 Restore Original Christianity
When caught in a flood, one looks for a high place of safety. In times of confusion, we search for surety and confidence. In today's religious climate, the sensitive believer is eager to find a way toward fellowship with God that is safe, solid and secure.
The old established denominations and Catholicism are groaning with the pangs of decay. Many strange voices are being heard on the religious horizon. But these only lead further away from the truth of the gospel.
Christ did build his church (Matthew 16:18). It flourished in simply purity in the first and second centuries (Acts 8:1; Galatians 1:22). Then Christianity was pure, unadulterated by man's hand. Have you ever pondered the possibility of drinking from the clear springs of original Christianity in this modern age?
The Need for Restoration
Someone may ask, is it necessary to restore the church? The careful student of Scripture and church history knows that many serious changes have been forced upon the Christian religion since its beginning.
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The form of church government has drastically changed (Ephesians 1:22; Philippians 1:1). |
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Names by which the church government have been changed (Romans 16:16; I Corinthians 1:2) |
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Many groups have changed candidates for baptism from adult believers to infants who are incapable of belief (Mark 16:15-16). |
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The method of baptism has been altered from immersion to sprinkling or pouring (Romans 6:3-5). |
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The Biblical creed of the church has been displaced by human creeds that have overshadowed the will of Christ (John 12:48). |
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The form of worship has been altered with various additions and/or subtractions (Acts 2:42; Ephesians 5:19). |
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The plan of salvation has been obscured (Acts 2:37-40). |
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The unity of the church has suffered because of
denominationalism (John 17:20-23). |
These many changes have robbed believers of a clear vision of what their religion was really like in the beginning. The problem is magnified when we remember that an infallible, all-wise God designed the church and that sinful, fallible men have presumed to change it. Can man ever hope to improve on God's work? The very idea is presumptuous!
Is It Possible?
It is possible to restore first-century Christianity today? Jesus founded an everlasting kingdom (Daniel 2:44; Matthew 16:18). Surely the God who gave us the church has been able to preserve it through the ages. To realize the goal of restoration, we must recognize the following points:
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Christ is the supreme authority in all matters of religion (Matthew 17:1-5). His New Testament is the only authoritative rule of faith and practice for Christians (II John 9-11). |
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We must make a proper distinction between the Old and New Testaments (Colossians 2:14-17). |
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We must be content to worship and serve God exactly as the first Christians did, as set forth in the New Testament (I Corinthians 4:6). |
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The autonomy of each local congregation must be respected (I Peter 5:1-4). |
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Every effort must be made to achieve and maintain the unity of all Christians upon the basis of obedience to Christ and His Word (Ephesians 4:1-5). If we have no book but the Bible; no creed but Christ; and no name but the divine name, surely we can achieve this goal. When reached, we can maintain it, if in matters of faith we stand united; in matters of opinion and methods we will grant liberty and toleration and in all things we practice love for our brethren (Thomas, L. G., Restoration Handbook, pp. 71-72). |
A Universal Appeal
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The idea of restoring New Testament Christianity has a universal appeal to men of all nations. |
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It looks to that one universal church that Jesus founded and is savior of (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:23). |
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A universal book (the Bible) is set forth as the only rule of faith and practice, the only authoritative and complete repository of all that is necessary to serving God and preparing for eternity (II Timothy 3:16-17). |
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Its confession of faith is universal; that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16). |
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Universally accepted scriptural names are used: i.e., Christian, disciples, brethren, saints, church of Christ, etc. (Acts 11:26; Matthew 23:8; Romans 16:16). |
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Its teaching of baptism and the Lord's Supper are universally appealing for they would be observed precisely as when instituted by Christ (Mark 16:15-16; Colossians 2:12; Matthew 26:26-29). |
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It advocates a universal life of Christian purity and service, as exemplified by the Lord, that goes beyond racial and national boundaries (Philippians 4:8-9). |
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It has a universal aim, which is to exalt and spread the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 28:18-20). |
Could any honest soul object to such spiritual principles as:
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Wearing the name of Christ to the exclusion of all human names... |
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Faith in the living, reigning, interceding Christ as the only creed of the church...
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The New Testament of Christ being the only book of discipline accepted by the church... |
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The complete authority of Christ over his church being recognized and restored... |
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Christ's one church being exalted above all man-made institutions and organizations... |
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All the commands of Christ being obeyed by his people... |
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The ideals of Christ being exemplified in the lives of all who wear his name... |
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Unity in Christ by faith, repentance and baptism into him superseding all denominationalism to the end that there should be one body of which Christ is both head and foundation? (Thomas, p. 35). |
The Plea Is Not New The concept of "Restoring of Christianity" is not new. It is an ancient and constant need in religion. Twenty-five hundred years ago God said to the men of Judah, "Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls..." (Jeremiah 6:16). The student of church history will find many voices that made the same plea. It is not a local movement. All across the earth, independent movements have sprung up with the announced goal of going back to the Bible, and restoring Biblical Christianity. If sincerely followed, this common faith and goal will surely bring these movements together in Christ.
This is not an institutional or governmental movement. Rather, God-fearing individuals are making their way out of the foggy mist of religious confusion into the pure light of God's word. Like the merchant seeking goodly pearls, when they find it, they gladly give up whatever is necessary to lay hold on it (Matthew 13:45-46). Hopefully, you, the reader of these words, are interested in going back to the Bible and being a simple Christian as were those of the first century. To do so can only bring blessings from God.
If you would like to know more about being a simple New Testament Christian, or would like Bible answers to your Bible questions, please let me hear from you.
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