Christianity Through Time: First Century vs Twenty-First Century

Having a keen interest in Church history and how we got to be at the point we are currently at, I decided to look into several questions I have on the topic. To help me in researching this topic, I made use of AI. The answers I came up with as a result are very interesting and thought-worthy.

►The first question was: “Based on scripture and all historical writings concerning the church, what branch, movement or denomination of Christianity seems to fit best with first century Christianity?”

Short answer first:

No modern denomination fully matches first-century Christianity. But the form of Christianity reflected in the New Testament and the earliest post-apostolic writings most closely resembles a pre-denominational, sacramental, communal, episcopal church with strong Jewish roots—something that later developed into what we now call early catholic Christianity, before medieval accretions (before it grew into what we know it as today) and before the Reformation split.

That probably sounds unsatisfying at first—so let’s walk through the evidence step by step. Here is why that conclusion keeps emerging when Scripture and early history are taken together.

1. What First-Century Christianity Actually Looked Like

If we restrict ourselves to the New Testament and Late 1st–early 2nd century writings (c. AD 70–150), we get a surprisingly consistent picture.

Main Features:

First-century Christianity was:

• Christ-centered (not system-centered)

• Apostolically governed

• Sacramental (baptism + Eucharist central)

• Communal (shared life, discipline, charity)

• Ethically demanding

• Eschatologically expectant

• Still deeply Jewish in worldview

It was not:

• A creed-heavy system

• A faith-alone vs works debate

• A denominational marketplace

• A Bible-only religion (the NT wasn’t complete yet)

2. Scripture Alone Already Rules Out Modern “Denominations”

The New Testament church had No denominational identity, No confessional statements, and No competing theological brands. Paul explicitly condemns factionalism (1 Cor 1:10–13).
The earliest Christians identified themselves simply as “the Way.”

So the real question becomes: “Which later tradition preserved the structure, theology, and practice most faithfully?”

3. What the Earliest Extra-Biblical Sources Tell Us

♦ Didache (c. AD 70–100)

What it shows:

• Baptism by water, fasting, moral instruction

• Eucharist as a sacred act (not symbolic snack time)

• Church discipline

• Bishops and deacons

• A Jewish moral framework re-centered on Christ

► This does not resemble modern evangelical free-church models.

♦ Ignatius of Antioch (c. AD 110)

What he insists on:

• One bishop per city

• Unity with that bishop

• Eucharist as the flesh of Christ

• Visible, structured church authority

“Where the bishop is, there is the Church.”

► That rules out:

• Congregationalism

• Individualistic Christianity

• Invisible-church models

♦ Justin Martyr (c. AD 150)

Describes:

• Sunday worship

• Readings from Scripture

• Eucharist understood as more than symbolism

• Regeneration through baptism

► Again: sacramental, liturgical, communal.

4. What This Immediately Disqualifies

Modern Evangelicalism

• No sacraments in early sense

• No episcopal authority

• Bible-only theology would be impossible in the 1st century (New Testament not yet completed)

• Faith vs works categories are later debates

Dispensationalism

• No Israel–Church separation

• No rapture theology

• Kingdom language is present-tense and covenantal

Restorationist Movements (including SDA, LDS, JW)

• Claim apostasy too early to fit history

• Reconstruct theology instead of organically inheriting it

• Introduce doctrines unknown to early church

5. By These Standards, Which Traditions Come Closest?

♦ Eastern Orthodox

Strengths

• Strong continuity with early liturgy

• Sacramental worldview

• Apostolic succession

• Theosis aligns well with early soteriology

Weaknesses

• Later icon theology developments

• Post-biblical metaphysical expansions

• Some dogmas crystallized centuries later

♦ Roman Catholic

Strengths

• Early episcopal structure

• Sacramental theology

• Strong sense of continuity

Weaknesses

• Papal supremacy develops later

• Medieval doctrines absent from early sources

• Scholastic categories foreign to 1st century thought

♦ High-Church Anglicanism

Strengths

• Tries to preserve patristic core

• Sacraments, creeds, episcopacy

• Less dogmatic about medieval additions

Weaknesses

• Inherits Reformation assumptions

• Lacks unified theology globally

♦ Some Forms of Reformed Covenant Theology

Strengths

• Serious engagement with Scripture

• Covenant continuity

• Christ-centered hermeneutic

Weaknesses

• Non-sacramental (in the early sense)

• No historical continuity of structure

• Justification framework post-Augustine

6. The Best Historical Answer (Even If It’s Uncomfortable)

The Christianity that best fits first-century evidence is:

The apostolic church before it became Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox.

In other words:

• A proto-catholic church

• United

• Sacramental

• Governed by bishops

• Centered on Christ’s resurrection and kingdom

• Interpreting Scripture typologically and covenantally

• Expecting Christ’s return soon

Every modern tradition:

• Preserves something real

• Adds something later

• Loses something original

7. Why This Matters (and Why It’s Not a Trap)

This conclusion does not mean:

• “You must become Orthodox/Catholic”

• “The Reformation was illegitimate”

• “Early church was infallible”

It means:

• The earliest church was less systematized

• More relational

• More communal

• More sacramental

• Less obsessed with doctrinal boundary policing

8. A Fair Summary

Question	Best Historical Answer
Exact modern match?	None
Closest structural continuity	Eastern Orthodoxy / Early Catholicism
Closest theological tone	Covenant-centered, Christ-focused, sacramental
Biggest modern deviation	Individualistic, Bible-only Christianity
Biggest historical myth	“The early church believed exactly like us”

_________________________________

►The second question was: “Which parts of early Christianity should be recovered—and which should not?”

A good way to answer this is: recover what is apostolic (rooted in the NT and broadly witnessed very early), be cautious with what is early-but-not-necessary, and don’t “recover” what was a distortion or a context-bound mistake. Early doesn’t automatically mean best—but early can be a great diagnostic tool.

Parts worth recovering

1) A thicker view of “church” as a real, visible body

The NT assumes identifiable communities with shared worship, discipline, leadership, care for the poor, and peacemaking (Acts; 1 Cor; 1 Tim/Titus; Hebrews). Therefore committed membership, shared practices, real accountability, reconciliation as normal Christian work are all worth recovering.

2) Catechesis and moral formation before/after baptism

The earliest post-NT material shows strong emphasis on training—not just “decision,” but a way of life. With this in mind, recover: deep discipleship, moral clarity, “faith working through love,” and teaching people how to pray, read Scripture, and live.

3) A sacramental/embodied Christianity (without magical thinking)

Even if you hold different views of the sacraments, early Christianity’s “embodied” posture is valuable:

• Baptism as a decisive entry into Christ’s people (not a casual accessory).

• The Lord’s Supper as covenant renewal, communion, and a serious act of worship (a core component).

• Recover: reverence, frequency, gratitude, unity, and pastoral care around the table.

4) The centrality of corporate prayer, fasting, and worship rhythms

Early Christians didn’t treat spiritual disciplines as niche “monk stuff.” Therefore a recovery of regular prayer (personal + gathered), fasting as normal training, Scripture-saturated liturgy (even in simple forms) would reflect the early church.

5) Care for the poor, the sick, the marginalized as core, not “optional outreach”

This wasn’t branding; it was identity. Recover: local, consistent mercy; shared resources; practical solidarity across class lines.

6) Mission as a whole-life witness

• Not just arguments, but observable holiness, patience in suffering, sexual integrity, and courageous love.

• Recover: quiet fidelity + public courage.

7) A Christ-centered, typological reading of Scripture (with guardrails)

The NT itself models Christ as the interpretive center (Luke 24). With this in mind, recover: reading the OT as fulfilled in Christ and seeing patterns/typology—but keeping controls (no wild allegory untethered from the text).

Parts to recover with caution (good, but easy to misuse)

1) Strong authority structures

Early Christianity moved quickly toward bishops/elders with real authority. That can protect unity—but also enable abuse.

• Recover: accountable leadership, real pastoral oversight.

• Caution: resist unchallengeable hierarchy, clericalism, personality cults.

2) Liturgical development

Liturgy can deepen Scripture and prayer; it can also become rote or a substitute for discipleship.

• Recover: Scripture-shaped worship, historic prayers/creeds (when helpful).

• Caution: don’t confuse reverence with spirituality, or uniformity with unity.

3) Ascetic disciplines

Fasting and self-control are healthy; extreme asceticism can drift into body-denial or pride.

• Recover: disciplined joy, sexual holiness, simplicity.

• Caution: avoid shame-based spirituality or “holiness” as status.

4) Martyrdom ethos

The early church’s courage is inspiring. But some later strands flirted with “seeking” martyrdom.

• Recover: non-retaliation, bold witness, willingness to suffer.

• Caution: don’t romanticize suffering or turn persecution into a badge.

Parts not worth “recovering”

1) Anti-Jewish polemics and later ethnic contempt

Some early Christian writing slides into rhetoric that fuelled later harms. Don’t recover: contempt for Jews, caricatures, replacement arrogance. Instead, recover Paul’s posture—humility, grief, hope, and gratitude toward Israel (Rom 9–11).

2) Over-reading prophecy into current events (proto–“end-times code”)

Apocalyptic hope is biblical; “headline exegesis” is not. Don’t recover: constant date-setting tendencies or demonizing political enemies as prophecy fulfillment. Recover: watchfulness, endurance, allegiance to Christ over empire.

3) Coercive or punitive approaches to discipline

Some later practice (even if “early”) veered into control. Don’t recover: manipulation, fear, shaming, public humiliation. Instead, recover restorative discipline aimed at healing and reconciliation (Matt 18).

4) Magical or transactional religion

Relics, superstition, and “holy objects” as guarantees can creep in early. Don’t recover: mechanisms that replace repentance, faith, and love. Do recover the conviction that God is present and active—without turning that into technique.

5) The “one perfect golden age” myth

The early church had real problems: factionalism, false teaching, moral compromise, leadership failures (NT itself is proof).

• Don’t recover: naïve idealization.

• Recover: realism + repentance + resilience.

A practical filter you can use

When you find a practice/idea in early Christianity, ask:

1. Is it clearly rooted in the New Testament?

2. Is it widely attested early (not just one stream)?

3. Does it reliably produce Christlike outcomes—love, holiness, unity, mission?

4. Can it be practiced without contradicting the gospel of grace?

5. Does it empower the whole body, not just an elite class?

If it scores high, recover it. If it fails 3–5, be very careful.

______________________________

►My third question was: If someone were looking for a church to join and they wanted it to resemble as closely as possible a first century Christian body of believers, what should they be considering?Structure (as a starting point) someone simply identifying as a non-denominational Christian who had very loose roots as a mainstream Protestant.

Such a person already has enough Protestant DNA to care deeply about Scripture and grace, but enough distance from rigid systems to recover early Christianity without just swapping denominations. Such a person is therefore looking for depth, continuity, and faithfulness without importing baggage.

Therefore, think of the following as scaffolding, not a new identity.

A Recoverable Structure for Early Christianity

(without becoming Catholic, Orthodox, or sectarian)

1. Identity First: Who You Are (and Are Not)

Keep

• Christian (not “ex-evangelical,” not “proto-Catholic,” not “Orthodox-lite”)

• Grounded in Christ, not a movement

• Scripture as normative and final

Explicitly Reject

• “Non-denominational” as something content-free

• Lone-ranger Christianity

• Church-as-content-provider

Adopt this self-understanding:

A historically rooted, Christ-centered, Scripture-shaped Christian in a local body.

This aligns perfectly with the first century: identity before institution.

2. Authority Structure (Without Authoritarianism)

Early Christian Pattern

• Scripture (Hebrew Scriptures [Old Testament] + apostolic teaching [today = New Testament])

• Apostles → elders/bishops

• Communal discernment

• Tradition as received practice, not untouchable law

Recover This As:

A three-layer authority model

1. Scripture – supreme, public, testable

2. Historic witness – early church as guardrails (not dictators)

3. Local leadership – accountable elders/pastors, not celebrities

What This Means Practically

• You read Scripture with the early church, not over it

• You don’t need a modern prophet, pope, or personality

• Leaders can be questioned—but not ignored

3. Church Structure (Minimal but Real)

Early Christianity Was:

• Local

• Visible

• Accountable

• Communal

• Not consumer-driven

Recover:

• A stable local congregation

• Recognizable leadership (plural elders preferred)

• Meaningful membership (even informal)

• Church discipline as restorative, not punitive

Avoid:

• “I attend when it feeds me”

• Online-only church life

• Charismatic authority without accountability

If no church fully fits: choose the least malformed, not the perfect one.

4. Sacraments / Ordinances (Reverent, Not Magical)

You don’t need to resolve every debate to recover early practice.

Baptism

Recover: Serious preparation, Public identification with Christ, and Moral or covenantal weight.

Avoid: Casual “box-check” baptisms, Re-baptism as spiritual therapy.

Lord’s Supper

Recover: Frequency, Reverence, Self-examination, Unity of the body, and Thanksgiving (eucharistia)

Avoid: Hyper-symbolism (“just a reminder”), and Mystical mechanics (“automatic grace”).

Think covenant renewal, not ritual magic.

5. Discipleship (From Decision to Formation)

Early Christianity Assumed:

• Long-term formation

• Moral transformation

• Community accountability

• Obedience as response, not currency

Recover:

• Catechesis (learning the faith in depth)

• Mentorship (older believers shaping younger ones)

• Clear ethical teaching (sexuality, honesty, generosity, forgiveness)

Avoid:

• “I prayed the prayer”

• Discipleship as optional

• Grace vs obedience dichotomies

Grace trains us (Titus 2), it doesn’t excuse stagnation.

6. Spiritual Practices (Simple, Ancient, Sustainable)

Recover ordinary rhythms, not heroic feats.

Core Practices

• Daily prayer (fixed times help)

• Scripture reading (whole Bible, not snippets)

• Fasting (periodic, sane)

• Confession (to God, sometimes to trusted believers)

• Generosity

No need for monastic extremes.

Avoid:

• Performance spirituality

• Shame-driven disciplines

• Spiritual minimalism

7. Scripture Reading: Early Christian Lens

Recover:

• Christ-centered reading (Luke 24)

• Typology (not wild allegory)

• Narrative coherence (creation → Christ → new creation)

• Moral formation, not just information

Avoid:

• Proof-text wars

• End-times obsession

• Treating the Bible as a systematic theology textbook

Read Scripture as the church’s book, not a private oracle.

8. Eschatology: Hope Without Obsession

Early Church Emphasis:

• Christ will return

• Live faithfully now

• Resist empire

• Endure suffering

• Don’t speculate endlessly

Recover:

• Watchfulness

• Courage

• Kingdom loyalty

• Resurrection hope

Avoid:

• Date-setting

• Culture-war apocalypse

• Turning Revelation into a news decoder ring

9. Ethics & Witness

Recover: Sexual integrity, Non-retaliation, Care for the poor, Hospitality, and Faithfulness in ordinary work.

Avoid: Culture-war Christianity, Moralism without mercy, and Activism without holiness

Early Christianity grew because it lived differently, not louder.

10. What You Do Not Need to Do

You do not need to:

• Convert to Orthodoxy or Catholicism

• Adopt incense, icons, or vestments

• Reject the Reformation wholesale

• Pretend the early church was perfect

• Abandon Protestant insights into grace and Scripture

A One-Sentence Summary:

Recover early Christianity by deepening commitment, embodiment, formation, and hope—without importing later systems, power structures, or reactionary extremes.

___________________________

If you are curious about other articles on this blog an index can be found at this link: Index