The Church: Her Apostasy, Reformation And Restoration

The Church:
Her Apostasy, Reformation And Restoration

Jesus established his church on earth as he had promised (Matt. 16:18). It came into existence in Jerusalem on the Pentecost following his resurrection and ascension (Acts 2:1-47). Planned in heaven (Eph. 3:9-11) and established by Spirit-guided men (John 14:26), the church was exactly as God want it to be and glorious in every detail (Eph. 5:25-27). 

Apostasy Foretold 

The Lord warned of "false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves" (Matt. 7:15). While the apostles were yet among the churches, they warned of a coming apostasy. Paul wrote, "But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons, through the hypocrisy of men that speak lies..." (I Tim. 4:1-2). He explained to the Thessalonians that before Christ's return a "falling away" wold occur (II Thess. 2:1-3). He warned the elders of Ephesus that "after his departure" grievous wolves (would) enter in among "them, not sparing the flock; and from among (themselves) shall men arise, speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them" (Acts 20:29-30). 

Apostasy Realized 

Departures in Church Organization. Early in the second century, "We begin to find congregations headed by a single officer for whom the name ‘bishop' is exclusively reserved. The bishop becomes the most important man in the church" (C. M. Jacobs, The Story of the Church, pp. 19,20). City bishops soon extended their power over rural congregations and mission churches they had assisted in planting (John L. Mosheim, Ecclesiastical History, Vol. 1, p. 30). 

Bishops were said to be successors of the apostles and the representatives of Christ over his church. Cyprian (248-258) championed this theory. Eventually the bishops of the major centers of Christian influence were elevated above other bishops and given the title of "Metropolitan." Bishops of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Ephesus, Jerusalem and Constantinople came to hold leadership positions for the whole church. (Ibid.). After a long and bitter struggle the bishop of Rome claimed and was recognized as the universal father or pope of all the church. Boniface III was thus honored in 606 A.D. 

Departures in the Roles of Preachers and Elders. Christ rebuked those who sought exalted places in his kingdom (Matt. 20:25-28). Clerical titles and exalted stations are forbidden since "all ye are brethren" and the Father in heaven is our only Master (Matt. 23:6-10). All Christians are God's priests (I Pet. 2:9). With the rise of the episcopal bishops came a distinction between clergy and laity. 

Departures Through Church Councils. By the middle of the second century bishops began holding conferences to set policy and resolve problems in their dominions. In 325 A.D. the first general council was held at Nicea in Bithynia. It was convened and presided over by Emperor Constantine. Heretics (Arians) were condemned and banished and a binding creedal statement was adopted (The Nicean Creed). This was the first of a continuing series of councils. These decisions were often contradictory and they generally eventuated in persecution of dissenters. 

Departures Concerning Baptism. Early in the third century a few voices were advocating infant baptism, among them was Origen of Alexandra. This was based on the faulty ideas that children inherited Adam's sin (championed by Augustine) and that the act of baptism had miraculous, saving power apart from understanding, faith, repentance, and free will. Upon the heels of infant baptism came the substituting of sprinkling and pouring for immersion. The first recorded case was that of Novation in 251 A.D. Being near death, he received "clinic baptism," i.e., water was poured upon him in his bed. Later he became a prominent leader and the practice grew in popularity. It was declared equal to immersion by the Council of Ravenna in 1311 A.D. 

There were Departures in Practice. Penance replaced the Biblical practice of repentance which was a change of heart resulting in a change of life. "The Sacrament of Penance and priestly absolution included...contrition of the heart, confession by the mouth, satisfaction by good works. On these conditions the priests grant absolution..." (Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church, Vol IV, p. 382). 

Auricular confession replaced the simple confession of sins of the Bible (Jas. 5:16). "Confession is the avowal of one's own sins made to a duly authorized priest for the purpose of obtaining their forgiveness through the power of the keys..." (Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. XI, p. 625). 

Departures occurred in the Realm of Worship. "Bishops augmented the number of religious rites by way of accommodation to the ...Jews and heathen, in order to facilitate their conversion to Christianity" (Ecclesiastical History, (Vol. I, pp. 56-57). 

The Lord's Supper was changed from a simple memorial to a sacrificial offering of the body of Christ. It was claimed that the priest changed the bread and fruit of the vine into the literal body and blood of Jesus in the mass. The Council of Trent declared transubstantiation to be a matter of faith. In 11415 A. D., the cup was denied to the laity. They were to receive only the bread; the wine being reserved for other priest. The original practice of vocal singing of hymns by the congregation (Eph. 5:19), was changed with the introduction of special singers, choirs and instrumental music. Pope Vitalian (657-672) introduced instrumental music into the Roman Church (Schaff, Vol. IV, 439). 

Veneration of departed saints, relics and the use of sacred images were brought into the worship. This first began in the middle of the second century (Williston Walker, A History of the Christian Church, p. 155). This grew out of the contemporary pagan belief in guardian spirits. By 787 such was a requirement in the corrupt church. 

Holy days were added to the Lord's Day as occasions of worship. The most notable of these were Christmas, the Lenten Season and Easer. There were dozens more. Most of them were adopted to replace pagan holidays. "December 25 was a great pagan festival, that of Sol Invictus, which celebrated the victory of light over darkness..." (Walker, p. 155). 

Other additions included the sign of the cross, holy water, incense and prayer beads. 

Departures Were Made Concerning Marriage. The clergy were forbidden to marry even though God had declared marriage to be honorable in all (Heb. 13:4) and foretold that enforced celibacy would be a mark of apostasy (I Tim. 4:1-3). 

These are but a few of the departures. It is correct to say that every doctrine and practice of the church was changed, perverted or obscured during the day of Rome's dominance. 

The Reformation 

Such abuses cried out for reform. Righteous souls longed to be rid of the corruptions that prevailed. God raised up a number of fearless men to break the chains of the Roman hierarchy. 

John Wickliffe of Oxford, England (1328-1384). He taught that "The Scripture are the only law of the church." He translated the Latin Bible into English so that even the plow-boy could read and know God's will (Walker, p. 269). 

John Huss (1373-1415) carried Wickliffe's message into his native Bohemia. He challenged the authority of the pope and opposed the sale of indulgences. He was burned to death as a heretic. 

Jerome Savonarola (1452-1498) led a great reform movement in Florence, Italy. He challenged the power and condemned the corruptions of the popes and Catholic clergy. He was hanged and burned for so doing. 

Martin Luther (1483-15456). As a monk, Luther was angered by the crass selling of indulgences by John Tetzel, representative of Pope Leo X. Step aby step he attacked virtually every aspect of the Romish system. Only by the providence of God did he escape death at the hands of the Catholic authorities. He translated the Bible into German and launched the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century. He founded the Lutheran Church. His great themes were salvation solely by faith and the supreme authority of the Bible. 

Ulrich Zwingle (1482-1531) led a reformation in the German-speaking sections of Switzerland. He was more thorough-going in his reform than Luther. He was killed in battle when the Catholic leaders sent troops to put down the reformers. 

John Calvin (1509-1564) fled Paris, France and launched a reform movement in Geneva, Switzerland. His theology as reflected in this Institutes of the Christian Religion has dominated much of the Protestant world even to this day. His churches were known as Reformed Churches. 

Henry VIII (1491-1544) was the catalyst for reformation in England. He was no religious reformer, but he separated the Church of England from the power of Rome so he could divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn. Other religious leaders led the reformation of the doctrine and practice of the church. 

John Knox (1509-1572) was a Scotsman, who after imprisonment, studied under John Calvin in Geneva. He returned to his homeland, defied Queen Mary and established the Church of Scotland, commonly known as the Presbyterian Church. He was an remarkably brave and heroic man. 

John Wesley (1703-1791) sought to reform and revise the decadent Church of England. He, along with his brother Charles, founded the Methodist Episcopal Church. His Arminian theology challenged Calvin's views of free will and predestination. 

The Protestant reformers generally held the following major points in common: 

1. The Bible as the only infallible rule of faith and practice (Sola Scriptura). 
2. Justification by faith alone (Sola Fide). 
3. The priesthood of all believers. 
4. Direct access of the believer to Christ. All human mediators and intercessors were denied. 
5. That we are free to do whatever the Scriptures do not condemn. Luther said, "What is not contrary to Scripture is for Scripture and Scripture for it" (Schaff, Vol. VI, pp. 16ff.). 
6. The right of men to study the Scriptures, learn God's will and follow it independently. 

These great amen set out to reform the corrupt church of their day but found it impossible to do so. Their efforts resulted in the establishing of numerous warring sects which proliferated with each generation. Upon their deaths, their followers crystalized around their names and their beliefs and stopped their process back to the Bible. The situation degenerated until scores of denominations spent most of their time and energy biting and devouring one another. This unfortunate situation was a major contributing factor to the American Restoration of the Nineteenth Century. 

The Restoration 

As the eighteenth century drew to a close, a mighty religious revival swept over America. The first wave arose out of the Methodist Church. James O'Kelly (1757-1826) rebelled against the tyranny of Bishop Francis Asbury. In 1794 his followers took the name Christian, and the Bible as their only guide They acknowledged Christ as the only head of the church. They evangelized throughout Virginia and the Carolinas. The O'Kelly Christians held to affusion for baptism. 

Elias Smith and Abner Jones launched a restoration movement among the Baptists in New England. In 1803 they took the name Christian, and the Bible as their only guide. They rejected Calvinism and planted independent churches. They were immersionists. Their influence spread into the mid-Atlantic States where they established fellowship with the followers of O'Kelly. 

Barton W. Stone (1772-1844) led a back-to the-bible movement in Central Kentucky that grew out of the great Cane Ridge Revival of 1801. His followers took the name Christian and acknowledged the Bible as their only guide. They broke with Presbyterianism and launched a hugely successful movement that soon spread over all the adjoining states. They published The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery. Stone edited a journal called the Christian Messenger. 

Thomas Campbell (1763-1854). An immigrant minister from northern Ireland, he left the Presbyterian Church, to begin a restoration movement in western Pennsylvania. He wrote a Declaration and Address which set forth the basic premises for such a movement. 

Alexander Campbell (1788-1866) came to America to join his father. He soon emerged as the leader of the new movement. He lived at Bethany, Virginia (now West Virginia) and there established Bethany College from which went forth hundreds of ministers. Campbell edited two influential journals. The Christian Baptist and The Millennial Harbinger. 

The Restorers saw the futility of previous attempts to reform degenerate churches. They sought to go beyond Luther, Calvin and the popes, back to the apostles and restore the church on the New Testament foundation. They built upon the following premises:

There is but one true church of Christ (Matt. 16:18); Eph. 4:4).Denominationalism is sinful and wrong (I Cor. 1:10-11; 3:1-4).The New Testament is the constitution of the church for her faith, worship, work, government, and discipline (John 12:48).Nothing should be made an article of faith or communion unless it is clearly taught in the New Testament.Where the Scripture speak we speak, where the Scriptures are silent we are silent. This means that the silence of the Scriptures authorizes nothing (I Cor. 4:6).Baptism by immersion is a necessary condition for salvation (Acts 2:38).

The result of the work of the Restorers was the restoration of the church of the Bible in this present age; truly a non-denominational, non-sectarian body in which all the saved can worship and serve God in unity. 

To every God-fearing soul who is wary of denominational confusion, we extend a welcome invitation to join us as together we go back to the Bible to serve Jehovah as simple Bible Christians. 

* The author is indebted to Don Shackleford's A Survey of Church History for most of the information in this lesson.