The Early Churches not Pattern Churches
Galatians 1:6-7
I marvel that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ to another gospel:…


They had apostolic teaching; but beyond that they seem to have been in no respect above, and in many respects below, the level of subsequent ages. If we may judge of their morality by the exhortations they received, Corinth and Thessalonica were but beginners in holiness. If we may judge of their intelligence by the errors into which they fell, they had indeed need that one should teach them which were the first principles of the oracles of God. It could not be otherwise. They were but just rescued from heathenism, and bore the marks of their former bondage. They were like the communities fostered by modern missionaries. The same infantile simplicity, partial apprehensions of truth, danger of being lead astray by the low morality of their kindred, openness to strange heresy, and peril of blending the old with the new in opinion and practice, beset both. The history of the first theological difference in the early Churches is a striking confutation of the dream that they were perfect, and a striking illustration of the dangers to which they were exposed from the attempt, so natural to us all, to put new wine into old bottles.

(A. Maclaren, D. D.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

WEB: I marvel that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different "good news";




The Dilettante Gospel
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