Dr. Carroll
6. Another vital change which seems from history to
have had its beginning before the close of the second
century was on the great doctrine of Salvation itself.
The Jews as well as the Pagans, had for many
generations, been trained to lay great stress on
ceremonials. They had come to look upon types as
anti-types,
shadows
as
real
substances,
and
ceremonials as real saving agencies. How easy to
come thus to look upon baptism.
They reasoned thus:
The Bible has much to say concerning baptism.
Much stress is laid upon the ordinance and one’s duty
concerning it.
Surely it must have something to do with one’s
salvation.
So that it was in this period that the idea of “Baptismal
Regeneration” began to get a fixed hold in some of the
churches.
(Shackelford, page 57; Camp p. 47; Benedict, p. 286;
Mosheim, vol. 1, p, 134; Christian, p. 28.)
7. The next serious error to begin creeping in, and
which seems from some historians (not all) to have
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begun in this same century and which may be said to
have been an inevitable consequence of “baptismal
regeneration” idea, was a change in the subjects of
baptism. Since baptism has been declared to be an
agency or means to salvation by some erring churches,
then the sooner baptism takes place the better.
Hence arose “infant baptism.” Prior to this “believers”
and “believers” only, were regarded as proper subjects
for baptism. “Sprinkling” and “pouring” are not now
referred to. These came in much later.
For several centuries, infants, like others, were
immersed. The Greek Catholics (a very large branch
of the Catholic church) up to this day, have never
changed the original form of baptism. They practice
infant baptism but have never done otherwise than
immerse the children.
(Note: Some of the church historians put the beginning
of infant baptism within this century, but I shall quote
a short paragraph from Robinson’s Ecclesiastical
Researches.)
“During the first three centuries, congregations all over
the East subsisted in separate independent bodies,
unsupported by government and consequently without
any secular power over one another.
“All this time they were baptized churches, and though
all the fathers of the first four ages, down to Jerome
(A.D. 370), were of Greece, Syria and Africa, and
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Church History Through the Trail of Blood
though they give great numbers of histories of the
baptism of adults, yet there is not one of the baptism of
a child till the 370.”
(Compendium of Baptist History, Shackelford, p. 43;
Vedder, p. 50; Christian, p, 31; Orchard, p. 50, etc.)
8. Let it be remembered that changes like these here
mentioned were not made in a day, nor even within a
year. They came about slowly and never within all the
churches. Some of the churches vigorously repudiated
them. So much so that in A.D., 251, the loyal churches
declared non-fellowship for those churches which
accepted and practiced these errors. And thus, came
about the first real official separation among the
churches.
End Quote
The Seven Churches of Asia
[JFR]
I stated in the last chapter that I would also examine the
Seven Churches of Asia in conjunction with our study
on the Trail of Blood. I am not slighting Dr. Carroll’s
work at all, just expanding our look at church history.
Before we open this phase of our study, let me say that
there is a vast number of opinions concerning the Seven
Churches of Asia.
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Church History Through the Trail of Blood
There are those who say that these churches never
existed at all and that they are prophecies. There are
yet others that say they were seven actual churches but
nothing else.
Still again others say they are both while still, yet
others say that they represent different period of the
church age. There are so many varied stands that a
person has to come to his/her own conclusion.
My conclusion is this: I believe that there indeed were
seven real churches that existed when John wrote the
Book of Revelation. I also think that if we took a close
look at church history, we would find some
characteristics that each one of these churches had to
be predominate in certain times during the church age.
Having said that, I also think that if we took a close
look at churches of today, we would also find some of
these characteristics in some church members in our
time. In addition, all the problems that are represented
in these seven churches can most likely be found today
in modern day churches. Therefore, I am drawn to a
combination of them all.
I like how the author of the website truthnet.org put it:
There are four audiences addressed in the book of
Revelation, the literal churches, saints who have an
ear, seven church types and seven church ages.
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Church History Through the Trail of Blood
The first audience addressed in these letters is the
literal church. These were literal churches with literal
problems.
Jesus in His comments first acknowledges the positive
aspects (commendation) for each church. Except for
the church of Laodicea, they had no commendation.
Jesus also points out, where the churches lacked and
their sin (condemnation). He warns them, what would
follow, if they fail to correct the problem.
The churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia received no
condemnation but were consoled for their suffering
and weakness. The resurrected Jesus tells the failing
churches what they need to do to correct their course
(consultation).
Jesus then promises the person who “Overcomes” an
aspect of the life to come. He challenges the believer
to succeed, to “Overcome”, and achieve the challenge
before them.
In addition to the physical churches, the letter also
applies to every individual member of the church,
especially those who have “Spiritual ears.”
Jesus specifically addresses those who have an ear.
The ear referred to here is not a physical ear, but a
spiritual ear. Jesus is talking to the spiritual hearing,
those who have a spiritual ear, to hear what the Spirit
is saying to the churches.
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Church History Through the Trail of Blood
The contents of the letter as well as the comments are
not limited to the “Seven Churches,” but to all the
churches.
Of the seven churches, no two are alike. Some of the
churches have aspects of the other churches, but they
deal with them in a different way. Both Ephesus and
Pergamum had Nicolaitans, one rejected them the
other tolerated them.
This variety in church types demonstrates an aspect
seen from the founding of churches in individual cities,
not every church is alike. These seven church models
are seven church-types; here Jesus gives the secret for
a successful church.
The letter to the seven churches is also a letter to seven
types of churches. Churches today are faced with the
same problems these first century churches faced.
Jesus is telling the church how to deal with Its
problems.
Today there are huge church buildings and large
congregations, filled with divisions over gay rights and
abortion, what would Jesus’ position be on these
issues? We can look at the model of Thyatira to find
the answer.
What about the suffering Christians in places where
Christianity is persecuted by governments, like North
Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Iran? The church at Smyrna
models the persecuted church, the letter is for them. If
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Church History Through the Trail of Blood
you were in a persecuted church, the message to
Smyrna would be a message to your church.
In chapter one, we see Jesus in the midst of “Seven
Lampstands.” From Revelation 1:21, we learn, the
seven lampstands represent the seven churches
addressed in chapters 2 and 3. They represent the
complete church.
The progress of church history has a direct correlation
to the events following the seven churches of
Revelation chapters 2 and 3.
Starting with the Ephesus [church], the church
founded by the Apostle Paul and administered by the
Apostle John to the church of Laodicea, the wealthy
lukewarm church, the history of the church is
prophetically foretold.
Jesus gives a “Prophetic foreshadowing” in the seven
churches. From the churches founded by the apostles
to the end of the age, Christ has a message for each
church age imbedded in the message to the seven
churches.
Following John, the last apostle, the Church
underwent a period of persecution, until the time of
Constantine, where the Roman Emperor himself
professed to be a Christian. Constantine made
allowances for pagan rites and customs. The
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Church History Through the Trail of Blood
correspondence between history and the letters to the
seven churches, demonstrates their prophetic nature,
foretelling the history and progression of church until
the end of the age.
This correspondence can be seen as the prophetic
foreshadowing of the seven church ages.
The faults and failures of these churches were already
problems in the first century. If we study the writings
of Paul, Peter, John, and others, we will find many of
these problems began to manifest themselves not long
after Jesus went away. Many warnings are found in the
New Testament concerning the problems that appear in
these churches. Therefore, they are very real.
When we take a close look at the churches down
through the ages since the first church in Jerusalem, we
will find that certain time periods seemed to have some
of these problems to be dominate.
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Church History Through the Trail of Blood
The time division is of much debate. While there is
not a great deal of agreement amongst scholars, there
is also not a lot of differences either.
For the purposes of our study, I will include the
churches within the time frame Dr. Carroll uses in his
work.
Here is the general time frame that we will consider
in this phase of our study:
Ephesus – AD 33 – 100
Smyrna – AD 100 – 312
Pergamum – AD 312 – 590
Thyatira – AD 590 – 1517
Sardis – AD 1517 – 1750
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Church History Through the Trail of Blood
Philadelphia – AD 1750 – 1900
Laodicea – AD 1900 – Present
The Church at Ephesus
Revelation 2:1-7 KJV: 1 Unto the angel of the
church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that
holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who
walketh in the midst of the seven golden
candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour,
and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them
which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say
they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them
liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for
my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee,
because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember
therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent,
and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee
quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his
place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that
thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also
hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that
overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which
is in the midst of the paradise of God.
There was a lot to commend the Christian Church in
Ephesus. It had patience and good works and had
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Church History Through the Trail of Blood
tested the false teachers and had remained faithful to
the truth.
Jesus commends this church for exposing those who
say they are disciples of Christ, but their fruits, their
works show that they are not. This is something sadly
lacking in the Christian faith today because the
professing Christian of today will not take rebuke or
correction.
Many, in trying to be obedient to the Scriptures, have
tried many times and all you get back is “stop judging
me.” Yet Jesus commends this church in Ephesus for
challenging and rebuking them who say they are
Christians, but clearly are not.
This church also hates the deeds of the Nicolaitans,
which Jesus also hates. The Nicolaitans were a
gnostic sect that believed they did not need to keep
God’s Law. They believed in Jesus but thought they
could carry on in a worldly sinful life.
Sadly, this is also the state of much of the professing
Christian world today, in which it believes that God’s
Law has been done away with. Jesus had to die
because of disobedience to God’s Law, why would it
now be done away with!
Let me give you just one verse which describes the
true end time church:
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Church History Through the Trail of Blood
Revelation 14:12: Here is the patience of the saints,
here are those who keep the commandments of God
and the faith of Jesus.
They also lusted for power over others. They wanted
leadership over others. They wanted to be “lords”
over God’s people. Their insatiable lust for power
would cause problems for the Lord’s churches for
hundreds and even thousands of years.
This is the first time that we see this term, but it
certainly will not be the last. Man has a hunger for
power, and he will go to any lengths to get it, even in
the Lord’s churches.
Jesus has one rebuke for this church in Ephesus, and
that is they have left their first love. Their first love
would be for Jesus; therefore, He is saying that they
have fallen away from the first love they felt for Him
and the works they did for Him in spreading the
Gospel message.
Have you lost that first spark you felt for Jesus? This
is a serious matter, because Jesus says that He would
take the candlestick away from them. This means that
they would no longer be His church if they did not
repent of this evil and return to those good works of
believing and giving their all for Him.
Conclusion to Chapter Five
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Church History Through the Trail of Blood
In the next part, we will consider the second church
that happens in the time frame that Dr. Carroll
represents. That will be the church at Smyrna.
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