| The
early Church is very important for Christians today. Why? Because
the men and women of the first centuries of Christianity
had heard the Gospel straight from the mouth of the Apostles
and from those ordained and appointed by them to 'protect
the deposit of the Faith'. Moreover, these early Christians
were willing to die for their Faith, and many gave their
lives as martyrs for the Lord. For instance, Ignatius, the
second bishop of Antioch (the first bishop having been ordained
and installed by the Apostle Peter) died a martyr in Rome,
eaten by lions to entertain the crowds... Likewise, Polycarp,
the first bishop of Smyrna ordained by the Apostle John
was burned to death by the Roman government for refusing
to deny his Lord and Savior. Do you think that these men
had any interest in compromising and altering the Faith? |
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What
most Christians ignore is that we have writings from this era,
writing that tell us exactly what the early Church had received
from the Apostles. These writings help us clarify points of
doctrine and practice that may not be so explicit in the Holy
Scriptures. For instance, did the Apostles baptize infants?
Was Sunday the Lord's Day and the appointed day of communal
worship? What did the early Church believe and such issues as
the Eucharist, Apostolic Succession, etc.
This
is why we invite you to read the writing of the Early Church
and see for yourself why so many who do so become Orthodox Christians.
Is your Church the one described by Eusebius, the one established
by the Lord and his Apostles, the "Pillar and Foundation
of Truth" (I Tim. 3:16)?
To
discover the historical Church, we recommend:
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