"We know more about the Bible today than at any period in history."
Really? How do you figure? Most of what we think we "know" is incorrect, especially that which is derived at by means of proof text methodology or eisegeted by means of the Western mindset. Even if we do know more about the Bible, our lives are more shallow and spiritually weak than at any other point in Christian history. That is a fact! A simple comparison of the lives of the early Christians (A.D. 30-300) with our lives should prompt us to drop to our knees in shame, conviction (possibly even condemnation), and repentance. Observe a few examples:
Justin the Martyr describing Christian love:
"We who used to value the acquisition of wealth and possessions more than anything else now bring what we have into a common fund and share it with anyone who needs it. We used to hate and destroy one another and refused to associate with people of another ethnicity or country. Now, because of Christ, we live together with such people and pray for our enemies."
Clement of Alexandria describing the person who has come to know God:
"He impoverishes himself out of love, so that he is certain he may never overlook a brother in need, especially if he knows he can bear poverty better than his brother. He likewise considers the pain of another as his own pain. And if he suffers any hardship because of having given out of his own poverty, he does not complain."
How many Christians do you know today who either do this or are willing to do this? "Christians" today have a "I worked for it, it's my money" individualistic mindset. This tragedy was brought to us by the Renaissance. The European and North American mindset is extremely selfish and individualistic, while the rest of the world, and the Bible world, are extremely collectivistic. A single example will prove the case: When the Philippian jailer believed, his entire family was baptized. The Greek says that he (singular) believed and that his family (plural) were baptized.
Read the book of Acts, how the Christians sold all their goods and shared with the Congregation so that all had all things in common. How many Christians do you see doing this today? How many Christians who no longer need their house because their children are grown are willing to give it up to families that are in need, or to sell it to them at a reasonable cost? I made my mind up quite some time ago—perhaps it was the moving of the Lord—that this is precisely what I would like to do. I have a desire to move just about anywhere else in the world where actual believers come together to help other believers, much like you see the Amish do. They all get together and build houses and barns and enjoy a feast together while fellowshipping.
Consider this attitude of the early Christians:
A pagan actor became a Christian, but he realized he had to change his employment because most plays encouraged immorality and were steeped in pagan idolatry. Furthermore, the theater sometimes purposefully turned boys into homosexuals so they could better play the roles of women on stage. Since this newly-converted actor had no other job skills, he considered establishing an acting school to teach drama to non-Christian students. However, he first submitted his idea to his congregation for their counsel.
The congregation told him that if acting was an immoral profession then it would be wrong to train others in it. Nevertheless, since this was a rather novel question, they wrote to Cyprian in Carthage for his thoughts. Cyprian agreed that a profession unfit for a Christian to practice was also unfit for him to teach, even if this was his sole means of support.
How many of us would be so concerned about righteousness that we would submit our employment decisions to our congregation? How many congregations today would be so concerned about offending God that they would take such an uncompromising position?
But that isn't the end of the story. Cyprian also told this neighbouring congregation that they should be willing to support the actor if he had not other means of earning a living— just as they supported orphans, widows, and other needy persons. Going further, he wrote, "If your congregation is financially unable to support him, he may move over to us and here receive whatever he needs for food and clothing." Cyprian and his congregation didn't even know this actor, yet they were willing to support him because he was a fellow believer. As one Christian told the Romans, "We love one another with a mutual love because we do not know how to hate." If Christians today made such a statement to the world, would the world believe it?
This is the kind of Christian love that I have been talking about for quite some time. When a believer from a different denomination is struggling, how many "Christians" from other denominations come to their aid or are willing to help? They will barely even lift a finger for someone in their own congregation unless that person is part of their own particular clique! Is this how we learned Christ? If Jesus wrote letters to our congregations today, how do you think they would read? I can guarantee that they would not be very flattering.
Modern-day "Christians" should promptly meditate on this and weep despairingly:
"When a devastating plague swept across the ancient world in the third century, Christians were the only ones who cared for the sick, which they did at the risk of contracting the plague themselves. Meanwhile, pagans were throwing infected members of their own families into the streets even before they died, in order to protect themselves from the disease."
This is one of the most telling examples of how shallow and spiritually weak Christian lives are today. A scam the likes of which we have never seen before, on a grand scale, engulfed the entire world and convinced them to do things they never would have done before, and that were contrary to their own planned measures, and what did we witness? "Christians" behaved in the exact same manner as we see recorded here concerning the pagans! That is an indictment in itself against modern "Christians." So-called "leaders" of so-called "churches" basically paid tribute to Caesar and closed their doors rather than attracting persecution, and their body of believers were content with this. Can you see the problem with our so-called professed faith? If these gene-altering bio-weapons falsely called "vaccines" were "the mark of the beast," how many "Christians" rushed out to get them, and continue to do so?
Even if we did know more about the Bible, we know less about walking in obedience. We tend to take Jesus' commands as mere suggestions and make excuses as to why we are not obeying. Do you honestly believe the early Christians were super Christians? That they could do things that we cannot? Sorry, but the problem is that your faith is shallow and weak, if it is even genuine to begin with. You have zero trust in God. You are a walking, talking double-minded and double-tongued hypocrite. You say one thing about your "faith" with your talk, but say a completely different thing with your walk.
"As to anyone who teaches principles to live by and molds the characters of others, I ask, "Is he not obligated himself to live by the principles he teaches?" If he himself does not live by them, his teaching is nullified. ...His student will answer him like this, "I cannot practice the things you teach, because they are impossible. You forbid me to be angry. You forbid me to covet. You forbid me to lust. And you forbid me to fear pain and death. This is totally contrary to nature; all living creatures are subject to these emotions. If you are so convinced that it is possible to live contrary to natural impulses, first let me see you practice the things you teach so I will know they are possible." ...
How will [the teacher] take away this excuse from the self-willed, unless he teaches them by his example, so they can see with their own eyes that the things he teaches are possible? For this very reason, no one obeys the teachings of the philosophers. Men prefer examples to words, because it is easy to speak—but difficult to act." —Lactantius
How many Christians do you witness today teaching you how to be a biblical Christian by way of their example? Do any of your so-called "leaders" live according to what you just witnessed above? Are they willing to stand in the way of the line of fire for you? What kind of example are they giving you? How to live lavishly among the heathen so you cannot tell them apart? Have you ever read any of the things the Romans wrote about the early Christians? How many Christians today do you think would fit their descriptions?
A Pagan Antagonist of Christians: "[Christians] despise the temples as houses of the dead. They reject the gods. They laugh at sacred things. Wretched, they pity our priests. Half-naked themselves, they despise honours and purple robes. What incredible audacity and foolishness! They are not afraid of present torments, but they fear those that are uncertain and future. While they do not fear to die for the present, they fear to die after death....
At least learn from your present situation, you wretched people, what actually awaits you after death. See, many of you—in fact, by your own admission, the majority of you—are in want, are cold, are hungry, and are labouring in hard work. Yet, your god allows it. He is either unwilling or unable to assist his people. So he is either weak or unjust.... Take notice! For you there are threats, punishments, tortures, and crosses.... Where is the god who is supposed to help you when you come back from the dead? He cannot even help you in this life! Do not the Romans without any help from your god, govern, rule over, and have the enjoyment of the whole world, including dominion over you yourselves?
In the meantime, living in suspense and anxiety, you abstain from respectable pleasures. you do not attend sporting events. You have no interest in public amusements. You reject the public banquets, and abhor the sacred games.... Thus, wretched as you are, you will neither rise from the dead, nor enjoy life in the meanwhile. So, if you have any wisdom or sense, stop prying into the heavens and the destinies and secrets of the world.... Persons who are unable to understand civil matters are certainly unable to discuss divine ones."
Western "Christians" think Christianity is Capitalist. I challenge any one of these professing "Christians" to read the words of the early Christians and their critics and then attempt to defend such a demonic belief. Christianity is social by its very existence. Read the first two quotes above and try and tell me any different. The Capitalist "Christian" will find his beliefs to be challenged and condemned by not only Scripture, but also the first three centuries of the Lord's Congregation. Anyone who thinks Christianity is Capitalist has a different gospel and a different God. If you would like to debate me on this, let's have at it. I will be waiting...