Hippolytus was one of the great Church Fathers of the early third century. His influences can be traced directly back to the Apostle John: Hippolytus was a disciple of Irenaeus, who was a
disciple of Polycarp, who was a disciple of John. He is a towering figure, and we are blessed to have a good sampling of his writings preserved for us (the most important being his “Refutation of All Heresies” – a tour de force in which he describes and destroys the major false teachings of his day). Jon Peirson and I have been reading the works of this amazing saint and discussing them together. What an encouragement that has been! Hippolytus did not get everything right–for example, some of his interpretations of Old Testament passages have too great an emphasis on finding symbolic meanings. But his love for the glory of God and the gospel of Christ are so evident, and his insights continue to have great relevance. It has especially been striking to both Jon and myself to see how clearly Hippolytus and the other Church Fathers articulated Scriptures’ teaching on the deity and incarnation of Christ at such an early date. The popular misconception that these doctrines were “created” by the Church centuries later for political purposes simply will not stand up to the mountain of evidence we have from these giants of Christian history. As twenty-first century believers, we have a rich heritage that stretches back two millennia. It is good for us to “come up for air” from time to time and move beyond our daily routines to reflect on what God has done in and through the Church since her inception. Indeed the gates of hell will not prevail against her! Church history can build our faith, sharpen our understanding of the Scriptures, grow our commitment to the body of Christ, increase our desire to see the Gospel go to all nations, and so much more. If you desire to grow in your understanding of Church history, let me make two simple suggestions. One suggestion is to visit our Church Library. We have some of the best books available on the subject. (You can find the writings of Hippolytus there in volume five of the Ante-Nicene Fathers series). The other is to be a part of the ten-week class Jon will begin teaching in the Veritas class this Sunday. You will come away with a solid understanding of what God has been accomplishing in his Church the last two thousand years, and I believe you will find your personal walk with Christ enriched in the process. –Pastor Greg