A Primitive Model

During a conversation with my Christian friends in Illinois it became apparent that in their minds the ideal Church for today is the primitive Church, as described in the book of Acts. They continue to go back to that Book as their guide and final authority on what the Church today should be doing. And of course, they're right, to a limited extent.

But beyond that limited extent, they're dangerously mistaken. For instance, I can look back to the day of my conversion and enjoy how God was working in my life at that time. Do I want to go back to that time? NO! Scripture is clear--we should not stay as babes in Christ but mature to manhood in Him.

Scripture is also clear that God was not done with the Church in the book of Acts. Rather He would perfect it over time. If you really want the Primitive Church, you'll have to give up the Trinity, the canon of Scripture, the nature of Christ, etc. These all came later.

My friends shy away from Church History, I guess for them the differing traditions contradict and cover up any noticeable development of the Church. It should be no surprise that tares have grown up with the wheat, but that shouldn't keep us from learning from what the Church has already wrestled over.

My friends and I have been raised in the age of television. We live in an affluent culture, free from persecution, but not free from postmodernism. We don't hold a candle to the flame of our spiritual fathers and their devotion to Sola Scriptura. To put aside the wisdom of the ages and try to figure it out for ourselves is dangerous indeed.