This is an analysis dealing with a question related to what a Christian was supposed to be in the first century churches led by Christ’s Apostles compared to what a disciple of Christ ought to be today.

In most ways,  there is no difference at all now in terms of the expectations of each and the overall outlook which each ought to have.  

Whatever the reasons, many think that the uncompromising requirements for first century Christians have been slackened for more modern times.  That is a foolish assumption which people seem a lot more likely to say by their overall attitude, demeanor, and choices than with their words.  Possessing that mindset is a sure way to spiritual ruin and condemnation on Judgment Day.

With that said, these are a few nuances which ought to be considered and taken into account.

At the very beginning of the Christian church each and every disciple of Christ was also a circumcised Jew.  All Christians had to be circumcised Jews before God accepted Cornelius and those with him without circumcision in Acts chapter 10.  This was about 12 years after the Christian church was birthed at Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. 

After that point, and the conference shortly afterwards recorded in Acts chapter 15 which confirmed in a more official way that uncircumcised gentiles could become Christians without converting to Judaism, Christian churches were then a mix of uncircumcised gentiles not practicing Judaism combined with those who practiced the Jewish rituals (like circumcising their children, keeping the Jewish feasts, and offering sacrifices in the Temple- as it is seen how the Apostle Paul was part of offering sacrifices in the Temple in Acts 21).  

These Jewish Christians believed Jesus was the Messiah and they followed Him.  They were only supposed to keep the Jewish rituals due to what they signified- not because they were supposed to think that they atoned for sin like many carnal Jews thought they did.  

In AD 70 the Temple was destroyed and there was no more Levitical Priesthood functioning anymore.  This meant that the Jewish Christians could not keep the Jewish rituals properly anymore.  Therefore, the Jewish Christians were then also practically loosed from keeping these rituals.  That is why no one should keep the Jewish rituals at all now.  

We tell people that they should learn from the significance of the Jewish feasts but not actually keep them ceremonially.  We should not be sacrificing Passover lambs now.  Yet a Jewish Christian before AD 70 would have done so- not to replace Jesus- but to point back to Him.  We should still learn from the Passover now- yet we should not ritually observe the Passover.

In relation to those things, God’s worship is no longer centered in Jerusalem like it was until AD 70.  You can read Acts 21 and see how even at that point (which was probably in the latter AD 50s) that the Christian church was still centered there.  

Many think the times of the gentiles began after the cross and ended when Israel became a modern nation in 1948.  Not so.  God’s worship was still centered at Jerusalem among the Jews until AD 70 when that stopped being the case (when the Temple was destroyed); and His worship is still not centered there now.  His authority is now scattered in whatever Christian churches exist which He deems faithful rather than centered at Jerusalem.  The Book of Acts demonstrates that before AD 70 even the Christian churches among the gentiles were accountable to the Christian church at Jerusalem; and the Jewish Christians were still going there at least three times a year for the Jewish feasts.  

Israel becoming a nation again in 1948 then was not a significant prophetic event.  That was totally of the devil and not of God.  The Jews actually do not even control the Temple Mount at this day.  The times of the gentiles continue yet.  

I believe understanding the key event of AD 70 and the great significance of that event demonstrates the biggest difference between the earliest Christian disciples (approximately AD 30 to AD 70) compared to what it means to be a disciple of Christ today.  

I think it is also realistic to believe that supernatural signs- whether healing, tongues, or other signs were more common in the first century (by tongues I’m referring to natural languages spoken by divine assistance rather than blabbering nonsense which is no sign at all and which no one needs divine assistance for).  This is not saying that supernatural signs from the Lord could never ever happen now.  It is saying that they would have been a lot more common among the first century Christians.  

The authority of the Apostles who actually knew Jesus, witnessed His resurrection, and were actually involved in writing Scripture was being established in the 1st century.  There are no Apostles like that anymore since no one writes Scripture anymore; and no one now is a foundation stone to Christ’s church like them (Jesus is the chief cornerstone and there never was such thing as a pope- yet the first century Apostles had much greater authority than anyone would ever have now).  That would only be logical to conclude since we need to heed the 1st century Apostles still today.  

Some people today try to claim that certain early Christian writers outside of the Bible were connected to the Apostles- but how do they really know for sure?  And even if those writers personally knew the Apostles, how do we know that the Apostles approved them?  And how would we know that the Apostles would have continued to approve them as those writers continued to live a while after the Apostles died?  We don’t.  Those writers and every other writer outside of the Bible needs to be tested by the writers of the Bible rather than being used to test more modern writers (as some think ought to be the case).  

Anyone who claims to be an Apostle of Christ today is not telling the truth and should not be trusted.  They are only unduly exalting themselves and slighting the great authority which the first century Apostles were given.  

It’s important to understand that even in the Biblical record of 1st century events we’re not given reason to believe that most Christians healed people or raised the dead or spoke in other tongues supernaturally.  

Supernatural tongues served a very definite purpose in the context of the great events of the 1st century which established the Christian testimony for all of the following ages.  Other supernatural signs were usually or always done by the Apostles or their co-workers.  Though the other first century disciples would have had greater reason to pray for such things and were more likely to have witnessed them, they were not things which most would have done directly themselves. 

It is not uncommon now for silly preachers to make people in their churches feel guilty for not raising the dead, not healing the blind, and not doing other wonders.  No one should think they have sinned and feel guilty over not doing such things.  

In many cases, the lives of the very same people who are being tongue-lashed for not doing supernatural signs are filled with actual sin which the preacher doesn’t care about.  The people are foolishly being told to do things which few of the faithful Christians did in the first century- while they are simultaneously not being exhorted to walk in the right ways of the Lord (in terms of morality and character) which are required for all people at all times.  

Psalm 119:142: “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.”

2 Timothy 3:1-5: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent (lacking self-control), fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady (reckless), highminded (conceited), lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”

Aaron’s email is: [email protected]

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