First Church?

[~Willow~]

Lots of questions today! Which was the first church? I've heard Eastern Orthodox, Catholic church, and Messianic Jews. Is there anyway to really know or is this another thing that is always going to be debated?

 

[miamited]

Hi willow,

The first church was a group of people who heard Paul or Peter or one of the other disciples preach the gospel and then began to gather as believers. It wasn't any denomination and it still isn't. It was just a small group of people who had heard the truth proclaimed and chose to believe it and follow this new teaching of one who had been sent by God to die in their place for their sin.

Despite what some may tell you, Peter was not the first pope. He was just like Paul and John and Matthew and Luke and Barnabas. He was a man who knew the truth and was following his Lord's command to go and teach others. Was his first preaching in Rome? I doubt it, but we honestly don't have a lot about the other first disciples. Paul is the one for whom we have the most Scriptural evidence of his ministry.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[ryanmercer]

I'd suppose one of the ones in the bible, like the one mentioned in Acts 20:17-38

 

[Sayre]

Hi willow,

The first church was a group of people who heard Paul or Peter or one of the other disciples preach the gospel and then began to gather as believers. It wasn't any denomination and it still isn't. It was just a small group of people who had heard the truth proclaimed and chose to believe it and follow this new teaching of one who had been sent by God to die in their place for their sin.

Despite what some may tell you, Peter was not the first pope. He was just like Paul and John and Matthew and Luke and Barnabas. He was a man who knew the truth and was following his Lord's command to go and teach others. Was his first preaching in Rome? I doubt it, but we honestly don't have a lot about the other first disciples. Paul is the one for whom we have the most Scriptural evidence of his ministry.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

Hi Ted,

I agree with your comments. It is nice to agree with you on something so I thought it was worth mentioning.

The original, and only, church, is simply the body of believers. Always has been, always will be.

 

[miamited]

Hi Ted,

I agree with your comments. It is nice to agree with you on something so I thought it was worth mentioning.

The original, and only, church, is simply the body of believers. Always has been, always will be.

Hi sayre,

LOL. Yes, we are in agreement on this point. One day we may be in agreement on much more of the truth.

God bless you.
In Christ, Ted

 

[dayhiker]

I personally don't think any church today can claim to be the original church. Now the eastern orthodox church clearly has traditions that go back a long ways. My Pentecostal church doesn't have that. I'm not really interested in those traditions for my life as I don't live in a small town run by a Roman appointed magistrate and work shepherding sheep.

To me the 1st church was about loving Jesus and letting the Holy Spirit move thru them. There is only one body of Christ and all who love Jesus are apart of that body from my point of view.

 

[abysmul]

I personally don't think any church today can claim to be the original church. Now the eastern orthodox church clearly has traditions that go back a long ways. My Pentecostal church doesn't have that. I'm not really interested in those traditions for my life as I don't live in a small town run by a Roman appointed magistrate and work shepherding sheep.

To me the 1st church was about loving Jesus and letting the Holy Spirit move thru them. There is only one body of Christ and all who love Jesus are apart of that body from my point of view.

I would agree that no church today can claim to be the original church; as I would say the true church of Christ is the body of believers, and those who were the first church are all dead.



I think what we should be more concerned with (rather than who was first) is if we are following the instructions and guidelines given to us through the God breathed scriptures and the Holy Spirit.

It has bothered me for some years now, to see so many people who's first reaction/answer to a question about their religion is to name their denomination... it feels to me that far too many people identify with their denomination first, and Christ later. Denominations seem to almost breed jealousy and strife. (I keep thinking there is a passage in Corinthians about this, but I could be reading more into it.)

 

[~Willow~]

I would agree that no church today can claim to be the original church; as I would say the true church of Christ is the body of believers, and those who were the first church are all dead.



I think what we should be more concerned with (rather than who was first) is if we are following the instructions and guidelines given to us through the God breathed scriptures and the Holy Spirit.

It has bothered me for some years now, to see so many people who's first reaction/answer to a question about their religion is to name their denomination... it feels to me that far too many people identify with their denomination first, and Christ later. Denominations seem to almost breed jealousy and strife. (I keep thinking there is a passage in Corinthians about this, but I could be reading more into it.)

That's pretty much the basis of my question. Who is doing the right thing? The beliefs between Catholics and Protestants are really different.

 

[abysmul]

That's pretty much the basis of my question. Who is doing the right thing? The beliefs between Catholics and Protestants are really different.

Here's my suggestion, when you see something "different"... take that single difference, and turn to the Bible. Research it, read, pray and see if that difference between group "A" and group "B" holds up to Biblical teaching.

If it does not, you may have a problem.

If it really isn't covered in the Bible, then you have to determine if it is a difference that matters at all.

 

[~Willow~]

Here's my suggestion, when you see something "different"... take that single difference, and turn to the Bible. Research it, read, pray and see if that difference between group "A" and group "B" holds up to Biblical teaching.

If it does not, you may have a problem.

If it really isn't covered in the Bible, then you have to determine if it is a difference that matters at all.

LOL, that's what I was wondering about in the other thread... maybe I should have left all these questions in one thread. I was researching the seven books the Catholics have to see if that's where they get some of this stuff... but if those books are full of errors, I wouldn't want it in my Bible.

 

[dayhiker]

A general reply to the last few topics.

We can try to get all the details right by studying the Bible and history and archeology etc. Yet we still wouldn't be like like the 1st century church because we have cars, heated baptismal tanks, shoes and not sandals.
What does God require of thee, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God. What are the two commandments? To love God and to love people. Those are the verse to start with. Love is the only way the Bible says we can fulfill the law. Love is the greatest. God is love, not the 1st church as in doing some activity. We are to return to our 1st love. Which out love we are nothing.
I've found it much more profitable to love people than to try and figure out if the church should play instruments during worship. The New Testament never mentions that the early church played instruments for example.

 

[saintboniface]

Lots of questions today! Which was the first church? I've heard Eastern Orthodox, Catholic church, and Messianic Jews. Is there anyway to really know or is this another thing that is always going to be debated?

Let's answer this question by considering another question. Do you see the trappings of a faith or denomination other than Catholicism during the second century, the third, the fourth, the fifth? How about the sixth, seventh, or eighth century? I assume your answer will be no. No, I don't see any trappings of a faith or denomination other than Catholicism until the 1500's AD.

Therefore, if Christianity only existed as a type of Catholic Christianity for numerous centuries, how could the early church be anything other than Catholic? Was the entire Christian world for dozens of centuries practicing a false faith?

 

[graciesings]

Each denomination seems to think they were the first church. (Even churches that are recent like to claim that the first Christians were just like them so they really were the first church.) The thing to do is look at the church now and use what you know about them in making a decision. Listening to all these churches argue about who was first probably won't help much...

 

[miamited]

That's pretty much the basis of my question. Who is doing the right thing? The beliefs between Catholics and Protestants are really different.

Hi WB,

Again I would caution anyone to set their goal in doing right based on what one denomination or another believes, practices or teaches. According to the Scriptures, the way of righteousness is found in them. No matter what group of believers you may choose to align yourself with, I believe that God holds each one responsible for finding the truth and the way of righteousness in the exact same way. His word!

However, having said that, I also believe that some denominations can make it harder and even work to keep you from that knowledge.

God bless you as you seek.
In Christ, Ted

 

[revrobor]

Lots of questions today! Which was the first church? I've heard Eastern Orthodox, Catholic church, and Messianic Jews. Is there anyway to really know or is this another thing that is always going to be debated?

There is and always has been only one church and that is the Body of Believers. Jesus did not establish any of the religious institutions we call "church". Jesus called out followers. It was man who established the religious institutions.

 

[1watchman]

True Revrobor, and man has corrupted God's testimony. That is why I sought out a truly scriptural fellowship years ago, that holds His Word as our only authority for the Faith. Look up always, brother!

 

[whistlersdog]

Willow Breeze, it's good to be inquisitive, keep it up! I know a good website which will answer all your questions concerning the first church - Catholic vs. Orthodox. Go to 'Catholicbridge.com'. Go to 'other' at the top of the page, click on 'Catholic and Orthodox Church' then scroll down on the right to #14: "Does The Orthodox Church Predate The Catholic Church?" The answer is "no". The Catholic Church is older. The Catholic Church is the oldest continuous, unbroken institution with a definable government in the world:

Encyclopedia Britannica says: "The Roman Catholic Church traces its history to Jesus Christ and the Apostles. Over the course of centuries it developed a highly sophisticated theology and an elaborate organizational structure headed by the papacy, the oldest continuing absolute monarchy in the world....
These incontestable statistical and historical facts suggest that some understanding of Roman Catholicism—its history, its institutional structure, its beliefs and practices, and its place in the world—is an indispensable component of cultural literacy, regardless of how one may individually answer the ultimate questions of life and death and faith".

Wiki says: "The Roman Catholic Church is the oldest continuously operational entity with an identifiable structure".

The BBC says: "The Catholic Church is the oldest institution in the western world. It can trace its history back almost 2000 years".

Here is the succession of the Bishops of Rome and their dates of reign up until Emperor Constantine:

St. Peter (32-67)
St. Linus (67-76)
St. Anacletus (Cletus) (76-88)
St. Clement I (88-97)
St. Evaristus (97-105)
St. Alexander I (105-115)
St. Sixtus I (115-125)
-- also called Xystus I
St. Telesphorus (125-136)
St. Hyginus (136-140)
St. Pius I (140-155)
St. Anicetus (155-166)
St. Soter (166-175)
St. Eleutherius (175-189)
St. Victor I (189-199)
St. Zephyrinus (199-217)
St. Callistus I (217-22)
St. Urban I (222-30)
St. Pontain (230-35)
St. Anterus (235-36)
St. Fabian (236-50)
St. Cornelius (251-53)
St. Lucius I (253-54)
St. Stephen I (254-257)
St. Sixtus II (257-258)
St. Dionysius (260-268)
St. Felix I (269-274)
St. Eutychian (275-283)
St. Caius (283-296) -- also called Gaius
St. Marcellinus (296-304)
St. Marcellus I (308-309)
St. Eusebius (309 or 310)
St. Miltiades (311-14)