Christianity Now and in 30 A.D. - The Differences!

I've expounded before on the tragic abyss between what Christianity has become and once used
to be, and in my opinion ought to be, due to the fact that fundamental teachings of Christ Himself
and His early spokesmen are purposely being ignored by His modern supposed followers,
resulting in the constant discomfort of having to apologize for the rest of the world for pertaining to
a group of people, which, originally, truly was a ray of hope for anyone who believed in the depth
of his heart that there had to be something else besides the usual games people play, with their
rules of acquisition of power, fame, fortune and temporal glory.

As a Christian, I see it as part of my duty to rectify that the crimes Christianity has been found
guilty of for the past 16 centuries (and unfortunately, during the current one more than ever), were
not at all in its Founder's intention.

Somewhere around the 4th century, after having failed to wipe out the church (meaning
"ecclesia," Greek for "the called out ones") through persecution, Satan finally changed his attitude
toward Christianity into "If you can't lick'em, join'em." The result is the sad picture of what
Christendom has become since.

But what was it like before that? What were the differences, and which was the way the early
followers of Christ lived that are such a stark contrast to what may be labeled "Christianity" today,
but really, only amounts to not much more than Churchianity?

One blatant contrast that jumps in my face time and time again, is the materialistic attitude that
has taken hold of probably the vast part of Christendom throughout the past millennium and a
half, as totally opposed to what Jesus Himself, and His most ardent representative of the 1st
century, the apostle Paul of Tarsus (aka St. Paul) had to say on such subjects as money, wealth,
and one's dedication to the acquisition of such.

Most Christians are apparently totally oblivious to the fact that the Early Christians lived in a
totally unique style which could perhaps be termed "total, holy Communism." In fact, it was the
prototype of communism, and the only type that ever worked, since it's impossible to achieve it by
leaving out the main Factor, which happens to be God and His supernatural love.

The reason most people are totally ignorant of this, is because they either simply don't read their
Bibles, or they only read and remember the parts they like.

Apparently none of those Sunday morning assemblers who proudly present their attire and
vehicles in those pompous palaces they named after the assembly of those who died as martyrs
in Christ's footsteps, after having lived their lives in modesty, has ever seriously pondered the
statements we find in the Book of Acts on how Christians lived back then.

It doesn't say there, "And all that believed assembled once a week in the temple to sing, pray and
listen to the preacher for an hour, and then drove home, each in their car and to their own
houses, spending the rest of the week in the pursuit of their happiness, aka financial stability."

What it does say, is, "And all that believed were together and had all things common. And sold
their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. ...Neither said
any of them that any of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things
common." (Acts 2:44, 45, 4:32).

You can only imagine the average Christian's head-shaking attitude toward such a radical life-
style, of people living together and sharing all things...

When it boils down to it, neither Jesus, nor Paul, John or James had much good to say about
money, or rich people.
The next vast gap between Christianity now and then - which I have repeatedly addressed in my
blogs, because i just can't do the subject justice - is the current "Christian" attitude towards war,
their silent consent to their nations' government sending their own sons (and daughters) off to
foreign countries under often more than shady and questionable pretexts, to kill and maim their
often totally innocent citizens by the hundreds of thousands.

It is unthinkable that Christians during the first 3 centuries would have given their consent, had
the Romans called upon them to join the empire in one of its military actions against other
countries.

Of course, all that changed with the crusades. But whether you can rectify having the audacity of
calling that "Christianity," you have to decide for yourself, especially in the light of all Jesus had to
say on the subject.

Christians in the first 3 centuries were a persecuted minority, not - as has been the case since
fake Christendom became a world power - a persecuting majority and ruthless authority. It is
really no wonder that some people think that the world would be better off without the scourge of
Christianity falsely so-called, and if you ask me, that's where the future of "Christendom" is
headed: elimination by the same tactics it has applied on the inhabitants of much of the world for
centuries. Luckily, this will separate the true sheep from the goats and expose who was really "in
it" for the right and wrong reasons...

In the final analysis, it seems that Christianity was certainly better off in its original state, and from
the looks of it, we're going to have to face the fact that that's where Christianity is headed again:
back to the ranks of the persecuted minorities, instead of those of the ruthless oppressors, even if
it will be the latter that will bring the persecution upon themselves, (and even if most of them
probably won't see the writing on the wall before it's too late).

What Christians worldwide ought to do is get "Back to the Basics," "trim the fat" and return to its
humble origins, instead of trying to play the rulers in a world that is currently run by Christ's
enemies. They'd do a whole lot better to heed the Words of their Founder, instead of the false
prophets' tales of peace when there is no peace, and of prosperity gained by the exploitation of
the poor of the world, which God simply cannot bless.

As long as Christians chime, "God bless America, no matter what," they show that they put
themselves above the very laws of God, and thus become an abomination to Him, and will only
reap the consequences accordingly.

They should seek their God for the kind of courage that their spiritual forefathers many centuries
ago had, who were willing to be despised and persecuted as members of that obscure sect that
followed a Leader Who had challenged all the existing values of the world.

Unfortunately, not many of us seem to be nearly as strong as Jesus was when the Devil tempts
us with the riches of this world. Most of us give him a warm welcome, throw our arm around his
neck and say to Jesus, "See ya on Sunday!"