Biblical Church History

Biblical Church History Following the Hand of God and the Hand of Satan

THE CHURCH PERIODS

PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER THUS FAR

Ephesus Revelation 2:1-7 c. 90-200 A.D. “fully purposed”

Smyrna Revelation 2:8-11 c. 200-325 A.D. “Bitterness and death”

DEFINITION OF CHURCH HISTORY It is also the movement of Satan to counter, counterfeit, and confound the 3 fold plan of God It is the movement of God through history to accomplish his 3 fold plan for the earth and universe, the Nation of Israel, and for your Life.

Jesus Similarities Satan John 8:12 Matt. 2:2 Luke 3:23 Rev. 19:11 Rev. 21:9-10 John 20:28 Isa. 9:6 Rev. 5:5 Called the light Called a king Becomes flesh, ministers for 42 months Rides a White Horse Has a bride who is a church and city Called God (god) Called a prince Called a Loin 2 Cor. 11:14 Job 41:34 Rev. 13:5 Rev. 6:2 Rev. 17 2 Cor. 4:4 John 16:11 I Peter 5:8

Jesus Satan Wants to be Worshiped He has a Church Has a Bible (Alexander) Has minister and apostles Has another Gospel Has Another Spirit Has a government • Wants eternal worshipers • He has a Church • Has a Bible (Antioch) • Has ministers and apostles • Has a Gospel • Has a Spirit • Has a government

Revelation • Learning Church history will help us to identify the false doctrine of the Synagogue of Satan, which Rev. 17:5 calls the “MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS” • There are only 2 religions in the world; • God’s • Satan’s

Revelation • The deviations of these early Church fathers became the seed of corruption Satan uses to set up his counterfeit religious system. • Synagogue of Satan vs.9 • Seat of Satan vs.13a • Dwelling of Satan vs.13b • Doctrine of Satan vs.24

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD • This was the time period which God said they left their 1st love (deviated from the Word) • Though at this time, most didn’t recognize the deviations, one did! SATAN • These seeds would grow into the full blown doctrine of the false religious systems Satan

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD • Clement of Rome (30-100 AD) • Preaches a doctrine that the pastors are the high priest and the common man is just a regular priest • Jesus calls this “deeds of the Nicolaitans”, which means to rule over the common man • Every time Jesus mentions it he hates it.

(Rev 2:6) But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. (Rev 2:15) So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD • Ignatius (80-100 AD) • First to use the term “Catholic” which means universal. The word was a pagan philosophical term, and he used it to refer to a universal Christianity • In time the word comes to refer to a political hierarchy at Rome which was supposed to control all local churches (Roman Catholic) • He also called himself the “Son of the Church”

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD • Papias (60-130 AD) • Writes that Peter is in Rome • (Rom. 16?) • This sets the stage for Peter to be the 1st Pope and that there would be an Apostolic Succession (Rev. 2:2) • He writes that Mark’s Gospel is really Peter’s Gospel, because he told him what to write

(Rev 2:2) 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:

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD Apostolic SuccessionThe first Christians had no doubts about how to determine which was the true Church and which doctrines the true teachings of Christ. The test was simple: Just trace the apostolic succession of the claimants. Apostolic succession is the line of bishops stretching back to the apostles. All over the world, all Catholic bishops are part of a lineage that goes back to the time of the apostles, something that is impossible in Protestant denominations (most of which do not even claim to have bishops).

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD The role of apostolic succession in preserving true doctrine is illustrated in the Bible. To make sure that the apostles’ teachings would be passed down after the deaths of the apostles, Paul told Timothy, "[W]hat you have heard from me before many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (2 Tim. 2:2). In this passage he refers to the first three generations of apostolic succession—his own generation, Timothy’s generation, and the generation Timothy will teach.

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD The Church Fathers, who were links in that chain of succession, regularly appealed to apostolic succession as a test for whether Catholics or heretics had correct doctrine. This was necessary because heretics simply put their own interpretations, even bizarre ones, on Scripture. Clearly, something other than Scripture had to be used as an ultimate test of doctrine in these cases. Catholic.com Catholic Answers (Apostolic Succession)

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD New • Apostolic Succession • The principle underlying the Roman claim is contained in the idea of succession. "To succeed" is to be the successor of, especially to be the heir of, or to occupy an official position just after, as Victoria succeeded William IV. Now the Roman Pontiffs come immediately after, occupy the position, and perform the functions of St. Peter… • that St. Peter came to Rome, and ended there his pontificate; • that the Bishops of Rome who came after him held his official position in the Church • newadvent.org

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD New • Apostolic Succession • Apostolicity as a note of the true Church being dealt with elsewhere, the object of the present article is to show: • That Apostolic succession is found in the Catholic Church. • That none of the separate Churches have any valid claim to it. • That the Anglican Church, in particular, has broken away from Apostolic unity. newadvent.org

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD • Polycarp (69-155) • Writes that Faith is the mother of us all. • Therefore if God is our Father, and we are the Sons of the Church, and Faith is our Mother, and Catholic faith is the only true faith, then the new birth comes from the Holy Mother (Their word not mine) Church.

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD • Justin Martyr (100-165) • Writes that a person is regenerated by the sprinkling of water.

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD • The Catholic Church teaches that: • Baptism is necessary for salvation (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1277). • Baptism causes regeneration. (In theological jargon, baptism is said to be the instrumental cause of regeneration). Baptism is not only a sign; it actually brings about the new birth. “Through baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1213). • www.justforcatholics.org/a114.htm - 19k

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD • While all of these seeds are being sown to set up a counterfeit church, Satan has been establishing a school down in Alexandria, Egypt to come up with a counterfeit Bible. • This school is historically know across the board for it’s blending of philosophical thinking with Theological doctrine.

Ephesus THE SEEDS IN THE EPHESUS CHURCH PERIOD • Origen (184-254 AD) • He is the headmaster of the school in Alexandria • His life’s work is to take the Manuscriptes of the early church and to copy and change to fit his doctrine. (75,000 places) • This linage is where Jerome's Latin Vulgate Bible came from. • This is also where the Douay-Rheims Bible come from. • This is where the AsvRsvNiv etc. come from.

S M Y r N A THE SEEDS IN THE SMYRNA CHURCH PERIOD • The teaching that God is finished with Jew through the influence of the Ante- Nicene Church fathers • They taught that we are not only spiritual Jews but physical Jews, therefore all the promises to the Jew are now given to the church. • Jesus calls this teaching Blasphemous and Satanic.

(Rev 2:9) I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

S M Y r N A THE SEEDS IN THE SMYRNA CHURCH PERIOD • When you take your remove the Jew in the Bible, you enter the fields of the fatherless. • The 4 most controversial doctrines in the bible today all stem from the removal of the Jews • Baptism • Eternal Security • Tongues • Millennial (Keys to the Kingdom)

S M Y r N A THE SEEDS IN THE SMYRNA CHURCH PERIOD • Peter as the Pope • The supreme power of teaching is also included in the Apostolic primacy, which the Roman pontiff, as the successor of Peter, Prince of the Apostles, possesses over the whole Church…because the sentence of our lord Jesus Christ cannot pass by, who said, “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.” That the Roman Pontiff is the true Vicar of Christ, and the head of the whole Church, and the Father and teacher of all Christians….

S M Y r N A THE SEEDS IN THE SMYRNA CHURCH PERIOD We teach..that the Roman Pontiff, when he speaks excathedra.. That such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are irreformable of themselves, and not from the consent of the Church..this gift then, of truth and never-failing faith was conferred by heaven upon Peter and his successors in this chair” First Dogmatic Constitution of the church of Christ, Pub. in the 4th session of the Holy Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, Sec.IV.

S M Y r N A THE SEEDS IN THE SMYRNA CHURCH PERIOD • Notice, in the above quote that the word Roman is blatantly inserted for the word Christian.

S M Y r N A THE SEEDS IN THE SMYRNA CHURCH PERIOD • With us, the prefix “Roman” is not restrictive to a species or a section, but is simply declarative of Catholic. It explains the meaning of “Catholic” applied to the religion of Christ, and asserts its unity. “Roman” as prefixed to “Catholic” is therefore declaratory that the central point of Catholicity is Roman, the Roman See of Peter” • Knights of Columbus, Let us Judge Catholics by the Bible.

S M Y r N A THE SEEDS IN THE SMYRNA CHURCH PERIOD • Notice also, in the first quote, the title “head of the Church”, which Col. 1:18 and Eph.1:22 specifically gives to Christ, is blasphemously stripped from Christ Himself, and given to the Pope!

S M Y r N A THE SEEDS IN THE SMYRNA CHURCH PERIOD • Notice, it calls Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, a phrase never found in Scripture, but you do find the Scripture calling Paul”… not a whit behind the very Chief apostles.” (2 Cor.11:5)

KEEP YOUR EYE ON ISRAEL

(Psa 32:8) I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

(Deu 32:9) For the LORD'S portion is his people; Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. (Deu 32:10) He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; he led him about, he instructed him, he kept him as the apple of his eye.

(Lam 2:18) Their heart cried unto the Lord, O wall of the daughter of Zion, let tears run down like a river day and night: give thyself no rest; let not the apple of thine eye cease.

(Zec 2:8) For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.

(Psa 32:8) I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Biblical Church History