June 28, 2025 • 11 mins
Before denominations, councils, or creeds, there was the simple, Spirit-filled community of Acts 2. In this first episode, we explore how the early church lived out its faith—with shared meals, apostolic teaching, and sacrificial love. We also look at how false teaching quickly challenged that model and forced the church to define truth, a struggle that still shapes Christianity today.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
(Music)
Welcome to the Ready
for Eternity podcast,
a podcast and blog dedicated to
inquisitive Bible students exploring
biblical truths that might not be fully
explored in typical
sermons or Bible studies.
(00:20):
My name is Eddie Lawrence.
Have you ever wondered how there could be
one Bible, but so many
different denominations?
This is the first episode in a new series
that investigates the origins of
Christian denominations.
(Music)
(00:41):
Why do thousands of Christian
denominations exist when
Jesus started only one church?
Jesus prayed for
unity among his followers.
In John 17, he asked his father that all
the believers may be one.
He wanted this unity to convince the
(01:03):
world of his divine mission.
Yet today, Christianity fragments into
countless denominations.
This division confuses outsiders and
weakens our witness.
Instead of showing the world a united
body so that the world may believe, we've
often displayed the opposite.
(01:23):
Some people reject faith entirely because
Christians can't agree among themselves.
So what went wrong?
The answer lies in church history and it
starts earlier than you might think.
Dominoes started to fall in the earliest
days of the church, which have influenced
the formation of the
(01:44):
modern denominations.
The early church in Jerusalem shows us
what Jesus had in mind.
Acts 2, verses 42 through 47 describes
believers who shared everything.
They devoted themselves
to teaching, fellowship,
breaking bread, and prayer.
(02:06):
They weren't about impressive buildings,
polished programs, or trendy gimmicks.
They were just ordinary believers
practicing extraordinary love.
The result?
The Lord added to their number daily
those who were being
saved, according to verse 47.
(02:27):
Their unity and love
attracted outsiders to faith.
Imagine such a church in your community.
Would neighbors see something so
compelling they'd
want to be a part of it?
The early church succeeded because it
embodied Jesus's prayer for unity.
But this beautiful simplicity faced
(02:49):
immediate challenges.
Christianity began as a Jewish movement,
not a rival religion to Judaism.
It fulfilled and continued the faith of
God's people under a new covenant.
All early believers were Jews who saw
Jesus as their Messiah.
(03:10):
As a result, Roman authorities classified
Christians as a Jewish sect.
This classification mattered.
Jews enjoyed special
religious privileges under Roman rule.
They didn't have to
worship Caesar or Roman gods.
Rome granted this exemption to prevent
(03:32):
Jewish rebellions, and as long as
Christians appeared to
be a sect of Judaism,
they shared this protection.
But everything changed when Gentiles
joined the church in large numbers.
Romans began viewing Christianity as a
separate religion, and this
new status brought danger.
(03:54):
Christians lost their religious exemption
and faced suspicion from authorities, and
the accusations came quickly.
Romans called Christians "atheist"
because they
worshipped one invisible God.
They labeled them as incestuous because
believers called each other "brother and
(04:15):
sister," and they claimed Christians were
cannibals because of communion language
about eating Christ's
body and drinking his blood.
Although most of the persecution the
early church endured came from the Jewish
religious authorities,
their persecutors were
not exclusively Jewish.
(04:37):
Nero blamed Christians
for Rome's great fire.
The historian Tacitus called them "haters
of mankind" who were
guilty of abominations.
Justo Gonzales in his book on church
history gives some insight as to why
Tacitus perceived Christians this way.
(04:59):
Tacitus believed the rumors and thought
that Christians hated humankind.
This last charge makes sense if one
remembers that all social activities, the
theater, the army, classic literature,
sports, were so entwined with pagan
worship that Christians often felt the
need to abstain from them.
Therefore, to the eyes of a Roman such as
(05:21):
Tacitus who loved his culture and
society, Christians
appeared as haters of humankind.
Persecution should
have destroyed the church.
Instead, it produced explosive growth.
Why?
Suffering separates
committed believers from casual ones.
(05:43):
The weak and insincere Christians fall
away when persecution comes.
Only those who are truly committed to
Jesus will remain faithful, and their
strong faith endures and attracts others.
Persecuted Christians care more about
eternal rewards than earthly comfort.
(06:04):
Their willingness to suffer and even die
for their beliefs impresses onlookers.
People reason that Christians must
possess something very special,
something that's worth dying for.
The early church's
structure was beautifully simple.
(06:24):
Apostles provided leadership, but no
complex hierarchy existed.
When believers truly loved each other,
they needed minimal organization.
The community solved
problems through mutual care.
Conflicts resolved
through humble service.
Resources flowed
naturally to those in need.
(06:46):
However, this
simplicity couldn't last forever.
As the church grew and
spread, challenges multiplied.
External persecution, tested resolve, and
internal false teaching threatened truth.
The church's response to these challenges
shaped everything that followed.
(07:07):
Leaders developed systems to preserve
apostolic teaching and maintain order.
Churches under persecution often grow
faster than comfortable ones.
Hardship clarifies priorities and
strengthens resolve.
As cultural pressure increases here in
the West, we'll also see similar
(07:29):
purification and growth.
But even in Acts, we see
hints of coming struggles.
The apostles addressed conflicts over
food distribution in Acts chapter 6, and
Paul confronted Peter about Jewish and
Gentile relations in Galatians chapter 2.
Early letters warn against false teachers
(07:50):
and divisive behavior.
These weren't fatal
flaws, but growing pains.
Every movement faces similar challenges.
The question becomes, how do we respond?
The early churches responses, both wise
and flawed, planted seeds that would
eventually bloom into
(08:12):
denominational differences.
Their decisions about leadership,
doctrine, and practice
echo through history.
The early church teaches
us several crucial lessons.
First, unity requires intentional effort.
It doesn't happen automatically.
(08:33):
Believers must choose to put others first
and work through differences.
Second, external
pressure can strengthen faith.
Persecution reveals who truly believes
and who merely shows up.
Comfortable Christianity
produces weak Christianity.
(08:54):
Third, simple structures
work best when love prevails.
Complex organizations in the church
become necessary when love fails.
The more we truly care for each other,
the less we need rules and hierarchies.
Fourth, false teaching
(09:14):
appears early and often.
Every generation faces deception.
We must stay rooted in Scripture
and committed to apostolic truth.
And finally, our
witness depends on our unity.
Jesus said, "By this everyone will know
(09:37):
that you are my disciples,
if you love one another."
John 1335.
Division undermines evangelism.
Understanding early church history helps
us appreciate both our
heritage and our failures.
Those first believers weren't perfect.
(09:57):
They made mistakes that
contributed to later division.
But they also demonstrated what's
possible when believers
truly live as one body.
Their example challenges us to pursue the
unity Jesus prayed for.
The next chapter of church history
reveals how external pressures and
(10:18):
internal conflicts gradually shaped the
structures we inherit today.
Those developments explain much about our
current denominational landscape.
For now, let's remember that before we
had denominations, we had devotion.
Before we had
institutions, we had relationships.
(10:41):
And before we had church programs, we had
people who genuinely loved each other.
That's the church Jesus prayed for.
And that's the church
the world needs to see.
Thanks for listening to the podcast.
We hope this episode has deepened your
(11:02):
understanding of Scripture.
If you found this content valuable,
please share it with your friends.
For more biblical studies, visit our
website at readyforeternity.com.
That's the word "ready," the number four,
and the word "eternity."
ReadyForEternity.com.
Be sure and leave a comment on the Ready
for Eternity Facebook
(11:23):
page or reach out on Twitter.
That's all for now.
Keep studying your Bible, growing closer
to God, and getting ready for eternity.
See you next time.
(Music)
Welcome to the Ready
for Eternity podcast,
a podcast and blog dedicated to
inquisitive Bible students exploring
biblical truths that might not be fully
explored in typical
sermons or Bible studies.
(00:20):
My name is Eddie Lawrence.
Have you ever wondered how there could be
one Bible, but so many
different denominations?
This is the first episode in a new series
that investigates the origins of
Christian denominations.
(Music)
(00:41):
Why do thousands of Christian
denominations exist when
Jesus started only one church?
Jesus prayed for
unity among his followers.
In John 17, he asked his father that all
the believers may be one.
He wanted this unity to convince the
(01:03):
world of his divine mission.
Yet today, Christianity fragments into
countless denominations.
This division confuses outsiders and
weakens our witness.
Instead of showing the world a united
body so that the world may believe, we've
often displayed the opposite.
(01:23):
Some people reject faith entirely because
Christians can't agree among themselves.
So what went wrong?
The answer lies in church history and it
starts earlier than you might think.
Dominoes started to fall in the earliest
days of the church, which have influenced
the formation of the
(01:44):
modern denominations.
The early church in Jerusalem shows us
what Jesus had in mind.
Acts 2, verses 42 through 47 describes
believers who shared everything.
They devoted themselves
to teaching, fellowship,
breaking bread, and prayer.
(02:06):
They weren't about impressive buildings,
polished programs, or trendy gimmicks.
They were just ordinary believers
practicing extraordinary love.
The result?
The Lord added to their number daily
those who were being
saved, according to verse 47.
(02:27):
Their unity and love
attracted outsiders to faith.
Imagine such a church in your community.
Would neighbors see something so
compelling they'd
want to be a part of it?
The early church succeeded because it
embodied Jesus's prayer for unity.
But this beautiful simplicity faced
(02:49):
immediate challenges.
Christianity began as a Jewish movement,
not a rival religion to Judaism.
It fulfilled and continued the faith of
God's people under a new covenant.
All early believers were Jews who saw
Jesus as their Messiah.
(03:10):
As a result, Roman authorities classified
Christians as a Jewish sect.
This classification mattered.
Jews enjoyed special
religious privileges under Roman rule.
They didn't have to
worship Caesar or Roman gods.
Rome granted this exemption to prevent
(03:32):
Jewish rebellions, and as long as
Christians appeared to
be a sect of Judaism,
they shared this protection.
But everything changed when Gentiles
joined the church in large numbers.
Romans began viewing Christianity as a
separate religion, and this
new status brought danger.
(03:54):
Christians lost their religious exemption
and faced suspicion from authorities, and
the accusations came quickly.
Romans called Christians "atheist"
because they
worshipped one invisible God.
They labeled them as incestuous because
believers called each other "brother and
(04:15):
sister," and they claimed Christians were
cannibals because of communion language
about eating Christ's
body and drinking his blood.
Although most of the persecution the
early church endured came from the Jewish
religious authorities,
their persecutors were
not exclusively Jewish.
(04:37):
Nero blamed Christians
for Rome's great fire.
The historian Tacitus called them "haters
of mankind" who were
guilty of abominations.
Justo Gonzales in his book on church
history gives some insight as to why
Tacitus perceived Christians this way.
(04:59):
Tacitus believed the rumors and thought
that Christians hated humankind.
This last charge makes sense if one
remembers that all social activities, the
theater, the army, classic literature,
sports, were so entwined with pagan
worship that Christians often felt the
need to abstain from them.
Therefore, to the eyes of a Roman such as
(05:21):
Tacitus who loved his culture and
society, Christians
appeared as haters of humankind.
Persecution should
have destroyed the church.
Instead, it produced explosive growth.
Why?
Suffering separates
committed believers from casual ones.
(05:43):
The weak and insincere Christians fall
away when persecution comes.
Only those who are truly committed to
Jesus will remain faithful, and their
strong faith endures and attracts others.
Persecuted Christians care more about
eternal rewards than earthly comfort.
(06:04):
Their willingness to suffer and even die
for their beliefs impresses onlookers.
People reason that Christians must
possess something very special,
something that's worth dying for.
The early church's
structure was beautifully simple.
(06:24):
Apostles provided leadership, but no
complex hierarchy existed.
When believers truly loved each other,
they needed minimal organization.
The community solved
problems through mutual care.
Conflicts resolved
through humble service.
Resources flowed
naturally to those in need.
(06:46):
However, this
simplicity couldn't last forever.
As the church grew and
spread, challenges multiplied.
External persecution, tested resolve, and
internal false teaching threatened truth.
The church's response to these challenges
shaped everything that followed.
(07:07):
Leaders developed systems to preserve
apostolic teaching and maintain order.
Churches under persecution often grow
faster than comfortable ones.
Hardship clarifies priorities and
strengthens resolve.
As cultural pressure increases here in
the West, we'll also see similar
(07:29):
purification and growth.
But even in Acts, we see
hints of coming struggles.
The apostles addressed conflicts over
food distribution in Acts chapter 6, and
Paul confronted Peter about Jewish and
Gentile relations in Galatians chapter 2.
Early letters warn against false teachers
(07:50):
and divisive behavior.
These weren't fatal
flaws, but growing pains.
Every movement faces similar challenges.
The question becomes, how do we respond?
The early churches responses, both wise
and flawed, planted seeds that would
eventually bloom into
(08:12):
denominational differences.
Their decisions about leadership,
doctrine, and practice
echo through history.
The early church teaches
us several crucial lessons.
First, unity requires intentional effort.
It doesn't happen automatically.
(08:33):
Believers must choose to put others first
and work through differences.
Second, external
pressure can strengthen faith.
Persecution reveals who truly believes
and who merely shows up.
Comfortable Christianity
produces weak Christianity.
(08:54):
Third, simple structures
work best when love prevails.
Complex organizations in the church
become necessary when love fails.
The more we truly care for each other,
the less we need rules and hierarchies.
Fourth, false teaching
(09:14):
appears early and often.
Every generation faces deception.
We must stay rooted in Scripture
and committed to apostolic truth.
And finally, our
witness depends on our unity.
Jesus said, "By this everyone will know
(09:37):
that you are my disciples,
if you love one another."
John 1335.
Division undermines evangelism.
Understanding early church history helps
us appreciate both our
heritage and our failures.
Those first believers weren't perfect.
(09:57):
They made mistakes that
contributed to later division.
But they also demonstrated what's
possible when believers
truly live as one body.
Their example challenges us to pursue the
unity Jesus prayed for.
The next chapter of church history
reveals how external pressures and
(10:18):
internal conflicts gradually shaped the
structures we inherit today.
Those developments explain much about our
current denominational landscape.
For now, let's remember that before we
had denominations, we had devotion.
Before we had
institutions, we had relationships.
(10:41):
And before we had church programs, we had
people who genuinely loved each other.
That's the church Jesus prayed for.
And that's the church
the world needs to see.
Thanks for listening to the podcast.
We hope this episode has deepened your
(11:02):
understanding of Scripture.
If you found this content valuable,
please share it with your friends.
For more biblical studies, visit our
website at readyforeternity.com.
That's the word "ready," the number four,
and the word "eternity."
ReadyForEternity.com.
Be sure and leave a comment on the Ready
for Eternity Facebook
(11:23):
page or reach out on Twitter.
That's all for now.
Keep studying your Bible, growing closer
to God, and getting ready for eternity.
See you next time.
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