Early History of Christianity, According to Secular Historians

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The earliest history of TRUE Christianity is, of course, found in the Bible. But secular historians took over after all the apostles died and starting in the 4th century things changed drastically. However, later history reveals that Constantine I, the Great, had a lot to do with what happened during his lifetime. He is popularly believed to have made Christianity the official religion of the empire he ruled. However, despite his enthusiasm for Christianity and its God, he did not close many pagan temples during his reign. What he actually did was to strip them of their former wealth and give that wealth to various churches, which resulted in a firm financial footing and great prosperity. The ORIGINAL FORM OF Christianity according to the Bible had no official hierarchies and functioned best as a series of small groups worshipping with and caring for their own members while spreading the Gospel. All of this is explained in the Bible book of Acts. However, what Constantine created was a church hierarchy which was beholden to the state, departing far from the original purity of the early Christians and the apostles of Jesus. Constantine was a skillful politician and his main purpose was achieving full control over a divided empire and his motivations were not in touch with the needs of the people. There were many pagan religions at that time and Constantine wanted them to unite with Christianity and form an undivided empire. What resulted was not TRUE Christianity, but formed Christendom, a huge departure from what the early Christians had. Pagan holidays were adopted and renamed and the people began to mix pagan beliefs and rituals in with their worship. Very few Bibles were available and the people were not encouraged to read or follow what the Bible said. This was actually prophesied to happen. Paul said to the overseers of the congregation, at Acts 20:28-30: “Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed you overseers to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own Son. I know that after my going away, (Paul would eventually die along with all the other apostles) oppressive wolves will enter in among you and will not treat the flock with tenderness, and from among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves.” Read also: Matthew 7:15 Paul also mentioned an apostasy at 2 Thessalonians 2:3 -12 indicating that there would be a falling away from the truth after the “restraint” of the apostles was gone, when they all died. And this is EXACTLY what happened, according to history. Later many people were actually burned at the stake for even possessing a Bible. The religious leaders did not WANT the people to know what the Bible said. They still don't, unfortunately. Eusebius, an early Christian historian, gives a lot of insight into the motivations of Emperor Constantine in his “Ecclesiastical History.” You might enjoy watching a short 6-minute video: https://www.jw.org/en/publications/videos/#en/mediaitems/AllVideos/docid-502017150_1_VIDEO