Podcasts about early church

Dr. Taylor Marshall addresses the claim that the Novus Ordo is the Mass of the Early Church. Watch this new podcast episode by clicking here: Or listen to the audio mp3 here: If you'd like to order a copy of Taylor's new book Infiltration: The Plot to Destroy the Church from Within, you can order […] The post 790: Is Novus Ordo the Mass of the Early Church? [Podcast] appeared first on Taylor Marshall.

Pat is joined by Joe Heschmeyer to discuss his new book The Early Church Was the Catholic Church.

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by Dr. Brett Salkeld, Archdiocesan Theologian for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Regina, author, and the co-host of the Thinking Faith podcast to discuss the Eucharist, the Real Presence, and Transubstantiation – with a special emphasis on how Evangelicals can understand this incredible belief, and how Catholics can explain it better. We discuss the Early Church's belief in the Real Presence, what happened to change (and not change!) beliefs during the Reformation, and how we can understand and explain the Eucharist in light of how most Evangelicals understand the teaching. A fantastic conversation! You can hear more from Dr. Salkeld by following him on Twitter and checking out the Thinking Faith podcast on all platforms.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!To try Hallow free for 30-days, please visit this website. Your support of Hallow also helps support this show! If you'd like to pray with me, please join our new Cordial Catholic Prayer Community (or use code: 9E45KD). Thanks to this week's co-producers, part of our Patreon Producers community: Stephen, Eli, Tom, Kelvin, Susan, Eyram, and Jon.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/cordialcatholic)

Patristic scholar, Mike Aquilina, joined David to talk about friendship in the Early Church. The post S5E15 – AH – Mike Aquilina (“Friendship & the Fathers”) appeared first on Pints With Jack.

Joe Heschmeyer joins R&T to discuss his book The Early Church Was the Catholic Church, available here: https://shop.catholic.com/the-early-church-was-the-catholic-church/

Acts 1-2 Today we start the 7th stream: The Church. We read about Pentecost and the Early Church. Reading from the NIV. 7streamsmethod.com | @serenatravis | Donate Holy Spirit, we are overwhelmed with how you showed up on the scene and you show up today in a major way. You definitely are there. We see you in the Old Testament but now we see you fully in the story of Pentecost. And we just ask that you would continue to reveal to us the hidden nuggets that you have in scripture and help us to make these links and connect these threads as we are sailing through the scriptures this year. We thank you for saving us. We thank you for being with us and making it all possible through Jesus. Amen. In the beginning of this we see that there is the baptism by fire that they were talking about that being baptized by the Holy Spirit. And we talked about this just yesterday because John baptized Him [Jesus] with water. So back in Acts 1:5 - "for John baptized with water but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit." So let's talk about the timing of Pentecost. There's 40 days between the Resurrection and the Ascension of Jesus and then there is another 50 days after that that is the time of the Pentecost. Now Pentecost took time during the Feast of First Fruits or the Feast of Harvest and it so happened that that would be the time that there will be all these people that would be coming into Jerusalem. And so it was by no accident that Jesus coordinated with the Holy Spirit to have this take place right at this time because they knew there would be all these people that would be in Jerusalem. Pentecost is one of the most amazing aspects of what we experience in the church today because this literally is the baptism of the church. So out of this event is the church age. It's the time of the Gospel era. And what you see here is the reverse of what happened at Babel. Now we haven't gotten to the story yet either. But in the story of Babel - that is when the languages were divided from one into many - it was fractured in to many. But in this one moment, you see that everybody who came to Jerusalem heard this message in their own language so it was like reverse of Babel. And that is amazing because that right there signifies that this message that they had wasn't just for people who spoke their dialect - their Galilean dialect - of Hebrew or Aramaic or whatever they were speaking it was for the whole world. And then second, the Holy Spirit - the Holy Spirit does so many things for us first of all and I couldn't go into all of them today - there's so many. But the Holy Spirit reveals the message of Salvation to us. The Holy Spirit gives us knowledge just as it gave them the knowledge to speak in languages in tongues and the Holy Spirit gives courage. I mean Peter was a courageous guy but not only did stand up courageously and speak but you can see that in what he was saying he was recalling prophetic messages from the Old Testament. And so he had the courage and then the knowledge of what he was supposed to say just freely flowed from him. I don't think he had time to grab a papyrus or something and write down a few notes. He just got up and spoke. So I think it's an amazing thing when a person is surrender to what the Holy Spirit wants them to do that they are able to do exactly what they should do at the exact right time. And then Peter succinctly sums it up in chapter 2 verse 38, "repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the Forgiveness of your sins." The Gospel message is so simple and so many people were at it. So if you remember earlier in the reading today we saw that Peter stood up among the Believers chapter 1 verse 15 saying that there was a group numbering about 120. So it was a relatively small group. And then when you get done with Peter's message you see that it grew to 3000. That's significant growth! And that is by the divine timing of the Holy Spirit. So isn't it amazing to read the very beginning of it? At Pentecost? I think so. So we've completed the first week. We have gone through each stream. We have launched each stream. And for this next week I won't be describing about each book because I've already done that. So I'll just be launching right into the reading and taking it from there. And we'll be going into a new translation tomorrow. Now one thing that I promised to do was to find a Common Thread through all the streams. So the common thing that we see amongst the streams, and I alluded to this yesterday, is that we see something that's really good and is going along great and then gets derailed. The creation and then the fall. The nation goes into Jericho and next week we're going to see that they disobey and Ai, they fall to Ai. Minor fall but still a fall nonetheless. And in wisdom, Job has a great wonderful family, home, everything and then he everything is taken away from him. We see in Isaiah that he has been given a position of being a prophetic authority and and yet he's bringing out all of this condemnation against the nation of Israel. And then the Exile - well that's a whole lot of peril. Everybody is under scrutiny it during that time. And even though God is preserving them it's a tenuous situation. And then you have in Matthew the savior is born and immediately his life is in peril. And then here the church. Pentecost came everything had a great beginning. Peter had a great sermon and not long after this in the most serious in the coming weeks - his life is in danger. And really this week for me was an issue of obedience versus Disobedience because we see the consequences of disobedience and also the consequences of obedience. And I know that that it's an important thing to the Lord. To obey is better than sacrifice. As I have mentioned before there are bookmarks that are available to go along with The Seven Streams and those are available at SevenStreamsMethod.com. And we have them in digital format you can get those by signing up for a newsletter and you can print them out on your own printer and use them however you wish to use them. Or you can order the book marks that we had printed up and we will send them to you in the mail. So that's all for today that's all for this week. We've completed the initial voyage down each stream. Thank you so much for joining me and being a part of this. Until tomorrow, I'm Serena, sailing with you down The Seven Streams.

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined by the one-and-only Rod Bennett, author and Early Church historian extraordinaire, to talk about the earliest witnesses to the Christian Church – the Early Church Fathers – and how they describe the worship, faith, and beliefs of the very first Christians ... and who look very Catholic indeed!We'll dig into evidence for belief in baptismal regeneration, the Eucharist and Real Presence of Christ, bishops and apostolic succession, and the primacy of Rome. We tackle the common idea that Constantine corrupted Christianity and "Romanized" the simple faith and we discuss why it matters that an Early Church Father wouldn't be accepted in most Protestant Churches. It's a great discussion!For more from Rod check out his books from Ignatius Press: Four Witnesses and Four More Witness as well as his publications from Catholic Answers: The Apostasy that Wasn't and Scripture Wars.Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests.To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!To try Hallow free for 30-days, please visit this website. Your support of Hallow also helps support this show! If you'd like to pray with me, please join our new Cordial Catholic Prayer Community (or use code: 9E45KD). Thanks to this week's co-producers, part of our Patreon Producers community: Stephen, Eli, Tom, Kelvin, Susan, Eyram, and Jon.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/cordialcatholic)

Go to sermon webpage: ADVENT 2021: SALVATION HAS COME

Pastor Mike Crawford returns to RCC to bring us an overview of the book of Acts.

The early church experienced radical growth as the Holy Spirit began to transform people's lives and they began to follow Jesus.Support the show (https://www.hopechurchnashville.com/give)

Readings* Psalm 72* Psalm 92* Isaiah 51:17—52:12* Matthew 2:1–12* Large Catechism, I, 245–253FestivalToday we celebrate the festival of St. John, Apostle and Evangelist. St. John, son of Zebedee and brother of James the Elder, was among the first disciples to be called by Jesus, and became known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. During Christ's ministry, John witnessed many of Christ's miracles, was present for the Transfiguration, went with Peter to reserve the upper room for the Last Supper, and, alone among the Disciples, did not forsake Christ during His Passion, remaining near Christ through the crucifixion. From the cross, Jesus made John guardian of Mary, His mother. John would go on to be a founding father of the Early Church. From John, we have the fourth Gospel, three Epistles, and the Book of Revelation, which was revealed to him while he was banished to Patmos by Emperor Domitian. John outlived all of the other Apostles, dying in Ephesus at around age one hundred.ReaderCorey J. MahlerCopyright NoticesUnless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.Unless otherwise indicated, all quotations from the Lutheran Confessions are from Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions, copyright © 2005, 2006 by Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission. All rights reserved. To purchase a copy of Concordia, call 800-325-3040.Support the show (https://confident.faith/donate/)

The early church was a vibrant and exciting place to be. Pastor Jeff shares more about TRANSFORMATION IN THE EARLY CHURCH, when a group of believers, known as the 'Ekklesia', gathered together with an expectation that they would also meet with God. Support the show: https://www.oneandall.church/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim! Today we will be continuing to look at Acts chapter 15, which tells of group of Judaizers (or Jew-makers) who had come to Antioch and began causing some major dissension by trying to impose the Jewish practice of circumcision on the Gentiles who had come to faith in Jesus Christ. And the Gentiles (understandably) were very taken aback by this; particularly by the idea that they might not yet be right in God's eyes; that there was a work they needed to perform (an actual operation they had to undergo) if they were going to be able to be followers of Jesus. And really this issue could have created a lot of division and might even have split the Church. And it was about more than just circumcision, but had to do with the issue of whether or not gentiles ought to keep the Mosaic law. And there was a lot of debate on this; but in the end the Jerusalem Council agreed that the Spirit of God was leading them away from placing that burden of the Law upon them, seeing as the Gentiles already had in their lives the marks of being believers. And so James, the head of the Jerusalem council, saying in… Acts 15:19-20 (NKJV)— 19 Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God {(And [The Gr. word for “trouble” means “to throw something in the path of someone to annoy them.”])}, 20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood. Polluted by Idols— And so Gentiles who have come to faith in Christ are not to be put under the weight of the Mosaic system. However, we see that they are asked to abstain from certain practices out of loving courtesy to their Jewish brethren in order to preserve the fellowship. And the first of these is that they are asked “to abstain from things polluted by idols”. Now the eating of food that had been offered to idols was a huge issue in the Early Church, which is why we see the issue discussed again in 1 Corinthians. And what the situation was was that the pagan gentile world of that time would worship idols, physical statues/images that represented spiritual beings. And in places like Corinth (to which 1 Corinthians was written) what people would do was they would take an animal into a pagan temple and offer that animal to the idol. And the “spiritual” god represented by the physical idol would eat the “spiritual” animal. And then you could use the actual physical meat however you wanted. Well, people were very clever about this. They would take their best animals for sacrifices and then (after the supposed god had eaten the spiritual animal) they would sell that meat in the meat markets at those pagan temples. You see it was quite different from Judaism, where you actually had to offer the physical animal (not just the spiritual one). Hell Money— When I was visiting my parents in China a number of years ago, my dad took me to kind of a Chinese funeral home. And they had a whole lot of normal items you would buy in everyday life, except they were paper. Paper houses (mansions), paper cars, paper watches, purses, you name it. And what you would do is you would buy and burn the paper item so that your loved one could have the real item in the afterlife. And you can actually buy money (they call it hell money) that (when you burn it) your loved one supposedly receives it in real money in the afterlife and they can then buy what they want. Now, I don't know if they have gift cards. If they do, and I die, do me a favor and burn a few paper Best Buy and Amazon gift cards for me, will you? Now, in all seriousness, it seems to me that if you really believed in this, you would put your money where your mouth is so to speak and burn real money. But you don't, just like in these pagan temples you don't burn the animal; no you just offer the spirit of the animal. How different this is from Judaism, where you give God (truly give Him) the animal. The Offense— But what you need to grasp from all this is that because of all this, the place to buy the best meat was at those heathen temples because that is where people had come to offer their best animals and (consequently) to then sell their best meat. So if you wanted to buy the best steak; the filet mignon; the porterhouse; the New York cuts, you would go to the pagan temples to get it. Now the Gentiles were not offended by this practice because they had always bought their meat at these markets. However, for the Jewish Christian who had been brought up knowing what God said about idolatry (Ex. 20:3; 34:17; Deut. 5:7), they would avoid anything to do with idols, including meat that had been offered to those idols (1 Cor. 8:1-13). And so the thought is that if a gentile were to have that Jewish Christian over for dinner, he would not offend his Jewish brother by offering that food that had been offered to that idol. And this is key for us to understand because (as we have already said) this request given by the council was not an attempt to put the Gentiles under the Mosaic Law, but was rather a request that they not do anything that might harm the unity between them and their Jewish brothers. Paul's Stance— And it ought to be noted that later we will see that Paul seems to have taken [a more liberal approach to the issue of food offered to idols in 1 Corinthians 8, which was written six or seven years after the council (c. A.D. 55), and perhaps in Romans 14, which was written eight years after the council (c. A.D. 56).] In certain contexts that may be okay. But they needed to be sensitive to the scruples of their Jewish brothers and sisters and abstain when necessary in order not to wound them. [This is the stance that Paul takes in his discussions in Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8. He recommends sensitivity to people's consciences, to the weaker brother, and to putting a stumbling block in the way of someone else. {And so} Our convictions must always be tempered by love. Love will make us do things that we have fought against legislating.] In fact we will see that Paul (after all this) will have Timothy circumcised in order to not alienate Jews who might otherwise be open to the Gospel. Sexual Immorality— Now next we see that the council requests the gentiles to abstain from sexual immorality. And interestingly, this is the one that it markedly different from the other three. It's the only one that wasn't a dietary restriction and the only one that seems to be an explicit evil in itself. And once again, we need to understand the background of what was happening at that time to see why this is specifically mentioned. What we are talking about here is likely the kind of orgies that were associated (once again) with the pagan worship the Gentiles had up until this point been a part of. This kind of immorality was so common among the Gentiles, to the point where their consciences had become completely numb to it. It was a part of the pagan religious system. And so these new gentile Christians who are coming out of that pagan background have to be told explicitly not do something that to us might seem obvious. But you know, in America we have been slowly yet steadily moving back to that way of doing life. The sexual revolution in the 70's played a major part in that. And the ironic thing is that many today think that to cast off all sexual restrictions or boundaries is progress. But this “new morality” or “progressive thinking” is really nothing more than old-time paganism dressed up in new language. And in any culture where immorality has been allowed to pervade and the sexual lines crossed, that culture has crashed. Purity & Revival— This week I read a devotional by Dr. Dennis Kinlaw in which he says this: There is an important link between our purity in physical relationships and our vitality in spiritual relationships. It is quite clear biblically that God's purposes for us are tied up with our sexuality. He can only accomplish his purposes in human history, in human society, and in human lives if his followers use their sexuality according to his design and plan. I have noticed a startling truth in the history of the church: the Holy Spirit has a particular affinity for people who are very careful in the sexual aspect of their lives. You will have a difficult time finding an outpouring of the Holy Spirit among people where there is substantial sexual laxity. For some reason, purity and revival are linked inseparably together; God seems to have a particular sensitivity for protecting his creation in this way. Perhaps human sexuality is especially important to God because it is a prime symbol of the depth of intimacy that God desires with each human person. God uses most effectively those individuals who are committed to personal holiness and purity, and he seems to have a special blessing for groups who are committed to corporate holiness and purity. In our day, when such holy behavior is an anomaly, we need to set our course by his standards and not by the standards of the world. Whether you are married or single, young or old, are the thoughts, imaginations, and actions of your heart as pure as Jesus would have them be? If there is any impurity in you, you can expect spiritual impotence.]     And you know, he's absolutely right. And that is why we find here the council taking such a strong stand against sexual immorality. They knew that the power and effectiveness of the Church and it's ability to be filled with and used by the Holy Spirit was largely dependent on their remaining holy before God. And that is something we need to remember in our day and age as well. Things Strangled & Blood— Now after this they also add that the gentiles ought to abstain from things strangled, and from blood. This, once again, was a matter of courtesy to the Jewish Christians, who refrained from eating such things and who were careful to cut their animals in such a way so as to drain out all the blood; because God had specifically commanded them not to eat blood. Where The Lines Are— Now you and I are always interested in knowing where the lines are. We want to know what we are and what we are not allowed to do. And that is good; and is what the Gentiles needed to know. But (and I think the Jerusalem council was aware of this), it isn't always about what you do as much as how that action might affect your relationship with God or your brother or sister in Christ and their relationship with God. Susannah Wesley's Definition of Sin— For this reason, I have come to really appreciate how Susannah Wesley defined sin. This was how Susannah Wesley defined "sin" to her young son, John Wesley. She said: "If you would judge of the lawfulness or the unlawfulness of pleasure, then take this simple rule: Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, and takes off the relish of spiritual things—that to you is sin.” ​Let's Evaluate— Now I love that definition because it puts the focus right where it needs to be; on our relationship with God. How might the action I am considering affect the communion I share with God and (consequently) with other people? Will it nourish me? Will it enhance my love for Jesus and keeps me centered in His will and in love for those He loves? Let us learn to evaluate all things by that standard. Let's do so. Amen.

In this episode of the Kingdom Talks show, Next Age pioneer and author/teacher Mike Parsons meets up with our host Gil Hodges in a vibrant conversation guaranteed to get you thinking. From his teen years, Mike began to see through the fragility of Christian denominations, which had departed from biblical truth in demanding adherence to their human rules over and above maintaining the traditions of the Early Church. Never one to compromise, Mike made the decision to find the real truth . . . wherever his search might lead him. He wasn't disappointed in his quest to go Further Beyond Beyond, and he's now helping bring into the 21st century "beyond beyond" truths about the Truth, the God-Man, Jesus. Freedom Apostolic Ministries has a mandate to gather, connect, impart and release a worldwide Joshua Generation of forerunners who will mentor the next generation into the fullness of sonship. We look to fulfill that mandate by offering the Engaging God subscription program and various other resources to those who hear and respond to God's call to be part of that Joshua Generation. Learn more about FreedomARC at https://freedomarc.org/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/kingdomtalksmedia/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/kingdomtalksmedia/support

Episode Notes As Yeshua's new Kingdom arrives in the early church, a few false believers cause disruption by lying; and persecutions after miracles arise. Yet in the wake of this, the church shines brightly with inspiring stories of radical generosity and regular signs and wonders.

What does the bible say about female pastors? Did Jesus or the Apostles permit women to teach and hold positions of authority? Follow me on Twitter: @IamUngit Check out my website: LewisUngit.Com And download a free copy of my book: https://iamungit.lewisungit.com/2021/05/the-emperor-has-arrived-book-is-done.html

The early church was a ragtag group of disciples with little strengthuntil the Holy Spirit descended upon them in power!

Hello and welcome to Lechem Panim! You know, it's interesting how, whenever God is doing a new thing, there almost always arises a small group of persons who want to kind of rob people of the joy of what is happening. Well, that even happened in the Early Church. You will remember that last week in our story of Acts chapter 15 that after a massive number of Gentiles in Antioch were coming to faith in Jesus, a group of legalistic Jewish men decided to go to Antioch and tell these new Gentile converts that they need to become circumcised if they wanted to share in God's salvation. In other words, they were saying they had to have an actual physical operation in order to be a Christian. Works, Faith, & Salvation— And last week we began to explore the mindset of these legalists and why they were saying what they were saying. They thought that these new Gentiles were getting in on very easy terms when they themselves (as Jews) had lived very strict, self-denying and self-righteous lives. And of course there was a lot of pride involved here. They wanted to get the credit for their good works. And if they could get these Gentiles to become as they are, then that would validate them and imply that they themselves had a higher status with God because of their works. But the reality is that none of us can tip the scales of eternity at all in our favor due to the magnitude of our sin. It is grace and grace alone that can redeem us. That is what Jesus' parable of the unforgiving servant clearly demonstrated. Every one of us owed a sum we could never pay on our own by our own works. We needed forgiveness. Now are works are an important part of the redeemed life? Of course. Both Paul and James taught that works and faith must go hand in hand in the life of the believer. But the question is not what the Christian ought to do to live a God-pleasing life. The question is, “What must a person do to be saved?” And that is the question the Church had to answer once and for all, which they do here in Acts 15. It says… Acts 15:2 (ESV)— 2 And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and the elders about this question. The Wedge—  Now in all honesty, this controversy had the explosive fire power to split the Church. The Judaizers were declaring these Gentiles unsaved, which must have devastated them; and they no doubt refused to eat with them (which also meant not sharing in the Lord's Supper with them). And so they were rebuilding the wall between Jews and Gentiles that Jesus had torn down through His work on the cross (Eph. 2:14-16). And so Paul and Barnabas rally to the Gentiles' defense and begin to fight for the Gospel and against the wedge that was once again driving apart Jew and Gentile, seeking to preserve the unity of the Church around the doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone. And they, along with a group of others (which we read in Galatians 2:1,3 also included Titus), are sent by the Church in Antioch to Jerusalem to settle this debate); and they leave with that unity-preserving mindset. And they employ a bit of strategy along they way. It says in… Acts 15:3 (ESV)— 3 So, being sent on their way by the church, they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, describing in detail the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the brothers. Phoenicia & Samaria— Now Phoenicia and Samaria were both regions that were highly populated with Hellenistic Jews and Samaritans, who were [more open to the salvation of Gentiles than the Palestinian Jews were.] And when they heard the good news of the salvation of the Gentiles, they rejoiced. Now keep in mind that these were the spiritual children of Stephen, Philip, Peter, and John; and because of that they did not share the views of the Judaizers that were then troubling those in Antioch. And so what Paul and Barnabas are doing is they are building support as they are journeying towards Jerusalem. And eventually, they arrive at Jerusalem. And it says… Acts 15:4 (ESV)— 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they declared all that God had done with them. A God Thing— Now notice where they put the focus; not on themselves, but on God. Their report is all about what God had done with them. They want to show that their ministry to the Gentiles and the amazing response was a God thing and not something they just thought up as some kind of man-made, man-motivated thing. And it must have been amazing to hear of all God had brought them through and done through them. Yet despite that, it says in… Acts 15:5 (ESV)— 5 But some believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees rose up and said, “It is necessary to circumcise them and to order them to keep the law of Moses.” A Different Group— Now this is not the same group as in verse 1. The Jews who came to Antioch were described as “some men”, whereas this group is described as “some believers”. The first were clearly not Christians, since they taught that circumcision was necessary for salvation. But these men were believers and accepted the doctrine of salvation by faith alone. And so it is important to note that this group of men within the Jerusalem council, though they were of the legalistic party of the Pharisees, were not arguing circumcision and the keeping of the law as being necessary for salvation. They were simply saying that believers are still obligated to keep the law following salvation. Obedience to the law (in their minds) was necessary after salvation. And that is a very important distinction. These Pharisees were salvation by faith alone Christians, but as Pharisees they were still deeply committed to the ceremonial law, not realizing the liberating truth that the ceremonial law had actually been fulfilled in Jesus Christ; and we are no longer bound to the rituals of the Old Covenant but are “under the law of Christ” (1 Cor. 9:21). Now after receiving the men from Antioch, it says… Acts 15:6-7a (ESV)— 6 The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter. {Note that it is not the full congregation, but only the leaders and elders.} 7 And after there had been much debate, The Church's Magna Carta— Now Luke does not give us the minutes of the meeting. I'm sure we would love to read them. I'm sure it would have been amazing to hear these mighty men of God arguing their positions with passion, fervor, and deep Biblical insight. But Luke skips forward to when the entire congregation has gathered to hear what the leaders have decided. And this decision is announced through a series of speeches delivered by Peter, Paul and Barnabas, and then James, each of whom expounds the truth that salvation is by grace alone through faith, and is something wholly set apart from any kind of ritual or law-keeping. And this series of speeches contain what has been called the Magna Carta of the Christian Church. And collectively they present six proofs that salvation is by grace and grace alone. The first proof is past revelation, the second is the gift of the Spirit, the third is the cleansing from sin, the fourth is the inability of the law to save, the fifth is the fact of miracles, and the sixth is prophetic promise. And Peter, as the one to whom Jesus gave the key to the kingdom, is allowed to speak first. And he begins with the proof of past revelation. It says in… Acts 15:7 (ESV)— Peter stood up and said to them, “Brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. Already Divinely Settled— And Peter is of course talking about the salvation of Cornelius and his household, years ago. And Peter argues that God saved them apart from circumcision, law-keeping, or any kind of ritual (Acts 10:44-48). And Peter's point is clear. If God had not required these things of Gentile believers, what right did they have to require it? Did they know something that God didn't. Obviously not. Peter was saying that this matter has already been divinely settled years ago. And then he proceeds to the second proof, which was God's confirmation of the salvation of Cornelius and his household. He says in… Acts 15:8-9a (ESV)— 8 And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, 9 and he made no distinction between us and them, Confirmed By The Spirit— Now here Peter very skillfully anticipates and refutes a possible objection to his first point. The Judaizers could have argued that because Cornelius and his household didn't meet the necessary legalistic requirements for salvation, then they were not really saved. But Peter shatters that argument by pointing out that God (knowing the heart) bore witness of the genuiness of their salvation by giving them the Holy Spirit just as He had done for the Jewish Christians on Pentecost, making no distinction, which was evidenced by the fact that Cornelius and his household were allowed by God to speak in tongues to confirm that the same kind and level of blessing had been given also to them. And this is powerful evidence, because everyone knew that the Holy Spirit was for believers and believers alone (Rom 8:9, 1 Cor 6:19, 12:13, Gal 3:14, 4:6). And so Peter's argument is that God was saving Gentiles through faith and then confirming that salvation by giving them the Holy Spirit. And then he moves on to the third proof, which is that God did something else. He (verse 9)… Acts 15:9b (ESV)— having cleansed their hearts by faith. ​Our Mark— And this of course is connected with proof number 2, because the Holy Spirit always brings with Him radical change and transformation. It is His role to make us like Christ. He is really the Holy Making Spirit. And these converts had in their lives that unmistakable transformation that proved they must have the Holy Spirit; and if they have the Holy Spirit, then they must have Christ. Now that ought to say something to us about how the world will know that we are truly saved? It won't chiefly be because our doctrine sounds nice (it probably won't, at least at first). No, it will be the living doctrine enfleshed in the transformation they see in your life and in mine. In us people will encounter Jesus. And so let us make sure that in every way, we also are living out this signature marks of every believer. Let's do so. Amen.

Being born of water; And the spirit; Individual journey taken with others; Pictorial languages; Making living things stronger; John 3:22; Baptism; Apostasy; John 4:2; Parenthesis; Using Greek sources; "Disciples"; Engaging in covetous practices = evil; Slothful under tribute; Gathering Christ's way; Voluntary society; Washing feet; Calendars; Born again workers of iniquity?; John 3:19; Bound in debt; Altering the deal; Church and State; Caring for neighbor; Apprenticeship; Recognizing your bondage; Doing truth; Dark deeds; Your need to help; Forgiving debt; Finding your way back to the father; Developing kingdom skills; Cultivating forgiveness; Releasing anger; Redemption; Christ's baptism; Are you ready?; Getting God to hear you; Reacquiring your rights; Great reset?; Seeing what you're missing; The Real Jesus; Early Church organization; Get ready - repent.

Questions Covered: 07:02 – Is holy orders necessary for someone to receive a valid sacrament from them?  17:03 – Did the Catholic Church start novenas?  21:53 – Is it ok for Christians to uphold some stoic thought? Also was Saint Paul influenced by stoicism at all?  25:09 – How did the early Christians interpret the words “the Holy Catholic Church” in the Apostles Creed?  32:45 – I heard that Augustine taught that baptism was done “ex opere operato”, but the fathers before him taught that it was through faith. Why is that?  36:45 – I was reading your book Pope Peter and you had a different interpretation to Galatians Ch 2. How did you come to the conclusion that the James that's being spoken about is James, son of Zebedee and not James, son of Altheas?  43:00 – If I belong to a church that is in communion with Rome, like Lutheran or Orthodox, then why should I become Catholic?  50:01 – When did the Tabernacle start to become instituted?  …

Questions Covered: 18:53 – How can we be sure that Church Fathers weren't just handpicked to fit the views of The Church? Why should we listen to their words as opposed to other people of importance?  32:10 – Did the Catholic Church embrace or allow certain pagan practices? For example, the Christmas tree, giving presents, hanging lights, etc.  49:20 – Could you explain how to distinguish between when Jesus and the church fathers are speaking symbolically and literally? Specifically, how to answer Protestants that argue that Jesus was just speaking symbolically about the real presence of the Eucharist.  …

Today's Topics: 1) Finding the Fallacy: Special Pleading Meet the Early Church Fathers: 2 Clement 2, 3, 4) Interview

Dr. Paul Maier of Western Michigan University The Constantine Codex (Skeleton Series) In the Fullness of Time: A Historian Looks at Christmas, Easter, and the Early Church

Lessons from the Early Church (Part 15) - Pastor John Wilkerson - Sunday Morning, November 28, 2021 by First Baptist Church of Hammond

Magical thinking has not disappeared from the modern political imagination. Politics is not called the ‘dark arts' for nothing. Wherever one finds groups and individuals intent on forcing their agenda through the system, silencing their opponents, or decimating their foes with lethal violence, one finds shades of black magic. In service of getting what they want, who among us is not averse to manipulating boardroom membership, stacking church, charity or community organisations with the ‘right' people, participating in party putsches or enacting ideology purges? Who has not abrogated their responsibility, their voice, their resources or their moral conscience to some promising leader striding across a flag strewn stage, accepting worship and offering the world? Richard Beck joins Stephen Backhouse and guests to talk about the launch of Stephen's new YoHo Journal "Black Magic in White Houses". As befitting a bunch of theology pirates, there is a language warning!You can purchase a copy of the journal, or subscribe to the series HERE.  For a 10% discount use the code TENT10 at checkout.More from Richard Beck HERE.  More about the Yoho Journals and Unfiold Media HERE.Has anything we make been interesting, useful or fruitful for you? You can support us by becoming a Fellow Traveller on our Patreon page HERE.

Got questions? We find answers; Knowing the bible; Confederate secession; Constitutional ratification?; U.S. separate government; Missing history; Denominations; "Accepted" biblical interpretations; Modern brain washing; Twisting cognitive dissonance; Living for the herd; Life cycle; Political hijacking of agenda; Preaching anti-Christ; Psychological "enmeshment"; Questioning basic "beliefs"; Examining the idols you worship; Early Church networking; Organizing by tens, hundreds and thousands; Jethro and Moses; Resolving conflict; What binds the kingdom together?; "gods"; Golden calf; Pharaoh's gold; History of God's kingdom; Emotional pressure on children; Parental giants; Allowing children choices; Setting righteous boundaries; Freedom of speech; Autonomy of families; Church = called out to serve congregations; Free society; Taxless, but responsible for needs of neighbor - voluntary; Bound by love; Seeing reality around you; Blind guides; Substituting emotion for spirit; Trying to show light in darkness; Light-haters; Creating connections of substance; Trajan conversing with Theophorus (Ignatius); The charity difference; "Religion"; James 1:27; Visiting (caring for) the afflicted; Fitting the puzzle; Setting the people free; No compelled contribution; Bondage of Egypt; Free assemblies, freewill offerings; Tithing according to service; Fifties; Minister job description; International network of charity; Paul's tent-making; Story of Ignatius of Antioch; Christian and Rhomaios - in possession of your rights; vs Quires - subject citizen; Paul's appeal to Rome; Baptism of thousands; "Elders"; Are you a "god"?; Ignatius' writings; "Presbyter" = counsel: position/office of family; Family = corporation of God/Nature; Congregation = free assembly (not corporation); Ignatius' sense of humor; Taken to Rome/away from Antioch; Appeal of Christianity; Social safety net; Becoming merchandise; Free country?; Gather to strengthen others.

Pantete Chairete - Rejoice always (1 Thess. 5:16) I had long wanted to record this gloriously dynamic movement from Bach's magnificent 4th Brandenburg concerto, and was so grateful when the chance came along to do so. Massive thanks to the heroic musicians who played this challenging piece so beautifully for us - Julia and Thomas Herzog, (recorders), Susanne Herzog, Shirley Richards and Helen Rees (violins), Julian Chan (viola), Jo Garcia (cello) and Christiane von Albrecht (continuo). We hope the accompanying words will prove an inspiration too. People are concerned to go to great lengths to use PC (Politically Correct) language these days – but here's a radically different suggestion from the Greek New Testament. for how we might prefer to look on the abbreviation ‘PC': Pantete Chairete - Rejoice always. When Jesus first showed Himself alive from the dead to His disciples in Matthew 28:9, He used the word chairete ‘rejoice' as His greeting to them. Paul likewise closed his second letter to the Corinthians by urging them to rejoice. (2 Cor. 13:11). This phrase became a watchword for the Early Church – and it is surely one we can take deeply to heart and make the refrain of our hearts: all the way from greetings to partings: Pantete Chairete Rejoice (be glad) always in the Lord - at all times and 'every when'. Easier to say than to do at times, to be sure, but so worth the taking to heart. How lovely if, when we meet with fellow believers, instead of our usual ‘hellos!' we can respond with a vigorous cheerful Pantete Chairete – rejoice always!' no matter what outward circumstances we may be facing.

https://bit.ly/joels-army

Today I am sharing my conversation with the absolutely wonderful Becky Keife. Becky is wife, a Mom to 3 boys, an author and the community manager of the online (in)courage community. Today, Becky and I are talking about the topic of her latest book The Simple Difference: How Every Small Kindness Makes a Big Impact. Kindness is something we desperately need and is a powerful gift that is underutilized and underestimated, and Becky lays out beautifully in her book and in this conversation the power of it, and how it ultimately reflects the heart of God.  The idea of this book came from a small act of kindness years ago, but this book was written while watching the LACK of kindness in the world, the challenge of being kind quarantined at home with her family, and its just really beautiful and authentic. God knows we're going to struggle with this. He knows the world is broken, and I especially wanted to share this now because so many people are smack in the middle of navigating the holidays and in the current environment of the world and even in the Church, it feels really really difficult to just even know how to people, and for many, what to make of God in the midst of it. So we're going to talk about that.  We also share some thoughts and suggestions for how to go into the holidays with a heart that asks questions first such as can I give this image bearer the dignity of compassion and kindness regardless of how we agree or disagree? On the other hand, we also want to hold proper space for asking good questions about necessary boundaries because those are real and important and healthy where appropriate.  This is hard and holy work, y'all. I know the weariness is palpable in so many that I know, including myself. I hope this ministers to you, encourages you, challenges you, and equips you right where you are today. I really believe, the Lord is making Himself known in so many dark places, and as we transition into a season of the darkest part of the year, and we usher in space for Immanuel, God with us, I just wonder how we could powerfully proclaim His with-ness on this Earth with acts of compassion and kindness? No matter how big, or how small, I hope that wherever you try this out in your life, that is transforms YOU and makes the Lord feel closer and kinder in your own life. Because we all need that. We need to encounter God's kindness, and to see His presence in our lives and in the lives of those around us because it has the power to transform all of us. He's not finished here, friends. This is not how the story ends. Just remember: you matter, your story matters. Connecting with Becky:  Books Facebook Instagram Twitter Website   Episode Sponsor: Tony Crabtree of Crabtree Homes with Exit Realty  Home buyer guide: http://bit.ly/buyersguidecrabtreehomes Seller guide: http://bit.ly/sellerguidecrabtreehomes Facebook Instagram Website YouTube   References: (in)courage  Dayspring  Lisa Jo Baker  Courageous Kindness: Live the Simple Difference Right Where You Are (bible study Becky wrote to accompany The Simple Difference:How Every Small Kindness Makes a Big Impact.) Great article from Bible Study tool on : Neighbor was a more general term for person. Neighbor and non neighbor would be synonymous with Jew and Gentile (non-Jew) Who are the Samaritans?  (in)courage walking through kindness    Scripture References: -Psalm 100:5, Galatians 5:22-23, Titus 3:4-6 (to name a few)- Our God is kind  -Psalm 25:3, 2 Timothy 1:7- He does not speak to us through shame -Hebrews 12:6, Revelation 3:19 (to name a couple!)- He disciplines, corrects and encourages us to repentance -Genesis 16:13- The first person who ever names Hagar and calls Him “El Roi”- “The God who sees me” Full story is Genesis 16 and also Genesis 21:8-20-- I mixed these 2 stories together when I talked about it. So sorry! -Romans 2:4- The kindness of God leads us to repentance -Luke 10:25-37- The Good Samaritan  -Matthew 22:36-40- Second greatest commandment- love your neighbor -Leviticus 26:1, Deuteronomy 12:4, and then THIS is a list of so many of the times that share a loaded history of trying to get the Jews to stop worshiping idols of other cultures -Hagar (see above), Rahab, Ruth, A Cannanite woman, the Samaritan woman, An Ethiopian Eunuch, THE EARLY CHURCH- (etc, etc) -We see God fold in people from other cultures -1 Kings 12- The division of Northern and Southern Kingdom  -Matthew 9:10-17,Mark 2:15-22,Luke 5:29-39- Jesus eats with “sinners” -Matthew 9:35-38, John 21:15-25, Acts 1:8, Acts 2, Acts 4:23-37- God invites us to show His care out of the overflow of the Holy Spirit  -Romans 12:18-Inasmuch as it depends on you live peaceably with everyone  -Genesis 1:27- We are made in God's image -Isaiah 6, 2 Corinthians 5:20, 1 Thessalonians 2:4, - Christ's ambassadors  -Matthew 5:13-16-We are Christ's Light bearers -Luke 16:10- Being faithful with little Connecting with Emily and Simply Stories Podcast:Instagram (Em life // Podcast Life)FacebookTwitterBlog  *Intro and Outro music is from audionautix.com

They were not ordained by Christ as necessary to salvation, but arose from the practices of the apostles and the Early Church, or were blessed by God in Scripture. God clearly uses them as means of grace.

Questions Covered: 20:20 – What did the sacraments look like in the early Church, and how were they administered? 32:20 – Was the word of God as we know it today shared in the early Church? 36:22 – What was the early Church's opinion on baptizing infants? 42:27 – Which one of the Church fathers addressed the denial of Jesus's divinity? 47:44 – What was the nature of the disagreement between Peter and Paul in Acts? Was it different than the kinds of disagreements that our bishops have today? …

Today on the Almanac, we discuss Clement of Rome and the Early Church. #OTD #1517 #churchhistory — SHOW NOTES are available: https://www.1517.org/podcasts/the-christian-history-almanac GIVE BACK: Support the work of 1517 today CONTACT: CHA@1517.org SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts Spotify Stitcher Overcast Google Play FOLLOW US: Facebook Twitter Audio production by Christopher Gillespie (gillespie.media).

Fr. Mike draws our attention to the cultural division present in the early Church and the origin of the ordination to the diaconate. He also discusses Paul's frustration with those who didn't recognize Jesus as the Christ and offers consolation to those who experience this in the hearts and minds of those close to them, as Paul did. Today's readings are Acts 6, Romans 9-10, and Proverbs 27:10-12. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Charleston, SC, seeks to be a church that's Becoming Community in Christ. Our senior pastor Rev. Craig Bailey continued in our Means of Grace sermon series. Let's give ourselves fully to the praise of our Great God. Our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever, so let us do that through the means of grace while we're here on earth. Though there will come a day when we can lay aside these means of grace and exchange them for the presence of Christ Himself. What a day that will be!

"His Holy Church"; Early Church network; Dark Ages?; World government - top down; "They all say they are kings"; Waning immunity?; "Vaccination"; Christ's healing; Shadow self; Repent and think a different way; Contagious ideas; Changing world restrictions; Acceptance of facts; Man no more; Training ministers; Selective sharing; "Gilgal'; Have you been divided?; What's the end goal?; The lie people believe; Put down your delusions.

Today, we begin the age of the church, transitioning from the Gospel of Luke to the beginning of the book of Acts. Fr. Mike draws our attention to the Ascension of Jesus and encourages us to respond to Christ's call to participate in his mission. He invites us to be part of his story and not be ashamed of the Gospel. Today's readings are Acts 1, Romans 1, and Proverbs 26:24-26. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Welcome to The Church period! Jeff Cavins joins Fr. Mike to discuss the final time period of the Bible Timeline. They discuss the historical context of the early Church, why Rome and the early martyrs are so significant, and how the Holy Spirit takes on a major role. They also explain the differences between Acts, the epistles, and the book of Revelation. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Pastor Jeremy wraps up this series Wednesday in Glendive.

The friendship between St. Paul and St. Luke impacted the spread of the faith and the history of the Church—and it shows the importance of strong Christian friendship.   Learn More Get ready for the new liturgical year with John Bergsma's The Word of the Lord: Reflections on the Sunday Mass Readings for Year C. Friendship was the key to the early Church's growth. Learn more in Mike Aquilina's Friendship and the Fathers: How the Early Church Evangelized. We all want authentic friendship. Read more in this blog.  

Today's Topics: 1) Finding the Fallacy: Ecological Fallacy Meet the Early Church Fathers: Saint Polycarp 2, 3, 4) Interview  

It's season 3, Villains of the Bible. It was Ananias & Sapphira's money to begin with, so why would they lie about how much they were going to give? Simon the Sorcerer was baptized and following the disciples, what made him think he could simply buy the power of God? All three of them wanted the image of Christianity without the reality of being a Christians. Why was it so important to God to remove this hypocrisy from the early church? Your Church Friends have an intriguing conversation about those villains of the early Church, Ananias & Sapphira and Simon the Sorcerer.   Scriptural Reference: Acts 5:1-11 Ananias & Sapphira Acts 9:1-25 Simon the Sorcerer   Visit our Website: https://yourchurchfriends.rocks/

Author Phil Baker discusses his new book Faithful Witness: The Early Church's Theology of Martyrdom. https://www.amazon.com/Faithful-Witness-Churchs-Theology-Martyrdom-ebook/dp/B09K2R1X4L/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Faithful+Witness%3A+The+Early+Church%27s+Theology+of+Martyrdom.&qid=1636829096&sr=8-1 www.philsbaker.com

Author Phil Baker discusses his new book Faithful Witness: The Early Church's Theology of Martyrdom. https://www.amazon.com/Faithful-Witness-Churchs-Theology-Martyrdom-ebook/dp/B09K2R1X4L/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=Faithful+Witness%3A+The+Early+Church%27s+Theology+of+Martyrdom.&qid=1636829096&sr=8-1 www.philsbaker.com

Learn the meaning of Colossians 1:24, in which Paul claims that he is "filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions."Support us on Patreon:Apply for Saint Paul's House of FormationEmail usMusic by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from Sublime Chant. Copyright GIA Publications

In this episode of The Cordial Catholic, I'm joined once again by renown patristics scholar Mike Aquilina to talk about how the Early Church – the very first Christians following the apostles – evangelized, how they spread the Christian faith. Through this conversation we dig into the early Christian sources like no one else can, expertly guided by Mike Aquilina, an author, podcaster, and popular guest on this show, we look into some incredible sources to undercover exactly how and why the faith spread – and, most importantly – what lessons we can learn for today. It's a fantastic conversation. Be sure to check out Mike's fantastic new book Friendship and the Fathers: How the Early Church Evangelized from the St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology and Emmaus Road Press.For more, visit The Cordial Catholic. Send your feedback to cordialcatholic@gmail.com. Sign up for our newsletter for my reflections on  episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive contests! To watch this and other episodes please visit (and subscribe to!) our YouTube channel.Please consider financially supporting this show! For more information visit the Patreon page.  All patrons receive access to exclusive content and if you can give $5/mo or more you'll also be entered into monthly draws for fantastic books hand-picked by me.If you'd like to give a one-time donation to The Cordial Catholic, you can visit the PayPal page.Thank you to those already supporting the show!Please check out Hallow, the #1 Catholic audio prayer app. Pray the rosary, novenas, listen to Bishop Robert Barron's homilies and join the 30-day Gospel Reading Challenge by listening to the Gospel as read by Jonathan Roumie who plays Jesus in The Chosen. The app is free but visit hallow.com/cordialcatholic for a 30-day trial of the extra, in-depth features! Thanks to this week's co-producers, part of our Patreon Producers community: Stephen, Eli, Tom, Kelvin, Susan, Eyram, and Jon.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/cordialcatholic)

Learn about the symbolic clothing that bishops wear, where it comes from and what it means.Support us on Patreon:Apply for Saint Paul's House of FormationEmail usMusic by Richard Proulx and the Cathedral Singers from Sublime Chant. Copyright GIA Publications