Hi feedm3,
Our discussion picked up again when I asked if anyone was willing to discuss Revelation 3:14. Are you willing to address my points? You've ignored them entirely so far.
I'm not really interested in getting involved in a labyrinth of more questions, so I'll finish up on some of these ones you brought up.
The congregation that referred this matter to the elders in Jerusalem, which was the one in Antioch, was well established by this point and certainly had it's own elders. These congregations had to be led by somebody. It was in this congregation where the disciples were first called Christians. (Acts 11:25) It was also the center of Paul's missionary activity. It was the ones taking the lead here, the elders, that would've arranged for Paul, Barnabus, and some others to go up to Jerusalem for clarification. (Acts 15:2)
You miss the point of the account. Why didn't some angel just appear and tell the Christians in Antioch God's view? Why didn't God simply prophesy his direction through one or all of them? After all, there was still prophesying at that time. Wouldn't that have been easier? The account is recorded as an example to us today.
The body of elders in Jerusalem discussed the matter thoroughly, bringing to light the relevant scriptures as well as accounts from the field, and then applied wisdom to it all, prayerfully. They weren't directly inspired, they reached unanimous decision by sincere and earnest counsel over where God was leading them. This is how a worldwide church should be led. This account is in scripture for a reason. It's the Church in action.
What happens when every congregation is autonomous, feedm3? Aren't there all kinds of divisions that spring up along with disunity? You may not realize it, but if you trace back the history of Jehovah's Witnesses, you'll find that that's how we operated a hundred years ago. Each congregation kind of did it's own thing, and it caused all types of problems and actually inhibited the witnessing work that we're directed to do by Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:19) As the congregation was gradually made to conform to the example of the worldwide congregation in the book of Acts, the witnessing work took off, the numbers grew exponentially and the close unity of Witnesses is observable worldwide. These are just the facts.
Well some were baptized faster than others, and the same is true for Witnesses today. But there always had to be an accurate understanding of the Gospel in order to have true faith in it.
A few things to note. First, the passage doesn't say that he was baptized 'immediately.' The passage doesn't say how much time passed during Philip's preaching. Second, unlike today, Philip's preaching was accompanied by miracles, which made the acceptance of his message as truth easier than today (compare John 20:29). Thirdly, Samaritans were aware of and waiting for the Messiah (compare John 4:25). They had a knowledge of the Law since they held the Pentateuch up as holy writ.
Regardless of speed, the process is spelled out by Paul: "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?And how are they to preach unless they are sent?" (Romans 10:14-15) In order to believe and be baptized, the people first have to hear the preaching, by understand it. That is what Jehovah's Witnesses are sure to do, just as was done in the first century.
It's not at all different. When appearing at the Areopagus, Paul had to explain the Gospel more generally. He even cited Greek poets on which to build his case, since the Law would mean little to the people there. He appeared to them as the preacher of the 'unknown God' to which they had an alter. And in the little time he had there, he had little success. (Acts 17)
That preaching to those without background knowledge requires more time and words is observable in the Gospel accounts. When Matthew wrote his account to the Hebrew people, he only needed to have his chronology of Jesus to extend back to Abraham. (Matthew 1) When Luke writes his account to a more general audience, he extends his chronology of Jesus back to Adam, and indeed God. (Luke 3)