History of the Church
Lesson 16: The Restoration Movement
A Summary of this Series

Speaker: John Phillis
Date: February 16 th, 2005, Wednesday Evening Adult Bible Class

We are finishing up our study that we’ve undertaken, now, for a number of months regarding the History of the Church. I want to make this something of a summary class, in a sense—not a review, but just to summarize a few things with us—and then also to see where we are in this day and time.

We began this class many months ago. We began by talking about the fact that the church of Christ—the church that belongs to Christ—was seen in prophecy in the long ago.

Jesus promised that he would build His church, Matthew 16, verse 18 [“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”]. We note that He said that HE would build it, that it would NOT be built by men.

We note, as well, that the church was purchased with His blood, Acts 20, and verse 28; 1 Peter 1:18-20 [Acts 20:18: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His Own blood.” 1 Peter 1:18-20: “…knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.”]. It was not purchased with material goods.

Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, NOT a man or a group of men, Ephesians 1:22-23 [“And He [(God) put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him Who fills all in all.”]; Colossians 1:18 [“And He is the head of the body, the church, Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”].

And Jesus is its King, NOT a man, Psalm 110, and verse 1; and Acts 2:32-36 [Psalm 110:1: “The LORD said to my Lord, ‘Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.’” Acts 2:32-36: “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, 35 Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”’ 36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, Whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”].

Jesus promised His apostles that the Holy Spirit would guide them into all Truth, John 14, and verse 26; John 16:13-15 [John 14:26: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 16:13-15: “However, when He, the Spirit of Truth , has come, He will guide you into all Truth ; for He will not speak on His Own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.”].

Therefore, by the writings of the inspired men who penned the New Testament, whose hands were guided along by the Holy Spirit, we can know what God wants the church to be in teaching, in practice, by following the pattern that has been set forth. The apostles were restricted by God to teach and to practice only that which was divinely authorized. Thus, the Holy Spirit determined the requirement for membership in the Lord’s church. The Holy Spirit prescribed the requirements for acceptable worship by God’s people. The HolySpirit defined and showed us how the local church is to be organized. The Holy Spirit has shown us the work of the church. The Holy Spirit has shown us thename of the church and the name that those who are part of the church should and must wear. And, we are also shown by the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, how we as Christians are to live.

During the lifetime of Jesus, even before the church was established on the Day of Pentecost that we read about in Acts, chapter 2, our Lord foretold—He prophesied—that there would be false prophets who would come about, Matthew 7, verse 15 [“Beware of false prophets , who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them” Matthew 7:15-20.]. He also warned of anti-christs, Matthew 24, and verse 24, whose work would be to lead men away from the Truth [“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand” Matthew 24:23-25].

The apostle Paul would speak later about wolves coming in, disguised as sheep, as Jesus prophesied, who would come in among the flock—come in among the church—to destroy it, Acts 20, and verse 29 [“For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.”]. Paul would say that the Spirit warns of a departure from the faith, 1 Timothy 4:1-3 [“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the Truth.”]. He also warns of a falling away, 2 Thessalonians 2, verse 3 [2 Thessalonians 2:1-4: “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”]. And church history verifies this departure from the faith; this departure from the New Testament principles, the pattern, the teaching, the practices, and so on.