Friends, you would remember that in this 3 part Series, yours truly had said that he would endeavour to cast the spotlight on the significance of, as well as the principal cause behind progression in the spiritual realm, even while briefly tracing the history of the Church until the Reformation movement of the 16th century.
While coming now to church history in this penultimate part of the series, let it be told at this stage that until the Reformation, the history of the church can broadly be divided into the following ages…so here goes…let’s hit the rewind button…
Recollection…
1. The Apostolic Church Age (AD 30 to AD 100): A period ranging from the Birth of the Church on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) to 100 AD, when the last of the Apostles, namely John the Beloved (John 21:20), died. Yes, persecution was rampant during this age, especially during the rule of Roman Emperors such as Nero and Domitian; however, this age is not clubbed with the name “Persecution age”, mainly in deference to the Apostles (rightly called the Foundation of the Church — See Eph 2:20) who lived during that time. I reiterate that it is because the apostles needed to be given “Pride of place” (rightly so) in Church History that this age was thus called and not clubbed with the following “Persecutions age”.
2. The Persecuted Church Age (AD 100 to AD 313 AD): From the death of Apostle John to the “conversion” of Roman Emperor Constantine to Christianity. In the interim period, when persecution was severe during the reigns of other Roman Emperors like Marcus Aurelius, Trajan Decius, and Publius Valerian…the church was flourishing spiritually, and the Law of Spiritual progression (I began my essay with the same) was very much in operation. We should remember that persecution also always separates “the wheat from the chaff”. Only the genuine Children of God hang on to the Lord, irrespective of the consequences, whereas others are “swept away”. From our Heavenly Father’s perspective, a church faithfully enduring persecution would appear to be “pure gold”: Nothing more, nothing less and nothing else!!
3. The Imperial Church Age (AD 313 to AD 476): With the Roman Empire itself turning into a Patron Saint from being a Persecutor, courtesy the conversion of Emperor Constantine, the Church had “unwelcome visitors”. These were the souls who wanted to embrace Christianity just because they wanted to identify themselves with the “faith of the Emperor” and not because of any new found love for the Saviour. These folks, inside the Church without a genuine born-again experience (Acts 2:37-41), were bound to be more of a liability than an asset. What harm the Devil couldn’t inflict upon the “Body of Christ” from “far outside”, he could now do from much “closer quarters”.
4. The Medieval Church Age (476 AD to 1517 AD): The age of “Bye bye persecutions…Hello complacency”. With refining persecutions out of the way, complacency was bound to creep in. Soon the Church lapsed into what is now known as the “detestable Dark Age”. Just like King David, who, at the peak time of Israeli military might, drifted into “idiocy of indolence” (he wouldn’t go to war with his soldiers — See 2 Sam 12–which paved the way for his hideous sins soon after). Oh, how spiritually vibrant he had been when he had to be on his toes both physically and spiritually, as it were, whilst encountering persecutions wrought by his enemy King Saul!
Prayer: Father, in thy Sovereign, infinite wisdom, permit all that is needed in our lives to keep us spiritually alert. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Suresh Manoharan
An unworthy servant
J and SM Ministries
(To access the entire “Of Motion, Reformation and Celebration” mini-series, please click here.)