Bible Reading: Proverbs 22:17-24 KJV
- Proverbs 22:17 KJV
For the first 300 years after the death of Jesus, Christians were persecuted and martyred for their beliefs. Conversely, the church has never grown as fast as it did during that time. During this period to become a Christian and to be baptized was a death sentence - no one then was just playing church. Tertullian, a second-century church father who lived in Carthage, North Africa during the time when the blood of martyrs soaked the earth, maintained that the more Christians were persecuted and killed, the more they would multiply because “the blood of Christians is seed.”
The Ante-Nicene Fathers' writings are a collection of works by numerous influential Christian leaders who lived and wrote before the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. These early Church Fathers provide a unique glimpse into the beliefs and practices of the early Church, offering invaluable guidance for believers today.
Though they are not Canon or inspired writings, they provide great insight to history and thoughts of the early church. Consider the authority these men had access to. If Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John, had a question about a teaching of Jesus, he could go directly to John and ask what did Jesus teach about this? Then the same could be said of Polycarp's disciples Ignatius and Irenaeus. As you read these men's writings, you will find they are aligned with the Bible, but not always so much with many doctrines being taught today.
By studying the Ante-Nicene Fathers' writings, we can gain a deeper understanding of the early Church and its teachings, ultimately enriching our own spiritual lives. As our text verse Proverbs 22:17 states, we are instructed to listen and to hear the words of the wise and apply it.
