Introduction to Church History (Forerunners of the Faith / Forward by John MacArthur)

So we're going to be studying the book forerunners of the faith. Not by John MacArthur. It says Introduction by John MacArthur, so I'm not going to read that Introduction by him, but I will read the other introduction so this is from it's produced by Master's Seminary, which is the Seminary that John MacArthur was the chancellor of.

So we're going to be looking at this book studying church history. And we're going to be comparing it because church history is not authoritative and he mentions that in the book. So if there's anything in church history some early church father some theologian that We think doesn't line up with what the Word of God says we will Talk about that.

So church history is an important subject. So as we go through the book there's also a Lecture or a sermon to listen to so it explains all that, but let's begin with the introduction. Why study? church history.

Reasons. Every Christian should care about the past it says. As a church history professor I routinely faced the challenge of engaging students in a subject that may initially seem either Unfamiliar or uninteresting.

That is that what you thought when you heard we're studying church history. Oh, that's not very interesting. Well, that's what he says very common despite the misconceptions church history is neither boring nor Irrelevant.

It is so much more than names dates timelines and charts. Some students start out thinking I hate history that was one of my favorite subjects. But I don't know about you. Some people don't like it. Maybe so.

But the study of church history is not primarily about history. It's about the church the Bride of Christ the most precious Institution on earth it's about what God has been doing in the world for the last 2 ,000 years and that means it should matter to every believer.

Others might wonder Why they should study church history if our primary focus ought to be on studying the Bible. Without question the Christians daily spiritual diet should consist of the pure milk of the word first Peter 2 1 Through 3.

Nonetheless the study of church history is a rich and profitable exercise. It can never replace the study of Scripture. We all agree with that. Amen. But it can enrich it as you learn from prior generations of believers who faithfully studied and applied Biblical truth to be clear the Word of God is the final authority over church history.

But the study of church history when evaluated through the lens of Scripture is a faith affirming exercise. I have experienced that reality firsthand the deeper Investigated the history of the church the more I have grown to appreciate the power and authority of God's Word.

Because I've seen that power vividly illustrated in the testimonies of past generations of believers. It is the teacher's responsibility to convince the student you of the importance in relevance of the subject being taught.

Three Reasons Church History Matters: Apologetics, Biography, and Curiosity

So he says when asked why church history is important if I Only had a minute or two to answer. He says I usually usually highlight the following three points using the acronym a B and C. So this is the first place where you had to fill something in.

Some of you probably listened to the lecture Or the sermon and you filled it in. If you haven't now's the time to start writing. A is for Apologetics. B is for biography and C is for curiosity. So again, if if you only add a couple minutes to answer why church history is so important.

It's because of apologetics biography and curiosity. So a is for apologetics. Believers today should take an interest in church history because it will help them guard Against false teaching and as you know, this is a relevant topic.

It's something that well every generation of believers has to face, but it's especially Timely for us the study of church history helps us understand how false Movements arose and how believers in the past have refuted them.

So what is apologetics? You know this by now. Apologetics is when you apologize for being a Christian. Sorry. Sorry. I believe the Bible. Please. Excuse me. That's apologetics, right? No apologetics is defending the faith so you're giving an answer you're giving a reply.

B for a biography. Says the halls of church history are filled with compelling accounts of faithful men and women who made great sacrifices to follow Christ their examples motivate us to walk in a manner worthy of the gospel.

And C for curiosity the study of church history answers many questions and shows us the important connections. It explains how broader Christendom came to be what it is today. How did certain practices or movements develop and why are things the way they are church history?

Helps us to find answers to those lines of inquiry. Okay, any questions or comments on that on the introduction? All right, well, let's move on then he gives ten reasons and I have the teacher's guide.

So I know my book isn't the exact same as yours. But what I understand is you have the ten reasons listed as well. I think mine expands on it a little more. So this is number two Ten reasons to study church history.

So let's just go over these. He says when given a bit more time to answer the question Why is church history important we can list ten reasons and I'm sure there's a lot more. But he says these represent an expansion of the three points listed above or on the previous page.

Most Christians Know Too Little Church History

Number one. Okay, the first reason to study church history. Studying church history is important because most contemporary Christians don't know much about it, but they should. We study church history on Wednesday night did a seven-part series.

What was that a few months ago? Four months ago, maybe. And I had said that you know some people's knowledge of church history. Goes all the way back to the ministry of Billy Graham, you know and not before that which is really unfortunate because Billy Graham, I I'd love to expand on this, but I don't have time he really changed.

Evangelicalism changed with the ministry of Billy Graham. It was one way back in the 1940s 1950s.

With.

Fundamentalism and then there was modernism and liberalism and Billy Graham kind of helped to bridge the gap so whatever your opinion is people became very ecumenical and Presbyterians and Baptists and even Catholics started working together.

Some people think that's really great. Other people think it wasn't so great. One thing you can't deny. Is that period of the 1960s? 1970s things radically changed. So if your knowledge of church history only my point is if it only goes back to Billy Graham like you're really unaware of the way things used to be when some of you were children you probably Can remember how things were one way in the 60s and then in the 80s.

It was like very very different. So. But most people most Christians I think know something before Billy Graham they know about what what's the great event in church history. That most people know you learn about it in public school even what is it?

Yeah, the Protestant Reformation. So that's the 1500s. So maybe if someone is informed it'll go back to the Reformation. But for the first 1 ,400 years or from the 2nd century to 1 ,500 most people know little to nothing.

So he says sadly most contemporary Evangelicals know very little about the history of Christianity. Even in reformed circles and understanding of church history often goes back only to the Reformation but the history of the gospel spans all the way back to the New Testament if Your knowledge of church history jumps from the Apostle John on Patmos and what did John do when he was on the island of Patmos?

Yeah, he wrote the book of Revelation. So if your knowledge of history jumps from Revelation to Martin Luther. With little to nothing in between. You ought to consider filling in the gaps. So that's the first reason why we should know church history.

Any questions or comments on that.

Okay.

God’s Sovereign Providence in History

Number two. Because God is at work in history. Equally history is a testimony to God's sovereign Providence. He says pardon the cliche. But it really is Church history really is his story or I guess this is what people say about the Bible.

Some will say well the Bible is not a history book or. Some people say well it is it's history is his story the story of Christ, right? Everything is working according to his plans and he is orchestrating all of it for his eternal glory.

God declares himself in first Corinthians 15 20 through 28. God declares himself to be the Lord of what? The Lord of history, okay. So any questions or comments on that. I guess I'll just wait for you to raise your hand if you have anything to add.

But yeah, it truly is his story. Jesus Christ the Christian Church without question has shaped the Western world. I think I said and there's one lesson a week or two ago that the Bible is really the bedrock of Western civilization.

I mean people are trying. Today they have revisionist history, you know the progressives in our culture want to kind of reinterp. No, America wasn't based on anything in the Bible or anything like they want to rewrite history but no America was founded on biblical principles and There's all sorts of countries in the Western world even in South America in Central America.

You there's countries like what El Salvador? What does that mean? The Savior right and there's there's actually nations named after. Now was that a Christian nation, you know, I can get into the weeds talking about that, but Western civilization has been shaped By the Christian Church and the Word of God without question.

Larry.

1726 says and God made man from one blood and.

Has.

Appointed their times and the boundaries of their dwelling places. So not only has as pastor said God has providentially placed Every person in history That we're going to be looking at even now. For you for me.

This is our time and this is where God put us for a specific.

Catch yep.

Yeah, look at it this way you our church and the church is in the area. We are here in Western, Massachusetts, and we're here for a reason to influence.

The.

Culture and society around us. All too often Christians have retreated and you know we we have our faith in our heart and we have our faith in our home and in the church house, but We don't always take it out into the community and have a impact, but that's we're supposed to be salt and light.

So that's that's the purpose of us existing. If Jesus didn't have that plan for us He could just save us and take us right to heaven, but he has us here for a reason. So we read the Bible we Make application we want to make a difference.

Yes.

And not only you know, how did you get here. And I'm not talking about. Well, I drove my car. You know what? I mean if you look back in your family history all that God like. My dad's parents were from Denmark.

My mom's Parents were from Ireland you know, so.

But.

My grandparents on my mother's side moved to Hill City, Minnesota.

My.

Grandparents on my father's side moved to Southern, Minnesota.

And.

My dad moved from Southern, Minnesota to Northern, Minnesota met my mom and you know. You could go back just looking at your own family history and the heritage of it where they came from and how.

Coincidentally.

They got together In the same way. I mean I came from Northern, Minnesota. How in the world did I get here from there? Yeah. You know, well God Providentially took me Through by way of Birmingham, Alabama.

Yeah, that's how you got to look at it. God is.

What yeah.

I remember when I first started teaching American history for the seventh graders at Christian school. It was the first time I realized how we got to the Civil War because I studied the political history prior a hundred years prior to that.

Oh, it was like a lightbulb went off and it's the same thing in church history these lightbulb moments where you go, oh that's why we have this particular framework and it makes a lot more sense.

Than why.

Helps us understand why things are the way they are. I think he says that in here somewhere. So number three the third reason we should study church history because the Lord Jesus said he would build his church.

So to study church history is to watch his promise unfold and of course Matthew 16 15 and 18 he makes that statement. I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. So the church is established on the gospel truth that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God.

This is the profession of faith that saves and Son of God is a reference to Christ deity so the church is Unconquerable history is evidence that he is indeed who he claimed to be. How many regimes and movements and nations tried to stifle and you know? persecute Christians and wipe them out and destroy the Bible and it just spread even further and now it's on every Continent in every nation.

So the church is the this is key. The church is the only institution that Jesus himself ever established. Okay, the only institution on earth that Christ personally established is the church. That's how important the church is.

That alone is reason enough to study church history. Moreover is promised that the gates of hell will never overpower the church. This gives us reason to hope that even when the church appears to be weak and infirm Christ promise Keeps us optimistic because our hope is in him and not in the things of this world.

This is one problem by focusing on. You know, just what's happening in the world that can get you really discouraged, but we need to keep our eyes on Christ he has made a promise. So we walk by faith and not by sight.

We believe that promise is going to be kept. It will be kept. All right. So the fourth reason to study church history because church history is our history if you're a Christian you're part of the church.

Church history is your history. As Believers we are members of the body of Christ and part of the Bride of Christ if we belong to Christ then we too are part of that bride and then he lists Ephesians 5 to talk about that.

So church history is it's your history. It's our history. Let me just add this.

Today.

It's most common when you hear people talking about the Christian Church or the church. Most of the time it seems like people or at least half of the time. They're talking about the universal Church, right?

We've all heard this term. Universal means Catholic, but they're not really talking about Roman Catholic, but they're just talking about the church. That's all over the world every true believer. Well, it is Correct to say that there is the one true Church the universal Church, but the thing is all true believers.

We're not going to be assembled together. Until we get to heaven. So to me and I think you see this in the New Testament Epistles when we talk about the church the emphasis needs to be on the local church because if you're not part of a local church there's people that well, I'm part of the church and what they mean is I Profess Christ and I'm part of the universal church, but they're not attending a local church.

Well. The local church is necessary. You could argue that most of the time in the New Testament when it talks about the church It's actually talking about the local church not the universal body. So he says when we study church history we come to see who we are.

Where we've come from and how we fit into the flow of God's kingdom. Work in the world. We are studying our spiritual family tree.

Okay.

So, where did we come from? Let's just stop and ask where did Morris court, you know, the family tree of Morse corner Church. You ever thought I? Came up with a chart where it listed our family tree. Well Officially Morse corner church as I don't really like the word institution, but okay, we'll go with that.

At the top you have the Some people would disagree with this, but this is just the way the denominations kind of flowed. So at the top you have the Roman Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church and the Reformation went down to the Church of England.

Okay, that was the next one and then you go down from the Church of England to the Puritans okay, and the Puritans came to the United States and formed into Congregationalists and as some of you know Morris corner church started in 1895 as a Congregationalist Church, so some people could argue that our history goes all the way back to Congregationalist Puritans Church of England the Catholic Church, so of course some people don't.

That they have no use for that because we did break away from the Congregationalist back in the 1940s 1950s sometime around there. So now we're independent and I'm a big believer in being independent and Non-denominational, but if you just wanted to trace back the church as it's as it's officially Organized that's what you could do.

So that's sort of the family tree, you know, we're not we're not like some cult where some guy started a following in his living room and then he just went out and Not it's not even ordained and he just started his own thing his own movement.

No way. I mean we do have a connection to historic.

Protestant Protestantism, so.

Just figure out. Throw that out there. For those who didn't know Marcus.

Yes.

Yes, the Church of England is the Anglican Church. Yeah, so the Puritans Broke away because they were so corrupt back in the 1500s. You can imagine what that means for things today, but not to get off-topic.

Let's continue on any since I kind of threw that out there any questions or comments points of clarification? Okay. Yeah, we're a far long ways away from that now. Okay, number five the fifth reason to study church history is Because sound doctrine has been guarded and passed down by faithful generations throughout history.

He says the study of church history Reminds us that we are standing on the shoulders of those who have come before us. The halls of history are filled with accounts of those who loved the truth and fought valiantly to preserve it.

And then he jumps ahead when we study church history We are reminded that some truths are worth finding or fighting for and worth dying for. We remember that we are part of something bigger than ourselves.

And that's really important. That's a lot of people today. They want to be part of something bigger than themselves and certainly the the church is that. Number six. Yes, Larry.

You know we have we can see the beginning of the church in the book of Acts and then as the church progressed through the rest of the epistles and then as we get into. You know later on as the church grew and increased and and I don't know a whole lot between the end of the Bible and.

The 1400s.

There's a space that I'm not real familiar with but then you get into the 14 -15 hundreds where Martin Luther. And then I'm familiar with guys like John Huss Wycliffe Tyndale, yeah, and. You know that different area.

But as it said here, you know has been guarded and passed down.

And.

And as pastor said many people Suffered and died so we could get what we have today. You know like John Huss. He was Heard the statement of The get your goose cooked. Yeah, he was the goose.

Right, and he got burned at the stake. Yeah, that comes from him. So whether it's Wycliffe Huss Tyndale Luther Calvin. Maybe not all of those guys, but a lot of these figures they started out as Catholic priests and then they started studying the Bible and they realized hey, wait a second.

This is not this is not lining up and then they broke away.

So.

This is what happens when people are part of the Historic denominations and then they compare it to what the Bible says and it causes them and Unfortunately, people say this is one of the bad things that there is something like 30 ,000 different Denominations.

Well, that's really an inflated number. There's you know, it's more accurate to say there's more like 20 or 30 primary historic denominations, but The point is we want to compare everything over it against what the scripture says.

So if you're part of a denomination that's not following the Bible some unfortunately. Sometimes you have to break away and that's that's where you get into. Why are things the way they are with Baptists and Presbyterians and Methodists and all of this?

Well, you wouldn't know unless you study church history and there's a good reason for things being the way they are. Yes, Aaron.

And then try to break away from the church. In the beginning they tried to address their concern right in a Meaningful way and were either kicked out or driven out. Yeah.

Yeah, they tried to reform the church like Luther said. I didn't leave the Catholic Church. The Catholic Church left me. So many of these men Love the church. They tried to reform it but then you know with Luther's case, it's like, okay Luther now We're gonna put a contract on your head and we're gonna kill you.

Well at that point, you know, you don't really have a choice.

But.

Yeah, that's just sort of that. We live in an imperfect world and because of false teachers and false doctrines. Sometimes you have to break away.

So.

Let's move on. This is Number five because sound doctrine has been guarded and passed down by faithful generations throughout history. Number six because we are just as we are encouraged by the history of the truth we are also warned by the history of error.

This enables us to be equipped as apologists. So he says here and I don't know if this is in your books or not I'll just read the first two paragraphs of what I have. He says the New Testament is full of warnings about false teaching but both refuting it in the first century and warning that it would come in centuries that followed.

Acts 20 28 through 30 first Timothy 4 1 when we study church history We learn not only the history of the truth, but also the history of error. We see where heresies and the cults originated and we have the benefit of seeing orthodoxy defined and The truth being preserved.

The New Testament calls all Christians to be able to defend the faith in the words of 1st Peter 3 15. Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you.

To give an account for the hope that is in you and do it with gentleness and reverence. Also Titus 1 8 through 10 similarly requires that an elder must be one who holds fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching so that he will both be able by sound doctrine to Refute those who contradict.

That is a quality all believers should desire to emulate. So that's part of a pastor's job is to okay here what people are saying in the name of God and Compare it to the Word of God and then if it's wrong.

If they're saying something false about what the Bible says a pastor has to refute that address it and refute it. But really it's not just the pastor. Every Christian to some degree should be able to do that.

So That's why we need to read the Bible and learn for ourselves. Because we're all to partake in this work of the ministry. Any questions on.

Six.

Okay, so it's great and I like this point because we're not just learning about the truth. We're learning about what did he say?

Error.

This is the philosophy of some Modern ministers just focus on what's true. Do not talk about what's wrong. Yeah, and the reason I think a lot of them do that because when you talk about what's wrong, then you have to identify the error and who's spreading it and they don't want to do that because then you run the risk of offending somebody but It's like with anything you have to talk about what's true and what's false.

So we need to be kind of Dynamic and well-rounded in our approach number seven. Because we have much to learn from those who walked with God. Okay, and the quote he quotes Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1, you know this passage we are surrounded by what?

Yeah, so great a cloud of witnesses. Now some people think that that means that there's this cloud of witnesses up in heaven. This is how it's often been preached that they're looking down on us. They're witnessing what we're doing.

No, that's not the context. The context is we look at the chapter before which is like the Hall of Faith People call it and we see the witnesses of these Old Testament Saints and we see how they lived and what they did and also what they did wrong to avoid what they did wrong.

They're the witnesses. So he mentions that yes, it's true. The Bible or the author of Hebrews was specifically referring to Old Testament saints, but in church history We have many examples of New Testament Saints to look at and they're flawed.

Just like the Old Testament Saints are right. Okay. Yes Marcus.

People. Sometimes they will use this passage. And of course being a police officer for so long that was my job. My job was to testify to give testimony to Be a witness to events that occurred and that is what all these heroes of the faith are.

So that's that's that's that's why they're witnesses. It's not that they're watching us. It's what they have seen and what they have done because of what we have seen in the past. Yeah.

Yeah, and along those same lines people are going to look at us and they're going to see What we say and what we do so we are a witness and like I said in the Old Testament Saints, you look at a guy like David and you see some of the great things he did and some of the Terrible things he did and that was true with Peter.

We had the great examples of him preaching on the Day of Pentecost and all but then he denied Jesus three times. So church history. I said this in our former series church history is what? Messy right because people are Messy, but we want to look did they have the right gospel were they teaching the truth of the gospel?

Nobody's perfect and certainly Church history there's all sorts of different problems. And that's why some people don't like Studying church history because then I have to look at this church and this denomination and we see all the things we disagree with the flaws.

Yeah, but have you ever read first Corinthians? Like that's this is the way it is. It's always been that way living in a fallen world. So but we can learn from it and that's the key. All right any Anything else on that?

Okay number eight. Because just as we can learn from the good examples of faithful Christians. See reason seven we likewise Have much to learn from those who failed at various points. It is a familiar saying but often true those who do not know history are doomed to what?

Repeat it. Or repeat the mistakes of the past in church history. We see examples of all kinds of spiritual failure. There are those who strayed into heresy those who gave way to Corruption those who denied the faith and those who fell.

Morally the lives of such individuals serve as a warning For all of us. All right, so that's another reason to study church history. It's not a reason to avoid it. I think some people say well, that's a reason to avoid church history.

But again, that's the same type of thing you see in in the scripture. Do you want to you want to look at primarily do they believe and preach the true gospel and.

Then.

Look at everything else. Number nine. Why study church history. Because. Studying the past helps us understand the resources opportunities and freedoms. We enjoy in the present. So he says often we take for granted the blessings.

We enjoy living in the modern age. What are some of the blessings we enjoy? Living as Christians in the 21st century. What are the blessings? Working only 40 hours a week as opposed to 80 hours.

Okay.

What are some other advantages? Yeah, our our freedom to assemble because you know full well that there are. Could people do this in North Korea right now? Could people do this in Saudi Arabia right now?

No, you couldn't. Because number one I could people meet. Well, you'd have to do it in secret in a house. You could run the risk of getting arrested or worse. If they do allow church buildings you have to be in conformity to The government so they will say what you're allowed to preach and what you're not allowed now.

We're sort of sort of headed in that direction. That's true. But as of right now, I still have the freedom to preach the whole Council of the Word of God if I preach something that The governor doesn't like you know, or the the establishment doesn't like and let's face it There's a lot of things in the Bible.

They don't like what's the worst that can happen to me? I Get kicked off of Facebook. I'm not on it anyways, but uh or the church could get kicked off of Facebook or YouTube or you know, people might not like but I you know, that's.

That's very very minor persecution and we don't even like using the term persecution for it. But that we still have great freedom to assemble. So we're so blessed and that's why we want to take advantage of it.

Yes.

Yeah.

Yeah, yep. Yeah, that's one. You know, there's always pitfalls the good and the bad. You can preach what the truth is. Back in the day, you know, if you had the wrong view of communion you could get burned at the stake and Today that doesn't happen.

Now that the downside is people can teach heresy without any real consequences and that's bad. But you know, there's there's an upside to it as well. Not to the heresy obviously, but yeah Marcus.

The Bible itself is illegal in 51 countries and it's hostile and It's hostile and even more. I mean You and Israel were where I went. Is it right there on the voice of the martyrs? It's most of the world right?

We we are so to live when we live and where we live. Very small percentage of.

As good as it gets right you've seen the voice of the martyrs that Publication they have the map where much of the world is. What is it red where? Christianity is illegal and different colors and you look at it and you're like wow Christianity is Outlawed or persecuted in much of the world.

So we have it better than Yeah better than we think or if you know, how good you have it praise the Lord for that. But Yeah, another advantage to living right now and it's been this way for a long time but When you look at the Bible right the history of the English Bible every home in America just about had a copy of the Word of God in it or at least you have the ability to own a Bible who doesn't have a Bible at this point?

Like there's a time where the average Christian didn't have access to the scripture. They had they had a Bible in the church and sometimes it was chained to the altar or whatever, you know. Yeah, or is in a different language.

Yeah, the fact that we have the scripture in our own language and you probably I don't know how many Bibles I have a home is probably over a dozen, you know, of course the issue is are you reading it?

But yeah I mean We don't realize how blessed we are to have a each of us to have a copy of the Word of God or it's on. It's on this thing, right? You get the app wherever you go. And so I'm not a very good reader.

Well, you just click this button and a reason for you. Yeah, you realize how amazing that is. Yeah. Did I see a hand? Okay, well final reason and so we're we're just gonna get to the introduction this week and Next Sunday Lord willing will begin part one or lesson number one the apostolic age.

But just to finish this up The tenth reason why we should study church history because history gives 21st-century Christians a right perspective about their own place in The church age he says it is important to realize that we are part of church history.

It's not just Luther and Calvin and Augustine and all these people and a bunch of people that no one's ever heard of. No. We are part of church history. The church history is still being written. I don't know what they're gonna you know, if the Lord Terry's what will they say about this time period?

500 years from now. I doubt that will go on that long. But if it does, what would they say? I have an idea what what they would say but church history is still being written. We are part of it we are part of the current generation of believers and we have a responsibility to Faithfully guard the truth and pass it on to those who come after us.

Studying church history helps us to recognize that we are part of something much bigger than ourselves our local congregation or even the Evangelical movement as it exists today. The church the history of Christianity spans two millennia of which we are but a momentary blip.

Studying church history also opens our eyes to the fact that every generation of believers is Greatly affected by the time and culture in which they live. Such that they themselves or we ourselves do not even realize the effects.