Wondering Out Loud

Out of Paul’s thirteen Epistles (fourteen, if you count Hebrews), seven were addressed to a particular church in a specific place. Interestingly, Jesus also wrote an equal amount of assemblies in the book of Revelation. In each case, you will find, for the most part, each body had its own shortcomings and sins. In other words, there were no perfect churches. If there had been, you would think we’d find them closer to the time of their inception, rather than two- thousand years later. Time generally has a way of corroding things that originally were clear.

Though I come miserably short, I try to read my Bible through the eyes of 1st Century believers. I endeavor to see things the way they were then. I wonder, for example, if, say, a Christian coming from Corinth to Philippi would have been received into their assembly upon his or her profession of faith. After all, you do realize one of the great stigmas of the Corinthian church was “tongues.” Would a believer, then, have to make another profession of faith and be re-baptized? And what if they came from Galatia, where a strong works element was taught? What about the church at Rome that had those teaching antinomianism? And, of course, there was the church at Colosse with its mysticism. And how were missionaries treated from these churches?

If it be argued the Epistles are corrective, and these assemblies would have ceased to be churches had they not heeded the correction, is that also true of me, as a Christian? Do I cease to be a Christian if I do not heed all that is written? With all their faults, both Jesus and Paul called them churches.

I personally believe, in the end, we balance out each other. In church history, it seems each group was raised up to emphasize an important element that had been lying dormant; for example, the filling of the Holy Spirit, the grace of God, justification by faith, holiness, etc. Each doctrine was resurrected because of its needed emphasis. Can we not thank God for this and them?