In this paper, the early Christian community is compared and contrasted with modern Presbyterianism.
After the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, the apostles did not have an organized Christian Church. Instead, the Christian faith was a small movement consisting of a few Jews, who were really not Christian at all in the sense that we interpret the term today. Essentially, in the primitive form of the Christian religion, the apostles had not completely separated from Judaism.
With the experience of Pentecost, it was stated by Peter, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38). This is truly a Christian statement based on a theological approach not found in Judaism. It was this theological stance and others like it that caused the early Christians to eventually break away from the Jewish religion. Christianity became a religion in its own right as it matured organizationally and developed and defined various theological doctrines. Agreement was often difficult.
Christianity as we have it today went through many growing pains. There were many ideas concerning what Christianity should be. We still see much evidence of this in the many denominations which form a part of modern Christianity.
It is certainly a tribute to the faith of the apostles that they were able to remain together as Christian believers after the death of Jesus. As Huston Smith points out:
Whether or not Jesus' body actually rose from the grave, no one can doubt that his spirit jumped dramatically to life, transforming a dozen or so disconsolate followers of a slain and discredited leader into one of the most creative groups in human history. We read that tongues of fire destined to set the whole Mediterranean world aflame . . . . Starting in an upper room in Jerusalem, they spread their message with such ardor that ...