Reformation
God’s words are the sandals upon our feet. As David wrote, he guides us to green pastures. God does not desire destruction, nor is he defeatist. In light of all that is in Scripture it is amazing how large elements of Christianity are expecting some defeating apostasy before the end of the world. Most is based on nothing more than 2 Thessalonians 2 “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?”
Well, Paul actually had told them no such things— and 1 Thessalonians is proof of that today. In fact, 1 Thessalonians patently contradicts 2 Thessalonians. There are other suspicious statements in 2 Thess. as well, such as “Paul” warning them not to believe any other epistle written in his name to them— one of the tell tale signs that 2 Thess. is a forgery. (See Apocryphal Apocalypticism). The authenticity of certain books in the New Testament is not the issue here. This issue is the defeating attitude in Christianity that apostasy must come and overwhelm the church. Both 2 Thessalonians and the attitude of apostasy contradict the Scripture. Therefore the point of this article is to amplify the need for Reformation in order to curb the prevalent attitude today to accept the corruption as inevitable and a sign of the end.
Reformation of Christianity can only come from the Scriptures. Ignoring the scriptures (or being ignorant of them) is what allowed some 2nd century Christians (with good intentions I’m sure) to pen patently false prophetic utterances in the name of apostles. Had the early church followed the apostolic instruction to remain based in Scripture as the source of doctrine, they never would have fallen for some of these additions or forgeries. Modern Christianity is not guiltless, since the Reformers encouraged some skepticism over some of the more questionable books. That 16th century Reformation was, in fact, possible, one may dare say, because Catholicism had buried many of these books and made them accessible only to the clergy. Had the Reformers and the general populace been ingrained with the idea of a terrible massive apostasy led by some evil man, it likely would have thwarted the Reformation. Either the people would not have listened to the Reformers (believing they were the falling away), or those who would become the Reformers would have thought it useless to try to reform. Considering how bad Pope Alexander VIth was, there would be few who would not think he was the fulfillment of 2 Thess. All would have just sat back and waited for the Parousia. Yet it would not have come.
The defeatist attitude was not dominant because 2 Thess. was a buried book. It could not influence general Christianity at all. Now that it is out again since the 17th century, and protected as divine utterances no less, Christian reformation is stifled. Today’s bad morals are being greeted as proof that the end is coming; and, indeed, such an article as this is probably being regarded in like manner: because “the Bible is being undermined” by questioning one of the books. On the contrary, the Scripture is being reenforced. And the Reformation that is coming is directing Scripture against such modern assertions as a defeating apostasy. The same spirit that motivated the Reformers like Luther to denounce Hebrews as full of “stubble, hay and wood,” and Revelation as “a dumb prophecy” is the one that is directing appropriate criticism at certain books in the NT and the method by which they were compiled and made authoritative. The simple fact is that 2 Thessalonians should merely be added to the list of bad books.
Why? Because the Spirit of God moves one ever forward to reformation and repentance, not defeatism and banality. If a few statements in the New Testament get in the way then they best get out of the way. That heady spirit that motivated the Reformers gave them some very critical insights when they came across statements and books that clearly did not reflect the dignity and majesty of God. Bodenstein actually compiled his NT according to the individual book’s dignity, placing such as we are now speaking about at the back of his Bible.
There is no place where Scripture is more crucial in tempering falsehood than in the field of apocalypticism. Starting out with this base would have prevented many of these books or passages from being accepted or later contributing to their influence on lurid interpretations of actual Biblical statements.
Let’s start with Isaiah 9
For one who was in anguish there will be no gloom. In the former time he treated the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but in the latter time he will make it glorious, by way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. On those who lived in the land of deep shadows, the light has shined. You have expanded the nation, you have increased its joy. They rejoice in your presence, as with the joy at harvest, as people cheer when they divide spoil. For the yoke of their burden and the pole on their shoulder, the rod of their oppressors, thou hast broken, as in the day of Midiam. For every boot tramping in the tumult and the garments rolled in blood will be burned for fire.
For unto a child is born, unto us a son is given. The government will be upon his shoulders. He shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the expansion of his government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, to establish it and to sustain it with justice and righteousness from now on and forever more. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will do this.
Just from this we start with a firm base that the government— “kingdom”— of the Messiah will always expand. God’s zeal will do this. His zeal is not directed at allowing an enormous shrinking of his kingdom. This, however, was apparently not understood by some of the dubious clerics of the late 1st century and 2nd century. This was no doubt caused by the fact that they had little knowledge of the Scriptures anymore. The schism separating Judaism from Christianity had this terrible effect on the 2nd century church.
Had Isaiah’s full meaning been ingrained in Greek Christians, had they also longed for the Messiah as long as Jews had, they would have known that any teaching of a latter day falling away from the faith was rubbish. Those who penned the books containing such comments, like 2 Thessalonians, the Pastorals, Revelation, and the Johannine epistles, though they sincerely meant to thwart a falling away to Gnosticism, would never have used this angle to do that had they known that Christ’s kingdom expands. (See Disputed Books and Gnosticism)
This is only one prophecy that does not allow for the defeatist mentality that exists in many so called traditionalist circles.
As noted in Apocryphal Apocalypticism, in 1 Thessalonians Paul echoes the apocalyptic chapters of the synoptic gospels, with one very crucial and beneficial difference: he does not associate Christ’s coming with any apocalypse. Indeed, it comes quite unannounced, just as Christ speaks in Mark but especially in Matthew. Although some conflation of Christ’s words seem to have occurred in Mark 13, Matthew 24 and Luke 21, contextually it is obvious Christ does not associate his coming with an apocalypse. Rather such comments are reserved for the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. Sayings of his Parousia are highlighted with illustrations of how people will not be expecting it.
Therefore from Christ’s own words, plus authentic apostolic reflection of these words, and the march of history since that day, we can see how the biblical prophecy is 100% accurate. “Of the expansion of his government” there will be no end. The current corruption in the Christian corporate churches is only heralding a reformation that must come. There is no denying this corruption exists: Gnostic cults again, blatant immorality, and spiritualism which is no different than occult practices. But considering how the kingdom has expanded, the number of true believers on the earth is vast compared to any previous time.
This reformation will be unlike the Protestant Reformation, inasmuch as certain Biblical prophecies have taken place. 1, the kingdom is restored unto Israel. 2, we know that God said he will return the captivity of his people, and that his anger will not endure to the end. Jeremiah 3 “Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; (LXX And thou didst retain many shepherds for a stumbling-block to thyself) and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth? Will he reserve his anger for ever? Will he keep it to the end?”
We know of a certainty that God will turn Israel. At that moment he will shed his grace upon Israel, and Israel shall believe and finally understand that God walked among us. An age is coming, an age of a dominant Jewish Christianity. There the problems will arise. It will not be like Gentile Christianity. Protestants could break away from Rome— but what happens when millions of Jews believe, and yet cannot find any justification for a lot of Christian doctrine in the Bible, whether Catholic, traditionalist or all the weird liberalism of today? The church’s embarrassing moment comes to pass, when the stump demands of the branches: “Give account.”
There are contentious days ahead . . .No age begins without it. This reformation will be one of the most astounding in history. But God will not be defeated. Nor does he hold his anger to the end. There is no final apostasy in which the saints are put in a bubble. The gates of Death will not prevail. The believer has always been the roving army, and evil locks itself into walled cities. The more I see what the Reformers went through so long ago, the more I see what spirit they had. Then I understand why they kicked books out of their way (or passages) that basically taught “you can never triumph.” Modern New Testament textual criticism revealing 2nd century amendments, though often done by secularists, has surprisingly justified the Reformers implicit understanding of the Bible’s purpose. The exposing of some of these comments more than anything argues for the “guidance of the spirit” more than those who employ this concept to sanctify their current status quo or make their current compilation of NT books into an idol. God’s spirit is motivating a generation fed up with corruption, complacence and talk of the “end.” Reformation is coming, and God will not be stopped, even by the current New Testament. Hard times cause his words to be even more revealed, and this blows a lot of froth off that which has masqueraded as God’s word. (See Canon of the New Testament)
