Historical Posts
Galatia: Churches Besieged by the Old Law
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Galatia: Churches Besieged by the Old Law
Galatia was a geopolitical region located in the central portion of what is today the country of Turkey. The apostle Paul is known to have visited Galatian cities like Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra on more than one occasion, where he experienced great success in the face of great opposition. According the narrative in the book of Acts, the Jews in Galatia vigorously opposed Paul’s activities there and there is little doubt that such opposition continued in his absence, as well.
In A.D. 57, while Paul was travelling through Macedonia on his third missionary journey, he wrote an epistle “unto the churches of Galatia” (Galatians 1:2). In it, he addressed them as his spiritual children (Galatians 4:19-20) and reminded them of how he brought the gospel to them (Galatians 1:8,11). He had begun to work among them while he was suffering from a physical affliction (Galatians 4:13), but his preaching was fiery and focused on the crucified Christ (Galatians 3:1). He confirmed his preaching with miracles performed in their midst (Galatians 3:5) and they received it with great enthusiasm (Galatians 4:12-15; 3:26-27). They were fiercely loyal to Paul (Galatians 4:14-15) and they willingly suffered persecution for their faith (Galatians 3:4).
After Paul had left them, false teachers came into their midst and tried to convince them to blend certain aspects of the Law of Moses with the Law of Christ. These teachers attacked Paul’s apostolic authority (Galatians 1:11 -2:14) and demanded that Gentile Christians be circumcised (Galatians 5:2,11; 6:11). They were on the verge of gaining the upper hand among the churches in Galatia (Galatians 1:9; 5:3; 4:16).
Paul was greatly disturbed by these developments (Galatians 3:1; 1:6). He feared that all his hard work among them would be laid waste (Galatians 4:11). He urged them to reject the false teachers and to hold fast to the teaching they had received from him (Galatians 1:7-9). He expressed his confidence in them, that they would do the right thing (Galatians 5:10). Still, today, we must stand opposed to false teaching.
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” – Galatians 1:6-9
Content by Russell Kline
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Laodicea: The Lukewarm Church
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Laodicea: The Lukewarm Church
The origin of the church in Laodicea is obscure, to say the least. Some theorize that it was established while Paul was teaching in Ephesus and “all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:10). It is possible that Epaphras may have been instrumental in the origin of the church in Laodicea, as well as in Colossae and Hierapolis (Colossians 1:7; 4:12-13). The city, itself was a center of wealth, commerce, learning and religion for the Roman province of Asia. The church in Laodicea was quite prosperous, but as the book of Revelation reveals, it was not without its own problems.
Laodicea was one of seven churches to which the Lord directed a series of brief epistles in the second and third chapters of the Revelation. It has the dubious distinction of being the only one of the seven about which the Lord had nothing good to say. Chief among its problems was that it was “lukewarm” (Revelation 3:14- 17). The members of that church were not really on fire for Christ; neither were they spiritually cold and dead. They were simply going through the motions of religious life, just getting by. Some may say, “What’s wrong with that? At least they weren’t completely dead, spiritually.” But, the problem with the church in Laodicea is that being spiritually lukewarm is not enough. Christians must be zealous and “on fire” for Christ all the time (Galatians 4:18). If our zeal fails, and we end up just “going through the motions” of religious life, then we are no more pleasing to God than if we were stone cold dead in our spirits. Jesus advised them to “be zealous therefore, and repent” (Revelation 3:19). So should all who are spiritually lukewarm.
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; these things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” – Revelation 3:14-16
Content by Russell Kline
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Rome: the Imperial Church
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Rome: the Imperial Church
David Lipscomb, in his commentary on the book of Romans, wrote that, “Nothing whatever is said in the Scripture concerning the origin of the church at Rome, and we have no means of knowing at what precise time the gospel first gained a footing there.” He, like many other commentators on the subject, theorized that the church in Rome had its origins in the “strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes” who were in attendance at Jerusalem on that famous Pentecost chronicled in the second chapter of the book of Acts. It is logical to assume that those who obeyed the gospel in Jerusalem on that day took it back home with them, when they returned to Rome some time later. A quote from the Roman historian Tacitus (page two) seems to support this theory. Also, evidence from within the book of Romans suggests that the church there had been established for quite a while before Paul wrote his epistle to them in A.D. 58 (Romans 1:13; 15:23).
When Paul did write his epistle “to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints,” He indicated that the church there was of substantial size and vigorous industry (Romans 1:7). He commended them for their faith, which was “spoken of throughout the whole world” (Romans 1:8) and for their obedience, which was “come abroad unto all men” (Romans 16:19). He expressed a keen desire to come and visit his brethren in Rome, but he had been hindered from doing so on more than one occasion (Romans 1:13; 15:23). He would, however, have a chance to visit Rome, when he was arrested at Jerusalem and jailed in Caesarea, from whence he invoked his right to appeal his case directly before Caesar, in Rome. His journey to the imperial capital was a perilous one, but he successfully arrived there in the early A.D. 60s, according to the account in the latter chapters of the book of Acts.
The church in Rome was an important and influential congregation, in its time. It bore the brunt of every persecution imposed upon the churches of Christ by Roman authorities. There were numerous times when it had to operate in secret, for fear of annihilation. The book of Romans is a masterpiece of inspired literature. It deals with such important themes as grace, law, faith, works, sanctification and justification, just to name a few. Paul is the only apostle who is known to have visited Rome. Uninspired sources report that he was beheaded there in the late A.D. 60s. Rome was a focal point of world history and the history of the Lord’s church.
“The churches of Christ salute you.” – Romans 16:16
Content by Russell Kline
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Ephesus: the Church That Left Its First Love
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Ephesus: The Church That Left Its First Love
During the return segment of his second missionary journey, the apostle Paul made a quick stop in the city of Ephesus (Acts 18:19). He preached in the synagogue there and his fellow Jews wanted him to stay longer, but he had to press on to Jerusalem (Acts 18:20-21). He left Aquilla and Priscilla in Ephesus, where they remained for a very long time, as they were instrumental in building the Lord’s church there. While Paul was away, Apollos came to Ephesus and Aquilla and Priscilla helped him to know the way of the Lord more perfectly and he was thus able to continue his travels to Corinth, where he proved to be a capable preacher (Acts 18:24-28).
On his third missionary journey, Paul returned to Ephesus, where he remained for a period of three years, the longest he ever stayed in any one place in his preaching career (Acts 19:1-12). From Ephesus, brethren who were personally taught by Paul ventured out into neighboring cities, until the whole province of Asia had heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. The work that Paul did there was some of his finest!
During the return segment of his third missionary journey, Paul stopped near Ephesus and had a meeting with the elders of that church (Acts 20:17-35). It was a sorrowful meeting, since Paul informed them that it would be the last time they would see his face (Acts 20:36-38). From his imprisonment, in Rome, Paul wrote a letter to the church in Ephesus, in which he expressed his great love for the brethren there and offered them some valuable instruction.
By the time of the Revelation, the church in Ephesus was still going strong, but they were showing some signs of weakness (Revelation 2:1-7). The Lord said that they had “left thy first love,” leading many to believe that they had been neglecting fundamental aspects of the faith. They were told to “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works.” Even a church like the mighty one in Ephesus can go astray.
“Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write, These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake has labored, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” – Revelation 2:1-4
Content by Russell Kline
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Thessalonica: the Confused Church
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Thessalonica: the Confused Church
When the apostle Paul left the city of Philippi on his second missionary journey, he travelled next to Thessalonica (Acts 17:1). There, he preached to his fellow Jews in the local synagogue, where he had much success in evangelism (Acts 17:2-4). But the Jews that would not obey the gospel caused an uproar in the city and Paul and Silas were forced to leave and go to Berea, a short distance away (Acts 17:5-10). Paul did not get to spend as much with the newly formed church in Thessalonica, as he would have liked. From Berea, he went to Athens and from Athens he went to Corinth. From there, he wrote his first epistle to the church in Thessalonica, which may have been his very first inspired letter to anyone. Soon after that, he wrote a second epistle, while he was still in Corinth.
In his first epistle, Paul dealt with some issues that had arisen among the brethren, because of their incomplete training. First of all, the brethren there did not have a proper view of the second coming of Christ, so Paul explained it to them in more detail. Second, persecution had broken out and Paul needed to encourage the brethren to be strong in their faith. Third, they were in danger of backsliding into their old heathen ways and Paul wanted to stop them from going in the wrong direction. In his second epistle, it is evident that the brethren in Thessalonica were confused about what Paul had told them about the second coming of Christ and needed to be reminded that, while they needed to be ready for Jesus to come at any time, they also needed to take care of their families and live their daily lives in faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ.
“For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were examples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.” – 1 Thessalonians 1:5-8
Content by Russell Kline
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Philippi: the Beloved Church
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Philippi: the Beloved Church
In the sixteenth chapter of the book of Acts, the apostle Paul witnessed a vision of a man from Macedonia, who beckoned him to “Come over into Macedonia and help us” (Acts 16:9). At the time, Paul and his party were still in Asia, but “immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia” (Acts 16:10). Crossing the Aegean Sea, they landed at Neapolis and then headed up the Gangites River to Philippi, a city of importance to both the Greeks and the Romans.
Philippi was founded by Philip of Macedon, father of Alexander the Great. The Romans made it the capital of the province of Macedonia and gave land in and around it to veterans of the legion. This was done in many provincial capitals to ensure that the cities would remain loyal to the empire, Roman law would be upheld, and taxes would be paid.
The Lord’s church in Philippi was the result of evangelistic efforts conducted by Paul and his travelling companions, on his second missionary journey (Acts 16). The earliest converts in the city included a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple garments, who was originally from the Asian city of Thyatira (Acts 16:14,15), and the local jailer, whose name we do not know (Acts 16:23-34). Paul developed a very close relationship with the church in Philippi. Eventually, he wrote an epistle to the brethren there, in which he had nothing critical to say about them. He expressed his great love for them (Philippians 1:3), encouraged them to continue in faithfulness (Philippians 2:12), invited them to join him in opposing false religion (Philippians 3:17-19) and thanked them for having supported him, in his mission work (Philippians 4:14-18). It is abundantly clear that Paul’s relationship with the church in Philippi was one that he cherished and strove to preserve.
To his brethren in Philippi, Paul wrote about the joy of living a faithful Christian life (Philippians 4:4). He taught them not to worry about anything, but to put all things in God’s hands, and trust in His power to make a difference (Philippians 4:6). He told them how to tap into “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7). He exalted Jesus Christ, as the source of his strength (Philippians 4:13). Paul was imprisoned, in Rome, when he wrote to the church in Philippi (Philippians 1:12-14). He sent to them greetings from their brethren in Rome “chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4:22). The gospel of Christ had gotten even into the house of the emperor!
“I thank my God upon every remembrance of you.” – Philippians 1:3
Content by Russell Kline
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Antioch: the Mission-Minded Church
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Antioch: the Mission-Minded Church
In the seventh chapter of the book of Acts, we read of the beginning of violent persecution against Christians in the church at Jerusalem. A gospel preacher named Stephen was the first to be martyred for the faith, and there would be many more to follow. In Acts 7:58, we read of a young man named Saul, who held the coats of the men who stoned Stephen to death. In Acts 8:1 and 3, we find that Saul went on to become a zealous persecutor of the Lord’s people and that the resulting persecution caused Christians to become dispersed throughout the region.
These events are believed to have resulted in the establishment of several congregations of the Lord’s church in Judaea, Samaria, Galilee and Syria. In ninth chapter of the book of Acts, We read of a congregation that already existed in the Syrian city of Damascus, where Saul was baptized and began to preach the gospel. At about that same time, the Lord’s church in the Syrian city of Antioch was established (Acts 11:19-21). The apostles sent Barnabas to work with the church in Antioch, and it became a home congregation for him (Acts 11:22-24). Then, Barnabas sought after Saul, that he might join him in the work at Antioch (Acts 11:25-26). Saul began to use the name Paul in Antioch, and he and Barnabas did an outstanding work in that place.
It was suggested, in time, that Paul and Barnabas ought to launch out from Antioch and go on a missionary journey to preach the gospel and establish church in places where Christianity had not yet gone before (Acts 13:1-3). All three of Paul’s epic missionary journeys would begin and end in the city of Antioch. The church in Antioch would become a kind of home congregation for Paul, but he would spend much more time away from it than he would working with it. It would be the church in Antioch that would call together the council of apostles and elders in Jerusalem to discuss the “problem” of the Gentile converts to Christianity. It was a mission-minded church, to be sure.
“Then departed Barnabas to <a target=”_blank” href=”http://www.biblemap.org/#Tarsus”>Tarsus</a>, for to seek Saul: and when he found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” – Acts 11:25-26
Content by Russell Kline
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Corinth: the Troubled Church
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Corinth: The Troubled Church
Paul, in the middle of his second missionary journey, was forced to leave Thessalonica for his own safety, when the Jews there became homicidal toward him (Acts 17:10). They pursued him to Berea, so he was then sent away to Athens, where he would be beyond their reach (Acts 17:14-15). But the evangelistic prospects were not very good in Athens, so Paul decided to move on to the city of Corinth, where he had a great deal of success in establishing a church and evangelizing the population (Acts 18:1ff.). Paul remained in Corinth for a year and a half, longer than he had stayed with any other church in his journeys, so far (Acts 18:11).
However, when Paul left Corinth, there began to be trouble in the church there. Apollos was the next evangelist to work with the church in that city (Acts 18:27), and he built upon the foundation that Paul had laid (1 Corinthians 3:6). But, the church became troubled with division, problems with church discipline, the Lord’s supper, spiritual gifts and giving, just to name a few. Paul wrote two epistles to the church in Corinth, which are preserved for us in the Bible. In them, he tried to help the brethren deal with their problems and to better their spiritual condition.
What is most impressive about the church in Corinth is that Paul never gave up on the brethren there. Even though they were overwhelmed by their spiritual problems, Paul never seemed to lose faith in the prospect that they could come back and be strong again (Galatians 6:1). Even when spiritual problems overwhelm us, there is still hope.
“For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.” – 1 Corinthians 1:11
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Jerusalem: the First Church
Ancient Churches
Jerusalem - Corinth - Antioch - Philippi - Thessalonica - Ephesus - Rome - Laodicea - Galatia
Jerusalem: the First Church
“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come…” (Acts 2:1). This was the fiftieth day after the day after the Sabbath of the Passover, which is better known as Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15-16). It was one of the three major feasts on the Jewish calendar, at which all male Jews were supposed to be present, in Jerusalem. The Pentecost mentioned in Acts 2 is the day upon which the “church of Christ” (Romans 16:16) was opened for business. It was the one and only church that Jesus promised to “build” (Matthew 16:18) and it is still the only institution in which a soul may find salvation (Acts 2:47). The very first congregation of the Lord’s church was established on that day, in the city of Jerusalem.
The church in Jerusalem began with only the apostles and at least 120 other disciples in its membership (Acts 1:15), but it experienced phenomenal growth. On that Pentecost day, about 3,000 people were “added” to that number (Acts 2:41). These were shortly followed by “multitudes” of men and women (Acts 5:14). That number was later “multiplied” and a great company of the priests became members (Acts 6:1,7). This spectacular growth was the product of a diligent evangelistic effort, which was led by the apostles, who preached and taught on a “daily” basis (Acts 5:42). Many, if not most, of the members of the church in Jerusalem were from out of town, and were converted while they were on a pilgrimage to the city for the feast day. They remained in Jerusalem and received a spiritual education directly from the apostles, until persecution forced them to leave.
After the Jewish authorities stoned to death a Christian named Stephen (Acts 7), they proceeded to persecute Christians throughout the city (Acts 8:3). But, those who fled the persecution spread Christianity throughout Judea and Galilee and other parts of the Roman Empire (Acts 8:4). Instead of crushing Christianity, the Jewish persecution served only to spread it further. There remained a church in the city of Jerusalem, until the city was destroyed, in A.D. 70. The twelve apostles remained a part of it, as did James, the brother of Jesus (Acts 15). The church in Jerusalem received aid from churches in other parts of the world, as its members suffered hardship. In A.D. 70, the Jews rebelled against the Romans and the city of Jerusalem was destroyed. According to uninspired accounts, the Christians in the city escaped and took the gospel with them to other places.
“…that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name …beginning at Jerusalem.” – Luke 24:47
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