CAN CHRISTIANITY… DIE?

…and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. Matthew 16:18b

An astonishing variety of heterodox sects and cultic societies emerged in 19th century America that shared, either directly or indirectly, a common poisonous heritage known as the “Restoration Movement” (often associated with the “Campbellite” movement), which promoted a core concept known as the doctrine of “Total Church Apostasy.” The basic idea (indispensable to the cults) is that at a certain point in the early centuries of Christianity (either after the death of John the Apostle, or with the rise of the Emperor Constantine), the true church utterly ceased to exist—i.e., the Christian witness vanished completely from the face of the earth. Upon this foundational basis, various false teachers (C.T. Russell, Joseph Smith, Mrs. Eddy, John Thomas, etc.)—all of whom now felt liberated to “re-invent the wheel”—entirely abandoned historic Christianity and offered wildly novel and speculative systems of theology, claiming that they were in fact “restoring” the “true church” of God (e.g., Mormonism, J.W.’s, Christadelphianism, Christian Science, etc.). What, then, should be our proper response to these things? First, let us take great care in uncritically embracing that which is “novel.” Second, while it is true that God’s church has indeed passed through “Dark Ages,” and is thus in constant need of Reformation, it can NEVER be true that Jesus was wrong, and that the Gates of Hades would prevail (Matthew16:18) against that Body created on the Day of Pentecost—thus depriving the Lord of His Bride and Spirit-indwelt remnant! Yes, individual local assemblies and denominations can (and do) fall by the wayside and have their lamp-stands removed (Revelation 2:5)—but nonetheless, “to Him be the glory IN THE CHURCH and in Christ Jesus TO ALL GENERATIONS FOREVER AND EVER. Amen” (Ephesians 3:21)!

Terry L. Reese