The Church: Growth and Apostasy

I. The Reality of the Church

A. In the city of Jerusalem on the first Pentecost after His ascension, Jesus established the church. Acts 2 records the activities that took place on that day and the prophecies which those activities fulfilled. B. Being originally designed by Jesus, the church is, therefore, divinely organized and constituted.

1. Since Jesus is its head (Eph. 1:22) and chief cornerstone (Eph. 2:9-10), only the characteristics He has set forth for it in His supreme authority (Matt. 28:18) are approved of God.
2. No authority has been given to any man, body of men, or ecclesiastical body to change any of its features.

C. Identifying Christ’s church.

1. Designations. a. House of God. (1 Tim. 3:15) b. The body of Christ. (Col. 1:18, 24) c. The “called out.” (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 5:23-25) d. The temple of God. (1 Cor. 3:9, 16-17; Eph. 2:19-22)
2. Government and organization. a. Jesus is the supreme ruler. (Col. 1:18) b. Serving under Jesus were the Apostles whose ministry was perpetual through the inspired writings. Since that revelation is complete (1 Cor. 13:10; 2 Pet. 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:16), they have no successors (Eph. 4:11-16). c. The sole collective functioning unit is the local congregation. 1) Each congregation is free from ecclesiasticism, synods and councils and is independent and autonomous. 2) The authority of the local congregation is vested in a plurality of elders (aka bishops, pastors, overseers). (Acts 14:23) 3) Deacons are servants within the congregation who work in conjunction with the elders. (Phil. 1:1)
3. Creed. Its creed is Christ. Its sole rule of faith and practice is the New Testament.
4. Terms of admission. Obedience to those things which put one into Christ and grant remission of sins—faith, repentance, confession, and baptism.

II. The Growth of the Church

A. Just prior to His ascension back to heaven, Jesus instructed His disciples to take His gospel to the whole world. (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16)

1. Beginning in Jerusalem, they were to take His message to “the uttermost parts of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
2. The apostles executed the commission with promptness and zeal, the rapid growth and influence of the church under their direction gives evidence of this fact.

B. From its establishment as recorded in Acts 2 to the end of its recorded history in the New Testament, the church enjoyed phenomenal growth. According to the book of Acts:

1. Three thousand were added to it. (2:41)
2. People were being “added daily” to it. (2:47)
3. “Many…believed” and “the number of men came to be about five thousand.” (4:4)
4. “And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.” (5:14)
5. “The number of the disciples was multiplying.” (6:1)
6. “Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” (6:7)
7. In Samaria, “And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip.” (8:6)
8. “Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied.” (9:31)
9. In Joppa, “Many believed on the Lord.” (9:42)
10.  In Antioch, “And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.” (11:21)
11.  The spread of the church among the Gentile world is seen in the preaching journeys and subsequent activities of the apostle Paul which begin in Acts 13. Its growth is such that by the time Paul writes the Colossian epistle, the influence of the gospel and the presence of the church is felt throughout all the known world. (Col. 1:23) a. The book of Acts, along with numerous epistles, tells of churches in major cities and villages. b. At the end of the first century, because of the work, commitment and loyalty of the Apostles and many other faithful Christians, the church stood strong in many parts of the world.

III. The Beginning of Apostasy

A. With the passing of the apostolic age, Christians gradually drifted into a state of apostasy.

1. Though the church was a united body for some time after its establishment, the passing of time found many of its members falling under the influence of false teachers and other factors resulting in general and widespread apostasy.
2. Even in Apostolic days, the influence of Satan was at work trying to change the identity of the church. The Apostles saw this and foretold of its coming. (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Thes. 2:1-12; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 4:2-4; 2 Pet. 2:1-2) a. That evil was already at work is evident from the fact that Apostolic writings referred to these conditions as fact and not as some remote development in the distant future. b. “The mystery of lawlessness is already at work.” (2 Thess. 2:7) 1) Corrupt teaching was already present but it was more of a “mystery,” i.e., it was hidden. 2) It would not show itself until “he who now restrains” it would be “taken out of the way.” c. Galatians 1:6-9 shows how quickly the influence of false teaching was being felt.

B. The first great apostasy. Beginning in the 2nd century, a distinction was made among the elders of the churches.

1. Instead of retaining the New Testament pattern of a plurality of elders in every congregation, each of which had equal authority with his co-laborers, one elder in each church was chosen as the leader, or Bishop, and the others were called Presbyters.
2. Later the presiding elder of a city church was considered more important than the elders of country churches and thus it was determined that a city Bishop could give instructions and rules to the elders of smaller churches. Such an idea continued to grow until the presiding elders of churches in the capitals of the world were given authority over all others.
3. There were five leading Bishops, or Patriarchs as they were called. They lived in Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Constantinople.
4. This was a gradual departure from the simple New Testament pattern whereby the close of the third century, there were five leading Bishops who lived in the capital cities of the world over the “church.”

C. Doctrines which contributed to apostasy.

1. Asceticism. Rigid self-discipline by which the spirit was able to overcome the flesh. a. It held the idea that the more one suffered and denied himself, the nearer he was to God. b. This doctrine led to the building of monasteries where monks lived isolated from the world. c. Other forms of asceticism were fastings, poverty, and later celibacy.
2. Montanism. Taught during the 2nd and 3rd centuries, Tertullian, who was converted to Christianity in 201 or 202, was said to be its leader. a. Montanists taught the possibility of miracles, revelations, prophecies, gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc. b. Montanists were among the first to teach the theory of a 1000 year reign of Christ upon the earth. c. Montanists were also strong believers in asceticism.
3. Ebionism. This was a doctrine held by Jewish Christians. a. Being Jews, they held to the Old Testament and considered themselves God’s chosen people and better than the Gentiles. b. Two parties held this belief. 1) One, known as the moderate ones, was charitable to the Gentiles and considered them members of the church. 2) The other group was more rigid and would have no fellowship with the Gentiles. c. Ebionists considered Christ a prophet but not the Son of God. d. They considered the command of fleshly circumcision still binding as well as other parts of the Law of Moses. e. Much of the trouble Paul and the churches he established experienced was because of the doctrines of ebionism.
4. Gnosticism. This doctrine was a combination of Christianity and paganism. a. It was an attempt to answer the origin of God, the world, etc., and to explain the existence of good and evil. b. According to gnosticism, all matter is evil, hence it and God are opposed to each other. c. This doctrine was popular in the 2nd century but by the 6th century it had practically disappeared.

IV. The Nicean Creed

A. Around the year 318, there arose a controversy in Alexandria about the person of Christ.

1. Arius taught that Christ was not eternal but that He was a created being.
2. Athanasius taught that Christ was eternal and divine, just as God the Father.
3. There arose two parties in the “church” over these conflicting doctrines.

B. Constantine, emperor of Rome, though not a Christian himself, was kindly disposed toward Christianity and finally consented to be baptized before his death.

1. The trouble caused by these two doctrines worried him and he was anxious to have peace in his kingdom.
2. In an effort to settle this issue, he called the council of Bishops to be held in the city of Nicea in June of 325.

C. About 318 Bishops and a number of “church” leaders attended this meeting. Constantine presided over it with great displays of pomp and power. D. During this meeting a decision was made in which it was held that Christ was eternal with the Father.

1. A creed was written, the first “official” creed to be written.
2. These men had met and decided a point of “church” doctrine which others were expected to accept.

E. Men had now formed a doctrine for the church instead of following the word of God.

V. Is Apostasy a Failure in the Lord’s Plans?

A. Who would dare to forward the standard by which God measures success or failure? Who would dare affirm that what we call triumph or defeat is accounted so by God? B. Religious history abounds with instances of the temporary “triumph” of evil and injustice when the purposes of God have been opposed and their consummation seemingly delayed.

1. What would have been the world’s verdict regarding the earthly mission of Jesus had the vote been taken at the time of His death? Here, “failure” becomes the triumph of the ages!
2. Consider the church in the book of Revelation. See-through the conflict and tribulation to the brighter day of restoration and the ultimate expression of the church glorified. (Rev. 21)