Church History: Why It's Important?

Church History: A Simple Chronology 
Church history is rather complex, but an understanding of the basics is very worthwhile. The following is a simple chronology of church history adapted from Bruce Shelley's Church History in Plain Language: 

(30-70 AD) The Time of Jesus and the Apostles

• The death and resurrection of Christ.
• The Christian faith is birthed and the gospel of grace is preached.

(70-312) The Age of Catholic Christianity

• The spread of the Christian faith; martyrdom of the early believers.
• Early heresies sprouted; first church councils and the canonizing of scripture.  
  

(312-590) The Age of the Christian Empire

• Constantine declares Christianity the official religion of the Roman empire; Age of great councils.
• Christianity became a faith for the masses; start of Monasticism.  
  

(590-1517) The Middle Ages

• The fall of Rome and the Byzantine empire.
• Benedictine monks deployed as missionaries; the pope becomes the "ruler" of the church.
• The crusades: The church gains the world but looses it soul.  
  

(1517-1648) The Age of Reformation

• Martin Luther and the protestant movement.
• The start of denominationalism - Examples: Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist and Anglican.
• The papacy looses it power and influence.  
  

(1648-1789) The Age of Reason and Revival

• Secularism -- The mind becomes god; people begin to ask, "Who needs God?"
• Revivals such as Pietism, Methodism and the Great Awakening seek to restore God to public life.  
  

(1789-1914) The Age of Progress

• The message of Christ is carried to distant lands, but the faith continues to leave public life.
• Pluralistic and totalitarian societies see no relevance for Christianity.  
  

(1912-current) The Age of Ideologies…

Christianity: Simple Truth 
Christianity rises to the top when you earnestly investigate the other theories, philosophies, movements and religions of the world. Yes, as hard as it is to hear in our pluralistic world community, Christianity is different than all the others. That may sound terribly dogmatic and narrow-minded, but the simple truth is that Christianity is the only true religion. 

Christianity: Why Believe It’s the Only Way 
Christianity is not based upon evidence...but it is backed by evidence. Obviously anyone could “claim” to be God. The difference with Jesus is that His life completely backed those claims. Check out the history, check out the claims – it’s an absolutely phenomenal study.  
 
A primary focus for your study is that Jesus fulfilled over 300 messianic prophecies 
written in the Old Testament scriptures. With the discovery of the 
Dead Sea Scrolls 
and the reliability of the 
Septuagint 
version of the Old Testament, both of which have been proven to exist prior to the time Jesus walked on the earth, you can be assured that these prophecies were not “conspired” after-the-fact. They were truly fulfilled by the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Examine the probability of one man fulfilling just a handful of the most specific prophecies, and you’ll be amazed. “And He [Jesus] said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning Me.” Luke 24:44  
 
Another focus for your study is to understand what Jesus said and did as a historical figure. No legitimate scholars today will deny that Jesus lived about 2,000 years ago, was a great teacher and doer of good works, and that he was crucified on a Roman cross for the crime of blasphemy among the Jews. The only dispute is whether Jesus rose from the dead three days after his 
crucifixion 
and that He was, in fact, God incarnate. This is where everyone must test the evidence for the 
resurrection 
, examine their hearts, and make a decision about who Jesus really was.  
 
Jesus said that He alone was the way to the Father (John 14:6), that He alone revealed the Father (Matt. 11:27; Luke 10:22). Christians do not go around saying Christianity is the only way because they are arrogant, stupid or judgmental. They do so because, based on the evidence, they believe what Jesus said. Christians believe in Jesus, who claimed to be God (John 8:58; Exodus 3:14), who forgave sins (Mark 2:5; Luke 5:20; 7:48), and who rose from the dead (Luke 24:24-29; John 2:19f). Jesus said that He was the only way. Jesus is unique. He was either telling the truth, He was crazy, or He was a liar. But since everyone agrees that Jesus was a “good man,” how then could He be both good and crazy, or good and a liar? He must have been telling the truth. He is the only way.  
 
Buddha didn't rise from the dead, nor did Confucius or Zoroaster. Muhammad didn't fulfill detailed prophecy. Alexander the Great didn't raise the dead or heal the sick. And though there is far less reliable information written about these “religious” leaders, they are believed in and followed by millions. 
Christianity: Not Religion – A Relationship  
Christianity is not really a religion; it is a relationship with God. It is trusting in Jesus and what He did on the cross for you (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), not on what you can do for yourself (Ephesians 2:8-9). Christianity is not about ornate buildings, flamboyant preachers, or traditional rituals. Christianity is about truly accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior 
Become a Christian Today! 
How do I become a Christian? Once you have asked all your questions, weighed all the evidence, and tested all the arguments, you will ultimately be confronted with the basic question Jesus asked his own disciples in Matthew 16:15:  
 
‘But who do you say that I am?’  
 
Simon Peter replied:  
 
‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’  
 
What is your reply?  
 
If you have come to the same conclusion as Simon Peter, you are a few steps away from having a personal relationship with our loving God. It is our sincere hope and prayer that each of you reach this conclusion, for we know that true happiness, joy and peace only come when we recognize our purpose for existing and yield our wills to our Creator. As you will see, Christianity is not based on a religious building, formula or ritual, it’s a matter of what you truly believe in your heart. 
Become a Christian: Step through the Gospel  
First, you can be sure that God loves you unconditionally and desires to have a personal relationship with you.  
 
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16).  
 
Second, you need to admit your sinful nature to God, because this is what separates all of us from Him.  
 
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).  
 
Third, you should stop trying to please God through your own efforts, and realize that salvation through the blood of Jesus Christ is a gift that none of us deserves.  
 
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).  
 
Finally, you just need to step in and truly accept God’s gift -- His Son, Jesus Christ.  
 
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12).  
 
So, now you know the basic steps to become a Christian. As a result, if you desire God’s gift of eternal life and fellowship with Him, you are as close as a sincere act of faith.  
 
Jesus says,  
 
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6).  
 
Jesus also says,  
 
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20).  
 
Receiving Jesus is a matter of truly asking Him to come into your life, to forgive your sins, and to become your Lord and Savior. It’s not merely an intellectual undertaking, but rather, an act of sincere faith and heart-felt will.  
 
If you want to receive Jesus now, and accept His gift of salvation, it's a matter of believing in Jesus Christ, repenting of your sins, and turning the rest of your life over to Him. This is not a ritual based on specific words, but rather, a prayerful guideline for your sincere step of faith. 
“Father, I know that I have broken your laws and my sins have separated me from you. I am truly sorry, and now I want to turn away from my past sinful life toward you. Please forgive me, and help me avoid sinning again. I believe that your son, Jesus Christ died for my sins, was resurrected from the dead, is alive, and hears my prayer. I invite Jesus to become the Lord of my life, to rule and reign in my heart from this day forward. Please send your Holy Spirit to help me obey You, and to do Your will for the rest of my life. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.” 
 
 
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38)  
 
If you decided to become a Christian today, welcome to God's family. Now, as a way to grow closer to Him, the Bible tells us to follow up on our commitment.

• Get baptized as commanded by Christ.
• Tell someone else about your new faith in Christ.
• Spend time with God each day. It does not have to be a long period of time. Just develop the daily habit of praying to Him and reading His Word. Ask God to increase your faith and your understanding of the Bible.
• Seek fellowship with other Christians. Develop a group of Christian friends to answer your questions and support you.
• Find a local church where you can worship God.

                                                                                                         Pastor Joshua Aregbesola