• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
Highlights of Church HistoryDr. Stanford E. MurrellHighlights of Church History~*~Nine Simple Reasons to Study History
Church history is a vital area of studyfor any concerned Christian. Many positiveelements will be demonstrated in time fromsuch astudy.
For example, a serious study of His-story will kindle within the believer aspirit go toleration.
Far too many believerstoday feel that they have a market onultimate truth in all areas of knowledge andthat is not so. Many denominations exist as areaction or a response to other factors thatmust be understood. There is room forrespect to be shown for differentconservative theological positions all thewhile identifying the crucial doctrines andholding fast to the faith. The area of prophesy has divided many sincere Christiansover details that only time will whichposition is correct.
Second, a study of church historyenables a Christian to understand thecurrent church situation.
If a person knowshow the church arrived at its present status it iseasier to understand the different points of view. The past has many parallels to thepresent and because of this certain mistakesneed not be repeated.
Third, a study of history enhancesthe believers conviction that there isindeed a sovereign God who is working allthings after the counsel of His own will
.Individual pieces when viewed might give theimpression that the vessel is broken andfragmented but when put together just rightand viewed from a divine point of view thereis a wonderful vessel fit for the Master's use.God knows just what He is doing and if everyone had His perspective, they wouldagree. Sense would be made out of nonsense.
Fourth a study of historydemonstrates clearly mankind’s desperateneed for God
. There are wars and rumors of wars. There is bloodshed and violence.
 
Sexual immorality is spreading terriblediseases. Men and women
g
ull of madnessare giving themselves to self-destruction.God speaks throng judgment on nature ornation but the message is more often than netlost until the spiritual dimension isconsidered.
Fifth, a study of Church historyprovides a greater appreciation of theCross as the focal point for a pivotalchange.
The world before Christ and theworld after Christ are different.
Sixth, church leaders profit by beingstudents of church history. Gad has beenpleased to speak through religious leaders.
That wisdom of the ages is still available foruse.
Seventh, a study of church historywill provide a greater appreciation for art,literature, music, poetry, plays, and novels.
The arts as a whole have been blessed withcreative genius inspired by Christ. Therewould be a vast void if the Christian influencewere to be removed from the arts.
An eighth benefit of s t u d y of church history is that such a study helps toexplain the various denominational divisions.Some denominations can be justified;most cannot
.
Finally, a study of church historywill enable the student to deal with realconcerns of society.
There are social needs tobe met.
Three Basic Needs the Church Meets
Since Max Weber began studying theneeds of people three basic needs have beenobserved. The Church must not be lesssensitive than the sociologists.
The first needistheneed to belong
.Man isnot an island unto himself. Heis born a social creature and remains one.Mere is a natural urging to conform to the'culture in whichone isreared.While Christianity demandsthatits followers be notconformed to this, world, they are to beconformed into the image of Christ. Jesuspromised that allwho wouldfollow Himwouldreceivean inheritance and be part of a large family consistingof many fathers,mothers,sisters,and brothers. The Churchcan respond to this basic need to belongbybeing color blind in regard to race.Thepoor,theoutcast, theunlovely and the crippledcanbe made to feel welcomed.
Thesecond basic need people haveis the needto have a meaning to life
. Someyears ago liberal theologians toldpeopleGodwasdead. Many voiceshave beenraised to tellpeoplewhat theyshould doand believe. OnAugust15, 1987,thenine planetsin our solar systemalignedthemselves and ledthousandsto believe that anew agewas dawning. It did not and will not happen.OnlyJesus Christcan give the
real
meaning to lifethat people need as He points usback tothe Father. Man needs to be reconciled to God.Manis asinnerwho needsaSavior. Man will only go on hurting himself believing thatallthingsarethe product of chance plus time plusspace unless the message of the Churchcan be heard. The Church cananswerthemeaning to life by demonstrating afreshthat the chief endof manis to know Cod and to enjoy Him forever.
The third basic need mankindhasthe need for comfort or love.
Thereis thephysical love of Bros but more importantthereisthe agape love of God.. The sexuallove fades but the spiritual soul love isstronger thandeath and more powerfulthan thegrave. Jesus toldusthat His love be instilled in His followers so that theycouldloveone another even asHe loved them.Once again, the church can meet thespecialneeds of man by thinking of thehighest good for those it encounters. To reachout
in
Christian compassionwith specificprogramsto people is vital and will bemost welcomed. There are peoplewhoaresick. Others aredying.People grieve, needfood, clothing,andshelter.TheChurch of  Jesus Christ can help and shouldhelp.
In the Fullness of Time (Galatians 4:4-5)
When Jesuswasborn the world of His day was fragmented as diversereligious and political groups such asthe Pharisees,the Herodians, theSadducees,andthe Samaritans fought
 
over political issues and spiritualcontrol. The pagan world added co thechaotic spiritual situation through vainphilosophiesandcultworship. The cult worship permitted much sexual promiscuity,which appealed to many individuals whogave themselves to the honor of nature.Satanhad provided something for everyone.Those with a bent to immorality could findexpression in hedonism. Those with benttowards asceticism could play withGnosticism.Christ's coming supplied the basis of freedom for man. He came
"in the fullness of time"
; thatis,Hearrivedupon the scene of human history at the timepreviously fixed by the Father.This is about all that can be said withcertainty about the phrase
"the fullness of time."
Other ideas, however, may have beenincluded in the concept; for example, that of ripens of opportunity for the scattering, far andwide, of the seeds of the gospel. In thisconnection think of 
the spread of the Greek languagethroughoutthecivilized world;
the presence of Jewish synagogues inmany places, enabling Christianmissionaries to roach both Jews andGentiles (proselytes) simultaneously, and
thehelpwhich these evangelists derivedfrom the network of Roman roads and,to some extent, from the enforcement of Roman
p
eace.But itis God alone who fully knowswhy,inHis inscrutable decree, He haddecided that the long period of time (
chronos
)in whichallthe preparatory events were tooccur would run out at that specific moment.It was then He
“sent out from Himself"
hisSon.
The Foundational Message of the Church
Kerygma is a virtual equivalent of 
euaggelion
or evangelism. Kerygma stressesthe manner of delivery while
euaggelion,
theessential nature or the content of themessage. In briefest outline, the earlyChristian message contained the following.
First,
there was a historicalproclamation of the death, resurrection, andexaltation of Jesus, set forth as thefulfillment of prophecy and involving man'sresponsibility.
Second
there was a theologicalevaluation of the person of Jesus as bothLord and Christ.
Third,
there was a divine summons torepent and receive the forgiveness of sins. Itwill be noticed that the essential core of thismessage is not the dawn of the messianic age-although this is most certainly involved—butthat sequence of redemptive events whichsweeps the hearer along with compellinglogic towards the climatic confession thatJesus is Lord. The gospel is not the productof a bewildered church pondering thetheological significance of Good Friday. It isfather the result of a natural developmentthat had its origins in the teachings of JesusHimself.
The
Passion-sayings of Jesus—farfrom being
"prophecies after the event"
—are undeniable evidence that Jesus laid thefoundation for a theology of the cross. InHis teaching regarding His own person,Jesus furnished
"the raw materials of Christology”.
The resurrection was the catalystthat precipitated in the minds of the disciplesthe total significance of God's redemptiveactivity. It released the gospel!
A Tale of Two Kingdoms
Jesus taught that man must giveto Caesar what is cue to him whilegiving to God the honor and worshipthat is due to Him. Jesus also au
g
ht thatif the world hated Kim, and it did itwould also hate His followers, and itdoes. Since Jesus %as persecuted it wasnot long before His disciples werehurting too.Persecution of Christians beganwith the action of the Sanhedrin againstPeter
and
John in reprisal for theirproclamation of the resurrection of Jesus(Acts 4:1-3,5af). Another persecutiontook: place at the time of the stoning of Steven, when the Christians of Jerusalem
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...