Continuing with the same theme from the last article, we come to the New Testament with Peter writing (1 Pet. 1:24,25) all flesh is as grass but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Where did he get that from? Isaiah 40:8. He then adds this word is the gospel that was preached unto you. What does that imply? Simply this; the gospel is as authoritative and unchanging today as the Old Testament was before Christ. That makes perfect sense since it is all the word of the Lord (Heb. 1:1,2).
The same warnings as found in the Old testament are found in the New (cf. Heb.2:1ff). If the church must change then that would mean that if you stick with the Bible you will be lost! Who can believe it?! The early church was praised for continuing steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine (Acts 2:42); they were of one heart and soul (Acts 4:32); they had been made free from sin by obedience to a certain ‘form’ (pattern) of doctrine (teaching) (Rom. 6:17,18); they were commanded to be careful with their teaching (1 John 4:1; Rom. 6:17,18; 1 Cor. 4:6; 1 Tim. 1:3); The faith they had been delivered was once and for all (Jude 3).
Now if the church has the option of continually modifying biblical truth how could one ever fall away from the faith? What meaning could we give to the term “truth”, if what was true last year is false this year and so on. Plastic Christianity for a plastic age? An evolutionary Christianity for an evolutionary age? The question devolves to whether we are willing to submit to the authority of Christ as expressed in His word.
The concept of change, moving with the times, has its place. Most of us drive motor cars rather than ride horses to go about our business. Most of us have televisions in our homes from which we get news and entertainment rather than the old valve mantel radio. Most of us wash our clothes in a washing machine rather than beating them to death on a rock in the river. All these things relate to matters of expediency, not to matters of revealed truth.
Some might be incredulous as to whether Jude 3 could possibly be true. Could God really give a body of faith that is still relevant 2000 years later?The answer is obvious, really. Is man still a sinner? Is the cross of Christ still the answer to man’s greatest need? Have chemists invented something that will replace the blood of Christ? I mentioned before there is nothing new under the sun – the new morality is just the old immorality! Nobody is inventing anything new – even the idea that churches ought to change to appease society and get in tune with contemporary thinking is an old idea itself. 1 John 4:5 says it was going on 2000 years ago! As a rich man is just a poor man with money, so is a modern man just an ancient man with wheels!
Is the restoration plea still relevant? Of course.
The religious division and denominational confusion of our times testifies to the fact something is wrong. What we see today is not what Jesus had in mind in John 17:20,21. It is not what Paul had in mind in 1 Cor. 1:10. To perpetuate the status quo is to not heed the prayer of Jesus or the command of the apostle Paul. The restoration plea is an attempt to fulfill the desire of God on this point. Whilst I believe denominationalism is wrong and contrary to the Biblical pattern, living in a culture with such a religious system has a benefit, in an ironic sort of way, for it impresses upon our minds that something is wrong, and that we must search the scriptures in order to find the truth. Complacency is never a good thing, and especially so when our eternal destiny is in question.
If God reveals Himself through His word, and He does, and since we will be judged by the Word of God (Jn.14:48), it makes perfect and compelling sense to search the Scriptures to see what it is that God took the trouble to tell us. The fact that God spent something like 50 years inspiring men to write the New Testament tells us it stands to reason it was no passing fad.
Bible believers throughout the centuries have unconsciously or consciously believed in the validity of the restoration plea. For example, when people ask “Is that in the Bible?; “the Bible doesn’t teach that!” or “we must do this because it was done this way in Bible times”, they are alluding to a restoration concept. Whilst many believers do this on some things, we would insist that we need to be consistent and search the Scriptures in relation to all things pertaining to life and godliness, worship, work and doctrines of the Church. If it is important to do this in relation to some things, why not all things? Prove all things, hold fast to that which is good (1 Thess. 5:21)
Finally, the restoration plea is relevant and will remain relevant as long as the world stands because behind the plea to restore primitive Christianity, there stands the need for us to be restored back to God individually. It would not make sense for us to invent our own way of salvation. God alone is the Saviour (Isa. 433:11) and He has chosen to save man through Jesus Christ. There is no other way – John 14:6; Acts 4:12. Since salvation is in Christ (2 Tim. 2:1,10, how do I get into Christ? Hear, believe, repent, confess and be baptised into Christ – Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:27.