How Bible Churches Were Organized
Read Philippians 1:1. Who composed a local church? Saints, with overseers (bishops) and deacons.
Read Acts 20:17–18 and 1 Peter 5:1–4. The leaders of Bible churches were called by three different names—elders, overseers (bishops), and shepherds (pastors). Read Acts 14:23—Paul appointed elders (plural) in every church. Read 1 Peter 5:2—which flock were elders appointed to shepherd? The flock among them—their local church.
How Man Changed This Organization
In order to fight a heresy creeping into the churches called “gnosticism,” churches began choosing a “Chief Bishop” among the elders. Chief bishops with connections to the apostles had great power and authority, and were a powerful weapon against gnosticism.
By about AD 200, bishops in large cities increased in power and took authority over smaller churches. Using this unauthorized system, churches rid themselves of gnosticism, but created another problem. Read 2 Corinthians 10:3–5—how should we fight against false teachings in local churches?
The Roman emperor Constantine used chief bishops to unify his empire by calling them together in “councils” and requiring them to decree what Christians must and must not believe. The first great council is known as the Council of Nicaea. Doctrinal principles were established on the basis of decree instead of study and discussion on the local church level.
In the next three centuries the Roman bishop increased in power and eventually was appointed Pope in AD 606, though not without dispute. Other cities with bishops considered potential popes included Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. “Pope” means “father.”
If doctrine was decided by bishops, did the average Christian need to study the Bible? Since the average Christian couldn’t read, most people had to rely on the word of church leaders. Dark Ages (about 600–1300): the Catholic Church controlled political power and had absolute power over an individual’s personal life. At the peak, only about 1 in 10,000 could read or write.
Evolution of Doctrine Pertaining to Salvation
By the end of the second century some were teaching that all men shared in Adam’s guilt. In AD 250, Cyprian recommended child baptism. Baptism began to take on “magical powers”; the clergy were the only ones allowed to administer baptism. By the end of the fourth century the controversy over human free will intensified around Pelagius and Augustine.
Pelagius taught that man was born with freedom to choose good or evil; that sin is not transmitted through heredity; that children are saved and do not need baptism; that baptism is for believers and necessary for salvation—and (wrongly) that a person can be saved by good works alone.
Augustine taught that after Adam’s sin man could no longer choose (“depravity”); that depravity is transferred by heredity; that salvation is God’s direct intervention causing a man to want to be saved (no free will); and that past sins are forgiven in baptism.
The Reformation Movement
It began as a reaction to the sale of “indulgences” in the early 1500s by the Catholic Church. An indulgence was the relaxing of the temporal punishment deserved by the sinner. Catholics believed Christ, Mary, and the saints have a treasury of merits that can counteract sins. People bought indulgences for their dead friends and for sins they hadn’t yet committed.
On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther, a Catholic monk, nailed a list of his 95 objections against such church practices to the front door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, thus officially beginning the Reformation Movement.
John Calvin, a key Reformation leader, taught Total Hereditary Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. Measure each teaching against Scripture. The aim of restoration is to return to the New Testament pattern for the local church—not to invent another denomination.
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