Smyrnian Church Age

Meaning "Bitter", Smyrna was a time of severe persecution for the church, both by the sword and from heresies. The angel to this age was Irenaeus, a missionary in Gaul who opposed church organization, experienced miracles following his ministry, and was clear in his doctrine of the Godhead (not a trinitarian). Irenaeus was the disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of John, who was a disciple of Jesus.

And unto the angel of the church of Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Fear none of these things which thou shall suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried: and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Revelation 2:8-11

The Christian churches in 170 AD were rich in the inheritance they received from the Ephesian Church age:

• Various Churches had been established with a succession of Bishops tracing back to the Apostles,
• Mighty men continued in the missionary tradition of the Apostles,
• Supernatural signs continued to follow the Christian believers
• The complete New Testament had been written and compiled.
• Christian doctrine had been fully established.
• The churches continued to fight against heresies, and experienced persecutions.

Irenaeus provides evidence of this wealth in his writings:

• He quotes from all of the New Testament books except Titus and Philemon,
• He testifies of healings and miracles in his own ministry (while noting that these signs are absent from the heretic's ministries),
• He became a missionary (and then Bishop) in the French city of Lyons, having been raised in Smyrna in Polycarp's Church.
• He wrote in length against heresies, and on the correct doctrine of the nature of Christ.

All the other expressions, likewise, bring out the title of one, and the same being, the Lord of Power, the Lord, the Father of All, God Almighty, Most High, Creator, Maker and such like, these are not the names and the titles of a succession of different beings, but of one and the same. (Irenaeus, Volume 1, page 412 of the Ante Nicene Fathers, )

• He confirms that a number of churches continued to exist that were established by the Apostles (including, but not limited to the Church at Rome).

Christians were severely persecuted by Pagan Rome between 170 AD and 312 AD. Marcus Aurelis executed a number of Christians in Lyon, France, in 177 AD. Septimus Severus (193 - 211 AD) upheld the already-established laws against Christianity, allowing logal governers to persecute them (especially strong in Africa) while sheltering the Christians in Rome itself. Alexander Severus (222-235 AD) wanted to build a temple to the founder of Christianity, but was dissuaded by pagan priests. Maximinus Thrax (235-238 AD) persecuted Christians relentlessly, as did Decius (249-251 AD) and Valerian (253-260 AD).

The Roman Emperor Diocletian was figure of contrasts. Born to a poor family, he rose in stature in the Roman army and cavalry, until claiming the Empire for himself in 284. Taking the title "Jovius" and "Dominus et deus" (Lord and God), he reinstituted the Roman form of Emperor worship, forcing all who came to see him to prostrate themselves before his throne, and forbidding visitors to look at him. At the same time, Diocletian gave half of the empire to his friend Maximian (who took the title "Herculius"), and together they unified the power of the Roman Empire. His military and economic reforms formed the basis of the Byzantine Empire (which was to last another thousand years), and enabled the western Roman empire to continue another hundred years. In 305, after becoming sick, Diocletian became one of the few Roman Emperors to retire, and he took up the hobby of cabbage farming at his palace in Dalmatia.

In 303 the Roman Emperor Diocletian published an "Edict against the Christians" ^[1] ordering the destruction of Christian scriptures and places of worship across the Empire, while prohibiting Christians from assembling for worship. Fires in Diocletian's palace in Nicomedia caused him to increase this persecution. In 304, Diocletian ordered everyone in the empire to sacrifice ^[2] , which was a sign of apostacy to Christians, with persecution, imprisonment, or execution for those refusing to participate.

The Emperor Galerius continued Diocletian's ruthless persecution of Christianity until 311 when he wrote an edict of tolerance on his death bed. The persecutions still continued, primarily in the eastern provinces, until the year 312 when Constantine I issued the Edict of Milan, formalized religious tolerance in the Empire.

The 10 years of 303 - 312, starting with Diocletian and ending with Constantine I, represent the 10 days of tribulation prophesied in the book of Revelation.

For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Luke 6:43

While persecutions continued, the churches became divisive, adopted pagan doctrines, and became immoral in some teachings. Acting like the Children of Israel after they inherited the promised land, the Churches forgot God, accepted the religions of the surrounding countries, and asked for a king to rule over them.

Many of the doctrines that were considered heretical by the Apostles and Irenaeus were integrated into the Church at Rome, and seeded throughout the other churches. These doctrines include:

• The doctrine of One God in Three Persons (the Trinity) was formulated by Tertullian, a priest in Carthage (Tunisia). The Church of Rome did not initially agree with Tertullian, but this doctrine slowly gained status in the Church at Rome until Bishop Felix began advertising this doctrine to the Church at Alexandria.
• The Bishops in the churches that had Apostolic succsession began to exert influnece over other churches, excommunicating those who did not listen (sending them outside the camp), while fighting among themselves.
• Traditions were implemented (like pennance) that were not Biblical.

As evidence that the Church of Rome had become the Synagogue of Satan, supernatural signs and wonders ceased in this church, and the Bishops became immoral in their teachings and immoral in their personal lives until the Bishop Marcellinus recanted Christianity and sacrificed to idols to escape persecution (although it is said he later recanted).

What is visible this list history of Roman Bishops is the rise of the doctrine of the Trinity, the Church of Rome's growing influence over other Churches in the Roman Empire, and the direct interference of Roman Emperors with the Church, with Emperor Maxentius deposing consecutive Bishops until a more 'suitable' Bishop could be found.

Those that overcome will not be hurt of the second death. Those that do not overcome will he hurt of the second death. In other words, hell will not be eternal, but hell and the sinner will both cease with the second death.

[edit] Footnotes

1. ↑ (Bleckmann, Bruno. (2002–). "Diocletianus". Brill's New Pauly 4: 429–438. Ed. Hubert Cancik and Helmut Schneider. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 9004122591.)
2. ↑ (Liebeschuetz, p. 249–250.)