The Christian Age

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Divisions of the Christian Age

• Time of the apostles (Apostolic) – began on Pentecost of Acts 2 and ended at about 100 A.D.• After death of the Apostles (Post

Apostolic) – Began about 100 A.D.- includes the present time and will end when Christ returns

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Within this period after the apostles died we find:

• Apostasy• Reformation• Restoration

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• The Christian age extends from Pentecost of Acts 2 until the second coming of Christ• “This is the time in which

everything we do in religious matters must be authorized by the New Testament (Col. 3:17).”

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•I. Outstanding events in the Christian Age

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1. Establishment of the church

• The church of our Lord was established on the first Pentecost after His resurrection

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Acts 2:41

• [41] Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

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Acts 2:47

• [47] Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

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2. Gospel taken to all the world in one generation

• Col. 1:23• [23] If ye continue in the faith

grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

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• The apostles’ example of evangelizing is an example for every generation after them

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Mk. 16:15-16

• [15] And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.[16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

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3. Writing of the New Testament

• It was during the life-time of the apostles that our N.T. was written• 4 apostles --- Matthew, John,

Peter and Paul• 4 prophets of Jesus

Christ/Evangelists --- Mark, Luke, James and Jude

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Jude 3

• [3] Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

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4. Apostasy predicted

• In 2 Thess. 2:3-12 we read Paul’s prediction of the apostasy of the church which he said was already working in his day

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2 Pet. 2:1-3• [1] But there were false prophets

also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

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• [2] And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.[3] And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

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Acts 20:29-30• [29] For I know this, that after my

departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.[30] Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them

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1 Tim. 4:1-3• [1] Now the Spirit speaketh

expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;[2] Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

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• [3] Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

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2 Tim. 4:3-4

• [3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;[4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables

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5. Reformation attempted in the 1500’s

• Efforts were made to reform the Catholic church --- these efforts failed and resulted in the formation of many religious denominations that are still in existence today

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• Martin Luther• John Calvin• Huldreich Zwingli

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6. Restoration of the church of Christ in 1700 and 1800

• Religious people grew tired of their denominational relationships and the creeds that bound them

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• They were determined to return to Christianity as it was practiced in the times of the apostles• Their effort was to restore the

church as it was built by the Lord and maintained by the apostles

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• James O’Kelly• Elias Smith• Abner Jones• Barton W. Stone• Thomas and Alexander Campbell

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•II. Law during the Christian Age

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A necessary distinction

• It is true that we are not under the Law of Moses – we are under the Law of Christ

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1 Cor. 9:21

• [21] To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.

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Rom. 4:15

• [15] Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

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Rom. 3:23

• [15] Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

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Rom. 8:2

• [2] For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

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• Law is a rule of action• Law is restraint

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The Law of Christ as a rule of conduct

• Gal. 6:2• [2] Bear ye one another's

burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

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Js. 1:25

• [25] But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

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Js. 2:12

• [12] So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.

• This law of liberty by which we are judged must be the teaching f Christ

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Jn. 12:48

• [48] He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

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