I have been a Christian for some twenty plus years, and while I have engaged myself in frequent bible study over the years, it is not until the study of this subject, did I know much about Church history beyond the book of Acts. Having studied it thus far for this course, Church history has captured my interest, and I am pleased to pursue it further. This teaching has been an excellent starting point.In the epilogue of the text by Bruce Shelly, Church History in Plain Language he writes: “Surely one of the more remarkable aspects of Christianity today is how few of these professed believers have ever seriously studied the history of their religion…the ignorance of Christians is hard to justify…Should we really be surprised, then, when today’s Christian so frequently blends gross errors with his orthodox confession, or defends some pagan practice as ‘Christian conduct?’”
When we read in the Old Testament of Israel’s wanderings in the wilderness, or of the many judges sent to bring the nation back into order with God’s commands, it is easy to chide them for their disobedience and neglect. It is easy to wonder at their constant falling into sin with the nations around them. Instead of setting an example for other nations to follow, they began to follow other nations. But are we so different?
One of the most outstanding facts that has repeated itself in this study has been how many times God has needed to bring a revival to the Church to wake it up! You might think by now that we as a nation would have learned from history, and to have not so quickly fallen away from truth with which we are so blessed. You would think by now that we could set the standard of Christian conduct and belief for other nations to follow. You would think that we would be ready to be teachers instead of needing to be taught. But we so easily fall into the same errors that we judge the past for, and yet if nothing else it shows God’s faithful and unfailing Mercy, and Grace towards an unfaithful and needy people. Perhaps we need to look back before we can move forward. Perhaps we need more interest in learning from history before we will understand the future.
I fear the blinding pursuit of this generation for escapism. We have “Americanized” the Gospel. Christian book stores are flooded with Best Seller books on eschatology feeding on the selfish interests of an egocentric church. While there has been speculation about the end of the world for many years, it has not before captivated the interest of the North American church as it has in recent years. The growing thought is to just “hang on” until some literal rapture of the believers, and the rest of the world, that has given us so much grief can go to “hell”. Just get as much as we can, and then get out of here.
God deliver us from such selfishness! God forgive us for our self seeking; self indulgent; self pursuant; self absorbed lives. Where is our sacrificial love for our neighbor? Where is our interest in the souls of the lost? Where is our concern for a world without Christ? Perhaps if there is an exit we should focus on taking as many with us as we can. Better yet, perhaps we need to prepare to stay instead of yearning to leave.
This subject on Church history has served to strengthen my conviction. God is not a loser. He has not created this world just to hand it over to a victory of evil. If such were the case, God would have to apologize to the martyrs who have laid down their lives, and to those who are doing so even now for a hopeless and vain cause. But it is not God who need apologize, rather it is the church who must catch the vision of a Sovereign and Omnipotent God! One Who Reigns and Rules over the affairs of men! One Who will bring heaven and earth together filled with His Glory. Amen.
There are countless resources available promoting this doctrine, or that doctrine, while a steady stream of teachings pours forth to enlighten the masses with a contradictory message of the Gospel. Let us rather with one voice echo the words of Luther and Calvin, Knox and Zwingli, Paul and the Apostles, that Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Let us cry out with a united voice of a God Who reconciled the world to Himself not imputing their trespasses against them. With one voice let us proclaim a God Who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that they too would have everlasting life.
Let us listen and learn from those who have gone before, and have forged a path for us to follow. Let us with more zeal than before, take up that banner, and with boldness declare the Truth of God’s Word. That we may in the words of Martin Luther declare: “Here I stand. I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.”
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