Who was John The Apostle?

 The Apostle John is an extremely important figure when it comes to our knowledge about what Jesus did and taught.  He is also extremely important in early church history.  He was the son of Zebedee and Salome. His brother was James, who was also one of the Twelve Apostles.  He was ready for anything did the most he could out of his love for Christ. 

Who was Simon Peter?

The Apostle Peter, also called Simon Peter or Simeon,  son of Jonah or John who was born in  the village of Bethsaida in the province of Galilee.  He had a brother name Andrew.  He was a fisherman by profession with his brother and and the sons of Zebedee, James and John. He was also married.  He then met Jesus and his life changed forever.  Does your pastor preach and teach like Peter?

Faith in Truth Comes From God

How do you KNOW the Spirit of God dwells in you?  How do you KNOW God has chosen you, and adopted you to be a child of God?  The answer is more simple than the world thinks.  Your faith in the truths of Jesus Christ is proof.  Why? because the faith to believe these truths, comes from God; but what truth exactly?

The Real Opportunity to Glorify God and Love Your Neighbor

Some people think that being a good neighbor is serving the Lord, but then just leave it at that.  Others feel that living a 'gospel' lifestyle is good enough so proclaiming the gospel to your neighbor is not necessary.  Some still, avoid conversations about spiritual things and justify themselves with ideas like "my neighbor sees my gospel lifestyle" or "I do nice things for my neighbor, so they see God through that".  But is that actually serving and Glorifying God and actually loving your neighbor;  Are we actually taking the REAL opportunities that God places us in to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ?

What Did Athenagoras of Athens Teach?

Not a lot is known about Athenagoras except what is found in his writings and quoted by later writers.  It is estimated that he was born around 133AD and died around 190AD.  His writings are dated to around 176AD.  Oddly he is not recorded in the writings of Eusebius but none the less is noted by other church historians.  From his writings we can determine what it is he understood from the Apostles teachings; and his writings are extensive.  His known writings mainly focus on why Christianity is superior to pagan religions and a very lengthy argument for bodily resurrection.  His writings also contain a very detailed explanation of The Trinity before the term 'the trinity' was applied.

What Did Hippolytus of Rome Teach?

Hippolytus was born around 170AD and died a martyr around 235AD.  He was a disciple of Irenaeus who was a disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of John the Apostle.  Even Origen of Alexandria heard him preach at an early age.  He was critical of the popes of Rome and even accused Pope Zephyrinus of modalism.  Under the persecution at the time of Emperor Maximinus Thrax he was exiled where he later died as a martyr.

Why The Bible is Divine: Prophecy

One of the evidences for us to know the bible contains a supernatural element and is from a divine source can be seen in the remarkable prophecies validated by history and supported unintentionally by outside unfriendly sources. We will look at historical prophecies of other nations and Messianic prophecies.

What Makes Christianity The True Faith?

 What Makes Christianity The True Faith?  Can it be trusted and what makes it different from all other faiths?  We will briefly provide unintentional historic support, modern secular historians opinions, archeology and philosophical supports; as well as discuss the support from the death and resurrection and biblical prophecy for what makes Christianity true.  Again, these are brief to allow for self reflection and research. 

What is 'Death'?

This is an event that every single person who ever existed and will exist, has or will experience.  Everyone experiences friends or family pass away; eventually even themselves.  But what is it, and what happens to our consciousness and our bodies when we die?  More importantly, what will happen after we are dead? This article attempts to navigate through the issue of our bodily death, our consciousness outside of our bodies, and understand what God has promised us in death.

The Absolute Greatest Message To Tell Everyone

This may seem like a no brainier to most Christians; that Jesus is the only way to salvation.  But what does that actually mean? Just telling someone that Jesus loves you is only telling them half the saving message of Jesus.  Tell them to love God is not telling them the full life changing news that they need to hear.  So what is the full message that everyone needs to hear in order to be saved?

The Glorious and Blessed Hope

Is biblical 'hope' just wishful thinking or is it something more?  Can we wishfully think of eternal life or can we hope in assured expectation of attaining eternal life?  The bible offers a type of Hope that the world, a part from Christ, can only wish for.  What is this Hope that only the Christian faith offers?

What Did Irenaeus of Lyons Teach?

Irenaeus was born around 115 AD and was martyred around 200 AD.  He was a disciple of Polycarp; who was a disciple of John The Apostle.  He is best known for his 5 books named "Against Heresies" which was comprised around 180AD and addressed the Gnostism heresy.  He generally laid out the orthodoxies of Christianity and express two very important aspects of the faith; scriptural authority and teaching linage from the apostles themselves.  He was a church leader in Gaul which is now Lyons France and had influence with the church leader in Rome, Victor I and later important church teachers like Hippolytus of Rome.  His teachings validates the teachings from the apostles, to their disciples, to him; the succession of truth.

What Did Papias of Hierapolis Teach?

Papias is an important figure in the early church.  He was born around 70AD and died around 163AD.  He was a disciple of John The Apostle and friend of Polycarp who was also a disciple of John and Aristion (one of the 70 apostles).  He helpped lead the church around the same time Ignatius of Antioch was teaching.  He had access to The Apostles, disciples of the Apostles, and other eye witnesses.  He even spoke with the Apostle Philip's daughters in Hierapolis.  His understanding and insights are key influences on the continuation of the person, teachings, and works of Jesus Christ.  Although his writings were lost after the middle ages, they were still preserved in the quotes of other church leaders writings.  His insights have been continued on in the church through Polycarp, Irenaeus, Eusebius and all the other early church teachers.

What Did Polycarp of Smyrna Teach?

Polycarp is one of the earliest Church leaders.  Born around or just right after Paul The Apostles martyrdom and himself martyred around 150 AD.  According to Irenaeus and Jerome, he was literally a disciple of John The Apostle and ordained by John himself to lead the church in Smyrna.  Polycarp was also close to Papias, who was also a disciple of John.  His only surviving writing is a Letter to the Philippians.  Irenaeus also records how he heard Polycarp teach in person and speak about things John The Apostle told him about Jesus first hand.


Why is he important?

What Did Clement of Rome Teach

Earliest Church leader and teacher outside of The Bible.

Appointed by Peter to lead the Christian community in Rome according to Tertullian.  He is mentioned by Paul in Philippians 4:3.  He knew the Apostles personally and would have access to a lot of eye witness testimony of Jesus and original writings himself.  A every early 2nd century extra-biblical writing called The Shepard of Hermas also mentions him.  In his letter, Clement names Fortunatus, as one of the people who carry his letter to Corinth.  He is named by Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:17 as well.

The only reliably known writing from him is known as 1st Clement to Corinth. A 2nd letter has his name attached but is clear it was not by him.

He was martyred around 98-100 AD.

What makes his writing and teaching so important?

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Every year Christians gather for a 'special' Sunday service called Easter Sunday.  The roots of the chosen time of the year comes from a annual pagan celebration of fertility that the church wanted to "Christianize" and have their own in contrast.  It was very controversial in the church to celebrate the passion of Christ during that pagan holiday but the church remained unified and agreed on the season.  So now as culture and church blended we have Easter bunnies and colorful eggs in our Easter Sunday church services.  As society becomes more secular and the church blends more into the world the true meaning of the celebration of the passion of Christ is hidden behind the popularized pagan symbols. 

The church needs to refocus its attention away from fun loving cultural symbols and on the person and work of Jesus Christ during this season.  It needs to celebrate the meaning of the cross for all the world to see.  It is not Easter Sunday but Resurrection Sunday.  It is not about eggs symbolizing fertility but The Cross; Christ's death and resurrection.

This is what we celebrate in the week (Holy Week) leading up to and on Resurrection Sunday:

• Sunday before Resurrection day is the remembrance of Jesus Christ's entry into Jerusalem known as Palm Sunday.
• Thursday is remembrance of the Last Supper and the commission of Communion.
• Friday is the remembrance of Christ's crucifixion and death on the Cross known as Good Friday.
• Saturday is self reflection and rest and remembrance of Christ resting after finishing atonement.
• Sunday is the celebration of Christ's resurrection from the dead!

Statement of Faith: Things to Come

           The blessed hope and literal return of Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13), the personal and imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to rapture His saints (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:2). Will then forever be with the Lord (1 Thess. 4:16-5:2).  The visible and bodily return of Christ to the earth with His saints to establish His promised millennial kingdom (Zechariah 14:4-11;1 Thessalonians 1:10;Revelation 3:10,19:11-16,20:1-6). We believe in the physical resurrection of all men—the saints to everlasting joy and bliss on the New Earth, and the wicked to eternal punishment in the lake of fire (Matthew 25:46;John 5:28-29;Revelation 20:5-6,12-13).

Statement of Faith: Jesus Christ

           The deity of the Lord Jesus Christ is essential.  He is God incarnate, God in human form, the expressed image of the Father, who, without ceasing to be God, became man in order that He might demonstrate who God is and provide the only way of salvation possible for all man (Matthew 1:21;John 1:18;Colossians 1:15).  He added human nature to His divine nature.  He is both human and divine;  therefore, He has two natures while remaining one person; not two. He is not part God and part man.  He is presently a man, one person, with two natures where one nature is wholly and fully God and the other wholly and fully man. (Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 2:9; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1:5-13; John 1:1-3, 14).

Essential truths of Christianity

1.  Jesus is God - John 1:1, 4, 10:30, 20:28 (also read Jesus Is God)

2.  Salvation by God's Grace alone - Eph 2:8-9 (also read The Amazing Grace of God)

3.  Salvation through Christ's Work alone - Acts 4:12; John 14:6

4.  Jesus' virgin birth, sinless life, bodily death, resurrection
on the 3rd day, and ascension to Heaven - 1 Corinthians 15:14; John 2:19-21 (also read Essentials of The Gospel)

5.  The true Gospel - 1 Corinthians 15:1-5; Galatians 1:8-9 (also read The Gospel Break Down)

6.  One God - Monotheism - Isaiah 43:10; 1 Cor 8:5-6

7.  The Trinity- Trinitarianism - Father, Son (Jesus), and Holy Spirit - Matt 28:19; 1 Cor 12:4-6 (also read The Triune God of Christianity)

8.  Salvation through Faith alone - Heb 11:1,6

Any changes or omissions of these truths are outside of Christian Orthodoxy can lead to heresies.  These 8 truths relate to saving faith , eternal life, and correctly understanding Holy Scripture.

Related Articles:

•  Rediscovering The Vastness of John 3:16
•  Evidence for the Crucifixion of Jesus
• The Son of God and sons of God
• Who Is Jesus Really? 
• Faith in Truth Comes From God
• Why The Bible is Divine: Miracles
• Why The Bible Is Divine: Christology
• Why The Bible is Divine: Prophecy
•  The Satisfaction of Christ Jesus
• The Virgin Birth 
• Jesus, The Son of God
• Jesus, The One Like a Son of Man
• By Christ's Work Alone
• God's Glory Alone
• The Triune God of Christianity
• Jesus Is God 
•   Born This Way
• Why "Good Friday" is so Good
• The Resurrection of Jesus Christ