Page 5 - God's Church through the Ages - Student Textbook

God’s Church Through the Ages – Early Church to Middle Ages
Beginnings to Constantine (A.D. 34 – 325)

Guiding Principle throughout History

There is one guiding principle given in Scripture that allows a man or woman of God to stand out in history. Look
at this verse:

Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe
that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

I Cor. 4:2 “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful”
What is it? It’s faith or faithfulness.

What is Faith? Here is a definition that I think best describes the full meaning of the word: “Faith is believing
God to the point of doing something about it. Faith is an action word!” Another way of saying it is, “Faith
compels me to respond to and trust in God’s Word so that you can experience it in my life and behavior!”

In Hebrews 11, verse one starts out defining faith, and in verse two the author says that the “ancients were
commended by demonstrating faith.” A large list of saints, including Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Gideon, David, and Samuel are listed. The author concludes this chapter with these
verses which not only describe the history of the saints in the Old Testament, but aptly describe the history of
the Church, for which we are about to embark.

“…through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the
mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness
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was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received
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back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that
they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and
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imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword.
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They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not
worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground.”

Throughout the eons of time, God has searched for those individuals who would trust Him and has used those
who put their trust totally in Him to change the course of History.

When others look at your life, do they see you demonstrating FAITH? In other words, do they
hear you talk about living for the Lord AND see it demonstrated in your life? Just as God
honored great faith in the history of civilization, He today, is looking for men and women of FAITH who
will demonstrate their faith in action! Have you stepped out by faith in any area of your life lately? Be
one of those who demonstrates FAITH and whom God uses to CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY!

Understanding God’s Mysterious Plan

Why, do you suppose, Jesus told Peter that while in Caesarea Philippi, that “He would build His church on the
rock, and that the gates of hell would not prevail against her?” (Matthew 16:18) Why did God create the
church?
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