House Church Talk - Good Questions

[goodwordusa at att.net]

Whatever Happened to Jesus?

A brother on another HC discussion list posted questions regarding the early 
church fathers: 

He writes in part:
> I been spending some time reading over the writings of the early church 
fathers and trying to find out why it is that they seem so different then the 
new testament writings. ... in the new testament the focus is on the 
revelation of Christ and on how christians are supposed to now live in light 
of it. But when you get to the writings of the early church fathers you start 
to see more and more talk about church structure and doctrinal beliefs and 
almost no talk about the revelation of Christ and how we are supposed to live 
in light of it.

> The picture I am getting is that in the passing of the apostles some early 
believers ... began to depend on a system to carry them through. The same 
system that christians have been arguing about ever since.


My comments:
In my own life I've noticed how the Lord will sometimes reveal something 
great, or do a great work in us, and then sort of leave us to ourselves, to 
see how we do with it.  We often drift pretty quickly, getting things messed 
up.

In the ancient book of Judges, the Lord reveals this about the generation 
that followed Joshua's:

Scripture says:
So the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the 
elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD 
which He had done for Israel.... When all that generation had been gathered 
to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the 
LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel 
did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served the Baals... (Judges 2:7, 10 & 
11)

We seem to have a great human weakness when it comes to carrying on very long 
with what the Lord has given to us.  And we too often forget to return daily 
into His presence for refreshing, joy and life.  We need the living waters 
but often ignore them to look elsewhere.

The strength and the wisdom and the ability to live for God is not in us at 
all -- except by the Spirit of God, who must always be taking from the living 
Jesus and giving to us.

Scripture reminds us:
But as for you, return to your God, hold fast to love and justice, and wait 
continually for your God.  (Hosea 12:6)

Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually.  (Psalm 105:4)

...continually... return...

It must always be a continual, daily thing that we look to Jesus, to Him 
alone, just as they did in the days of the apostles.  For only in Him -- in 
Jesus Himself -- do we have the truth and the life and the open way to the 
Father.

It's all in Jesus, just as He said.

Jim


original message in full:
--- In hcdl at y---, "jphilapy" wrote in message #4737:

> Hi All,
> 
> I been spending some time reading over the writings of the early 
> church fathers and trying to find out why it is that they seem so 
> different then the new testament writings. One thing I learned is 
> that in the new testament the focus is on the revelation of Christ 
> and on how christians are supposed to now live in light of it. But 
> when you get to the writings of the early church fathers you start 
> to see more and more talk about church structure and doctrinal  
> beliefs and almost no talk about the revelation of Christ and how we 
> are supposed to live in light of it. 
> 
> The picture I am getting is that in the passing of the apostles some 
> early believers realizing they no longer had the living apostles 
> words now began to depend on a system to carry them through. The 
> same system that christians have been arguing about ever since. 
> Basically a system that is dependent on mans methods as opposed to 
> lives that are dependent on God's leading by his Holy Spirit.  It 
> was the apostles main objective to get christians to learn to live 
> by the Spirit. And every thing the apostles did was geared toward 
> that end. In otherwords that is what dictated whatever methods the 
> apostles may have used, what ever structure the early believers had 
> and essentially every aspect of their life weather personal or 
> community. 
> 
> Unfortunatley most conversations we christians have tend to focus on 
> topics much like that of the early church fathers rather then the 
> focus of the new testament writers. Is it because we are still 
> looking for a system?
> 
> 
> Jeff