PROBLEMS OF THE EARLY CHURCH

“For I bear record to them that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge”, Rom 10:2 

This verse is written I reference to non-converted Jews. But I find no better one, at this moment, to express such things as found “rest for the sole of its foot” within my soul today. Having in mind that the early church was mainly, in the beginning, composed by Jews, these having old habits to deal with from their previous nature, I believe I can use this verse to relate to them. I do not mean to minimize their early work at all, but rather exalt it so as to be followed after.

There is a word from Peter that struck me today. He said to the people, concerning serving – at that point the most prominent doctrine they had been sticking to – “It is not right that we, leaving the word of God, should serve tables”, Act 6:2. It instantly made me think of zeal, the zeal that comes to feed our walk because we have been greatly touched either by examples from others, or by constrains from conscience. It takes a courageous man to move away from doctrine where people have the same heart and eat from the same table, feed upon the same efforts to become holy. The cross of Jesus led them all into serving – they were constrained to serve simply because Jesus set them an example. At a certain point Peter and the twelve saw it was not right, for the devil started using their unity to prevent more important things to be done. Maybe they had a revelation from the Lord, maybe they started to think about other examples of many other distinct things the Lord left them as well. The death of Jesus, they all having lived it close by, struck them so deeply and now the Lord had to remove the chaff from the wheat once the Spirit came down.

There are many problems we may perceive from this early church. I will steak to this kind of zeal brought about when something made a great impression upon us in an unthinkable manner and way. This is often the main problem within revivals: there are many things which come to struck us deeply as well, things which are good and because they are good, they are carried within a bag of chaff we should soon surrender unto the fire of God to be burned. From all things which come from God and good people unto us, we should keep the grain alone.

Besides this issue of the cross and the death of Jesus having been turned into a problem unto them all, seeing it made them to see nothing else before them but serving, there is the issue of the opening of their mind concerning Scripture. We know how Peter said, when explaining to the church the reason he had gentiles baptized to such who were zealous and lacked wisdom and acted not upon knowledge once more, “And I remembered the Word of the Lord, how He said, John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit”, Act 11:16. This showed just how the Word should be understood, yes, but waited upon to be fulfilled as well. The Lord has to come and act upon revelations still. There is always a great deal of revelations during revival times. Peter had it, many others as well.

Once Peter read concerning Judas, “in the Book of Psalms, "Let his estate become forsaken, and he not be living in it." And, "Let another take his overseership"”, Act 1:20. They acted upon it so speedily that they did not consult the Lord concerning that wisdom they perceived from Scripture. Maybe the zeal to have it all was a main problem, maybe the Lord gave them that to look upon as a form of inspiring exhortation alone and they thought to obey it rather, because they might have recalled that “He that has my commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves me”, John 14:21. Their Jewish zeal had been assaulting them all over again. There are better ways to obey God: at the right time, for opportunity will never run away since God reigns for sure among holy ones. They chose Matthias and felt fulfilled so as to carry on praying. At least that problem would not hinder them at all from then on. Yet, we know how Paul, later on, came to take that place Judas left in all emptiness, and how the Lord, for the loss of one of the twelve chosen ones, gained one in return who worked more than the eleven put together. That’s how God deals out for the pain of loss which fulfills Scripture and of other kinds as well – He multiplies it greatly when rewarding.

But we know that when people do things they should not be doing for the lack of consultation from the Lord, they use valuable time never to do some other things. Just as we cannot serve two masters at the same time, we will never do two different things at once and if our minds are occupied with some thoughts towards obedience, we may not be busy obeying because we have been busy with other things. It is also true there was a time to reach to the gentiles, but when that time came, we find that the church was all together unprepared to receive them. At their coming, they were found discussing about the new little sheep. It caused divisions among many. And those little ones were hurt through many a comment, spent the apostle’s time in solving new problems which should never be there at all. Jesus’ command stated “To all the nations” and they should have taken heed upon it beforehand. Because Judas had been a crushing thing they live with close by, it became personal and took the time and the willingness to be doing something else of greater importance and of wiser preparation.

Now, there are these two great problems once Revival arrives: zeal and wisdom. These are good things, gifts from the Lord. But does the Lord rule them at all? We know that zeal and wisdom inspires many to do accordingly. Paul says, “For I know your eagerness, of which I boast to Macedonia on your behalf, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has aroused the greater number”, 2Cor.9:2; and also concerning wisdom, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord”, Col 3:16. But we should take notice as well, that there are a great deal of things during and within revivals which “indeed have a reputation of wisdom in self-imposed worship and humility, and unsparing severity of the body, but are not of any value but for the satisfying of the flesh” alone, Col 2:23. Concerning zeal, we know there is little time, but to walk wisely is the only way to redeem it and not to serve at tables if you should be studying and dealing out the word, praying all the time. “Walk in wisdom toward those on the outside, redeeming the time”, Col 4:5. Because time is short, we should sit still more often and start doing the right thing at the right time as well. Zeal and wisdom are good things to have, but of that kind that is “from above, truly pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy”, Jam.3:17. Do it then, And the Lord shall be with you.