The Catholic Church claims to be the original Christian church, and the apostle Peter was the first Pope.
Their teachings totally disagree with the New Testament. In the New Testament, There’s no reference to a Pope. Bishops must be married, 1 Timothy 3:1-7 (KJV)
Mary, mother of Christ in the New Testament, is portrayed as only the mother of Christ, a normal mother. There is no office of a priest with the duties as of one in the Catholic church. Note, all Christians are priests, Peter 2:9 and Revelation 1:6 (KJV). Much more could be mentioned.
Beginning in AD 32, after Christ ascended to heaven, Acts 1:9 and Peter opened the door to the New Testament Church in Acts 2:38. This early church started to flourish.
This early church started and grew with the help of the special gifts given by God.
Some special gifts were, speaking in tongues, prophecies, knowledge others.
Note, it has to be stressed here speaking in tongues was done in the early church for a purpose. It was merely speaking in another language in a church service where, if needed, a visitor could understand what was being said, not some babbling by a member uttering some nonsense in a present-day church, like the Pentecostal Church.
Speaking in tongues was done away with after the New Testament was put together.
Prophecies, tongues, and knowledge are done away with when that which is perfect has come, 1 Corinthians 13:8-10.
It was the means necessary for the beginning and development of the New Testament Church before the New Testament could be written (put together).
In Ephesians 4:11-12 (KJV) notice these gifts.
- 11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
- 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Gifts, Tongues, Wisdom, 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NASB)
- 1 Now concerning spiritual gifts,brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.
- 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
- 8, For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;
- 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
- 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.
- 11, But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
These gifts were taken away when the New Testament was put together.
Note gifts would banish, New Testament would be written, 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 (KJV)
- 8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
- 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
- 10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
But when that which is perfect comes the New Testament, word of god, then that which is in part shall be done away, gifts. By the end of the first or into the beginning of the second century, the New Testament was put together. It was a collection of 27 books consisting of the four gospels, Acts, the epistles, and Revelation.
They were written on scrolls made of animal skins as the printing press wasn’t developed until the 16th century. The special gifts probably were used until they weren’t needed anymore.
It was predicted the church would apostatize. Matthew foretold to beware of false prophets in Matthew 7:15-16.
And Paul predicted in 1 Timothy 4:1-2 (KJV),
- 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;
Towards the end of the second century, the bigger city congregations, as they grew, took over rural congregations extending their power over churches that should be independent.
If the New Testament Church had stayed true to its original form, we wouldn’t have had the misleading consequences brought on by the Roman Catholic church and spurned on by the Reformation movement by men like,
Martin Luther, John Calvan, John Knox, after which in passing centuries grew into the thousands of unscriptural churches that have spread around the world today.
As the church began to change, congregations became headed by a single Bishop instead of by a plurality of Bishops.
Note these scriptures,
- Note, Bishop a plurality, in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 (KJV),
- Elder a plurality, Titus 1:5-9 (KJV), and overseers, to feed the flock, is in plural,
Read Acts 20:28 (KJV)
- Note Bishop, Elder, and, overseer, are names given for the same office.
We see Bishops of major Christian influence areas were elevated above other bishops and given the title of “Metropolitan.”
Cities like Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Ephesus, Jerusalem, and Constantinople had bishops who came to hold leadership positions for the whole church.
The bishop of Rome eventually claimed and was recognized as the universal father or pope of all churches.
The church took a number of forms before it evolved into the Roman Catholic Church. Probably by the fifth or sixth century, it was in full power. By the time the fifteen hundreds rolled around, the reformation movement came into being. Continued in Part 2.