the 1st century A.D. to the 13th, (c)some of the causes behind these changes, and (d)that the organization of the church that resulted form these changes was sharply different from the church as seen in the New Testament.
References:
Matthew 7.15; 24.12; Acts 20.29-30; Romans 16.17-18; Galatians 1.7; Ephesians 4.13-14; Colossians 2.8-9; 1 Timothy 4.1; 2 Timothy 3.13; 2 Timothy 4.3-4; Hebrews 13.9; 2 Peter 2.2; 1 John 2.1; 1 John 4.1; 2 Thessalonians 2. Finally: of the seven churches of Asia, only two were without blame from the Lord himself--Revelation, chapters 2 and 3.
Thoughts for Focus:
The Thread of Thought: All these Scriptures show that the Lord and the apostles warned against coming departures. Change means that something has been removed, altered or replaced. Some of the changes foretold included:
- The rise of false prophets - Matthew 24.24
- Changes among the elders themselves - Acts 20.17-35
- Changes in the doctrine taught by the apostles, causing divisions - Romans 16.17-20
- A variety of false teaching - Ephesians 2.14-15 E. Immature Christians would be led away from the Lord - Hebrews 2.12 F. A falling away - an apostasy - would occur - 1 Timothy 4.1 All these things are now matters of history. The differences of the church in the 12th and 13th centuries from that of the church in the New Testament is astounding.
- IDENTIFYING
CHANGES
- Changes took place in the organization of the church, in basic doctrines of the New Testament. Paul taught the same "ways in Christ" everywhere in church (1 Corinthians 4.17). The doctrine was also known as "the truth", "the way", "the gospel" and so on. It was "the faith once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude, verse 3). Getting away from these basic things, there as the gradual move away from the moral standards of the New Testament, which led at last to the doctrines of a celibate priesthood and the monastic movement.
- CHANGES IN
ORGANIZATION
- The
organization of the church in the first century was confined to local
churches.
- The term "ekklesia" (church) is used more than 90 times in the New Testament. Most of these refer to the local body of believers who are obedient to Christ.
- The church is PEOPLE - not buildings. The early Christians had no church buildings for many years after the days of the apostles.
- The Church
universal consisted of all believers.
- At that time, the only universal "organization" was the common commitment of the believers in the local churches to Christ, "the head of the church" (Ephesians 5.23).
- All
Christians were committed to Christ and to the apostles (inspired
men such as Mark, James, Luke, and Jude) brought God's word to men.
Paul affirmed that his words were not words taught by the wisdom of
men but by the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2.12-13)
- (At this point the teacher might ask students to read this text, also Ephesians 2.19-20) Note the special meaning of verse 20, "...built upon the foundation to the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone."
- The New Testament contains no provision for successors to the universal officers: Christ, the apostles and prophets. Christ continues to provide guidance for His church through the teaching of the New Testament, given through those apostles and prophets.
- The
organization of the church in the first century was confined to local
churches.
- THE ORGANIZATION
OF THE MEDIEVAL CHURCH HAD DEVELOPED GRADUALLY
- At the
beginning, the bishops (also called Elders and Presbyters) were equal.
- The charts will show how after apostolic times some bishops began to exalt themselves above their fellow bishops. A prime example is Ignatius of Antioch, who wrote about 107 A.D. "See that ye all follow the bishop, even as Christ Jesus does the Father, and the Presbyters as ye would the apostles" (Epistle to the Smryneans, Chapter 8).
- In Acts
20.8 the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to speak to the elders (see Acts
20.17-35) as being the bishops and pastors - they were all equal.
- From the time of Ignatius onward the bishops took more power; some became "metropolitan" in their rule (see chart); until at last there was a supreme bishop who was known as the pope.
- This was hundreds of years after New Testament times, and totally contrary to Scripture.
- Our Master himself shoed (Matthew 20.20-28) that all such misuse of power is forbidden to His followers (Read the section of Scripture if time permits).
- The College of
Cardinals
- Although these officials rank next to the pope in Catholic power today, there were no such officers in the New Testament Church, even as there was no pope.
- This "college" was at first a small committee of priests in the churches in Rome, who acted as an advisory council to the pope.
- The Lateran Council of 1059 approved this "college" which by then had become international. Since then Cardinals have been in every Catholic country where the church had enough power to appoint them.
- They have often influenced politics, including treaties with kings and feudal lords. They bear no resemblance to anything of biblical origin.
- At the
beginning, the bishops (also called Elders and Presbyters) were equal.
- DOCTRINAL
DEPARTURES
- As the centuries went on, more additions to God's word were made by the Catholic authorities. Some of these doctrinal developments included:
- Sprinkling
instead of immersion.
- About 250 A.D. a man named Novation was said to be too sick to be immersed. He was sprinkled; then he recovered. But he was never allowed to hold any church office. This was called "clinic" baptism.
- The oldest church buildings in Italy have baptisteries - for example, at the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa, a baptistery is close by, showing that immersion was still the practice at that date.
- Transubstantiation.
This is the doctrine that when the priest gives thanks for the bread and
the fruit of the vine in the communion, they are changed into the
literal body and blood of Jesus.
- This doctrine was given official sanction by the Lateran Council in 1215 A.D. It is not a New Testament doctrine.
- Many other doctrinal departures which were in use by the medieval church could be cited. Each student may pursue his own studies. Remember the words of Jesus: "Sanctify them through thy truth; they Word is truth" (John 17.17).
- CONCLUSION
- What have we learned? When the local churches in the New Testament days had existed long enough to develop leaders, they "appointed for them elders in every church" (Acts 14.23). These men were also called presbyters (aged men), bishops (or overseers), pastors (or shepherds). 1 Peter 5.1-3 uses forms of all these words in addressing the elders. Acts 20.28 does the same. But across later years, the bishops took more and more power, creating new officers and offices until after centuries there was a pope. In the same centuries, monastic practices developed. The life styles of the "clergy" in medieval times bore small resemblance to the original teachings of Christ and the apostles. So, efforts at reform (some had been made at times) began to be more and more insistent. Next, we will study what is now called the Reformation.