the importance of church history in everyday life

8/8/2019 The Importance of Church History in Everyday Life

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The Importance of Church History

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THE IMPORTANCE OF CHURCH HISTORY

Introduction

We are living in an age when knowledge of Churchhistory is conspicuously lacking among Christians andthe repercussions of this are devastating. It hascontributed largely to a return to the days of the Judges

(Judges 21:25).

This lack of knowledge regarding the work of God inthe past is evident also in the general apostasy of theChurch, the slide into self-dependence and autonomy(Deuteronomy 5:15). The study of the works of the Lordand the wonders of old(Psalm 77:11) is not a moot issue,

but is extremely important; it is spoken of throughout

Scripture.

The Biblical Use of History

There are many practical values to Church History in

the life of the Church and of the individual; these areinferred from the overall teaching of Scripture.

The English word history comes from the Greek wordhistorew and is derived from histor, meaning one who

knows, one who has seen or one who is acquaintedwith the facts. The verb historew means to know in thespecial sense of putting knowledge to effect, and the


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noun then is the result. The historis not merely one whoknows; he is one who puts his knowledge to good effect.

This is illustrated in Galatians 1:18 where we find theonly New Testament usage of this Greek word. Paulgoes up to see (KJV) Peter, or to enquire about Peter

and get to know him better. It is not that Paul went toask of Peter in the sense of getting information fromhim. No, Paul visited Peter to get to know his history,to get to know him and his background, his theology,and perhaps his life and walk with Jesus during hisearthly ministry. He later puts that knowledge to gooduse when he confronts him about his error (cf. 2:11).

It is clear that the writer to the Hebrews also knew theworth of history when he wrote chapter 11, for there wehave the great cloud of witnesses from the Old

Testament. If these individuals were given to the earlychurch for their encouragement why should not agreater cloud of evangelists, martyrs, reformers andsaints of every age and language be brought before usfor the same purpose?

There are a number of Old Testament Passages that deal

with Gods people remembering the past to good effect.The redemptive event of the exodus is above all one tobe remembered. Over and over again the Israelites areexhorted to look back with humble contemplation attheir deliverance from Egypt. Notice the followingbenefits of knowing our history.


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The Benefits of Church History

1. History as an Item of PraiseDeuteronomy 32:7-8 Remember the days of old,

consider the years of many generations: ask thy father, and hewill shew thee; thy elders, and they will tell thee.

When the most High divided to the nations theirinheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set thebounds of the people according to the number of the childrenof Israel.

Psalm 77:11-12 I will remember the works of theLORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I willmeditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. (See

also Psalm 105:5; 143:5)Psalm 126:3The LORD hath done great things for

us; whereof we are glad.

2. History as a Destroyer of PrideExodus 13:3 And Moses said unto the people,

Remember this day, in which ye came out from Egypt, out ofthe house of bondage; for by strength of hand the LORD

brought you out from this place: Deuteronomy 5:15 And remember that thou wast

a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD thy Godbrought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by astretched out arm: therefore the LORD thy God commandedthee to keep the sabbath day.

Deuteronomy 8:2And thou shalt remember all theway which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the


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wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know whatwas in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his

commandments, or no.Deuteronomy 15:15 And thou shalt remember that

thou wast a bondman in the land of Egypt, and the LORD thyGod redeemed thee: therefore I command thee this thing today.

3. History as a Key to PrayerNehemiah 1:8-10 Remember, I beseech thee, the

word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If yetransgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations;

But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments,and do them; though there were of you cast out unto theuttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them fromthence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosento set my name there.

Now these are thy servants and thy people, whomthou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy stronghand.

Exodus 32:11-14 And Moses besought the LORDhis God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hotagainst thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of theland of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?

Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, Formischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains,and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn fromthy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants,to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst untothem, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all


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this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, andthey shall inherit it for ever.

And the LORD repented of the evil which he thoughtto do unto his people.

4. History as a Promoter of Prudence.Deuteronomy 24:8-9 Take heed in the plague of

leprosy, that thou observe diligently, and do according to all

that the priests the Levites shall teach you: as I commandedthem, so ye shall observe to do. Remember what the LORDthy God did unto Miriam by the way, after that ye were come

forth out of Egypt.

the importance of church history in everyday life

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