First Edition
Permitted Beliefs of First & Second Century
Christians and Their Adoption as Exemplary
Faith in Our Modern Age
by Mark Mountjoy
Preamble
Imagine what would have happened if the first Christians didn’t believe what Jesus and his apostles said about the end of the world. The whole church would have been a mess! It was super important for those early believers to trust that Jesus and the apostles were telling the truth. Otherwise, everything would have fallen apart.
So, when we read the New Testament and see warnings or rules about what to do if someone teaches something different, we have to remember who those rules were originally meant for. They were written for the Christians living in the first century, who had a specific situation and understanding of things. Keeping that in mind, let’s think about how those rules might apply to us today, especially when it comes to Christians who believe God kept his promises about the end times.
Many people today believe that God didn’t keep his promises about the end of the world. They think that because these things haven’t happened the way they expected, it means God changed his mind or didn’t do what he said he would. As a result, some Christians who believe God did keep his promises are being told they’re wrong. They’re being corrected, silenced, or even kicked out of their churches. But is this really fair?
Let’s think about it. The New Testament has a lot of warnings and rules about what to do if someone teaches something different from what Jesus and his apostles taught (Ro. 16:17-18 cf. Titus 3:10-11). But do these rules apply to Christians who believe God kept his word? I don’t think so, and here’s why:
First, Jesus and his apostles taught that certain things would happen within the lifetime of the people living in the first century (Matt. 16:27-28 cf. Luke 21:20-32; Rev. 11:1-15). They said that the Second Temple would be destroyed, that Jesus would come back, and that God’s kingdom would be established on earth (Acts 6:8-15; James 5:1-9, and Rev. 11:1-15). Christians in the first century believed these things would happen soon, and they lived their lives based on that belief (1 Cor. 7:26, 29-31 cf. Heb. 10:25, 37).
Second, if we say that these early Christians were wrong and that God didn’t keep his promises, we’re basically saying that a big part of the New Testament is wrong too. But how can we trust the rest of the Bible if we think it’s full of empty promises?
Third, when we use the Bible’s warnings and rules to silence people who believe God kept his word, we’re not really being fair. Those rules were meant to protect against false teachings that went against what Jesus and his apostles said. But believing that God did what he said he would do isn’t a false teaching—it’s trusting in God’s faithfulness.
So, instead of punishing or rejecting Christians who believe God kept his promises, maybe we should try to understand their perspective. Maybe we need to study the Bible more carefully and see if there’s evidence that these things really did happen, just not in the way we expected. In the end, we all want to honor God and live according to his word. But we can’t do that if we’re quick to judge and silence others just because they understand things differently. Let’s approach this topic with humility, kindness, and a willingness to learn from each other. That’s the kind of attitude that pleases God and brings us closer together as his family (1 Peter 2:17 cf. 1 John 5:2-3).
Related
The Bible & the End of the World
Has the Second Coming Occurred?
[Click the image]
