Changes

[Tellyontellyon]

In what ways have the beliefs, scriptures, attitudes and practices of Christians changed since the days of the first apostles? And what has stayed the same?

Thank you.

 

[Albion]

In what ways have the beliefs, scriptures, attitudes and practices of Christians changed since the days of the first apostles? And what has stayed the same?

Thank you.

This question cannot be adequately answered in less than small book. But roughly speaking--very roughly--the early church was extremely simple. People met at least weekly, they celebrated the holy meal as well as having fellowship around an ordinary, non-sacramental, meal, heard sermons, and of course baptized new members. They knew to follow the Lord's instructions about evangelizing the world and, also, adhering to the moral precepts that he taught in public. There were officers of the various congregations; we now usually call them clergy. In subsequent years, after all the Scriptures were compiled, the church(es) became more ceremonial and splits over doctrine did occur, as happened in every other one of the great religions of the world also. That's a huge subject in itself.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

I think the best way to explain it from an Apostolic church perspective (Catholic, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox) is that the church had to address things that the apostles did not. So in the 300s we have the rise of Arianism, which taught that Jesus, although God, was a created being by the Father. Their reply was to write the Nicene Creed. Today, we have to navigate the question of say, cloning of organs. The Apostles certainly couldn't write anything about that.

 

[Albion]

As a member of an Apostolic church myself, I do appreciate your point.

It's a good one, but from my perspective, reading it raises with even more clarity the fact that we cannot handle the challenge of the OP in this forum; it's just too huge a subject.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

In what ways have the beliefs, scriptures, attitudes and practices of Christians changed since the days of the first apostles? And what has stayed the same?

Thank you.

You could write some kind of encyclopedia sized set of books on this OP.

The earliest and biggest is the idea of Christianity being its own thing apart from Judaism. This is a huge issue and has lots of important doctrinal developments, especially the Divinity of Jesus. as well as him as Messiah, and the belief in the Trinity Godhead. These kind of issues are major doctrinal developments but have their foundation in scripture, but also can be contested because they are not laid out clearly, only hinted at here and there. And thus can be hotly contested that they are not true Revelations, but things like pagan corruptions and heresies based on misinterpreting or reading into a given text.

It would have been easy just to classify and interpret Jesus as an simply an arch prophet the way the Ebionites and earlier Judaizer New Testament faction did, and say he came to die for our sins, but he is not Divine, and the old Covenant continues on as is, except we won't due blood sacrifice anymore, but all the keeping koshur, and other mitzoh halacha go on as before.

 

[eleos1954]

In what ways have the beliefs, scriptures, attitudes and practices of Christians changed since the days of the first apostles? And what has stayed the same?

Thank you.

Probably the most significant change is the benefit of having the New Testament which gives us a much more detailed understanding of God's true character (through the life of Jesus). Along with that detail however come various interpretations ... but ... that in itself is nothing new as satan has and is continuously distorting the Word of God by means of deception (doubt). So in that sense nothing has really changed that much.

Genesis 3
New International Version

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say (casting doubt), ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?”

Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, but He is our pattern. The Bible teaches that we are to imitate Him.

PHILIPPIANS 2:5 New Life
5 Think as Christ Jesus thought.

PHILIPPIANS 2:5 NKJ
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,

Imitate Jesus
1 CORINTHIANS 11:1 NKJ
1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

1 PETER 2:21 NKJ
21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

EPHESIANS 5:1 NIV
1 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children

JOHN 13:15 NKJ
15 "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

1 JOHN 2:6 NKJ
6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.

1 JOHN 2:6 New Life
6 The one who says he belongs to Christ should live the same kind of life Christ lived.

Love As Jesus Loved
JOHN 13:34 NKJ
34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

JOHN 15:12 NKJ
12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

EPHESIANS 5:2 NKJ
2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma.

Follow in the steps of Christ ... we will stumble here and there .... but always willing to walk as He walked .... and that is true Christianity .... during the days of the apostles, and now, and into the future. It is a lifetime journey walking with Him. Amen.

When in doubt ... look at the life of Jesus.