What does the husband of one wife phrase in 1 Timothy 3:2 mean?

Question: "What does the husband of one wife
phrase in 1 Timothy 3:2 mean? Can a divorced
man serve as a pastor, elder, or deacon?"
Answer: There are at least three possible
interpretations of the phrase husband of one
wife in 1 Timothy 3:2 (ESV) . 1) It could simply
be saying that a polygamist is not qualified to
be an elder, a deacon or a pastor. This is the
most literal interpretation of the English
rendering of the phrase, but seems somewhat
unlikely considering that polygamy was quite
rare in the time that Paul was writing. 2) The
Greek could literally be translated as “one-
woman man.” In other words, a bishop must be
absolutely loyal to the woman he is married to.
This interpretation acknowledges that the
original text focuses not on marital status but
on moral purity. 3) The phrase could also be
understood to declare that, in order to be an
elder/deacon/pastor, a man can only have been
married once, other than in the case of a
remarried widower; in other words, a pastor
cannot be a divorcé.
Interpretations 2 and 3 are the most prevalent
today. Interpretation 2 seems to be the
strongest, primarily because Scripture allows for
divorce in exceptional circumstances ( Matthew
19:9 ; 1 Corinthians 7:12–16 ). It is also
important to differentiate a man who was
divorced and remarried before he became a
Christian from a man who was divorced and
remarried after becoming a Christian. An
otherwise qualified man should not be excluded
from church leadership because of his actions
prior to coming to know the Lord Jesus Christ
as his Savior. Although 1 Timothy 3:2 does not
necessarily exclude a divorced or remarried man
from serving as an elder/deacon/pastor, there
are other issues to consider.
The first qualification of an elder/deacon/pastor
is to be “above reproach” ( 1 Timothy 3:2 ). If the
divorce and/or remarriage had no biblical
grounds, then the man has damaged his
testimony in the church and community; the
“above reproach” qualification will exclude him
from the pastorate rather than the “husband of
one wife” requirement. An elder/deacon/pastor
is to be a man whom the church and community
can look up to as an example of Christlikeness
and godly leadership. If a past divorce and/or
remarriage detracts from this ideal, then he
should not serve in the position of elder/
deacon/pastor. It is important to remember
that, even though a man is disqualified from
serving as an elder/deacon/pastor, he is still a
valuable member of the body of Christ. Every
Christian possesses spiritual gifts ( 1 Corinthians
12:4–7 ) and is called to participate in edifying
other believers with those gifts ( 1 Corinthians
12:7 ). A man who is disqualified from the
position of elder/deacon/pastor can still teach,
preach, serve, pray, worship, and play an
important role in the church.

What is the origin of Christianity

Question: "What is the origin of Christianity?"

Answer: "And he is the head of the body, the
church; he is the beginning and the firstborn
from among the dead . . . the mystery that has
been kept hidden for ages and generations, but
is now disclosed to the saints . . . Christ in you,
the hope of glory" ( Colossians 1:18 , 26-28 ).
Discussing the origin of Christianity requires the
review of an intricate story spanning time and
eternity. Instead of a simple beginning, we
consider Christianity's origin from several points
of view. Acts 2 records the birth of the church
at Pentecost. This was indeed a Feast of
Harvest ( Exodus 23:16 ), because a harvest of
about 3,000 souls took place on that day when
the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and
disciples ( Acts 2:1-41 ). Biblically, Christianity is
not a building or religion but the church, or
household of God. It is embodied in Christ and
His people, individually and collectively. Before
time began, the church was conceived in the
mind of God. Then, “when the time had fully
come" ( Galatians 4:4 ), God sent His only son,
"born of a woman, born under law" to be the
church's true founder, foundation, and head ( 1
Corinthians 3:11 ). As the first of the chosen
ones ( 1 Peter 2:6 ), Jesus, the anointed one
(that is, the Christ) died as the perfect
Passover lamb fifty days before the events of
Acts 2. Before that, He prepared the apostles
for three years, giving them the Father's Word
and keeping them in His name ( John 17:12 , 14).
After His resurrection He breathed into the
apostles the breath of eternal life in the form of
the Holy Spirit, who was to indwell them ( John
20:22 ; cf. John 14:25-26 ). They became the
seeds of the new church, which sprouted into
thousands when the Holy Spirit came upon
them, empowering them to witness, preach, and
carry out the mission Jesus gave them. Rising
from the dead, Jesus was the first fruits of
God's Kingdom; ''then, when he comes, those
who belong to him will also rise, never to die
again ( John 11:25-26 ). Thus, Jesus is the one
foundation and source of the church.
The Old Testament had prophesied that a
“shoot” would come from the “stump” of Jesse
(King David's father) and that this “branch”
would bear fruit ( Isaiah 11:1 , 10). Jesus is that
Messiah or Christ. He is the hope of Jews and
Gentiles. "The Root of Jesse will spring up, one
who will arise to rule over the nations; the
Gentiles will hope in him" ( Romans 15:12 ; cf.
Revelation 5:5 ; 22: 16). Peter learned that
Jesus is not merely a human being, the Son of
David, when God showed him that Jesus is "the
Son of the living God." To this, Jesus added
that He Himself is the Rock or foundation upon
which He would build His church ( Matthew
16:16-18 ; see also Isaiah 26:4 ). The building of
the church upon Jesus, the Rock of Israel
( Isaiah 30:29 ), is taught in 2 Corinthians 6:16
(see also Ephesians 2:21-22 ).
Some writers mention that the word for “church”
in the original Greek is ecclesia, meaning “a
called-out assembly” ( εκκλησιαν – Matthew
16:18 ) and that the church is formed by the
“elect” or chosen ( Mark 13:20 ; Luke 18:7 ;
Romans 8:33 ). Yes, the elect have been called
out from the kingdom of darkness, but we have
also been called into God’s family as adopted
children. “The Spirit himself testifies with our
spirit that we are God’s children” ( Romans 8:16 ;
cf. Ephesians 5:1 , 8). We are chosen, but Jesus
is the first of the chosen ( 1 Peter 2:6 ), and He
lives in us as we live or abide in Him ( John
8:31 ; 15:4-9 ).
Christians are individually in Christ even as the
church as a whole is in Christ ( Romans 12:5 ; 1
Corinthians 1:2 , 30). The mystery of Christ and
the church is brought out in Paul’s discussion of
the mystery by which two become “one flesh” in
marriage, in Ephesians 5. There the apostle
writes that “this mystery is profound,” referring
to Christ and the Church ( Ephesians 5:32 ). The
tense of the Greek word translated
“mystery” ( μυστηριον ) is singular. This
grammatical detail shows that in their unity
Christ and the church are one mystery. They
are not a mixture or compound; rather, their
union is like that of a man and woman in holy
matrimony who become “one flesh” or a new
family unit without giving up their individuality
( Genesis 2:24 ). In marriage a couple becomes
legal “kin,” even though they are not blood
relatives as Adam and Eve were. Similarly,
through Christ God legally adopts the chosen as
children ( Ephesians 1:5 ). Because of this, and
because Christ lives in each member of the
church, His spiritual body, He is our hope of
glory ( Colossians 1:18 , 26-28 ). Christ’s presence
in Christians answers Jesus’ prayer in John 17:
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for
those who will believe in me through their
message, that all of them may be one, Father,
just as you are in me and I am in you” ( John
17:20-21 ; see also John 17:11 ).
The connection between the words “church”
and “Christianity” is old and complicated, but we
can simply say that Christians do not go to
church; rather, they are the church. Most
disciples who first joined the growing church
were Jews. Like Paul ( Philippians 3:5 ; Romans
11:1 ), they considered themselves Israelites,
descendants of Abraham, to whom belonged the
covenants, the giving of the law, etc. ( Romans
9:4-5 ). They acknowledged the Lord Jesus as
Messiah and God but did not (at first) call
themselves “Christians.” At Antioch in the first
century, outsiders first called the followers of
the Christ “Christians” ( Acts 11:26 ). They
thought “Christ” was the proper name of the
God whom they worshipped, not aware that
“Christ” means “anointed” and that Jesus is the
Christ. As for “church,” some early Christian
writers used this word to refer to the place
where people worshipped (i.e., the church
building). But in the New Testament, the word
translated “church” refers to the “household of
God.” In Ephesians 2:19 , the Greek word
translated “household” is οἰκεῖοι. This plural
form refers to the all those who belong to the
immediate family of God, i.e., those who are
spiritually family in the faith ( Galatians 6:10 ;
Ephesians 2:19 ). As members of this universal
household, Christians have taken root and
blossomed among the various peoples and in
almost every language group in the world.
Now, let’s look beyond history to reflect on the
eternal origins of the church (i.e., “Christianity”)
in the mind of God. Even as God chose Israel
( Deuteronomy 7:6 ; 26:18 ), He also elected the
church in Christ “before the foundation of the
world” ( Ephesians 1:4 ). In eternity past, God
willed that the elect would be saved and made
part of His household by adoption. “He
predestined us for adoption as sons through
Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his
will” ( Ephesians 1:5 ). However, the church born
on Pentecost has not yet realized its ultimate
purpose in its development. The church is not
yet the spotless bride of Christ ( Revelation
19:6-8 ), in accord with God’s purpose for it, as
we read in Ephesians 1:4 : “For he chose us in
him before the creation of the world to be holy
and blameless in his sight.” The fulfillment of
this prophetic purpose which God set forth in
Christ ( Romans 8:28 ; 9:11 ) “to be put into
effect when the times will have reached their
fulfillment” ( Ephesians 1:10 ) does not depend
on “… anything we have done but because of his
own purpose and grace. This grace was given
us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of
time” ( 2 Timothy 1:9 ).
One reason the “visible” church is not perfect is
because within its ranks there are false
Christians. Jesus told the apostles that within
the church there would be a mixture of “wheat
and chaff,” genuine saints and secret,
unrepentant, self-deceived sinners (hypocrites).
Considering that Christ has not yet returned in
power and glory ( Matthew 26:64 ; Mark 13:26 ),
and that the elect have not yet been revealed
as God’s children ( Romans 8:19 ; 1 John 3:2 ),
the mystery of Christ and the church, kept
secret for long ages ( Romans 16:25 ), remains
partially concealed. The unveiling of the church
will not take place until the moment we are
changed, as 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 says. The
real hope for Christians is not that we will be
immortal (the damned in hell will also be
immortal, but they will be without Christ), but
that Christ lives in us now ( Colossians 1:28 ).
This brings us to a final thought about the
church’s present hidden-ness and ultimate
unveiling. We have been redeemed, we are no
longer slaves to sin, and death no longer has
dominion over us ( Romans 6:5-9 ). Nevertheless,
our “body of sin” or “body of death” ( Romans
6:6 ; 7:24 ) has yet to be “brought to nothing.”
We still await the resurrection and redemption
of our sin-stained flesh. This will take place
when the Lord returns for us. Then “we shall be
like him; for we shall see him even as he is” ( 1
John 3:2 ). Then, our glorious, imperishable
spiritual bodies will be revealed ( Philippians
3:20-21 ), and we will no longer be burdened by
what remains of the carnal or sinful mind. Thus,
in a real sense, the church or Christianity in its
perfection, as the undefiled and glorified bride
of Christ, continues to wear a discrete veil, until
she is called to heaven in glory at the marriage
supper of the Lamb. This event is prophesied in
Revelation 19:6-8 , where we read, “Then I heard
what sounded like a great multitude, like the
roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of
thunder, shouting: ‘Hallelujah! For our Lord God
Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and
give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb
has come, and his bride has made herself
ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given
her to wear.’ (Fine linen stands for the
righteous acts of the saints.)”

How to get your boyfriend to propose to You

In love and want to live happily ever,
but he hasn’t popped the question.
Here are some great tips for how to
get your boyfriend to propose.
Many ladies fantasize about their big day from a very young
age. The beautiful white dress, walking down the aisle,
seeing the man of your dreams waiting for you at the end
– it’s all very romantic! But how do you actually make it
happen and get your boyfriend to propose?
This can be more tricky. If you feel the time is right for you
to take your relationship one step further and get engaged,
that’s wonderful. But often, your partner might be a little
less keen. Proposing is a big step and a huge commitment,
so he’ll no doubt want to make sure that the time is right.
He might just need that little nudge of encouragement to
push him over the edge!
How to get your boyfriend to propose
So, if you want to know how to get
your boyfriend to propose, what should you do? Here are 10
great tips to help him get the message and take the
plunge!

#1 Be cool! There is nothing that is going to make a guy
put off proposing more than if he feels he is being backed
into a corner. This might very well make him run the other
way.
You might be desperate to get married, but you have to
understand that this is a huge and life-changing decision
for him. If he feels totally pressured into it, it’s going to be
hard for him to take the plunge.
#2 Tell
him. While keeping your cool is important, you still need to
make sure that he knows that you want to actually get
married in the first place. If you overdo the cool and casual
approach, he will have no idea that you even want to get
married in the first place, and, therefore, might just not
have the motivation needed to actually pop the question.
If you have been going out for a while, you will probably
already have had a conversation about the future. But if
you haven’t, or haven’t mentioned marriage specifically, let
him know in a mature and sensible way exactly what your
thoughts are on the matter. Then at least he will know
where your head is at.
#3 Don’t compare yourself to others. Just because all your
friends got married two years ago, and you still haven’t,
doesn’t mean that it’s your “turn.” Every relationship is
different, and some people take a little longer to want to settle down that others.
If you keep pointing out to him how everyone else around you is married, he will just feel as
though you are whining at him, which will make him want
to do it even less! This is a really important tip for how to
get your boyfriend to propose.
#4 Don’t give him a choice! Okay, so this might sound a
little sneaky, but by offering him options, you are giving him
a “get out clause” where he can choose not to get married
just yet, if he feels like the time isn’t right.
Don’t make it too open-ended either. Saying something like,
“Do you think we’ll get married in the next 2 years?” is
better because it gives him a timeframe to think about.
#5 Make him feel like he couldn’t live without you. If you
want to know how to get your boyfriend to propose, he is
only going to do it if he really believes that you are “the
one.” Getting him to see that takes time! You need him to
feel like if he ever lost you, he would be completely
heartbroken.
Make sure that he
understands and appreciates everything that you do for him
– but do this subtly. If you can make him realize that he is
so lucky to have you, it will only heighten his desire to get
your relationship locked down sooner rather than later!
#6 Share everything with him. The closer he feels to you,
the more likely he is to want to marry you. If he feels as
though you are the person who he can trust the most in
the world, and someone that he can completely be himself
with – who sees him for just what he is – then he will
surely want to spend the rest of his life with you.
#7 Hang out with married couples. Seeing your friends happily married and still having
fun will show him that marriage is nothing to be frightened
of, and it’ll make him more ready to make that commitment
to you too.
He might be worried that getting engaged and married will
eventually change your relationship, and that might be
scary for him.
Seeing how your married friends are exactly the same will
help put his mind at ease, and it’s another great tip for
how to get your boyfriend to propose. If your married
friends are willing to give you a helping hand by talking
about how wonderful married life is, that probably won’t go
down too badly either! [Read: 20 reasons to get married
and live happily ever after]

#8 Build it up slowly. Don’t go from zero to one hundred –
take things slowly and build up to the point where marriage
is the next obvious step to take. Move in together and see
how that goes first. Then, *providing you are both animal
lovers of course* why not get a pet and see how you get
on with that?
Moving your relationship forward in steps like this will make
it a much easier transition when the time comes for him to
get his head around the idea of proposing to you.
So, if you are still in the dating stage, you might have your
work cut out for you. But don’t worry, you will get there
eventually… we promise!

#9 Be more independent. Having your own life outside of
your relationship is healthy, regardless of whether you are
thinking about getting married or not! However, showing
him that you are an independent woman, and giving him
the freedom to have his own life and enjoy things without
you, will show him that you trust him and are willing to set
him free.
Doing that will only strengthen your relationship and make
him feel more ready to take that plunge and make that
lifelong commitment to you.

#10 Accept his decision. At the end of the day, you can’t
force someone to marry you! If he isn’t ready to commit,
you have to deal with his decision – and there isn’t a whole
lot you can do about it. Don’t have a tantrum, and don’t get
too upset.
It might be that he just needs a little bit more time to get
his head around the whole idea. In the meantime, if the
relationship is worth waiting for, then you’ll know. And if it
is not, then maybe it is time to say goodbye and find
someone who does want to offer you that kind of commitment!
Getting married is a big decision, but an exciting one too. With these tips for how
to get your boyfriend to propose, you are so much more likely to convince him that now is the right time to get down on one knee.

RENEWAL OF SPIRIT

RENEWAL OF SPIRIT

“If anyone is in Christ,” the Bible tells us, “he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” That transformation begins the moment we invite Jesus into our hearts and lives, but it takes considerably longer for us to get into Jesus—to get completely immersed in Him and grounded in faith. The more we do that, the more of our old thoughts and habits pass away, and the more “all things become new.”

What better time than Easter, the celebration of the ultimate rebirth, to get renewed in spirit?

Ask God to show you one or two ways in which you need to change or grow as a person. For example, do you generally have a thankful, positive attitude, or do you tend to grumble about life’s difficulties? Do you set aside time to read God’s Word and think about how it applies to you, or do you fill your spare moments with TV or other entertainment? Do you pray for others who are experiencing hardships, or merely think about them sympathetically? Do you cheerfully give of yourself, or resent the sacrifices you sometimes need to make for the sake of others? Or is there some other area in which you need to change?

Now take a few minutes to commit these issues to Jesus in prayer. “Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.”

It takes time and consistent effort to break old habits, but once you acknowledge the need to change and ask Jesus to help, this promise is yours: “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it.” As you do your part, He will do His.

—

Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV) Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Psalm 51:10 (ESV) Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Philippians 1:6 (ESV) And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna ( Surv.)

MY AVOCADO TREE

MY AVOCADO TREE

(A FRIEND STORY)

Avocados are one of my favorite fruits—delicious and nutritious. I have various herbs growing on my kitchen windowsill, and decided to use the little remaining space to try to grow an avocado plant.

Following the tips I found online at wikihow.com, I held the seed pointed side up and stuck four toothpicks into the middle section of the seed at even intervals so it could rest half-submerged on the mouth of a small jar filled to the brim with water—and waited. Weeks went by, and there was no sign of life. By all appearances, it could have been a stone rather than a seed! When a month had gone by I considered giving up. Perhaps there was no life in this dull brown seed.

Then a tiny crack appeared at its base. I thought at this point that the seed might simply be drying out, but I was willing to wait a little longer. I changed the water, and a few more weeks passed. Finally a tiny root emerged from the crack. Then another crack appeared, this time at the top of the seed. Slowly but surely a small shoot peeked out hopefully.

Transplanted to a pot of soil, the seed that had appeared lifeless is now growing into a small but healthy plant. Tender green leaves sprout day by day, each growing to several times the size of the seed. This baby tree is proof that there was life inside the seed, despite outward appearances.

As Easter approaches, I am reminded of my avocado-growing experience. How hopeless Jesus’ followers must have felt when they saw Him die on the cross! They watched His lifeless body be carried off and sealed in a stone-cold tomb. They must have felt as though their hopes and dreams were being buried too. I can picture them now, forlorn and seemingly forsaken. Yet hope was not dead! Three days later Jesus would rise triumphant, the victor over death and the grave.

The miracle of Jesus’ resurrection is of course a far greater miracle than my little avocado plant, but what an example that plant is. Even when the outlook seems hopeless, wait on the Lord, and He will work miracles—new life, new hope, new beginnings!

Life after life
What reason have atheists for saying that we cannot rise again? Which is the more difficult, to be born or to rise again? That what has never been, should be, or that what has been, should be again?—Blaise Pascal

—

John 11:25 ESV / Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

1 Thessalonians 4:14 ESV / For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

John 6:40 ESV / For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna (Surv.)

Question: "What is the origin of the Roman Catholic Church?"

Question: "What is the origin of the Roman
Catholic Church?"

Answer: The Roman Catholic Church contends
that its origin is the death, resurrection, and
ascension of Jesus Christ in approximately AD
30. The Catholic Church proclaims itself to be
the church that Jesus Christ died for, the
church that was established and built by the
apostles. Is that the true origin of the Catholic
Church? On the contrary. Even a cursory reading
of the New Testament will reveal that the
Catholic Church does not have its origin in the
teachings of Jesus or His apostles. In the New
Testament, there is no mention of the papacy,
worship/adoration of Mary (or the immaculate
conception of Mary, the perpetual virginity of
Mary, the assumption of Mary, or Mary as co-
redemptrix and mediatrix), petitioning saints in
heaven for their prayers, apostolic succession,
the ordinances of the church functioning as
sacraments, infant baptism, confession of sin to
a priest, purgatory, indulgences, or the equal
authority of church tradition and Scripture. So, if
the origin of the Catholic Church is not in the
teachings of Jesus and His apostles, as
recorded in the New Testament, what is the true
origin of the Catholic Church?
For the first 280 years of Christian history,
Christianity was banned by the Roman Empire,
and Christians were terribly persecuted. This
changed after the “conversion” of the Roman
Emperor Constantine. Constantine provided
religious toleration with the Edict of Milan in AD
313, effectively lifting the ban on Christianity.
Later, in AD 325, Constantine called the Council
of Nicea in an attempt to unify Christianity.
Constantine envisioned Christianity as a religion
that could unite the Roman Empire, which at
that time was beginning to fragment and divide.
While this may have seemed to be a positive
development for the Christian church, the
results were anything but positive. Just as
Constantine refused to fully embrace the
Christian faith, but continued many of his pagan
beliefs and practices, so the Christian church
that Constantine promoted was a mixture of
true Christianity and Roman paganism.
Constantine found that, with the Roman Empire
being so vast, expansive, and diverse, not
everyone would agree to forsake his or her
religious beliefs to embrace Christianity. So,
Constantine allowed, and even promoted, the
“Christianization” of pagan beliefs. Completely
pagan and utterly unbiblical beliefs were given
new “Christian” identities. Some clear examples
of this are as follows:
(1) The Cult of Isis, an Egyptian mother-goddess
religion, was absorbed into Christianity by
replacing Isis with Mary. Many of the titles that
were used for Isis, such as “Queen of Heaven,”
“Mother of God,” and theotokos (“God-bearer”)
were attached to Mary. Mary was given an
exalted role in the Christian faith, far beyond
what the Bible ascribes to her, in order to
attract Isis worshippers to a faith they would
not otherwise embrace. Many temples to Isis
were, in fact, converted into temples dedicated
to Mary. The first clear hints of Catholic
Mariology occur in the writings of Origen, who
lived in Alexandria, Egypt, which happened to be
the focal point of Isis worship.
(2) Mithraism was a religion in the Roman
Empire in the 1st through 5th centuries AD. It
was very popular among the Romans, especially
among Roman soldiers, and was possibly the
religion of several Roman emperors. While
Mithraism was never given “official” status in
the Roman Empire, it was the de facto official
religion until Constantine and succeeding
Roman emperors replaced Mithraism with
Christianity. One of the key features of
Mithraism was a sacrificial meal, which involved
eating the flesh and drinking the blood of a bull.
Mithras, the god of Mithraism, was “present” in
the flesh and blood of the bull, and when
consumed, granted salvation to those who
partook of the sacrificial meal (this is known as
theophagy, the eating of one’s god). Mithraism
also had seven “sacraments,” making the
similarities between Mithraism and Roman
Catholicism too many to ignore. Church leaders
after Constantine found an easy substitute for
the sacrificial meal of Mithraism in the concept
of the Lord’s Supper/Christian communion. Even
before Constantine, some early Christians had
begun to attach mysticism to the Lord’s Supper,
rejecting the biblical concept of a simple and
worshipful remembrance of Christ’s death and
shed blood. The Romanization of the Lord’s
Supper made the transition to a sacrificial
consumption of Jesus Christ, now known as the
Catholic Mass/Eucharist, complete.
(3) Most Roman emperors (and citizens) were
henotheists. A henotheist is one who believes in
the existence of many gods, but focuses
primarily on one particular god or considers one
particular god supreme over the other gods. For
example, the Roman god Jupiter was supreme
over the Roman pantheon of gods. Roman
sailors were often worshippers of Neptune, the
god of the oceans. When the Catholic Church
absorbed Roman paganism, it simply replaced
the pantheon of gods with the saints. Just as
the Roman pantheon of gods had a god of love,
a god of peace, a god of war, a god of strength,
a god of wisdom, etc., so the Catholic Church
has a saint who is “in charge” over each of
these, and many other categories. Just as many
Roman cities had a god specific to the city, so
the Catholic Church provided “patron saints” for
the cities.
(4) The supremacy of the Roman bishop (the
papacy) was created with the support of the
Roman emperors. With the city of Rome being
the center of government for the Roman
Empire, and with the Roman emperors living in
Rome, the city of Rome rose to prominence in
all facets of life. Constantine (AD 272–337) and
his successors gave their support to the bishop
of Rome as the supreme ruler of the church. Of
course, it is best for the unity of the Roman
Empire that the government and state religion
be centralized. While most other bishops (and
Christians) resisted the idea of the Roman
bishop being supreme, the Roman bishop
eventually rose to supremacy, due to the power
and influence of the Roman emperors. When
the Western half of the Roman Empire
collapsed in 476, the popes took on the title that
had previously belonged to the Roman emperors
—Pontifex Maximus . Pope Gregory I, ruling from
590–604, is usually considered the first bishop
to truly wield papal authority.
Many more examples could be given. These four
should suffice in demonstrating the origin of the
Catholic Church. Of course, the Roman Catholic
Church denies the pagan origin of its beliefs and
practices. The Catholic Church disguises its
pagan beliefs under layers of complicated
theology and “church tradition.” Recognizing
that many of its beliefs and practices are utterly
foreign to Scripture, the Catholic Church is
forced to deny the authority and sufficiency of
Scripture.
The origin of the Catholic Church is the tragic
compromise of Christianity with the pagan
religions that surrounded it. Instead of
proclaiming the gospel and converting the
pagans, the Catholic Church “Christianized” the
pagan religions, and “paganized” Christianity. By
blurring the differences and erasing the
distinctions, yes, the Catholic Church made
itself attractive to the people of the Roman
Empire. One result was the Catholic Church
becoming the supreme religion in the Roman
world for centuries. However, another result was
the most dominant form of Christianity
apostatizing from the true gospel of Jesus
Christ and the true proclamation of God’s Word.
Second Timothy 4:3–4 declares, “For the time
will come when men will not put up with sound
doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they
will gather around them a great number of
teachers to say what their itching ears want to
hear. They will turn their ears away from the
truth and turn aside to myths.”

Question: "What is The City of God ?

Question: "What is The City of God ?"

Answer: The City of God is a book written by St.
Augustine of Hippo between the years 413 and
426. Also known as De Civitate Dei, The City of
God is widely considered Augustine’s greatest
work. He wrote the book in response to the
charge by the Romans that the sack of Rome
by the Visigoth Alaric in AD 410 was due to the
city’s inhabitants having forsaken the classical
Roman religion and adopting Christianity.
Augustine set out to answer this allegation at
the request of his friend Marcellinus.
In Books 1–5 of The City of God, Augustine
demonstrates that the prosperity of the state
was not due to its adherence to the old
polytheistic worship, since the Romans had
suffered disasters long before the birth of
Christianity. He also reminds the Romans that
whatever success they had achieved was due to
the providence of God, even though they were
ignorant of Him. In Books 6–10, Augustine
argues that the worship of the Roman gods was
not necessary in order to attain eternal
blessing. The Roman gods could not aid their
devotees in either the temporal or the spiritual
realms; in fact, it was the God of Christianity
who had given them what temporal blessings
they enjoyed.
Augustine’s philosophy of history is found in
Books 11–22, in which Augustine sets forth his
idea of two contrasting cities, the City of God
and the City of Earth. The City of God,
according to Augustine, consists of all human
and celestial beings united in their love for God
and their seeking to glorify Him. The City of
Earth is comprised of those beings who love
only themselves and seek their own glory and
good.
In Books 15–18 Augustine traces the progress
of the two cities through biblical and secular
history. The remaining books of The City of God
present the destiny of the two cities: judgment
comes, and those who dwell in the City of God
will enjoy eternal happiness and those of the
City of Earth will be consigned to everlasting
punishment. The City of God does not address
the role of the Jewish people in prophecy; in
fact, Augustine believed that the church age is
actually the millennium .
The City of God is widely accepted as one of the
most important apologetic works of all time. Its
message is clearly biblical in presenting the
struggle between the spiritual and secular
realms. For those who live in the City of God,
their story is the story of Christianity—their
redemption and salvation from sin through the
grace of God. For those in the City of Earth,
their story is one of judgment and damnation.
These two destinies are clearly presented in the
Bible (see Daniel 12:2 ; Matthew 7:13– 14 ;
25:46 ).
It should be noted that The City of God may
seem, at least to the modern reader, very long
(1,184 pages in the paperback edition), and the
language difficult to understand at times. Those
who are familiar with the history of Rome and
the Middle Ages will have an easier time with it.
That said, the fact that the book is still being
published and read today is testimony to its
timeless themes and applications.