2nd Corinthians 1
John 6:41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
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Sunday sermon [2nd Cor. 1] Videos-
ON VIDEO
.The Bread- confession? [An interesting experience]
.Than came John 6:41
.What was the significance of the meaning of the word MANNA?
.Manna means āWhat is itā
.So like wise the 1st century Jewish person would not immediately recognize Jesus as the Messiah- in essence saying āWho is thisā?
.Jesus being the Bread from heaven
.Overview of Stephens sermon in Acts 7
.What was the main theme of his message?
.2 Corinthians- Paulās most autobiographical letter
.We too share in the sufferings of Christ [The fellowship of his suffering]
Philipians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
.Yes- Jesus āPaid it allā- and also left us an example of how to go thru suffering as well
.Look to the ājoy set before youā [Hebrews 12] and you than see a purpose in the suffering
.Church history
.Constantinople
.Development of the Papacy
.The split between Rome and the East [Orthodox] in 1054 ad
.Council of Trent
.The debate between Infusion or Imputation- which view is correct?
.Both
.The letter of James and the example of Abraham
.James was talking about the Genesis 22 account [Infusion]
.Paul primarily focused on Genesis 15 [Imputation]
.James and Paul do not disagree- the confusion is trying to make the James teaching fit into the Genesis 15 account of Imputation [technical- I know- but hopefully this will help my friends who are familiar with the debate]
.Soteriology [The doctrine of salvation] is Both a static- 1 time event [initial conversion] and also defined as a fluent conversion process thru out life
.Yes- scripture does have the final say
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his bodyās sake, which is the church:
In Context | Full Chapter | Other Translations
Col. 1:24
TEACHING [More teaching below]
Iāll add the intro to both 1st and 2nd Cor. that I wrote many years ago-
1st CORINTHIANS INTRODUCTION- Out of all of Paulās letters, this one is āthe most verifiedā as being his. Of course we know this because Paul says so in the letter! But for all those intellectual higher critics, this helps. Corinth was a city of great influence and trade, many land and sea routes converged at Corinth and her port. The city was also known for her philosophers and āpreachers of wisdomā [Rhetoric]. They actually had a custom at Corinth in which you could āhireā your own āpreacher of wisdomā. These were the traveling teachers who made a living at speaking. This also might be why Paul specifically said āwhen I was with you I did not take money from youā. The custom of the traveling preachers was you could pay a one time honorarium for a single speech, or you could actually hire a regular speaker and have him āon salaryā. Paul did not want the Corinthians to think that he was their hired preacher! How much influence this type of trade would have on the later development of the āhired clergyā is unknown, but the similarities are striking. The famous 5th century bishop of Hippo, North Africa, Saint Augustine, made his living as one of these traveling teachers of philosophy before becoming a Christian. Itās believed that Paul wrote a 3rd letter to the church at Corinth, so what we know as 1st, 2nd Corinthians might actually be letters 2 and 3. I personally think Corinthians holds special value for the church today. The 21st century believer is being challenged on her Ecclesiology, the whole idea of what the church is. In Corinthians we see a specific picture of what the church is and on how she should meet. Paul will not address āthe Pastorā [there was none in the modern sense of the office] but he will speak directly to the brothers at Corinth and give them some heavy responsibilities to carry out [like committing a brother to satan for the destruction of his flesh! Ouch]. Paul went to Corinth on his 2nd missionary journey and spent 18 months with them [Acts 18] one of the longest stays at any church. Because of the pagan background of the city Paul will address specific issues related to believers and certain practices of idol worship. Eating meat offered to idols and stuff like that. Corinth also practiced a form of idolatry that included prostitution, so he will deal severely with the loose sexual morals of the people at Corinth. Well we have a lot to cover in the next few weeks, try and read Corinthians on your own as we plunge into this study, it will help a lot.
INTRO, CHAPTER 1- Out of all of Paulās letters, this one is the most autobiographical. This is Paulās 3rd letter [some think 4th] to the Church at Corinth. There is a missing letter that we donāt have. Some scholars feel parts of the missing letter are in this letter [chapters 6, 10-13] either way, we know the letter is inspired and part of the canon of scripture. In chapter one Paul recounts the difficulties he went thru [and continues to go thru] for the sake of the gospel. Paul sees both his sufferings AND his deliverance as beneficial for the communities [churches] he is relating to. He says āGod establishes/strengthens us and anoints us together with youā. Paulās view of the church [his ecclesiology] is that God works with corporate groups of believers. His view on discipline is seen from this angle. In 1st Corinthians he says because we do not live to ourselves, therefore if one is in open, unrepentant sin, then commit him to judgment. Why? Because everything that one member does affects the others. I would not go so far and say that Paul taught āno salvation outside of the churchā but he sees salvation and Gods working with humans as a corporate experience. The Catholic Church for the first time in her history accepted other Protestant churches who confess Christ and his deity as āseparated brethrenā. This happened at Vatican 2 [1962-65]. The council explicitly taught the other churches were actually āchurchesā. They specifically used the word āsubsistsā when describing their view of the church. They said the church of Christ subsists in the Catholic Church in itās fullness. They still believe that the fullest expression of Christās church on earth is contained within her, but they rejected the hard line doctrine that the church exclusively resides within her. They realized that God was working with all Christian groups/churches, not just one. I recently saw an ad in my local paper from one of the traditional Latin churches, these are the old ātridentineā churches who observe the mass in Latin. The ad said that salvation is only in the Catholic expression of the church. I hate to correct my Catholic brothers [being I am a Protestant] but this language is not in keeping with the spirit of Vatican 2. Paul understood that God was working with him along with the corporate groups of people that he was relating to as an apostle. He will even teach that this dynamic can take place when they are physically separated, i.e.; he did not have to be in the same room/city for God to be working with them as a community. This is very important to see, it comes against certain expressions of local church. It also opens the door for other expressions of church, like āon-lineā communities. There are passages of scripture where Paul does say that whether he is with them in body or not, yet he is present in spirit joying and beholding their growth in Christ. Or he says word got back to him about their growth and he rejoiced in it. While believers should physically meet together as a testimony of their faith, yet the fact that there are occasions where this might not be possible does not mean that they canāt be joined together in spirit and truth. Peter says āyou who were not a people are now the people of God. You who did not obtain mercy have now obtained itā. God ābirthedā churches [communities of believers] thru the apostolic ministry of Paul, these groups were both birthed and received mercy as a corporate event, they understood that they were brothers and sisters in Christ.
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christās sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1st Peter 4.
PAST POSTS [These are links and parts of my past teachings that relate in some way to todayās post- verses and other videos at the bottom of this post]
https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/04/06/acts-7/
https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/11/30/ephesians-1/
https://ccoutreach87.com/2018/11/01/hebrews-4-6/
https://ccoutreach87.com/2018/11/06/hebrews-10-13/
https://ccoutreach87.wordpress.com/2016/06/14/amos-5/
https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/01/02/galatians-2/
https://ccoutreach87.com/2017/01/10/galatians-3/
https://ccoutreach87.com/2018/12/25/romans-1-3/
https://ccoutreach87.com/2018/12/27/romans-4-7/
https://ccoutreach87.com/reformation-links-6-2019/
https://ccoutreach87.com/james-2015/
2ND CORINTHIANS 4- In chapter 3 Paul said we are beholding/seeing God in an open way as compared to the old covenant. In this chapter he shows us how we āsee Godā. We see him in his Son. God has chosen to reveal himself to us thru his Son. One of the first Christian councils [after the one at Jerusalem in Acts 15!] was held in the 4th century under the Roman emperor Constantine. The reason was to bring unity to the church on the issue of Christās divinity. These councils played political roles as well as theological. After Constantine became emperor he established the great city in the eastern empire called Constantinople. This city [named after him] became both the theological and political seat in the eastern half of the empire. So you had both a religious and political competition going on in the empire. Rome, situated in the west, was feeling like she would lose her position if the eastern half started gaining too much influence. So you had differing reasons for these councils. But you also had sincere men who held to various beliefs at the time. The bishop Arius came to teach that Jesus was the Son of God, but not God himself. This created a stir in the empire and Constantine called a council to settle the question. The debates went forth, both views were discussed and classic Orthodoxy came down on the side of Jesus being God. Now, there would be more councils dealing with Gods nature and Christās role, but this was a defining moment in Christian history. The church [and the scriptures] teach that God became man [incarnation] and thru Jesus we āsee Godā. Paul also relates the many sufferings and trials he was going thru. He says he tastes death and bears in his body the death of Jesus. He simply does not give a picture of the Christian life that is common in todayās world. Many believers are taught that these types of difficulties and sufferings are a result of their lack of faith, or their inability to rightfully āaccess their covenant rightsā. Paul refutes this doctrine strongly. Paul has already mentioned those who āpeddle Gods wordā or who twist the scriptures for their own benefit. It always amazes me to see well meaning believers/teachers go thru the entire corpus of the New Testament and never see these things. Itās so easy for preachers/teachers to read the scriptures with blinders on. Here Paul taught that the many sufferings [both physical and spiritual] were an honorable thing, they were his way of sharing in the sufferings and death of Christ. They were ādeath in him, but life in youā he saw his difficulties thru a redemptive lens. He says the present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us. The first verse of this chapter says seeing we have received this great ministry, we donāt faint. I like Eugene Petersons Message version, he says ājust because times get hard, we donāt throw up our hands and walk off the jobā I like that.
[parts]
GALATIANS 2-
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
https://youtu.be/Ld07s54F3M4āGalatians 2
https://ccoutreach87.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/12-27-16-galatians-2.zip
ON VIDEO-
.What Jerusalem visit was it?
.Did Peter quote Paul in Acts 15?
.Hearing and believing justifies
.Paul rebukes Peter
.God chose us
.The faith itself is a gift
.Justin Martyr
.Legalism
.Law versus grace
.God rested the 7th day
.The āWayā
.Catholics and Protestants
.Great Schism- 1054 ad
.Reformation- 16th century
.We all have ātraditionsā
NEW-
As Paul makes the argument that āhis gospelā is the true message of grace-
He recounts a story about Peter.
One time Peter visited the gentile Christians of Antioch [the region] and when Peter was with them he ate and fellowshipped with them-
Galatians 2:11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.
Galatians 2:12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.
Galatians 2:13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.
Then Paul says when some from āJamesā came down- he separated himself from the gentiles- and started going back to the old ways of the law [The Jews saw the gentiles as unclean].
Paul says he withstood Peter- to his face- and said this-
Galatians 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
Ok- it looks like Peter learned a lesson this day.
The same lesson God himself showed him in Acts chapter 10-
Acts 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
Acts 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
Now- we read about a visit Paul made to Jerusalem- ā14 yearsā after the encounter he mentioned in chapter 1 [of Galatians]-
Galatians 2:1 Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.
Galatians 2:2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.
I donāt want to get too much into the weeds here- but bible scholars have different views on the visit to Jerusalem mentioned in this chapter.
Some think this is talking about a visit we read about in Acts 11- others think he is speaking about the acts 15 council.
On the video I talk about the different reasons why this is so- but it really makes no difference-
The main point Paul is making is the fact that the leadership of the Jerusalem church knew he was preaching grace to the gentiles- and they were ok with that.
He spends a lot of time in chapters 1 and 2 defending himself- and talking about his interaction with the leaders of the church at Jerusalem.
The reason he is doing this is because the Judiazers [the believing Pharisees out of Jerusalem] were going around behind Paulās back and telling his converts that Paul was teaching in rebellion of the āmain churchā at Jerusalem.
Acts 15:1 And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.
Acts 15:2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.
He in fact was not.
At the end of the chapter we have another clear argument for why people are indeed justified by faith in Jesus- and not by the works of the law.
Galatians 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Galatians 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.
Galatians 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
Galatians 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.
Galatians 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: neverthless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
I mention- quote a lot on todayās video [Galatians 2]-
Iāll try and add some of my past teaching on the key chapters [Acts 10- etc.]
Because they fit In with the whole story of whatās going on-
The New Testament is to be read in context.
When we read thru the whole bible- it helps us see the bigger picture.
One note on why I think it might be possible that the visit talked about in this chapter might not be the Acts 15 council-
When Paul recounts his rebuke to Peter ā these are the same words Peter uses when defending Paul at the Jerusalem council-
Galatians 2:14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
Acts 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Acts 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;
Acts 15:9 And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.
Acts 15:10 Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
Sort of like Peter remembered the earlier rebuke by Paul- and it stuck with him.
Another reason it might be the earlier meeting- is Paul says the only ordinance James gave them- was to remember the poor-
Galatians 2:9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.
Galatians 2:10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.
Yet- in the famous Acts 15 meeting- there were actually 4 things James and the leaders told them- and in the Acts 15 meeting- it leaves out the part about taking care of the poor-
Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things;
Acts 15:29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well.
Either way- the main message is the same.
That the gentile believers did not have to get circumcised and come under the law in order to be saved-
In the words of Paul himself- this would make the death of Christ āvainā-
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
PAST TEACHING I DID THAT RELATES-
https://ccoutreach87.com/acts/ā%5Bsee chapters- 10- 11- 15- I talk about them on todayās video- Galatians 2.
GALATIANS [Links]
https://ccoutreach87.com/2016/12/26/galatians-1/
https://ccoutreach87.com/2016/12/30/2nd-samuel-3-homeless-friends/
I also mention- quote from these books- here are my past commentaries on them-
https://ccoutreach87.com/ephesians-highlights/
https://ccoutreach87.com/romans-updated-2015/
https://ccoutreach87.com/john-complete-links-added/
https://ccoutreach87.com/hebrews-updated-2015/
https://ccoutreach87.com/james-2015/
https://ccoutreach87.com/protestant-reformation-luther/
[parts]
Part of the achievements of Constantine was his development of the eastern half of the Roman empire- whose capitol was named after him- Constantinople.
Over a period of years the early Roman church fought over whose bishop would have more influence- the bishop of Rome [Pope] or the bishop in the east.
Many bishops in the Catholic Church have disagreed over the influence of one bishop being greater than the others [the idea that all the bishops should have an equal voice at the church councils is called Collegiality].
This has caused splits within the Catholic Church thru the centuries [the last big one in the 19th century].
Eventually the early church split- and the Eastern Church separated from Rome.
The eastern empire [called Byzantium- the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church] officially split in the year 1054.
Now- in church history we call this the Great Schism- even though the Protestant split which took place in the 16th century was greater in effect.
Okay- the Protestant reformers split over various issues- I have an entire study on the blog about this.
But the main issue became what we call justification by faith.
Over the centuries many good men- and average church goers- lost the main message of the New Testament- which was a message of being saved by the grace of God.
Many well meaning Christians were struggling to do penance in a way that sort of earned them their salvation thru works.
[parts]
. Let me cover some church history. I have had someone argue with me about the history of Islam. Not a Muslim, but a Christian who was saying āwhy do you say Islam started in the 7th century, it started around the 11thā. My answer was āMuhammad lived in the 7th centuryā. Not to hard to see this. So I thought I should cover some history. During the time of the rise of Islam, the Christian church was already dividing from east and west. After Constantine [4th century Roman emperor] consolidated the Roman Empire in the 4th century he set up the capital city of the eastern empire, Constantinople [named after him]. As time progressed the western church would take on the form of Roman Catholicism, the eastern [Constantinople area. Modern day Turkey-Istanbul] would be known as āOrthodoxā. Though the official split of eastern and western [Catholic-Rome!] churches occurred in 1054 AD, yet the division started years before. The official split is called āthe great schismā of the 11th century; it would not be until 500 years later that the church would have her āreformationā. The official reason for this split was over a rather silly thing. For centuries the Catholic church had an expression that said āthe Holy Spirit proceeds from the Fatherā than they included āhe proceeds from the father and the Sonā. Well the eastern brothers didnāt like Rome telling them what to believe and used this as the official reason to āhave the schismā. To be honest the divisions were coming for years. After the Roman Empire consolidated under Constantine, he tried to strengthen the eastern territories of his empire and for centuries you had the struggle for which region would be the most influential. At first you had 5 major areas that were divided under 5 main Bishops. As time went on the argument would be āwhich bishop has the most say soā and it was really a power struggle. Finally Rome said āthe bishop of Rome is the FIRST AMONG EQUALS [a term that many in the Protestant strain of the discipling movement would later embrace] he holds Peters seatā and this is really where the divisions started. Eventually Muhammad would rise and Islam would take control of the eastern capital. This later became the reason for the crusades. The Catholic church wanted to regain the territories that she lost in the east. The eastern churches are very much Catholic in many ways. They also hold to a view of Christianity that sees man being ājoinedā with God and becoming pleasing to God thru Christās grace uniting with us and making us like him. A perfectly scriptural view, but a different emphasis from the strong intellectual power that you read about from the western fathers of the church. The Catholic church is noted for her social action in ways that the eastern church is not. So both of these communions have good things to bring to the table. The Orthodox [eastern] churches would not be affected by the major social and political upheavals that took place in the west. The Renaissance, the Reformation and the Enlightenment had major impacts on western Christianity, while not affecting the eastern church in the same way. During the 13th- 15th centuries you would have āpre reformersā rise up in the western church. John Wycliffe, the great Catholic Priest who was at the center of learning in France would become known for his translating the scriptures into the common language. Then you have John Huss and John Knox [3 Johns, scripture says 3 fold cords are not easily broken!] who would have their own influence in western Christianity. At this time you had whole movements of believers who would be seen as neither āwestern or easternā but restorationist [the restoring of the early practices and beliefs of the church] Peter Waldo would be the Father of the Waldensians and in the 12th century you would have the Albigenses in the south of France. These groups would be looked upon as ācultsā [though the term was not used yet] by the traditional church. So you can see how the church has been growing and reforming ever since the first century. Even though we see many divisions that exist till this day, there are strides being made for unity. The eastern and western church are very close toāre unitingā once again. While I do not personally hold to the doctrine of the Pope being the occupier of Peterās seat, I also see him as a Christian man who is striving for unity in Christās church. Some believe the whole attempt for outward unity is futile. The more ardent Protestants see it as āthe one world church of the anti christā I reject that language out of hand. Well I hope you got something out of this short overview of world history [real short!].
Some sites see here https://johnchiarello.blogspot.com/2026/04/2-cor-1-text.html
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