Waynesboro Church Of Christ

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THE SEARCH FOR THE ANCIENT CHURCH PORTRAIT

How would an artist paint the New Testament Church found in the Bible today? What would the image of the church look like if the painter only scratched the surface of the writings of the New Testament? Would the picture resonate with glorious images of tranquility and peace, or would the canvas depict hostility and conflict? If typical preachers were painters, the framed image hanging on the wall would be a magnificent masterpiece of joy, happiness, and serenity. The artwork produced would cause cranks to be calmed, discontents to be silenced, and false teachers to be repentant.

Doctrinal Tensions

But does the New Testament portray the church as it has been typically painted? Or are the pages of the New Testament filled with conflict, doubt, tensions, and false teachers? As the portrait of the first century church develops, an ugly situation occurs in the church in Galatia. Paul has to address the Galatians because they are deserting the grace of Christ for another gospel. These Galatians are being persuaded by a group of Jewish teachers attempting to enforce cultural Jewish practices on Gentile converts (Gal. 1:6-9). These false teachers are attempting to bind circumcision as a requirement for salvation. Paul is highly upset at these foolish and bewitched believers (Gal. 3:1). Once again the New Testament text paints a portrait of the Church in conflict. This tension over the interrelationship between Judaism and Christianity is a reappearing theme throughout the early church. The problem even escalates to the point that there is a need to conduct a leadership conference in Jerusalem (Acts 15). Some of the most influential leaders attended this forum. Paul, Barnabas, Peter, and James were all there. Fortunately the issues were resolved and the mission work in the churches continued (Acts 15:36), but not before a dispute between two major leaders in the early church erupted.

The doctrinal tensions continued in the church in Thessalonica because the Christians there had questions concerning the events of the return of Christ (1 Thess. 4:13-5:11). There were concerns about when Christ would return, and some even felt that they may miss the final judgment day. Paul had to write the Christians in Thessalonica two letters to explain the doctrine of the second coming of Christ (2 Thess. 2:1-12). In the first century church, there were doctrinal issues as well as ethnic and moral issues.

Ethnic Tensions

Now maybe the painter replaces some of the bright blues and the rosy reds with some dark purples and solid blacks. The portrait of the first century church seems to have some blemishes. One of these marks is found in Paul’s letter to the Romans. In Romans 14-15:13, Paul has to deal with the ethnic issue of eating idol meat. There seems to be conflict within the Roman house churches because members are passing judgment upon one another over eating idol meat and the observance of Holy days (Rom. 14:1-6). There are strained relationships between the Gentile and Jewish believers. Paul seeks to establish peace by appealing to the concepts of tolerance in opinions and sacrificial love.

Soon the newly established congregation in Jerusalem was also having ethnic tensions. The church in Jerusalem was established on the day of Pentecost after Peter’s stirring sermon on Israel rejecting her Savior. There is a strong start to this congregation, but just a few chapters past there is some complaining from the Hellenistic Jews because their widows are being overlooked in the daily serving of food (Acts 6:1-2 NASB). Already, there are some hurt feelings in the congregation over ethic issues. The first century Church is having its first church squabble. Nevertheless, the word of God continues to spread in spite of cranky Christians (Acts 6:7).

Moral Tensions

Paul seems to be dealing constantly with congregational battles throughout the first century. For instance, Paul encounters numerous problems in the church of Christ in Corinth. This congregation seems to be in perpetual upheaval. The congregation has a foundational pride problem underneath its outward actions. There are divisions, acceptance of detestable sins, unauthorized lawsuits, issues concerning eating idol meat, confusion concerning spiritual gifts, and selfish practices in the Lord’s Supper. The Corinthian church is the epitome of conflict and confusion. The first century church in Corinth is constantly living within a context of debates and confusion. Tension was certainly high in this pride-filled congregation.

The evidence from the New Testament paints a portrait of the church that is in a consistent struggle. There are brush strokes of victory and joy as well as scrapes of pain and dispute. The first century church contains glorious triumphs for truth as well as the sting of the influence of false teachers. But this never-ending battle for right and wrong makes church so vibrant and alive. The Mona Lisa still inspires in spite of chips and cracks on the canvas.

Even though the first century church had tensions and problems, nevertheless it was still the Lord’s church. It was still the radiant bride of Christ. The tensions between legalism and liberalism, morality and immorality, and truth and error are what make Christianity exciting and alive. These tensions keep us from becoming stagnant and content. Thought the acceptance of problems does not justify their existence, but rather cry for the constant restoration of the Lord’s body. Problems should be seen as opportunities to practice one’s living faith because through trials one is molded by the Lord (James 1:2-3). When present concerns upset the congregation, the biblical response is to not run away because the portrait of the church has been shattered, but rather to allow faith to manifest itself in these serious situations. The portrait of the Lord’s church may be marked by man’s fallibility, but nevertheless the church is still the portrait of Christ’s beautiful bride.

Matthew Morine