It is said, “Every good thing must come to an end.” Though this is certainly a pessimistic view of things, history has a way of demonstrating it. But how we wish is wasn’t so.
“Between the years AD 100 and AD 500, the Christian Church changed almost beyond recognition. … [At first] the organization of the church was still fluid … there were no creeds to be recited, no set forms of worship … . [By AD 500] the worship of the church was entirely liturgical with fixed, set forms of prayer … “ This is the recorded testimony of history describing the fall of the first church — the fading of the light.
But, what happened? How did the glorious demonstration of LOVE that was the earmark of those first communities change in so short a time to the predictable liturgy of Christianity? Surprisingly, the answer is found in what we call the New Testament, which more than any other historical source, is the recording of the decline and fall of that first glorious church. The fact that this tragic testimony is recorded for us to read and study begs a hopeful question; Can what was lost be found again? Can the glory that was lost be restored? Join in the discussion and let us know what you think.
