Most traditional churches today develop a theology from the first five books of the New Testament. As a result we find irrelevant practices that are strange to the body of Christ. As shown in the "Timetable" chart below, in the beginning the early church only had the letters written by Paul for developing their theology. Attempting to form a theology from the first five, primarily historical, books of the N.T. also results in the church trying to be something that was from another economy that God never intended for our dispensation. The Gospels, book of Acts and the Hebrew epistles where written later, after the early church's theology had firmly been indoctrinated. Many accepted traditions today are not only impractical, but mislead the body of Christ to its true purpose. Understanding that the church's theology is to be taken from the Pauline epistles can rectify this serious problem. True, all the bible is for the church, but not all the bible is to the church (e.g., James 1:1). Putting this into another perspective, what if the church today identified with the practices from the first five, primarily historical, books of the Old Testament. We might then find ourselves living out another earlier economy such as preparing for the great flood by building an ark or doing the legal rituals of the tabernacle priests in a wilderness. Absurd? No less so if we continue our erroneous practices in the church today based primarily of the first books of the New Testament. We must therefore closely examine the traditions of men practiced in the church today if we are to find meaningful and practical ways of fulfilling the purposes of God. Jesus rebuked the traditions of the Pharisees and the scribes of that day; would he do the same with the leaders of the church today? And He said to them, "Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.' "Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men." (Mark 7:6-8 NASB). And finally, Paul instructs us, "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form, and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;..." (Col. 2:6-10 NASB).
| A. Paul's Writings | B. The Gospels and Acts | C. The Hebrew Epistles |
|---|---|---|
| Romans--58 A.D. | Matthew--68 A.D. | Hebrews--68 A.D. |
| I Corinthians--56 A.D. | Mark--65 A.D. | James--55-62 A.D. |
| II Corinthians--57 A.D. | Luke--62 A.D. | I Peter--63 A.D. |
| Galatians--54-55 A.D. | John--90 A.D. | II Peter--66 A.D. |
| Ephesians--61 A.D. | Acts--62 A.D. | I,II,III John--90's A.D. |
| Philippians--61 A.D. | Jude--80 A.D. | |
| Colossians--61 A.D. | Revelation--90's A.D. | |
| I Thessalonians--51 A.D. | ||
| II Thesalonians--51 A.D. | ||
| I Timothy--63 A.D. | ||
| II Timothy--66 A.D. | ||
| Titus--65 A.D. | ||
| Philemon--61 A.D |