Is It Time For The Tree To Be Pruned?

[Julian658]

Originally Posted by Matthew 4:4

My mention of 1st-century Christianity was that Christianity started at Pentecost. Even after Pentecost Jews could have become Christians. See: Acts 2 vs 22,38. That is Not 2nd century but after 1st-century Pentecost. The writing of the Bible was completed by John at the end of the first century. John, the last Bible writer, was Not alive in the 2nd century.

Paul was already involved with Christianity in Acts chapter 9. By Acts chapter 11 v 26 Jesus' followers were called Christians.

What did Agrippa say to Paul at Acts 26 v 28 ?________

Apparently Peter, who knew Paul, also considered himself as a Christian at 1st Peter 4 v 16

You are correct, but there was no formal Christianity. For all practical purposes they were Messianic Jews.

[Matthew 4:4]

Originally Posted by Julian658

You are correct, but there was no formal Christianity. For all practical purposes they were Messianic Jews.

Jews that converted to Christianity at baptism became Christians.
The way was first opened to the fleshly Jews to become spiritual Jews [ Christians ]- Romans 2 vs 28,29
Then, the way was unlocked for the Samaritans to covert to become a Christian.
Followed by the gentiles or people of the nations then becoming Christians regardless of culture or race.

Isn't Acts 15 vs 22,23, 29 formal or organized Christianity ?

[Julian658]

Originally Posted by Matthew 4:4

Jews that converted to Christianity at baptism became Christians.
The way was first opened to the fleshly Jews to become spiritual Jews [ Christians ]- Romans 2 vs 28,29
Then, the way was unlocked for the Samaritans to covert to become a Christian.
Followed by the gentiles or people of the nations then becoming Christians regardless of culture or race.

Isn't Acts 15 vs 22,23, 29 formal or organized Christianity ?

They were Christians, but they considered themselves Jews as well.

And eventually Jews did break away from Christianity.


Perhaps we are talking about different things. The Apostolic Age is the birth of Christianity with the good news of Jesus. But, once we enter the 2nd century it is a different ball game and writers come up with a much more organized church hierarchy and even prescribed ways on how to worship. Just read The Didache and some of the Letters of Ignatius.


There were other forms of Christianity:

For example there are early Christians like Marcion of Sinope (85-160) who came up with a very early canon of the Bible that rejected the entire OT and proposed a simple NT only Bible. The suppression of the Marcionist form of Christianity is thus viewed[9] as a catalyst for the development of the New Testament canon, the establishment of a centralised church law, and the structuring of the Church. WIKI