Clement was an elder at the congregation of the Lord’s church at Rome. His letter to the Corinthian church, written around AD 95, is widely considered to be the earliest Christian writing outside of the New Testament that we have today. The Bible is inspired of God and gives us all the necessary information to be saved (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3). Letters like Clement’s, though not inspired and authoritative, give us historical glimpses that corroborate the picture of early Christianity before many departures from the ancient order took place. Note this interesting passage:
The Apostles received the Gospel for us from the Lord Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ was sent forth from God. So then Christ is from God, and the Apostles are from Christ. Both therefore came of the will of God in the appointed order. Having therefore received a charge, and having been fully assured through the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ and confirmed in the word of God with full assurance of the Holy Ghost, they went forth with the glad tidings that the kingdom of God should come. So preaching everywhere in country and town, they appointed their first-fruits, when they had proved them by the Spirit, to be bishops and deacons unto them that should believe.[1]
The chain of authority is important to consider: God, Jesus, the Apostles, Bishops and Deacons. The New Testament gives details concerning this chain because God wanted His people to follow the proper authority and stay with the pure Gospel He had given. Jesus spoke only what the Father gave. In John 12:50, He said, “And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” The apostles were to be guided by the Holy Spirit into all truth — to recall all that Jesus had said unto them while present with them and to be taught the many things Jesus did not say to them during His earthly ministry because they could not at that time bear them (Jn. 14:25-26; 16:12-15). The apostles were witnesses of the resurrection (Acts 1:22); an event that provided evidence so convincing that even the skeptical Saul, when he saw the Lord, repented of his persecution, was baptized to wash away his sins, and began preaching the resurrection (Acts 22:3-21; 26:12-23; 1 Cor. 9:1; Gal. 1:23). The resurrection gave assurance to the apostles who went forth to preach the gospel to all nations as Christ commanded (Matt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15-16). Just as Jesus said the kingdom was nearby (Mt. 4:17; Lk. 16:16; 22:29), the apostles preached the kingdom (Acts 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23, 31). The first-century converts were in the realm of the kingdom (Col. 1:13), yet there is a sense in which they were preparing to enter the everlasting kingdom of heaven (Acts 14:22; Heb. 12:28; 2 Pet. 1:11). Among those in each city who had received this word and brought forth fruit, the apostles appointed elders and deacons (Acts 14:23; Phil. 1:1). The caliber of men appointed to these works is described in Titus 1:5-9 and 1 Timothy 3:1-13.
How drastically different is the picture of many churches today. Some churches have their own contemporary “apostles” who have not witnessed the resurrection of our Lord. They look to these men for revelation rather than the complete truth revealed to the true apostles of Christ in the first century, preserved for us in the New Testament. Many churches have an entire hierarchy with directors over multiple congregations and/or have one pastor over each congregation rather than the organization of the first-century church. It is no wonder then that many doctrines are taught today that cannot be found in the once-for-all-delivered faith of the New Testament for which we should earnestly contend (Jude 3). They are not respecting the authoritative message, but looking to different authorities who teach different doctrines. Let us respect the authority of God by following the gospel of the Lord Jesus delivered to all the world in the first century by the apostles and maintained at the local level by men, qualified according to the standard of the Scriptures, who watch for our souls.
-Mark Day
[1] Clement of Rome, Corinthians, 42
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