Restoring the Spirit of the Early Church

Restoring the Spirit of the Early Church
by Edward O. Bragwell, Sr.

Members of the churches of Christ today generally recognize that they are beneficiaries of "the restoration movement" that began in this country in the late 1700's. While we recognize that our faith and practice must not be rooted in that movement, but in the New Testament, we are grateful to those involved in the movement that encouraged men and women to go back of human traditions and creeds to the "apostles' doctrine" for their faith and practice.

As a result we have done a pretty good job of restoring the doctrine, worship, work and structure of the early church. As it was in the early years, we have to stay vigilant to keep these things true to the doctrine of Christ revealed to us through the New Testament writers.

There is another aspect of the early church that we need to give attention to restoring – the spirit of the early church. By "spirit" we mean attitude, disposition and passion of those who made up the membership of those early congregations like the one at Jerusalem. Until we recapture that spirit we are not likely to reach our potential in growth –numerically and spiritually.

After reading of their hearing and obeying the gospel of Christ in Acts 2, we read of their growth and the many faceted spirit that precipitated that growth and development of the Jerusalem church in the later part of Acts 2 through the early chapters of Acts. Let us look at some of the facets of the spirit that characterized that church immediately after those who received Peter's word were baptized as recorded in Acts 2:41-47.

THE SPIRIT OF 
STEADFASTNESS

"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers" v.42. There are several Greek words in the New Testament translated "steadfast," "steadfastly," and "steadfastness." They all suggest a firmness of character, purpose and/or action and thus best translated by some form of "steadfast."

The etymology of the word is rooted in Old English. It is from "stede" + "fast." "Stede" meant a place, like the second part of "homestead." "Fast" meant firmly fixed, like holding fast.

Local churches need members who capture the spirit of steadfastness that characterized those early Christians. Members who are running the race set before them with steadfastness of purpose; who are contending for the faith with steadfastness of determination; who are shining as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation with steadfastness of character.

Such people are not haphazard in their attendance at worship services. They are deeply involved in every phase of the church's work. They can be depended on. They are known for their day by day devotion to their Lord.

 THE SPIRIT OF REVERENCE

"And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles" v.43. The "fear" (Gk, phobos) of this passage and many others in the New Testament is not always the cringing fear of terror, but sometimes the fear of reverence and awe. Eph.5:33 is a good example of how translators treat the verb form - phobeo. In the KJV a woman is told to "reverence her husband." In the ASV, she is told to "fear her husband." In the NKJV and the NAS she is to respect him.

Local churches today need to recapture that sense of awe, reverence and respect for God and those things and events that are particularly dedicated to Him. All too often, like some priests in Israel of old, they make little difference between the holy and the profane. Their approach to a service dedicated to a dead relative or friend was more reverential than one dedicated to the living God and His Son. This reverence, or lack of it, is manifested in the demeanor and appearance of those in attendance.

THE SPIRIT OF 
TOGETHERNESS

"And all that believed were together, and had all things common" v.44. The Christians at Jerusalem were together in more ways than one. They were of "one accord" in spirit and mind v.46. They were together in that they shared so much in common – a common faith, a common authority, a common purpose, a common mission and a common relationship in Christ Jesus.

Because they had so much in common they sought and enjoyed the physical contact with each other. This sense of togetherness prevailed both in the temple (publically) and from house to house (privately). They were in contact with each other at times and places other than the public gatherings.