An quote from my book, The Church: First Thirty Years Before the advent of Christ the religion of the Old Testament was public. All the Old Testament writings and prophets were public. The appearance of Christ was public. Other religious cultures from the east saw the star that directed them to the place of His birth. The progress of Christianity is publicly displayed in the annals of history. Think of the public nature of Christian influences. The Bible is the most public book in the world. The church is the most collective expression of Christianity in the world. The foundation for many charitable works, hospitals, schools and almost every civic institution has roots in Christianity. The Christian forefathers threw down the gauntlet to the world, the flesh and the devil, attesting to that great truth that Christianity was not done in a corner. The Middle ages attempted to build community and civilization around the unity of apostles’ doctrine. They tried to make Christianity the universal religion of Europe. Christianity and the apostles’ doctrine was not in a corner. However, in the modern era in this country and Europe as well, the church has been absorbed into the state. Christianity is now in a corner. The religious liberty of the past and the human dignity that accompanied it is now in a corner. The result is a watered down gospel. The result is a civilization without the unity of faith. The American creeds of socialism, individualism, relativism, pragmatism, and utilitarianism have trampled underfoot the apostles’ doctrine, because Christianity is in a corner. When everything is said and done, Christians must remember that the pomp of this world is like a passing vapor that disappears before their eyes. Man-made civic creeds will pass away, but the Word of God will remain forever. Christians must take the doctrine of the apostles’ into every part of life so they can say with integrity, this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa was a man in the covenant community. King Agrippa was like the baptized church member who still does not believe. Religious people or to put it another way, baptized religious unbelievers may almost be persuaded, but they remain in darkness. Baptized religious unbelievers remain in a corner. Paul told Agrippa that he wished for Agrippa to be like Paul “except for these chains.” Paul may have intended to use “these chains” as a metaphor for King Agrippa’s bondage to Satan. The church is in a corner because of the disregard and disbelief of the Word of God. Those like King Agrippa almost believe that God is sovereign. They almost believe that Christ died for His flock. They almost believe that the Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ to the sinful heart. They almost believe that man is naturally dead in sin. They almost believe in the biblical doctrine of for-giveness. They almost believe that ungodly worship is acceptable to God. The Protestant church in the Western world is inundated with professing Christians that almost, but not quite, believe the full doctrine of Scripture. They most eagerly believe that doctrine of Scripture that pleases their unbelieving estate. From chap. 43 - The Apostles Doctrine. pages 283-284
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 14:38:08 +0000
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