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Church History -- The Restoration Period Exodus 25.8-9 Introduction:
The Catholic Church evolved over hundreds of years and changed the organization
and doctrine of the church. Authority
shifted from the Bible to councils, church tradition, and the Pope.
During the Reformation Movement there was the attempt to reform the
Catholic Church. This resulted in
splits and eventually denominations. Those
responsible argued that the Scriptures and not the Pope is that standard of
authority. However, eventually they
developed their own creed books. Hence, the standard of authority once again was
shifted from the Bible to the words of men. In
this lesson we want to look at the “Restoration Movement.”
I)
What Is Restoration? A)
To “restore” – to bring back or put back in its original state. 1.
To restore a chair or car means to put it back into its original condition when
it was first made. 2.
If I wanted to restore the game of football I would need the rule book.
a. The size of the field, number of players on the field at a time, the
time of the game, the size and shape of the ball, etc.
b. Then I would have to play the game by the rules. B)
To restore the church means to bring it back to its original condition. 1.
The foundation of the church and its head.
1 Cor. 3.11 2.
The doctrine of the church,
Acts 2.42 3.
Need the Bible to see how one became a member of the church. 4.
What the church did and how it function. C)
Restoration Movement was not an attempt to reform the denominations or Catholic
Church but to go directly to the New Testament. 1.
The true church has existed from the Day of Pentecost onward, Isaiah 55.11 2.
As long as we have the word of God, and people obey it, the church will exist
here on earth. II)
The Climate of Restoration A)
“Toleration Acts” 1649 1.
There was religious toleration in the colonies. 2.
In 3.
Catholics were not in the majority so it was not the state religion. B)
Country of great freedom 1.
Distance from 2.
Rebellion against III)
The Restoration Movement. A)
Movement
1.
The goal of going back to the Bible. 2.
The goal was not to follow a particular person and no one person was the
head or leader of the group. The church existed here before some of the men we
are going to talk about.
a. Ex. William Rogers
monument at
b. Old Mulkey Meeting House, B)
James O’Kelley in 1.
“Christmas Conference” in 1784 in Asbury wanted to head the 2.
Wesley’s plan for the 3.
O’Kelley said the Bible was all sufficient for faith and practice, The
Eternal Kingdom, page 311. 4.
1794 O’Kelley withdrew from the General Council.
A number of preachers stood with O’Kelley and form the “Republican
Methodists’, ibid. page 312. 5.
1794 they drew up the “five Cardinal Principles of the Christian
Church”
a. Christ is the only head of the church
b. The name Christian is the only acceptable name
c. The Bible is the only rule of faith
e. Christian character is the only test of church fellowship
f. The right of private judgment is the privilege of all. C)
Elias Smith lived in 1700’s in 1.
Rejected the Doctrine of Calvinism and universalism. 2.
Only wear the name of Christ, Acts 11.26;
26.28; 1 Peter 4.16 D)
Barton W. Stone was Presbyterian (1772—1844) 1.
Rejected the doctrine of total depravity and absolute predestination 2.
Called upon sinners to repent and accept Christ 3.
Moved to
a. Some listened to Stone and left the Presbyterian Association and
formed a new group, “The Springfield Presbytery”
b. Wrote the “Last Will and Testament of the
c. “We will, that the people
henceforth take the Bible as the only sure guide to heaven; and as many as are
offended with other books which stand in competition with it, may cast them in
to the fire if they choose; for it is better to enter into life having one book,
than having many to be cast into hell” The Eternal Kingdom, page 315.
d. “We will, that this body die, be dissolved, and sink into union with
the Body of Christ at large; for there is but one Body, and one Spirit, even as
we are called in one hope of our calling” ibid, page 314. 4.
Keys—wear only the name of Christ, no authority but the Bible, immersion is
essential to salvation, each congregation choose their own preacher, preach
without regard to philosophy, vain deceit, human tradition, or the rudiments of
the world. . E)
Thomas Campbell, from 1.
Refused to worship God according to Act of Parliament became a member of the
Seceder Presbyterian Church. 2.
Came to
a. Assigned him to the Presbyterian Chartiers in
b. Invited all the pious to observe the Lord’s Supper. For this he was
censored. 3.
While speaking to a group at a house Thomas Campbell said, “Where the
Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent.”
See, 1 Peter 4.11.
a. Andrew Munro pointed out that this would mean an end to infant
baptism. F)
Alexander Campbell (1788—1866) in 1.
Brush Run congregation was organized as an independent congregation with Thomas
as an elder and Alexander as the preacher. They observed the Lord’s Supper on
a weekly basis. 2.
A member, Joseph Bryant before taking communion demanded that he be immersed in
order to follow the New Testament. 3.
Baptism was not made a test of fellowship, infant baptism was still
accepted. 4.
March 12, 1811 Alexander married Margaret Brown, her parents were Presbyterian.
a. Jane was born a year later, lead to the questioning of infant baptism
b. Immersion was baptism and not sprinkling or pouring.
c. No scripture to authorize infants to be immersed
d. Force then to realize infant baptism (sprinkling) was only a
ceremony, they were not a part of Christ’s body. 5.
Alexander realized he needed to be baptized; went to Matthias Luce, a Baptist
preacher, to be immersed. Eventually
immersion became a test of fellowship at the 6.
The Brush Run Church joined the “Redstone Baptist Association on the condition
they be allowed to teach and preach whatever we learn from the Holy Scriptures,
regardless of any creed or formula in christeondom. The 7.
1823 Alexander withdrew from the Redstone Association.
He gave the “Sermon on the Law” in which he made a distinction
between the Law of Moses and Christ. 8.
Held a number of debates: The Campbell – Walker Debate; The Campbell McCalla
Debate; on the doctrine of infant baptism. He
won each easily.
a. The Baptist loved him but he then pointed out he was no closer to them
than the Presbyterians. 9.
He denounced the clergy/ laity system; also
synods, councils, conventions, and other legislative groups. G)
Walter Scott --called
upon people to believe, repent, confess Christ, and be baptized into the body of
Christ. H)
Raccoon John Smith called upon people to be only Christians. Conclusion;
In order to restore the church they had to cast off the doctrines of men.
This included infant baptism, associations, and false doctrines.
See 1 John 2.2; 2 Peter 3.9;
and Hebrews 2.9 to show that all can
be saved for Jesus died for all. We
have the word of God, Luke 8.11.
We are to follow the pattern shown us in the Bible, Romans
6.16.
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