Sermon by Missionary Samaroo Sookraj SUB: Baptist History (Pt 3) Intro: 1) The foundation of the church is Christ. 2) After Pentecost, the church grew rapidly, 3) Christianity and its growth brought persecution. 1.THE PERSECUTION OF THE SAINTS. We continue to rely on Biblical accounts, together with historical accounts by contemporaries of the apostles; Barnabas, Hermes the Shepherd, Clemens and Ignatius. A. The stoning of Stephen. Acts 7:54-60. B. Matthew slain in Ethiopia. C. Mark dragged through the streets until dead. D. Luke hanged. E. Peter and Simeon crucified. F. Andrew tied to a cross. G. James beheaded. H. Philip crucified and stoned I. Bartholomew flayed alive. J. Thomas pierced with lances K. James the less thrown from the temple and beaten to death. L. Jude shot to death with arrows. M. Matthias stoned to death. N. Paul beheaded at Rome in May or June of 68AD. 11. THE DEPARTING OF THE FAITH BY APOSTATES. This slow departing centered around two areas: policy and doctrines. It did not happen overnight. A. From a congregational body of believers, all having equal authority, many of the pastors began assuming authority that was not given to them in the New Testament. 111 John: 9. i) This multiplied into different ways in the running of the church; from the original, democratic policy and government of the church, into hierarchies. ii) Of course, not too long afterwards, we see Catholicism on the scene with the same hierarchic system. B. The other area of departing centered around the doctrine of Salvation itself. i)The Judaizers were polluting the Doctrine of Salvation by Grace. Acts 15:1 ii)They were putting yokes upon Christians Acts: 15: 10 iii) Paul pronounced an anathema upon the bearer of that perverted gospel. Gal 1:9 iv) Paul showed them the futility of being cleansed from sins by observance of the law. Gal 2:16,21. C. Another major change in doctrine that came about was the belief in Baptismal Regeneration. Baptism was declared to be the means by which man can be saved. This gave rise to another false teaching D. The baptism of babies began in 370 AD. (Shackelfords Compendium of Bapt. History, pg. 43;) Even though several years later, this led to another bit of apostasy E. Sprinkling and pouring were substituting baptism by immersion. 111. FURTHER DEPARTURE FROM THE FAITH. A. The period preceding Constantine. i)Persecution under Emperor Nero. The temple destroyed in 70AD. ii)More persecution under Emperor Domitian who died in 97 AD. iii)Emperor Trajan persecuted the Christians tirelessly also. iv) Some relief for the Christians came under Adrian and Antonius Pious v) Marcus Aurelius Antonius, another cruel emperor was responsible for the death of Polycarp and many other in Asia and France. (Orchard Pg. 19) vi) Conditions became tolerable under Commodus but under Severus it is said that Asia, Gaul, Egypt and other provinces were dyed in Christian blood. vii) In all of this there continue to exist, true churches and also apostate churches. B. The separation between true churches and apostate churches. 251AD. All churches were independent then. C. Churches continued to spread within the Roman Empire in spite of the persecution; this spread resulted in a direct Edict from Emperor Galerius in 303AD to more savagely persecute the Christians. It miserably failed to stem the tide of Christianity. D. In 311 AD. The same Galerius granted the Edict of Toleration which resulted in a period of rest for the Christians. E. The entering of the Hierarchy. Enter Roman Catholicism. i)When Constantine became emperor, he claimed to see a vision in the sky; this gave rise to Christianity becoming the State religion. Church and state became married; further apostasy within Christianity. 1V. WHERE WERE THE TRUE CHURCHES ALL THIS TIME? A. The Gospel had already gone throughout the Roman Empire, Europe, Asia, Africa. England, Wales, India and many other places. B. There groups of believers who, because they were not willing to join the apostate churches, were denied the name Christian and other names, sometimes in scorn, were placed upon them. Names like Montanists,Paterines, Tertullianists, Novationists and even Ana-Baptists. C. They were the true churches during these times. |
