THE RELATION OF HISTORY TO THE CHRISTIAN ORDINANCES

THE RELATION OF HISTORY TO THE CHRISTIAN ORDINANCES

 

lb. History has a definite place in determining the meaning of the ordinances.

Many insist that they do not want one to sight history as evidence. Just show it from the Word of God.
While this attitude may be commendable, it overlooks the place and importance of history.

    2b. The various functions of profane history.

  (1)  Accurate historical records explain faith and life of people.
By means of these records it is possible to reconstruct the past. This is what the four gospels do, also Acts.
When secular history is verified over and over again by scientific method its record may be trusted.
When the sacred and the secular coincide, they explain each other.
Then words and phrase of scripture come from the past, and men are dependent upon history to know what they mean.
  (2)  History also confirms the Biblical record. When the Bible speaks of the ordinances being practiced in a certain way, and then secular history verifies this, it confirms the Biblical record.
The overwhelming testimony of history from the early church supports the practices of the Brethren Church.
  (3)  Church history lends its voice to the record of Scripture.
The apostles knew what the Lord meant when He gave the ordinances, and they taught their converts, and these also taught theirs. History will tell us what the apostles taught.
Once forms are established, it is very difficult to change them. One may change doctrine, but changing forms is too obvious, and people fight it.