REFORM OR RESTORE?

Paul warned early Christians that after  his departure a great apostasy would   come, a falling away from the truth of the   gospel. He told them this departure from   the truth would start within the church   leadership when men would “speak  perverse things, to draw away disciples  after them” (Acts 20:29-31). He called   them “grievous wolves” because they   devour like a wolf devours the flock,   He also warned Timothy that Christians  would have “itching ears and would turn   away from the truth” (2 Tim 4:1-4).

Apostasy did come. Instead of the   scriptures guiding eiders overseeing   each I I local church, councils made new laws  about church government that led to the  first papa (pope) in 606 AD. Hundreds!  of changes were made. Baptism  was changed from adult immersion!  to sprinkling babies, for example.  Mechanical instruments were added to  the-simple acappella worship. Women.  who had been commanded to remain  silent in the churches (I Cor 14:34) began  to usurp authority and preach.   Martin Luther and others tried to  reform corrupted Catholic church laws,   Later some took the Bible alone as a  pattern to restore pre-denominational  Christianity and the one true church.

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