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Why The Early Church Grew
As you read the book of Acts, you soon come to Acts 6:7 which states, "And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly: and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith." What a wonderful statement of success and progress Does this not reflect the hopes and desires of Christians now for the church? This is what we want for the faithful church of Christ anywhere and everywhere it exists.
What made such a growth possible? As we think on this we are struck with the thought that the present is due to a great extent to what has happened in the past. What made the success and progress of the early church so evident was the result of what had been done previously. The history of the church at this time was very short. But whatever had taken place is what we need to make happen again, at least in principle, so the church today will grow as God would have it grow.
Looking into the earlier chapters of Acts we are impressed with the thorough preparation that had been made for the coming of the church before it was established. Even before the foundation of the world God had designed His plan for saving man, which involves the church because the church is composed of the saved. But especially in the years immediately prior to the establishment of the church there had been concerted efforts made to get things ready. The ministry of John the Baptist had been to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord, converting people to a righteous way of living, repenting of their sins and being baptized for the remission of sin. The personal ministry of Christ and His apostles had been to preach, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15). The hearts and minds of people were cultivated to be receptive to the great scheme of salvation and the successful establishment of the Lord's church in Jerusalem.
Plan And Prepare
In most every noble undertaking there must first be adequate planning and preparation. Often that is the most important part of the task. So many good things have fallen in defeat because people go off "half-cocked" and ill-prepared. But even with good plans, that is no assurance of success. It might sound strange at first, but it is true that plans do not work. People must work. Good plans are needful, but that alone will accomplish little to nothing.
Planting
There was a grand planting of the truth on Pentecost. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ was proclaimed, as well as His ascension into glory. The apostles had been told by Jesus to wait in Jerusalem for power from on high, which was the Holy Spirit. On that Jewish feast day of Pentecost, as revealed in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit came on the apostles and they began preaching remission of sins in the name of Jesus Christ. With manifold proofs and evidences of the truthfulness of their message that Jesus is both Lord and Christ, the performance of miracles to confirm their words, the Scripture tells us that three thousand obeyed the gospel that first day and were added to the church. For the first time we read of people being in the church. The enthusiasm, rejoicing and gladness ran high among the redeemed. The new faith of Jesus Christ was now a reality. Christianity had taken its place in this sin-sick world. Many were converted at the beginning. In but a few days thousands were added. But the point we make and stress is that nobody would have been saved if there had not been the preaching of the truth, the planting of truth in hearts. The Lord's church cannot and will not grow without truth. This is the "seed of the kingdom" (Luke 8:11). We may bring in crowds and influence many people, but the church is dependent on the grand planting of truth in order for it to grow.
Steadfastness.
Beginning with vigor is essential, but continuing the work with vigor and steadfastness is also essential. Those who were baptized had to be taught more and more, as the Great Commission of Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20 teaches. The early Christians grew because they busied themselves in becoming spiritually strong. The apostles continued preaching forthrightly and powerfully. They condemned evil; called for repentance and baptism. They were constantly on the job, daily, proclaiming the truth without compromise. Truth was precious to them.
They did not just teach the "first principles" of entrance into the kingdom, but also what is expected of the citizens in the kingdom. No church will amount to much real value unless this constant preaching to sinner and saint is aggressively pursued. A vigorous teaching effort must exist because the faith of Christ must be taught (John 6:44,45). "And daily in the temple and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." (Acts 5:42).
Persecution
Even that which was intended to be harmful to the church was turned into an advantage and opportunity for the church to grow. Then, as now, the Lord's church has enemies. Christians suffer persecution which is intended to discourage brethren to give up the faith and quit. But because the early church considered persecution in a way the enemies of truth did not expect, even persecution was helpful.
Persecution and criticism can be very destructive, but only if we let it be. It depends on the way we react to it and what our attitude toward it really is. Some are never persecuted and the reason may be because they are so lax in serving God that they are not giving the devil much concern. But when Peter and John were imprisoned and commanded not to preach and teach anymore, they took it as a challenge rather than a hindrance. They gave thanks to God they were considered worthy to suffer for the cause of Jesus Christ.
When you do what is right, there will be those who will want to hinder you any way they can. But hardship can be used to gain strength. "Knowing this that the trying of your faith worketh patience." (James 1:3). Instead of allowing opposition to cause them to draw back and give up, it motivated them to be stronger and more determined than ever before, and the church grew.
Liberality
Another characteristic of the early church that helped it grow was the individual liberality in giving. Unselfishness abounded throughout their midst. This was a manifestation of their love for God and one another. They had all things common, which meant if any lacked the others provided. This was not a communistic, compelled, forced pooling of resources, but a voluntary, brotherly assistance to whoever needed anything. They, like the Good Samaritan, had the attitude, "What is mine is yours if you need it." What a wonderful fellowship! Some even sold their possessions and gave the proceeds into the direction and care of the apostles (Acts 4:34,35). This they did willingly.
Why were they so liberal in this matter? The answer is the same reason people are liberal in giving today. They loved the church, the truth, the Lord, one another, and the lost. They had compassion toward those less fortunate than were they. There was a brotherly unity and mutual consideration for each other. They had dispelled covetousness, greed, envy and selfishness. By their giving they had the privilege and opportunity to let their love produce fruit.
God loves a cheerful giver (II Corinthians 9:7). Those that sow sparingly will reap sparingly. But those that sow bountifully can expect to reap bountifully (II Corinthians 9:6). This is a good lesson for us now. But what are we going to do with it?
Words And Deeds
The early church grew because they coupled their words with their deeds. Some have a good "talk" religion but are short on a "walk" religion. "Even so let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16). People learn by seeing good done as well as hearing about it. Preaching good works but never performing good works will retard growth. "Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this; To visit the fatherless and widows and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (James 1:27). These early Christians lived apart from the sinful ways of the world. John wrote, "Love not the world; neither the things that are in the world; If any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him." (I John 2:15). What a needed lesson for our time! As they had opportunity they did good to all, especially their brethren (Galatians 6:10). Acts 6 teaches how they took care of needy widows among themselves.
When those outside of Christ see Christians practicing what they preach it will provoke some to want to be Christians also. Possibly this is one reason growth is retarded. Many Christians only "talk" about being a Christian, and if they were arrested for being a Christian it is possible that there would not be enough evidence to convict them.
Purity
Finally, the preceding chapters before the statement of great growth showed how the early church did not ignore sin in its ranks. It is not God's will to allow sin to remain among members of the church and allow it to go unrebuked and undisciplined. Many members of the church today simply do not believe this truth. They think sin in the church is quite acceptable. Even though brethren of our time are often reluctant to obey God, we wonder why they think God did not know what He was talking about when He taught discipline, even to the point of withdrawing fellowship from those intent on walking disorderly and not according to apostolic tradition and teaching.
Ananias and Saphira lied about what they were giving and God struck them dead. Does not this show God s will regarding sin in the church? Once a preacher cited that event and commented that he was glad God did not treat people that way now or he probably would not have many to hear him preach. One older and wiser brother remarked that the hearers would probably not have a preacher, either.
One of the hindrances to growth in our time is the failure to insist on one another being what God's book demands us to be. There are brethren in various stages of growth and process of maturing and they must be taught and encouraged. But there are brethren who are rebellious and disobedient to God's truth, and when that is tolerated without dealing with it God's way how do we expect those who are lost to be favorably impressed that we even believe what we say to ourselves? Those who drag their feet regarding the exercise of discipline as God teaches it do the church a disservice and bring reproach on the cause of Christ because they are willing to show the church is not going to be and not going to do what God requires. Regardless of the excuses offered, what excuse can men offer that is legitimate for disobeying God, even in this matter?
Discipline
Some complain that discipline will harm the church. God did not think so. After the severe disciplinary measure God took against that evil couple in Acts 5 the church grew as never before. "And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women." (Acts 5:14). The failure to let people know that the members of the church intend to follow truth destroys the appeal to become members of it.
Why did the early church grow? There was a thorough preparation and planning, a vigorous beginning, a constant and strong preaching and teaching effort, facing and overcoming persecution, liberality and unselfishness, words coupled with deeds and the maintenance of the high standard of purity. None of this gimmickery and trickery, entertainments, booster programs and such like were in evidence. When are we going to learn what God shows us does the job?
Times change, but truth does not. These principles, properly applied in our time and circumstance, will cause the church to grow. Whatever may be lacking where we attend, we ought begin now to develop and carry forward these very characteristics. It will save souls and that, after all, is the business of the Lord's church. Would that we all would even learn that.