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 How old is the Church of Christ?
How
old is the Church of Christ? This is an important question,
for many different and competing "churches" began at places
and times not consistent with what we read in the
scriptures. For example, in Matthew 16:18 we read, "...upon
this rock I will build My church..." From this one
scripture we learn (1) Jesus is the builder; (2) His church
was yet to be built; (3) He is its owner; and (4) He
intended to build just one. The idea that there is still
just one church today is foreign to most people and doesn't
teach "Christian acceptance." So when did Jesus' church
begin? The first biblical account is found in the second
chapter of Acts, written by the apostle Luke. In this
account we learn that the gospel (good news of salvation to
the world) had been preached to a multitude of Jewish people
who had traveled to Jerusalem to observe an annual Jewish
event called "Pentecost," which took place 50 days following
the Jewish observance of "Passover." The Bible records
that 3,000 accepted the message of the gospel and were
baptized (immersed in water) for the forgiveness of their
sins--these also, as a result, received the gift of the Holy
Spirit. In the last verse of this chapter we learn that
those who had been saved were added to the church by the
Lord. Ever since this event, which took place circa 33AD,
we read of the Lord's church as being in existence.
For example, in Acts 8:1 we learn of a great persecution
that had arisen against the church in Jerusalem.
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