Apostasy And Common Sense

[Dave]

Then there is the question of those who say that the Church which Jesus Christ founded, apostatized soon after the last Apostle died:

1. First of all, those people do not have one shred of authentic historical documentation to show anyone for this false charge. Ask them for evidence and you will find that they are unable to produce any genuine historical records.

This charge is merely a smoke screen in order to try and legitimize their own ecclesial community.

However, there are literally thousands of genuine historical documents, written by scores of authors, and dating in every century from the first on down to ours which testify to the unbroken continuity of the Church which Jesus Christ founded. The notion that His Church apostatized, would certainly be a monumental event, and would surely be recorded in mountains of historical records, yet not one can be found anywhere in any century before the reformation. With no proof, how can anyone believe those who propagate this deliberate untruth?

What credibility is there for those who make this preposterous false charge?

2. Secondly, and much more seriously, they have just called Jesus Christ a liar for His promises of protection and perpetuality, which He made in the preceding session.

"He who does not believe the Son, makes Him a liar; because he does not believe the witness that GOD has borne concerning His Son."

1 John 5:10

If you study the last line in Matthew 28:20, it says that Jesus Christ will be with the Church He founded, every day in every century, until the end of time, and with no gaps, not even one single day. Many would try to have us believe that there was an almost 1500 year gap from the time that the last Apostle died until Martin Luther came along and started the Protestant reformation.

Now, with no evidence whatsoever, and with those making this false charge deliberately ignoring the verses in the preceding session, and therefore being found guilty of calling Jesus Christ a liar, where is their credibility?

"But nothing unclean shall enter it, nor any one who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life."

Revelation 21:27

Oops! For those who make false charges against the Church which Jesus Christ founded, they had better remember that verse, and not add it to their list of verses to ignore.

Here are a few more verses which fit our theme here very nicely.

"For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle,

because I persecuted the church of God."

1 Corinthians 15:9

"For you have heard of my former life in Judaism,

how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it;"

Galatians 1:13

"I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man,

but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief."

1 Timothy 1:13

All it takes to find the truth is a little common sense, but then, where is common sense today?

[Truth]

Then there is the question of those who say that the Church which Jesus Christ founded, apostatized soon after the last Apostle died:

1. First of all, those people do not have one shred of authentic historical documentation to show anyone for this false charge. Ask them for evidence and you will find that they are unable to produce any genuine historical records.

This charge is merely a smoke screen in order to try and legitimize their own ecclesial community.

However, there are literally thousands of genuine historical documents, written by scores of authors, and dating in every century from the first on down to ours which testify to the unbroken continuity of the Church which Jesus Christ founded. The notion that His Church apostatized, would certainly be a monumental event, and would surely be recorded in mountains of historical records, yet not one can be found anywhere in any century before the reformation. With no proof, how can anyone believe those who propagate this deliberate untruth?

What credibility is there for those who make this preposterous false charge?

2. Secondly, and much more seriously, they have just called Jesus Christ a liar for His promises of protection and perpetuality, which He made in the preceding session.

"He who does not believe the Son, makes Him a liar; because he does not believe the witness that GOD has borne concerning His Son."

1 John 5:10

If you study the last line in Matthew 28:20, it says that Jesus Christ will be with the Church He founded, every day in every century, until the end of time, and with no gaps, not even one single day. Many would try to have us believe that there was an almost 1500 year gap from the time that the last Apostle died until Martin Luther came along and started the Protestant reformation.

Now, with no evidence whatsoever, and with those making this false charge deliberately ignoring the verses in the preceding session, and therefore being found guilty of calling Jesus Christ a liar, where is their credibility?

"But nothing unclean shall enter it, nor any one who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life."

Revelation 21:27

Oops! For those who make false charges against the Church which Jesus Christ founded, they had better remember that verse, and not add it to their list of verses to ignore.

Here are a few more verses which fit our theme here very nicely.

"For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle,

because I persecuted the church of God."

1 Corinthians 15:9

"For you have heard of my former life in Judaism,

how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it;"

Galatians 1:13

"I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and an arrogant man,

but I have been mercifully treated because I acted out of ignorance in my unbelief."

1 Timothy 1:13

All it takes to find the truth is a little common sense, but then, where is common sense today?

Apostatized, is this a word or something else you made up?

I think you mean that after the 12 there was no more Apostles. If that is what you mean than it would be correct. Peter said it best, when the replacement for Judas was being pick. (Matthias)

The twelve Apostles : Acts 1

21Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22beginning from John's baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection."

I will wait for the spin doctors. STOP GIVING MARTIN LUTHER SO MUCH CREDIT.

---------------------------------------------------------

Excerpted from Compton's Interactive Bible NIV

Copyright © 1994, 1995, 1996 SoftKey Multimedia Inc. All Rights Reserved

Edited January 24, 2004 by Truth

[EcceNovaFacioOmni]

Obviously you didn't read the part about the laying of hands on shoulders and passing on the office of Bishop.