Tertullian stated,
"I say that my gospel is the true one. Marcion [a leading Gnostic teacher] says that his is. I say that Marcion's gospel is adulterated. He says mine is. Now, how can we settle this stand-off, unless we use the principle of time. According to this principle, authority lies with the one who is prior in time. It's based on the elemental truth that corruption (of doctrine) lies with the one who is shown to have originated later in time. Since error is falsification of truth, truth must necessarily precede error."
Why do Christians today choose traditions that were first practiced 1,500 years or so after the deaths of the apostles over ones that were practiced within a few decades of their lives? Who necessarily speaks the truth of biblical faith? Who are you going to listen to? The Reformers, with their "reform" that sought to improve the existing Catholic institution, who were 1,500 years removed from the practices and traditions of the apostles and the early Christians? Modern preachers, with no clue what they are talking about while continually engaging in the proof text methodology, who are 1,900 years removed from the practices and traditions of the apostles and the early Christians? Or the early Christians themselves?
Since modern Christians refuse to pay attention to what God's Word has to say without engaging in proof text methodology, let us look to what the early Christians practiced:
CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLIES
"They continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers." Acts 2:42"Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together." Hebrews 10:25
"Every day, you should seek out the faces of the saints, by word examining them and going to exhort them, meditating how to save a soul by the word. Or else, by your hands, you should labor for the redemption of your sins. You shall not hesitate to give, nor murmur when you give." —Barnabas (c. 70-130, E)
"Every day, seek out the faces of the saints, so that you may be refreshed by their words." —Didache (c. 80-140, E)
"For when you assemble frequently in the same place, the powers of Satan are destroyed." —Ignatius (c. 105, E)
"Let your assembling together be of frequent occurrence." —Ignatius (c. 105, E)
"But after we have baptized the one who has been convinced and who has agreed to our teaching, we bring him to the place where those who are called brothers are assembled. There, we offer heartfelt prayers in common both for ourselves and for the baptized person—and for all others in every place—so that we may be counted worthy. . . . Having ended the prayers, we greet one another with a kiss. Then there is brought to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of wine mixed with water." —Justin Martyr (c. 160, E)
"And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place. And the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits. Then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs us and exhorts us to imitate these good things. Then we all rise together and pray. And, as we said before, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought. Then, the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability. And the people assent, saying "Amen." Then, [the Eucharist] is distributed to everyone, and everyone participates in [the bread and wine], over which thanks has been given. And a portion of it is sent by the deacons to those who are absent." —Justin Martyr (c. 160, E)
"Rusticus, the prefect, said, "Where do you assemble?" Justin Martyr replied, "Where each one chooses and is able. Do you imagine that we all meet in the very same place? . . . Then Rusticus, the prefect, said, "Tell me where you assemble, or into what place do you collect your followers?" Justin Martyr replied, "I live above one Martinus, at the Timiotinian Bath. And during the whole time . . . I am unaware of any other meeting than his."" —Martyrdom of the Holy Martyrs (c. 160, E)
"It is said that we should go to the sacrifices and prayers washed, clean, and bright. It is said that this external adornment and purification are practiced for a sign." —Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E)
"Pliny [a Roman official] found in the religious services nothing but meetings at early morning for singing hymns to Christ and God, and sealing home their way of life by a united pledge to be faithful to their religion, forbidding murder, adultery, dishonestly, and other crimes." —Tertullian (c. 197, W)
"We are a body knit together as such by a common religious profession, by unity of discipline, and by the bond of a common hope. We meet together as an assembly and congregation so that, offering up prayer to God with united force, we may wrestle with Him in our supplications. God delights in this "violence." We pray, too, for the emperors, for their ministers and for all in authority, for the welfare of the world, for the prevalence of peace, and for the delay of the final consummation. We assemble to read our sacred writings." —Tertullian (c. 197, W)
"We assemble together with the same quietness with which we live as individuals." —Mark Minucius Felix (c. 200, W)
The following passage was addressed to those who were afraid of attracting persecution:
"You say that the pagans are led to inquire about us—seeing that we assemble without order, and assemble at the same time, and flock in large numbers to the congregation. you are alarmed that we may awaken their anxieties." —Tertullian (c. 212, W)
"But you say, "How will we assemble together [if we do not pay tribute to avoid persecution]?" To be sure, just as the apostles also did—who were protected by faith, not by money. . . . Finally, if you cannot assemble by day, you have the night—the light of Christ luminous against its darkness. . . . Be content with a congregation of threes. It is better that you sometimes should not see the crowds [of other Christians], than to subject yourselves [to paying tribute]." —Tertullian (c. 212, W)
"[Spoken as a Rebuke:] "Moreover, the women assemble as if they were about to enter the bath. They press closely and treat God's house as if it were a fair. . . . You speak in an undisciplined manner, as if God were absent." —Commodianus (c. 240, W)
"First [the persecutors] drove us away. And although we were quite alone, pursued by everyone, and in danger of being killed, we kept our festival even at such a time. And every place that had been the scene of some of the continuing sufferings that befell any of us, it became a seat for our solemn assemblies—whether it was a field, desert, ship, inn, or prison." —Dionysius of Alexandria (c. 262, E)
CONGREGATIONAL BUILDINGS
"Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." . . . But He was speaking of the temple of His body." John 2:19, 21"God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands." Acts 17:24
"Likewise greet the congregation that is in their house." Romans 16:5
"You are the temple of the living God." 2 Corinthians 6:16
"The Word, prohibiting all sacrifices and the building of temples, indicates that the Almighty is not contained in anything." —Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E)
"We refuse to build lifeless temples to the Giver of all life. . . . Our bodies are the temple of God. If anyone defiles the temple of God by lust or sin, he will himself be destroyed for acting impiously towards the true temple. Of all the temples spoken of in this sense, the best and most excellent was the pure and holy body of our Savior Jesus Christ. . . . He said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it again. This He said of the temple of His body." . . . When they reproach us for not deeming it necessary to worship the divine Being by raising lifeless temples, we set before them our temples." —Origen (c. 248, E)
"You say that we build no temples to [the gods] and do not worship their images. . . . Well, what greater honor or dignity could we ascribe to them than that we put them in the same position as the Head and Lord of the universe! . . . Do we honor Him with shrines and by building temples? —Arnobius (c. 305, E)
"Some were swift to slaughter [the Christians]. For example, there was a certain individual in Phrygia who burned a whole assembly of Christians, together with their place of meeting." —Lactantius (c. 304-313, W)
"[Emperor Daia] secretly procured addresses from different cities, requesting that no Christian congregation be built within their walls. . . . The function of those [Roman] officers was to make daily sacrifices to all of their gods and . . . to prevent Christians from erecting congregations." —Lactantius (c. 304-313, W)
"While it was yet hardly light, the [Roman] prefect, together with chief commanders . . . came to the congregation in Nicomedia. The gates having been forced open, they searched everywhere for an image of the Divinity. The books of the Holy Scriptures were found, and they were committed to the flames. The utensils and furniture of the congregation were abandoned to pillage." —Lactantius (c. 320, W)
"Constantius . . . permitted the demolition of congregations, which are mere walls and capable of being built up again. However, he preserved entire that true temple of God, which is the human body." —Lactantius (c. 320, W)
LOVE FEAST
"Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk." 1 Corinthians 11:20-21"They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you." 2 Peter. 2:13
"These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear." Jude 12
"It is not lawful without the overseer either to baptize or to celebrate a love feast." —Ignatius (c. 105, E)
"Some, speaking with unbridled tongue, dare to apply the name agape to pitiful suppers, redolent of savor and sauces. . . . The supper is made for love, but the supper is not love." —Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E)
"The apostle, restraining those who transgress in their conduct at entertainments, says, "For everyone takes beforehand in eating his own supper. And one is hungry, and another drunk." —Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E)
"[The heretics] eagerly embrace that convivial couch of honor in the agape, falsely so called." —Clement of Alexandria (c. 195, E)
"You [Romans] attack also our humble feasts on the grounds that they are extravagant as well as infamously wicked. you make it seem that the saying of Diogenes applies to us: "The people of Megara feast as though they were going to die tomorrow." . . . Yet, you make a great ado only about the modest supper room of the Christians. Our feast explains itself by its name. The Greeks call it agape, i.e., love. Whatever the meal costs, our outlay in the name of piety is gain. For we aid the needy with the good things of the feast. . . .
Before reclining, the participants first taste of prayer to God. Only as much is eaten as satisfies the cravings of hunger. Only as much is drunk as befits the chaste. . . . The participants talk as those who know that they Lord is one of their hearers. After washing the hands and the bringing in of lights, each is asked t stand forth and sing, as he can, a hymn to God—either one from the Holy Scriptures or one of his own composing. This is proof of the [temperate] measure of our drinking. Just as the feast began with prayer, so it is closed with prayer. We depart from the feast, not like troops of mischief-doers, . . . but as ones who have as much care for our modesty and chastity as though we had been at a school of virtue, rather than a banquet." —Tertullian (c. 205, W)"[What unbelieving husband,] without some suspicion of his own, will dismiss her to attend that Lord's supper that they defame?" —Tertullian (c. 205, W)
"We practice sharing in our banquets, which are not only modest, but also sober. For we do not indulge in entertainments, nor do we prolong our feasts with wine. Rather, we temper our joyousness with seriousness, with chaste discourse, and with bodies even more chaste." Mark Minucius Felix (c. 200, W)
"In that last meal, which they call the free meal, they were partaking as as far as they could, not of a free supper, but of an agape." Passion of Perpetua and Felicitas (c. 205, W)
As you can see, our organized religious institutional buildings are useless, worthless, godless, and heretical. So too is our practice of gathering. If you believe our buildings are a part of "God's divine progressive order," then you betray your own ignorance. Our buildings have their origins rooted in paganism, being a "reform" of the Catholic institution. We kept their godless institution, tweaked some of the practices and traditions, and changed several of the beliefs (some for better, some for worse). If you dare to exegete our buildings and our "worship" services, you will discover just how much of them are rooted in paganism.
Up until the late 3rd century, the Lord's Congregation was united in their beliefs, practices, and traditions. Some errors started to creep in during this latter time, and more errors became entrenched under Emperor Constantine. The paganizing of Christianity that he accomplished, Catholicism continued for the next 1,100 years, and even to today. The Reformation never actually corrected anything. Reform seeks to improve the existing religious institution. If they wanted to change anything, they would have done like the Anabaptists who sought restitution, to return to the beliefs, practices, and traditions of the early Christians.
Modern "pastors" are afraid to address these facts because it would mean the loss of their position, power, and prestige. Which one of them is earnest to give up their authority? Which one of them is earnest to give up the pay check they never should have been receiving? These men are nothing more than hirelings. They do not actually care about Yahweh's flock. If they had to do what they do with only the bare necessities of life, they would quit. Do not kid yourself, they are in it for the money. Every. Single. One of them.
Every congregation in Scripture, and among the early Christians, was independent. No one ruled over a bunch of them with a hierarchical power structure the way we see in most denominations today. Only the non-local itinerant church planter had any say over them. The Galatian congregations had no sway over each other, let alone over the Corinthian congregation. Only Paul, and other non-local itinerant church planters he trained, had any sway over them. We need to return to the biblical standards.