CHART 8 | Church of Christ

CHART 8: COUNTERFEITS

Chart #8: What Do We See When People Change God’s Ways?

When people changed God’s ways because they do not love and believe the truth, counterfeit relationships with God arise.

People in the Bible were already facing a “falling away” (apostasy) during their lifetimes.
Paul taught that Christians would be tempted to follow those who taught that the Lord was already here although He would not actually return until further temptations to false teachings would arise. There would be a “man of sin/lawlessness” who opposed all that is called God or worshipped. He would set himself forth as God and sit in the temple of God. This “lawless” one was already beginning to gain power as Paul wrote and those who would not receive the love of the truth to be saved would be deceived with power and signs and lying wonders. Because they will not believe truth and enjoy unrighteousness, God would allow error to work in them so that they would believe lies. II Thess. 2:2-12.
The Spirit specifically taught that Christians would listen to seducing leaders and teachings of “demons” which would come through people who would “game play” and speak untruths without it even effecting their consciences. These would forbid marriage and meat eating despite God giving these pleasures to humanity for enjoyment. I Tim. 4:1-5.
Paul commanded Timothy “before God and Jesus Christ” and in view of the Kingdom and judgment that he should patiently teach and preach God’s word alone because some people who were Christians would seek out teachers who would teach only what these people wanted to hear even though it would mean believing fables rather than truth. II Tim. 4:1-4.
Paul warned the Elders of Ephesus’ church of Christ to be careful in regard to themselves as well as those among whom they served as Overseers since the Holy Spirit had made them the ones responsible for “shepherding” or ruling that group. Paul said that he knew that some would enter their Eldership and congregation who would be like grievous wolves. These would be men among the Elders who would speak inviting but false things and would do so in order to attract people to themselves from among the disciples. Paul commended these Ephesian Elders to God and the word of God’s grace as the way to be built up and to insure their reward. Acts 20:28-35.
These warnings showed that both leaders and followers were “falling away” or going wrong even as the Apostles wrote. These “apostates” or “fallen-away-ones” all considered themselves “good Christians” as they left God’s truth for a counterfeit faith.

Human history since the Bible has shown a “falling away” to counterfeits of God’s relationship with people in Jesus.

During New Testament times, false teachers were pulling some people away from Jesus’ ways in the “name” of Jesus. I Jn. 2:18-29, esp. 2:18-19, 22-23, 26, II Jn. 9-11, III Jn. 9-10.
Within about 200 years, some groups called “churches” started allowing one man to rule as a “presiding Elder.”
This later led to some “presiding Elders” having rule over several groups or churches that they called a diocese.
This later led to one of these Diocesan presiding Elders having rule over other dioceses and being called an “Archbishop.”
This later led to one of these Archbishops having rule over others and being called “Patriarchs” over the key cities of Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople, Alexandria and Rome.
These leaders were assembled in a “Council” at Nicea by the Roman Emperor Constantine in AD 325 to tell him what was truly “Christian” so he could know whom to support with governmental subsidies. This came to be called the First Council of Nicea.
Since they had a hard time settling all the questions about what Christianity taught in one Council, they had several others including the First Council of Constantinople in 381, the First Council of Ephesus in 431, the First Council of Chalcedon in 451, the Second Council of Constantinople in 563, the Third Council of Constantinople in 680, the Second Council of Nicea in 787 and others later of less fame.
These Councils led to two groupings of leaders. Those in the eastern part of the Roman Empire gradually agreed more with one another and were led by the Patriarch of Constantinople where the Roman Empire’s capital had moved. Those in the western part of the Empire were led by the Patriarch of Rome, where the Empire’s capital had traditionally been. This western church came to call their leader the “Pope” or Father. (Over)

The first “Pope” is usually considered Boniface III in AD 606, though others before him had been powerful leaders also. This generally marks the beginning of the “Roman Catholic” church, which has since developed into its current structure.

As these “Councils” met, they gradually replaced the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles with their own new ideas of what they imagined Jesus taught. They added “holy water,” “penitence,” “relics,” candles in worship, infant “baptism,” images in worship, beads for prayers, concepts like purgatory, practices like celibate leaders called “priests” and other ideas.

Some churches were permitted to use musical instruments in AD 667 though the majority of the church was offended by them until the western church in Rome split from the eastern churches in about 1066.

Over the centuries, thousands of laws and teachings were added as part of what they saw as God’s relationship to people. At one point, even men who read the Bible themselves were threatened with death. Many of these were killed, but some withdrew from this “Church” and were lost to history’s record during these “dark ages.” Others did so later, producing the great European Reformation of the sixteenth century.
In 1518-1546, Martin Luther opposed the “Church” and was excommunicated by the Pope of his time. Luther still held to many teachings that had been added to the Scriptures, but he saw the need to challenge what was then considered the “appropriate” relationship of God to people in his time by measuring it for himself against Scripture and what he saw as “faith.”
In 1523-1536, “Reformed” groups opposed the “Church” led by Huldreich Zwingli, Jean Calvin and others. These still held to many teachings that had been added to the Scriptures including the philosophy of Augustine, but saw the need to go back to the Bible. These later influenced the English Churches such as Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists, Friends or Quakers, and American “relatives.”
In 1546, “Anabaptist” groups opposed the “Churches” of their day led by men like Menno Simons of the Mennonites. These still held to some teachings that had been added to the Scriptures, but they went back to the Bible for teachings on baptism, the Lord’s Supper and church discipline.
In 1609, the “Church of England” was separated from Rome’s “Church” by the King of England for political purposes. This became a locus for conflict between Reformed and Catholic influences over the years, resulting in the “Episcopal” or “Anglo Catholic” traditions.
In 1558, “Presbyterian” groups opposed the English “Churches” of their day led by John Knox and others. These still held to many teachings that had been added to the Scriptures, but they went back to the Bible for teachings on Elders or “Presbyters” who led local churches while married.
In 1608, “Congregationalist” groups opposed the “Churches” of their day led by James I of Scotland. These still held to many teachings that had been added to the Scriptures, but they went back to the Bible for teachings on congregational autonomy.
In 1609, “Baptist” groups opposed the “Churches” of their day led by John Smyth in England. These still held to many teachings that had been added to the Scripture and added some teachings from the growing democratic movement in England that they imagined Jesus approving, but they went back to the Bible for teachings on baptism being designed for adults.
In 1648, “Friends” or “Quaker” groups opposed the “Churches” of their day opposed the “Churches” of their day led by George Fox in England. These held to many teachings that had been added to Scripture from the growing democratic movement in England and added others that they imagined Jesus’ disciples practicing under the terminology of “following the Holy Spirit.”
In 1739, “Methodist” groups reformed the Church of England and Episcopal Churches of their day led by John and Charles Wesley. These held many teachings that had been added to the Scripture and added some teachings from the growing democratic movement that they imagined Jesus teaching, but they went back to the Bible for the truth that freedom and discipline can change lives. They also became more important in America than in England.
In 1830, “Latter Day Saints” groups opposed the “Churches” of their day led by Joseph Smith and others. They held many teachings that had been added to Scripture and added more that teachings from the growing democratic and commune movements in America.
In 1868, “Adventist” groups opposed the “Churches” of their day led by Ellen G. White and others. They held many teachings that had been added to Scripture and added others reflecting their discomfort with “modern” society and politics.
In 1876, “Christian Science” groups opposed “Churches” of their day led by Mary Baker Eddy and others. They held many teachings that had been added to Scripture and added others reflecting their discomfort with “scientific” medicine and church life.
In 1901-1908, “Pentecostal” groups opposed “Churches” of their day led by William J. Seymour, A.J. Tomlinson and others. They held many teachings that had been added to Scripture and added others reflecting the desire for immediate, sensual experience common in America during their era.

Christians today sometimes fall into the trap of holding to teachings that have been added to Scripture or inventing teachings that we imagine Jesus and His Apostles approving – even in “churches of Christ” like those in the New Testament where this “falling away” first happened!

Loving and believing the truth preserves relationship with God.
The true antidote to counterfeit things is the real thing. Acts 20:28-35, II Thess. 2:1-12, II Tim. 2:1-4.
God has established a way for us to relate to Him through Christ just as He willed and planned. Matt. 16:18-19, 18:18, 28:18-20.j
God warned against drifting away from it. Gal. 1:8-9, Heb. 2:1-4, I Cor. 4:16.

The whole story of the Bible is that God wants us to be His, planned for us to be His, provided for us to be His and now it is up to each of us to choose to be His.

What response are you making?

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