SECOND & THIRD CENTURIES

MAN-MADE PATTERNS CREEP IN

• Pagans infiltrated the church, teaching another Jesus other than the true Christ. Rather than making sure that they followed the pattern set by God, the Church responded by replacing God's patterns with worldly patterns, which they erroneously supposed would be stronger than God's ways.
• Creeds were established in response to pagans getting into the church to try to change the church from within. With the creeds intellectualized faith gradually began to replace the living relationship with Christ and the faith that comes by hearing God.
• The church began to drift away from the orders of God. Church hierarchy began to develop into a church monarchy.
• Apostles stopped laying hands on every member for gifts of the Spirit.
• The Body of Christ lost the ability for every joint to supply, each speaking the truth in love.
• Prophecy dried up. The glory of God largely departed.
• Eventually, even the baptism of the Holy Spirit was lost.
• Water baptism by sprinkling began to be introduced.

• Victor 189-199
• Urban 222-230
• Origan 185-254

• Gnosticism was probably started sometime during the second century, being a kind of mix of paganism and some elements of Christianity, not unlike some New Age churches today.
• Gnostic texts were written some time after 150 AD based on the paganism of Rome and Greece.
• 250 AD, Persecution of Christians continues to increase. Requirement to make a pagan sacrifice.
• Emperor Septimus Severus persecutes Christians and forbids conversion to Christianity.
• Porphyry attacks the church in writings.
• Bishops role continues to be made stronger, contrary to the pattern the church had been given.
• 200 Roman Bishop gains position as Pope.
• An estimated 55,000 Christians were martyred during the 2^nd century.
• An estimated 330,000 Christians were martyred during the 3^rd century.