Your life is hid with Christ, in God:
The Faith of the earliest Church
1.
This is a fresco of an "orant" taken from the catacombs of Rome. A fresco is a painting made with different colors of plaster. An "orant" is a praying, and worshipping Christian. During the "apostolic age" of the Church, this "orant" position was the position for prayer. Remember that most of the Christians at that early time were of Jewish descent. The Jewish position for prayer was in a standing position, with arms raised towards heaven. Christians changed that position to the position seen at right with arms extended at the sides. This was to remind them of their position in Christ. They had died with Jesus on that cross, and now they lived in His resurrection power to embrace the world with His love. note: "Apostolic Age" means that the apostles, or Christians who had been taught by them were still alive. That was the time from about 30 AD to 150 AD. That was the era of the earliest Church. The Church at that time was Hebraic because most of the converts were of Jewish descent.
2. Remember Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ: it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20
3. Jesus said, I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18) Translated into modern English that might read something like this... I will build My Church and the gates of hell will not be able to prevail against its onslaught.
4. This was the faith of the Earliest Church. They knew who they were in Christ, and they knew their position to be - in Christ! That witness was confirmed with miracles signs and wonders. They built their home churches right next to heathen temples because of what Jesus had said, I will build My Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
5. Intrigued, I began to look up, and do research on the catacombs of Rome. For there is one place on earth where you can still see the visible witness of the apostolic Church preserved for all time. I looked it up and was astounded by what I saw. Fresco after fresco depicted a living and vibrant faith, that literally shook the Roman empire to its knees. There was orant after orant. The walls were full of them. That was the only position they knew! And then there were the Old Testament scenes of "Daniel in the Lion's Den" and "The Three Men in the Fiery Furnace" and "Isaac Offered by Abraham." "The Raising of Lazarus" from the New Testament was also portrayed there. All of these pictures were proclaiming the central truth of the Gospel of Peace - and the entire focus of the lives of those early apostolic Christians. Daniel should have been eaten, but God stopped the mouths of the lions, and Daniel was received back to life again. It reminded the early Christians of Jesus' death and resurrection. It also reminded them of His power to keep them in times of persecution - and His power to raise them, if they should be martyred. The other frescoes all taught them the same thing. And reminded them of their position - in Christ! To them eternal life was not something to be gained after they died - they already had it!
He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I John 5:12And they wanted nothing more than to share this life with others!
note: The catacombs were a network of caves and tunnels dug into the soft volcanic rock outside the city limits of Rome. The original purpose of the catacombs was for burying the dead. Believing in a bodily resurrection, Christians did not burn their dead to ashes like other Romans. In times of persecution, the Christians met for worship in the catacomb tombs, using the tunnels as escape routes; nevertheless 500,000 - 700,000 Christians were martyred. (Some say as many as a million!)
6. There was another picture on the walls of the catacombs more interesting than the others. It was the picture of "The Good Shepherd."
Once again, this is the picture of a believer's position in Christ. A lost sheep has been "seized" by Christ (Philippians 3:12) and is being carried towards heaven. Notice that the sheep is not walking on its own; but this sheep has found its place of rest - in Christ. This sheep will go where Jesus takes it. This picture, and the picture of the orant - and all the other frescoes, are really all the same picture. note: Early pictures of Christ showed him as a beardless "youthful teacher."
"For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ, in God" was the focus of the early apostolic Church! So the early Christians found their position - and their identity - in Christ - by being identified with Him - in His death - and His resurrected life. They had found life and they would cling to that life - if it meant death. 7. What is all the more remarkable is this fact: Normally, when people are persecuted, they draw pictures of their tormentors as monsters with big fangs, or they draw pictures of the cruelties they have endured, etc. They want this record to be remembered. But the early Christians drew no such pictures. You will see none of them on the walls of the catacombs! Instead, you will see pictures of peace, love, grace, and forgiveness. That is how real their position in Christ actually was.
8. But those early apostolic Christians left more than just pictures. There is a written record of their lives, and we have it to this day. God has preserved it. Here it is:
The letter to Diagnetus:
They dwell on earth, but are citizens of heaven
"They live in their own countries and are strangers. They loyally fulfill their duties as citizens, but are treated as foreigners. Every foreign land is for them a fatherland and every fatherland, foreign.
They marry like everyone, they have children, but they do not abandon their new-born. They have the table in common, but not the bed. They are in the flesh, but do not live according to the flesh (2 Corinthians 10,3; Rom 8, 12-15). They dwell on earth, but are citizens of heaven.
They obey the laws of the state, but in their lives they go beyond the law. They love everyone, yet are persecuted by everyone. No one really knows them, but all condemn them. They are killed, but go on living. They are poor, but enrich many (2 Corinthians 6,9-10). They have nothing, but abound in everything. but in that contempt (condition) they find glory before God. Their honor is insulted, while their justice is acknowledged.
When they are cursed, they bless. When they are insulted, they answer with kind words
(1 Corinthians 4,12-13). They do good to others and are punished like evil-doers. When they are punished, they rejoice, as if they were given life. The Jews make war against them as if they were a foreign race. The Greeks persecute them, but those who hate them, cannot tell the reason for their hatred"
The "Apology" (defense) by Aristides, 2nd C.
Christians observe the divine laws
"Christians bear the divine laws impressed on their hearts and observe them in the hope of a future life. For this reason they do not commit adultery, or fornication; don't bear false witness; don't misappropriate the money they have received on deposit; don't crave for what is not due to them; honor father and mother, do good to their neighbor; and when they are appointed judges, judge rightly.
They don't adore idols in human form; whatever they don't want others to do to them, they do not do it to anyone. They don't eat meat offered to the gods, because it is contaminated: Their daughters are pure and keep their virginity and shun prostitution; men abstain from every illegitimate union and from all impurity; likewise their women are chaste, in the hope of the great recompense in the next life...
They are kind and charitable
They help those who offend them, making friends of them; do good to their enemies. They don't adore idols; they are kind, good, modest, sincere, they love one another; don't despise widows; protect the orphans; those who have much give without grumbling, to those in need. When they meet strangers, they invite them to their homes with joy, for they recognize them as true brothers, not natural but spiritual.
When a poor man dies, if they become aware, they contribute according to their means for his funeral; if they come to know that some people are persecuted or sent to prison or condemned for the sake of Christ's name, they put their alms together and send them to those in need. If they can do it, they try to obtain their release. When a slave or a beggar is in need of help, they fast two or three days, and give him the food they had prepared for themselves, because they think that he too should be joyful , as he has been called to be joyful like themselves.
They live in justice and sanctity
They strictly observe the commandments of the Lord, by living in a saintly and right way, as the Lord God has prescribed to them; they give Him thanks each morning and evening for all food and drink and every other thing.
These are, O Emperor, their laws; the goods they have to ask God, they ask Him, and so they pass through this world till the end of time; because God has subjected everything to them. Therefore they are grateful to Him, because the whole universe and all creation have been made for them. Surely these people have found truth".9. This was the testimony of the earliest Church. Their lives were laid down, and so they experienced the resurrection power of Christ. If we combine the witness of these written records and the pictures drawn on catacomb walls we end up with the same thing:
For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3
This was the witness that God wanted, and this was the witness that was everywhere confirmed with miracles, signs and wonders. God will always confirm that witness by stretching forth His hand to heal, and to do miracles, that His name may be glorified. And that is exactly what happened to the early Christians.
Writing about 185 A.D. in his treatise Against Heresies Irenaeus says:
“And also in His name those who are truly His disciples, having received grace from Him, use it for the benefit of the rest of humanity, as each one of them has received the gift from Him. For some drive out demons certainly and truly, so that those who have been cleansed from evil spirits believe and are incorporated into the church. Others have foreknowledge of what is to come, and visions, and prophetic utterances. Others heal the sick through the laying on of hands, and render them healthy. And now, as we have said, even the dead have been raised, and have continued with us many years. And why say more? It is impossible to speak of the number of gifts (charismata) which the church throughout the whole world, having received from God in the name of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, is using each day for the benefit of the pagans, not deceiving anyone, nor making money from it. For as she has freely received from God, she also ministers freely.”
Later in the same treatise Irenaeus writes,
“We hear of many brethren in the church having prophetic gifts, and speaking in all different kinds of tongues through the Spirit, and bringing the secrets of people into the open for the common good, and explaining the mysteries of God.”
As one ancient historian said, "It was the miracle confirming the religion at every point."
If there is any one sentence that describes the life of a Christian it is this one from the Bible... For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3 By faith reckon that to be true of your life also.
