Summary of the Restoration Movement

by Rocky Whitely

I.                    Problem:

A.      A reminder: 2 Tim 2:24-26

B.      Many denominations have the Bible plus their creeds

1.       “Living” Traditions and Ecumenical Councils

2.       Luther’s Catechism

3.       Westminster Confession of Faith

4.       Manual of Discipline

5.       Baptist Manual

6.       Note: Why not have the Bible only making Christians only?

C.     Protestant reaction to Catholicism of the 1400’s

1.       Initially an attempt to reform the Roman Catholic Church, thus Reformation Movement

2.       Subsequently, a protest against the RCC, thus Protestant Movement

II.                  Awakening:

A.      Many people began studying the Bible for themselves for what God said

1.       When Barton W. Stone was ordained in the Presbyterian Church, he agreed to the Westminster Confession of Faith by saying, “I do, so far as it agrees with the Bible”

2.       Later, during that time of “Mourners’ Bench” religion, Barton W. Stone read Acts 2:38 as people came to the “altar call” at one of his revivals; years later he realized the significance of Acts 2:38

B.      They began seeing error in the beliefs of their denominations

1.       Alexander Campbell left a church where he had preached pedo-baptism for the Baptist Church, when he discovered that Bible baptism was immersion in water of adult believers

C.     Restoring the Bible must be more than slogans!

1.   “Back to the Bible”

2.   “God said it. I believe it. That settles it”

3.   “Call Bible things by Bible names”

4.   “Where the Bible speaks, we speak; where the Bible is silent, we are silent”

III.                Dilemma:

A.      Stay in their denomination or leave (forming a new denomination?)

1.       Barton W. Stone and others formed the Springfield Presbytery in an attempt to get away from denominationalism, only to discover that they formed a new denomination. They dissolved that body with “The Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery”

2.       They met together simply as Christians

B.      Many were expelled! Where did they go?

1.       Alexander Campbell quit the Redstone Baptist Association before he was expelled for preaching the immersion, a so-called “work,” as necessary to receive salvation offered by God; he learned from the Bible that forgiveness of sins is given in immersion

C.     Unfortunately, today many are wanting to reject the restoration plea and to return to denominationalism

1.       Every generation of Christians struggles with this dilemma

2.       To what do they return?

3.       The pastor’s wife wanted to introduce her junior high students to the different churches in her small town She invited their preachers to present their church. When she invited a preacher-friend of mine to introduce the Lord’s church [her words, “the Church of Christ”], she told him about her husband teaching the class. He said, “We accept people of all faiths.” She laughed as she revealed one student’s quip, “You mean we don’t believe in anything!”

IV.                Recognition:

A.      Becoming a part of the church of Christ (as the Bible says, no new denomination, not even a denomination)

1.       Jesus is the Builder (Matt 16:18)

2.       Jesus is the Buyer (Acts 20:28)

3.       Jesus is the Head (Eph 1:22-23)

4.       Jesus is the Savior (Eph 5:23)

B.      Today, restoring the Lord’s church today is more than the body of Jesus but also His person; many do not understand who Jesus is!

V.                  Conclusion:

A.      For others: anytime someone learns and obeys the truth of the simple Bible messages, he/she needs to leave his/her denomination and begin worshipping with New Testament Christians

B.      For us: we must continually study the Scriptures afresh, 1) benefiting from the studies of past generations of preachers/Christians, 2) without accepting any of their conclusions just because they believed that way

C.     We must learn what God means when He says what He does!

1.       If one says, “One interpretation is just as good as another”

2.       That pictures a God incapable of revealing His will understandably

D.     When I visited with a pastor-friend of mine about the restoration plea, he responded, “Too much water as passed under the bridge”

1.       He tacitly confessed to the concept of New Testament Christianity; however, for him 2,000 years was too much time to return to those pristine waters

2.       My response: “If God could create the universe in six days, if He could part the Red Sea, if He could raise His Son from the dead, if He can forgive my sins and restore newness to my life, if He can do anything according to His will, then He also can restore His original church and add us to their number”