How does the Body of Christ Mature.
The Apostle Paul gave the early disciples the whole counsel of God. They were taught the full revelation of Christ, His character and His purposes.
`For I (Paul) have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.` (Acts 20: 27)
Here is a summary of the main stages of the Body of Christ, the errors and then the restoring of those truths through the centuries.
Beginning – The Early Believers. (Pentecost – 3rd century)
They were taught the Whole Counsel of God. (Acts 20: 27)
Formalism – Dark Ages. (3rd C – 1500`s)
Apostles were substituted by Bishops. Worship became formalized. Then there was the amalgamation of Church and State. Infant baptism was presented as entry into the Church. Finally Penance Indulgences, (paying for salvation) was the final great error that tried to take away all the truth that Paul taught the early disciples.
Awakening of Spiritual Truth. (1500`s – 1900)
The Reformation was when the Holy Spirit started to clarify the great truths a step at a time starting from salvation. Luther and others received the clarification of Truth that Salvation is through faith in Christ and not an organization. (Lutherans)
Later another great truth became clarified - of a believer`s baptism as identifying with Christ in death and resurrection to new life in Him. (Baptists)
Then came the truth of the personal walk of holiness (Methodists) and not by church organizational membership.
Growing in Truth. (1900 – 2000)
In the early 1900`s there was a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Azusa street (USA) and in Wales, (Great Britain). (Pentecostal)
The revelation of the 5 fold ministries was also received by some at this time. (Apostolic)
Maturity. (2000 – 2020 plus?)
Finally, the whole counsel of God is clarified by the Holy Spirit with the believers receiving the Eternal Purposes of God – for the Body of Christ, for Israel and for the Nations.
And then there is the realization that Christ is the Head of His Body and not organizations.
The Apostle Paul gave the early disciples the whole counsel of God. They were taught the full revelation of Christ, His character and His purposes.
`For I (Paul) have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God.` (Acts 20: 27)
Here is a summary of the main stages of the Body of Christ, the errors and then the restoring of those truths through the centuries.
Beginning – The Early Believers. (Pentecost – 3rd century)
They were taught the Whole Counsel of God. (Acts 20: 27)
Formalism – Dark Ages. (3rd C – 1500`s)
Apostles were substituted by Bishops. Worship became formalized. Then there was the amalgamation of Church and State. Infant baptism was presented as entry into the Church. Finally Penance Indulgences, (paying for salvation) was the final great error that tried to take away all the truth that Paul taught the early disciples.
Awakening of Spiritual Truth. (1500`s – 1900)
The Reformation was when the Holy Spirit started to clarify the great truths a step at a time starting from salvation. Luther and others received the clarification of Truth that Salvation is through faith in Christ and not an organization. (Lutherans)
Later another great truth became clarified - of a believer`s baptism as identifying with Christ in death and resurrection to new life in Him. (Baptists)
Then came the truth of the personal walk of holiness (Methodists) and not by church organizational membership.
Growing in Truth. (1900 – 2000)
In the early 1900`s there was a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Azusa street (USA) and in Wales, (Great Britain). (Pentecostal)
The revelation of the 5 fold ministries was also received by some at this time. (Apostolic)
Maturity. (2000 – 2020 plus?)
Finally, the whole counsel of God is clarified by the Holy Spirit with the believers receiving the Eternal Purposes of God – for the Body of Christ, for Israel and for the Nations.
And then there is the realization that Christ is the Head of His Body and not organizations.