Text: "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17:11)

With the advent of the 4th century, the institution professing itself to be the Christian church resembled the church of the New Testament only in some of its terminology. Both its doctrine and its practice had been corrupted.

In the middle of the 2nd century, Montanus had enunciated the doctrine of mortal and venal sins, and the teachings of the Gnostics had been baptized and received into the church. But if matter is evil as the Gnostics taught, why would not righteousness consist of punishing the body? This gave rise to the concept of monasticism and of asceticism. In time a distinction was made between men who served in a church, that is in secular capacity, and those who retired to a monastery to serve in a religious capacity.

Gnosticism taught that Christ was one of a series of emanations or mediators between God and man. The adoption of Gnosticism gave rise as mediators who pray for us.

Religious humanism under the banner of Pelagianism had corrupted the church theologically. Both Pelagianism and its stepson Semi- Pelagianism taught that salvation lies in man’s free will. Why then, it was reasoned, would not salvation be attainable by good works? This gave rise to the Roman Catholic doctrine of "penance" which in time became yet another of the "sacraments" God used to impart His grace.

Add to this the fact that every heathen religion in the ancient world had at least one goddess. Heathen people admitted into the church in times of spiritual laxity produced "converts" who quickly magnified the virgin Mary.

Theologically, the institution calling herself "the Church" no longer resembled the church of the New Testament.

In the New Testament the terms "bishop" and "presbyter" refer to the same office. (See Acts 20:17-35) Yet, as early as 150 A.D., little more than fifty years after the death of the Apostle John, one church father wrote of a "president" of the leaders in a congregation.

At first, leaders in a local church worked secular jobs, but as early as the 2rid century, the churches of Antioch and Asia asked the man best qualified in a congregation to "oversee" the work of God. The other leaders in the congregation became known as "presbyters." This practice, however, was not as yet adopted by the churches in Rome, Philippi, or in Corinth; but by the end of the 2nd century, the office of bishop had become a 3rd and new office in the church. Now there was one bishop to oversee the congregation as well as several presbyters and deacons. Doctrinal liberties had given rise to liberties being taken with church polity.

Sacramentalism changed the concept of the church, for if a sacrifice is performed in the "mass", then a priest is needed. Therefore by the end of the 3rd century, Rome had 40 congregations each with its own presbyter who was called a "priest." Over the entire city was a single "bishop." By the beginning of the 5th century, the name "presbyter" was being replaced with greater frequency with the title "priest."

The reform by Diocletian of the Roman government provided a pattern for organization and was adopted by the ecclesiastical hierarchy. They seemingly had no conscience over the fact that Diocletian had effected the last and the most severe persecution of Christians by the Roman government.

Like his military reform of stationing the "limitanei" on the frontier and headed by a "duce", which later became known as a "duke", so in his reform of the Roman government, Diocletian divided the empire into "prefectures" each of which was composed of 12 "dioceses" and over each of which a "vicar" was appointed.

The New Testament church was so designed that each congregation had its own leadership, and was independent from every other congregation. Bishops, however, had now begun to extend their jurisdiction over new congregations. New presbyters were ordained to provide workers for the new congregations. These, however, were subject to the authority of the city or "metropolitan" bishop. Bishops over individual congregations became known as "monarchial" bishops.

Metropolitan bishops began to extend their authority to nearby villages so that by the 4^th century, the separation of bishops from presbyters was commonplace. Stronger bishops assumed titles such as "archbishop" or "ruling bishop." Those over the 4 principle cities of Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, and Alexandria, and later Constantinople, assumed the titles of "patriarch" or "ruling father." Then the office of "pope" or "father" emerged. Men, however, had no Scriptural authority to alter the polity laid down for the church in the New Testament.

The church had become a power broker, and offices in the Roman church were now commonly sold. The practice is called "simony", and is derived from Simon Magus who thought the gift of God could be bought with money. (Acts 8) Jesus declared, "Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you." (Mark 10:42,43a) Nevertheless, bishops began early to act as lords over God’s heritage, and the equality of bishops began to disappear. They had become professionals.

Rural pastors early looked to the bishop of a city church as being more important, more successful, more enlightened. A distinction began to be made between "clergy" or "those called of God" and the "laity" or "the people."

The Mass had become the center of worship and now the authority of the church was seen to rest in the bishop. But it was Cyprian of Carthage (195-258 A.D.) who was principally responsible for corrupting New Testament church order.

The earliest Christian writings indicate no change from the pattern of the church laid down in the New Testament. Clement of Rome wrote a letter to the Corinthian church urging believers to restore to fellowship some disciplined officers, but while he gave his advice, he pretended no authority requiring them to do it.

Ignatius (c.115 A.D.) urged obedience to pastors and deacons, yet neither he, nor writings such as The Epistle of Barnabas, or The Shepherd of Hermas indicate the development of episcopacy.

The Apologists appeal to the Scriptures as their authority and make no appeal to the authority of bishops. It was Cyprian who did more than anyone else to change New Testament church order. It was Cyprian who argued that as a bishop he had authority over all churches and persons in his "diocese" because he was the successor of the apostles.

Cyprian conceived the idea of one universal or "catholic" church. He argued that only those in fellowship with the church are saved. He testified that whosoever refuses to be obedient to his bishop forfeits his salvation. Although he contended that all bishops are of equal rank, and although he denied the right of any bishop -including the bishop of Rome- to exercise authority in the diocese of another bishop, he nevertheless called the church at Rome "the mother and root of the catholic church."

Constantine summoned the Council of Nicea to the Imperial Palace at Nicea in 325 A.D. The purpose was to bring order out of the chaos regarding the person of Christ: "Whose Son is He?" It became the most significant church council, and resulted in the first written confession of faith, In it the Scriptures were affirmed to teach Jesus Christ is "very God of very God."

But Nicea was only a partial blessing, for in the 6th canon it stated that according to custom the bishop of Alexandria should exercise authority over Egypt, Alexandria, and Pentapolis; the bishop of Antioch should have authority over the area adjacent to his city; and, the bishop of Rome should exercise influence over territory surrounding that city.

Innocent I, bishop of Rome from 402-417 A.D., was the first bishop of Rome to claim universal jurisdiction on the basis of Peter. Nevertheless, it was Leo I, bishop of Rome from 440-461 A.D., who was the first to be called "Il Papa" "The Pope" and meaning "The Father."

On September 29, 440, Leo claimed his place as the first Pope and seized the assumed authority of the "Christian Church." The Decree of Valentinian on June 6, 445 recognized the primacy of the bishop of Rome based upon the "merits" of Peter, the dignity of the city, and the decrees of Nicea. It declared that any opposition to his rulings constituted treason.

Leo summoned the Council of Chalcedon in 451 to affirm what the Bible teaches regarding the nature of Christ: "If Christ is God and Man, does He have both a human will and a Divine will?"

The Council masterfully declared the Scriptures teach that in Christ there dwells one person with two natures "Unconfounded unchanged, undivided and inseparable."

But like Nicea, Chalcedon was a mixed blessing for when Leo’s Tome was read, the bishops cried, "Peter has spoken." This laid yet another stone in the foundation of the papal system, ion of the papal system.

In 451A.D., Attila the Hun was defeated by Theodoric and Aetius at Chalons in France. The following year he appeared before Rome. Leo went out of the city and persuaded Attila to spare Rome. When he returned to the city, the people gave him a hero’s welcome, crying "Il Papa", "The Father."

Time passed; and the liberties taken with the Biblical order of the church escalated the corruption within the church. In the 6th century, Pope Gregory, bishop of Rome from 590-604 A.D., officially instituted the Mass, and proclaimed the Roman Catholic doctrines of "Purgatory" and "The Intercession of the Saints." It was Gregory who maintained the bishop of Rome is supreme over all the church.

Pope Gregory crowned the Lombard king. After him, Pope Zacharias crowned Pepin, the son of Charles Martel. Then, one Christmas Day in the year 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne, the son of Pepin, Emperor of the "Holy Roman Empire." But if the Pope had authority to crown an earthly king, did he not have authority to remove an earthly king? Thus by the mid 11^th century, the great Hildebrand, Pope Gregory VII, declared the head of the church on earth is the Pope as Christ’s vicar, or representative. He declared the Pope is above all potentates, and all earthly potentates are subject to him.

The Apostle Paul declared that a bishop must be the husband of one wife, and must have his children in subjection. (I Timothy 3:2,4) Yet, Hildebrand forbade priests to marry. The office of bishop was no longer the office of a servant but had become an office of power. In many instances, the servant became a lord, and Solomon warned that "the earth is disquieted" and "cannot bear for a servant when he reigns." (Prov. 30:21,22; 19:10) The church was no longer a fellowship of believers but had become a base of power, and the church of the New Testament was thoroughly obfuscated by Rome. True religion was now kept

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*A pastor in Louisiana has asked for 150 copies --but I have no copies remaining from the first printing. Therefore we are offering a pre-publication special in order to expedite a second printing, we are offering the book for $5. Ppd

6, 1736 --Georgia. Three hundred people conducted by General James Oglethorpe land near Tybee Island. They kneel and humbly thank God for their safe arrival.