# The Early Churches....



## Coram Deo (Feb 19, 2008)

I am curious, How and Why did all of that earliest churches apostate? What was the cause and Why did it happen... 

Of course I am referring to Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem .. 

What led to their decline and why did they all head down the same path which is very much like Catholicism in form, worship, polity, etc...


Any Thoughts?


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## Grymir (Feb 19, 2008)

Satan


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## Coram Deo (Feb 19, 2008)

I understand that, but it is odd they all went down the same path.. I am trying to flush out the causes down through history..... 

I could see one or two going this path, and another 1 or 2 down another path and another 2 or 3 down let another path.. 

But they all headed down the same path... Popery, Patriarchy, Uber High Church Liturgical, Non Regulative Worship Practices, Vestments, Mariology, and Saintlogies, Purgatory, Baptism Regeneration, etc.....




Grymir said:


> Satan


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Feb 19, 2008)

See James A. Wylie, _History of Protestantism_, Book 1, Chapter 2, "Declension of the Early Christian Church."


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## MW (Feb 19, 2008)

2 Thess. 2:10-12, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.


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## biblicalthought (Feb 19, 2008)

See: Is Eastern Orthodoxy Christian? by Dr. Robert Morey

Here are some excerpts from the book review I did:



> In the first chapter, Dr. Morey documents how much like Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy began well when the Jews from Egypt received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:10). When they returned to Egypt, they shared their faith in Jesus the Messiah and founded a church on Egyptian soil. However, much like the early Roman Church again, the infant Jewish church began to attract the attention of local pagans. Eventually, the pagans outnumbered the Jewish Christians and drove out the Messianic church founders because of their protest of the importation of pagan religious ideas and rituals into the church.
> 
> Dr. Morey documents the step-by-step levels of apostasy of the Egyptian Gentile church such as the solicitation of church offices in order to promote and maintain political control of the region. The inclusion of pagan priests and the infiltration of Greek philosophers led the church to become seeker-friendly, or as Dr. Morey notes on pg. 20, “the first emerging church.”



and



> Chapter three: The Hellenization of Eastern Orthodoxy
> 
> With an extensive section on the Hellenization of Eastern Orthodoxy, Dr. Morey provides documented proof that is beyond refutation that from its beginning, Eastern Orthodox theology was molded and shaped by pagan doctrines and rituals. Dr. Morey describes how the worldview of Origen and those who followed him was thoroughly pagan. He illustrates how instead of Christianizing the dominant Hellenistic philosophies and religions around them, they succeeded in Hellenizing Christianity (pg. 41).



I tangle with these jokers all the time. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. Remember, the principle of Sola Scriptura was vibrant in the early church. Apostasy is clear as day when viewed in that light...


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## Coram Deo (Feb 19, 2008)

Thanks Andrew that was Excellent and answered everything..... 

It was very Poetic as Well... 




VirginiaHuguenot said:


> See James A. Wylie, _History of Protestantism_, Book 1, Chapter 2, "Declension of the Early Christian Church."


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## Pergamum (Feb 19, 2008)

I think it was ecclesiology.


There is a book that shows that there WAS a true church throughout all those ages. Its title was "The Trail of Blood: by J.M. Carroll




































....ha! Psych!


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## Grymir (Feb 20, 2008)

Hi Thundaer! I know my answer above was short and to the point (and a little glib, because i knew that wasn't what you were asking), I finally have time to answer better. A good source that will explain alot is Eusebius's Church History. Here's a link for an online version

NPNF2-01. Eusebius Pamphilius: Church History, Life of Constantine, Oration in Praise of Constantine | Christian Classics Ethereal Library

This is a great book. It describes what happened from someone who sent through it and wrote shortly after the events. (Kind of like a person today writing about WW I or WWII) It will grip you and you won't be able to put it down. Especially when Eusebius say "We watched the church's we built being burnt down to the ground". His explanation is very relevant today, although they were too serious in following the word, and we are too lax today.

I hope this helps, ENJOY!!

Also, buying a modern reprint is great because I saw one in my local Christian paraphernalia shop (Family Christian no-longer Bookstore), that had pictures of the events listed. (Archeological digs and artists who drew about the things happening at the time around them.)


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## Ivan (Feb 20, 2008)

Pergamum said:


> I think it was ecclesiology.
> 
> 
> There is a book that shows that there WAS a true church throughout all those ages. Its title was "The Trail of Blood: by J.M. Carroll
> ...


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