SUBSTITUTE
The church, or rather, the churches, all denominations and split-offs, have developed from the fourth century after Christ into what they are now.
One denomination with a longer history than the other, but all build more or less impressive buildings to accommodate the faithful.
Towers that reach into heaven, as it were, with richly decorated windows and an interior from which, if possible, the splendor, but especially the power radiated.
The clergy in most cases were supported by the rich nobility, in exchange for prestige and position in the related churches.
During the time of Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and others, the Protestant divisions also did not go unmentioned when it comes to building large, imposing church buildings.
The latter groups did not get so much support from the waning nobility, but the new emerging class of merchants and the well-to-do bourgeoisie took over the baton from the degenerating nobility.
In general to achieve the same goal in the church as the nobility, namely position, prestige and influence.
” One denomination with a longer history than the other, but all build more or less impressive buildings to accommodate the faithful; with richly decorated windows and an interior from which, if possible, the splendor, but especially the power radiated “
The churches, counting from the fourth century onwards, regarded themselves as the substitute of Christ on earth; the divine representation.
They knew the truth about that will of God.
Who also found that they are actually the only true religion.
A Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, all Protestant denominations from Luther to Calvin, from Puritans to Baptists, from Quakers to the Pentecostal and Full Gospel churches and everything in between, all denominations find themselves the only true religion and the legitimate representation of Christ on earth.
If the people join them by being baptized and endorsing the dogmas of the church in question and declare them publicly, then his spiritual fortune is made.
That person no longer has to fear hell and damnation, but gets rich access through heaven’s gate.
However, when we look at the first centuries after Christ, the period before Christianity was taking shape in the beginning of the fourth century, we see a remarkable phenomenon.
There were no safe, sacred places where people could come together in peace.
Christians were persecuted, imprisoned and often killed for their belief that Christ had overcome death and as God on earth has left us His example.
Where possible, those who converted to Christianity were baptized in secret, but there were no dogmas and other ecclesiastical laws that they had to endorse.
From the moment Christ rose from the dead and appeared to His people who knew Him, the movement of believers, through personal, deeply rooted, inner experience, came into being; Christ has indeed risen!
That message was proclaimed by his followers with with powers of persuasion to everyone who wanted to hear it.
Not much later supported by the Holy Spirit, the Spiritual Power of Christ Himself, that processed that everyone who had not seen Him alive got the inner experience, the experience of Christ’s proximity in his or her life.
” If one was discovered as a follower of that Christ, one could lose everything, including his own life; that is why they first drew an Ichthus (fish) on the ground, to see whether they were dealing with a Christian or not “
The Christian communities of that time also grew fast in the then known world.
Not because it made people better and richer.
No, not at all.
If one was discovered as a follower of that Christ, one could lose everything, including his own life.
That is why they first drew an Ichthus (fish) on the ground, to see whether they were dealing with a Christian or not.
One had so much to lose if one became a Christian in those days.
The only thing that they received in return was a Divine experience, a real truth that the circle of existence had been broken.
Death has been conquered!
There is confidence again in the future, hope for a better world where the love of Christ is available to all people.
Christ himself, the Spirit of Christ, is the great driving force in the first centuries, where many were gripped by.
The Spirit of God had the space to work freely, despite the writings of Paul, Peter and others.
These New Testament writings were far from having the influence it would increasingly have after the fourth century in the above-ground church.
There was no substitute for Christ on earth.
” Christ himself has never written down any of His words and His actions, because the letter kills and thereby the Spirit is hindered in His impact on people “
The Spirit of Christ himself was the source through which people experienced that He, God actually exists.
Such strong inner conviction by the Spirit of Christ caused more and more people to come into contact with the wide-spread movement of Christ’s followers.
Followers who were truly free people, despite being used as slaves or serving their emperor in a different way.
On the inside free, joyful people, who became standing in life in a new way through the experience of the Spirit of Christ.
No one declares himself as a know-it-all, as a substitute.
Everyone was equal, even though Paul and others tried to give some form to the often secret and underground Christian community.
A certain division of tasks to meet the needs and requirements of the Christian community is a logical and spontaneously working development.
However, nobody stood above the other.
All were equal and of equal value to Christ and to the Christians at that time.
Paul, nor Peter, nor anyone else, found himself more excellent than the other, even though nothing human was strange to them, such as quarrel between Paul and Peter and having judgments about certain behaviors of Christians.
Later, in the above-ground church, Paul, Peter and others are made saints and their writings are seen as infallible speaking of God and added to the Old Testament scriptures to form the Christian Canon.
However, Christ has not appointed a substitute other than the free-working Spirit of Himself, who represents Him and to experiences His closeness in every person who wants to follow Christ.
Neither popes, nor cardinals, nor priests, nor pastors, nor ministers can change that, no matter how hard they have tried through the centuries to this day.
Christ himself has never written down any of His words and His actions, because the letter kills and thereby the Spirit is hindered in His impact on people.
The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ himself, is the only rightful substitute for Christ on earth.
