The History of the church of Christ – Part 3

The History of the church of Christ – Part 3

Introduction
In our earlier lessons, we looked at the church in prophecy, its establishment in Acts 2, and early departures from the pattern God set. Isaiah 2, Joel 2, and Daniel 2 foretold the kingdom’s coming, and the New Testament writers warned that it would not be long before some would turn from the truth (Acts 20:28–31; 1 Timothy 4:1–3; 2 Timothy 4:3–4). We saw how leadership shifted from a plurality of elders in each congregation to the elevation of one man as a bishop, and then to bishops ruling over multiple congregations. Today, we move forward from the fall of the Roman Empire in AD 476 through the Middle Ages, examining the rise of Roman Catholic power, doctrinal changes, and practices that shaped the religious world for centuries.

The Decline of the Empire and Rise of Bishop Authority
When the Roman Empire collapsed in AD 476, political power diminished while the influence of bishops increased. In major cities like Rome and Constantinople, chief bishops became the most powerful figures in society. By the 500s, they had greater authority than emperors. The bishop of Rome eventually claimed the highest authority, laying the groundwork for the papacy, which formally emerged around 600 AD.

Apostolic Succession and the Papacy
The Catholic Church claims an unbroken line from Peter to the present pope. They use Matthew 16:13–19 to teach that Peter was the “rock” upon which Jesus built His church. But the rock was the confession Peter made—that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16–18). Scripture shows Peter was not supreme: at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, he stood alongside the other apostles; in Galatians 2:11–14, Paul publicly rebuked him. All apostles were equal in authority and mission.

Monasticism: Withdrawal from the World
In the early 500s, monastic orders began, such as the Benedictines. Their goal was to withdraw from society to avoid sin. Yet Jesus taught His followers to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13–16). Salt is only useful when it comes in contact with what needs preserving, and light must shine in darkness to be effective. Separation from the world eliminated opportunities to influence others for Christ.

Augustine’s Doctrines – The Roots of Calvinism
Around AD 400, Augustine introduced doctrines later systematized by John Calvin:

• Original sin—infants are born guilty.

• Unconditional election—God chooses some for salvation without regard to faith.

• Irresistible grace—those God chooses cannot refuse salvation.
  Scripture refutes these ideas. Acts 7:51 says people can resist the Holy Spirit. God desires all to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9). His grace has appeared to all (Titus 2:11).

Confession and Penance
Before the papacy was formalized, Irish monks developed the practice of confessing sins to a clergyman. They divided sins into “eternal” and “temporal.” Temporal sins required acts of penance—such as prayers, almsgiving, or repeated religious acts—to be forgiven. This replaced God’s direct forgiveness through Christ with human-imposed requirements.

The Crusades
Between AD 1095 and 1291, the Catholic Church initiated the Crusades to reclaim Jerusalem and collect relics, promising blessings to participants. Seven major Crusades were launched; only the first temporarily succeeded. This use of physical weapons to advance religion contradicts Jesus’ statement, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36) and Paul’s teaching that “the weapons of our warfare are not carnal” (2 Corinthians 10:3–4). Our weapon is “the sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17).

Changes in Worship and Practice
Over time, priests claimed exclusive authority to perform sacred acts. Baptism shifted from immersion to sprinkling. Confirmation classes for children became standard. Holy unction before death was believed to forgive all sins, even without repentance. Mary was elevated to co-redeemer status and her perpetual virginity emphasized despite Matthew 13:55–56. Prayers were offered to Mary and saints instead of to God through Christ (John 14:13–14).

Further Departures
In AD 1015, priests were forbidden to marry, even though Peter was married (Matthew 8:14). Idols and images became common in worship, despite Exodus 20:4–5. The Western church introduced instrumental music, which the Eastern Orthodox Church still rejects over a thousand years later.

The Inquisition
The Spanish Inquisition began in 1480 under Queen Isabella, aiming to enforce Catholic conformity. Between 1480 and 1524, more than 14,000 were burned alive for opposing Catholic doctrine. It continued into the 1800s before being fully suppressed.

Key Lessons from This Period
Departures from God’s Word often begin small but grow into widespread error. When human tradition is placed above Scripture, false teaching spreads and faithful Christians are persecuted. The New Testament church survived through these centuries, often hidden, but always holding to the authority of God’s Word. Every teaching and practice must be tested by Scripture (Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 3:16–17).

Call to Action
We must remain steadfast in the faith, refusing to replace God’s pattern with human tradition. We must test every doctrine, every practice, and every teaching by the Bible alone. By learning from history, we guard the Lord’s church from repeating the same errors and preserve the truth for future generations.

Key Takeaways

• Apostolic succession is without biblical support (Galatians 2:11–14).

• Christians are to be active in the world as salt and light (Matthew 5:13–16).

• The Holy Spirit’s grace can be resisted (Acts 7:51).

• God desires salvation for all people (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).

• Our spiritual warfare uses the Word of God, not physical weapons (2 Corinthians 10:3–4; Ephesians 6:17).

• All practices must be measured by Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16–17).

Scripture Reference List

• Isaiah 2; Joel 2; Daniel 2 – Prophecies of the church

• Acts 2 – Establishment of the church

• Acts 20:28–31 – Warning of apostasy

• Matthew 16:13–19 – Christ as the foundation of the church

• Galatians 2:11–14 – Paul rebukes Peter

• Matthew 5:13–16 – Salt and light in the world

• Acts 7:51 – Resisting the Holy Spirit

• 1 Timothy 2:4 – God’s desire for all to be saved

• 2 Peter 3:9 – God’s patience for repentance

• John 18:36 – Christ’s kingdom not of this world

• 2 Corinthians 10:3–4 – Spiritual weapons of warfare

• Ephesians 6:17 – The sword of the Spirit

• John 14:13–14 – Prayer through Christ

• Exodus 20:4–5 – Prohibition of idols

• Matthew 8:14 – Peter’s marriage

• Acts 17:11 – Testing teachings by Scripture

• 2 Timothy 3:16–17 – Sufficiency of Scripture

Prepared by Bobby Stafford of the church of Christ at Granby, MO