I agree with you…and your statements about the reformation and many of the Evangelical non-denom churches being transitory. I am a restorationist, I believe it is God’s desire that true Christians be brought back to the original Apostolic faith. No, not back to a Judaized under-the-law Christianity, as the Hebrew Roots and Noahide people promote, but back to the Jerusalem council of Acts 15, and the form of Christianity that is reflected in almost every line that the apostle Paul wrote.
I think we are seeing a lot of that in the mission field in repressive countries. I think in the end Bible literacy will take a good portion of serious Bible believing Christians in this direction.
I believe we must go back beyond Constantine where Christianity went terribly wrong trusting in the arm of flesh (the state), where Christianity was compromised, the RCC being the eventual result of it. Back to the Jerusalem council, Acts 15, and the Christianity of the book of Acts.
IOW, Paul was the first Reformer?
I always look at the 300's because this is when Christians first used physical force on other Christians to impose their will.
I've seen the 7 churches expressed as different eras before. It's an interesting thought. I'm more inclined to believe they exist concurrently.
“IOW, Paul was the first Reformer?”
Paul played a major role in the early church conflict about keeping the Mosaic law. His epistles clearly reflect where he stood. I’ve never heard him being called a “reformer” before. Would you mind explaining what you mean?
“I’ve seen the 7 churches expressed as different eras before. It’s an interesting thought. I’m more inclined to believe they exist concurrently.”
It doesn’t have to be either/or, it can be both concurrent and prophetic. The near-far phenomena is quite common in prophecy. Meaning the messages to the seven churches addressed then-existing conditions in each individual church, while at the same time a prophetic projection of church history.
Rev. 1:3 refers to the entire book as prophecy, that would include the seven churches.
I suspect that its both. It represents both the general church age and the mix of churches at any particular time in the church age, with one type being the predominant one through out the church age.
So, sasportas' timeline is the general over all one, but during each era you can find representative churches of each of the seven listed existing as well.
If that makes any sense.
I believe they were actual churches.. not eras.. and the sin being addressed in them was real and present at the time of the writing..God speaks directly to them.. and to us through them..because the same sins afflict the churches today ... Gods word is always relevant and true..