New Testament Reveals: A Church Indefectible; or a Great Apostasy

In this debate, I (the negative), will be arguing that the Early Christian Church fell into apostasy due to many particular elements that I will mention later. I have agreed to the rules of this debate and to the use of the KJV bible. I will also be sharing my burden of proof. First, let me start by defining apostasy. Then, I will begin my debate. Apostasy: When individuals or groups of people turn away from the principles of the gospel, they are in a state of apostasy. I will present 3 contentions that support my case. Contention 1: Revelation. Contention 2: Thank you Satan. Contention 3: The Crumbling Foundation. Contention 1: Revelation. Without the Apostles, proper revelation for the direction of the Church ceased. The Church Jesus Christ, as said by Matthew 16: 15-18, is built upon revelation. 15He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Peter, and the other apostles, knew Jesus Christ and his doctrine through revelation (although they did hang out with Jesus and witnessed his miracles, their biggest witness of Christ was through revelation and the Holy Ghost). This revelation gave the apostles guidance to lead Christ"s Church after his resurrection. Due to revelation, the apostles were of one mind when it came to doctrine. The apostles did not dispute over doctrine with each other. Rather, throughout the New Testament, we can see that the apostles were often correcting corrupted gospel doctrine all over the church. Doubts will always arise in the church (thank you satan). Doubts are not necessarily bad; but if they are not handled right and led to eventually spread throughout a congregation, corruption will accumulate in the church. Corruption leads to the destruction of doctrine and the erection of false doctrine. Leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ (Prophets and Apostles) are given revelation to protect and teach the doctrines of the Church. One of their main jobs is to extinguish corruption throughout the Church (see the books of Ephesians and Corinthians). Therefore, without leaders in the Church (Prophets and Apostles), corruption will ultimately destroy gospel doctrine and the Church (this outcome can actually be proven multiple times throughout the Old Testament). Think of it, in a way, kind of like a vehicle without a pilot. Without proper guidance given to the wheel, the vehicle can no longer function on a straight and controlled path. If the Church no longer has leadership with proper revelation and guidance, corruption will eliminate doctrine and the Church can no longer follow a straight and narrow path. If corruption and false doctrine rule, apostasy will eventually take place. But because Heavenly Father loves us, He often sends more prophets and apostles to us to help correct and fix the foundation of the Church. "All historical Christian churches agree that revelation for the direction of the church ceased with the last of the apostles," -James L. Barker, Apostasy from the Divine Church (Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1984), p. 650. If the formula for corruption is correct: after the Apostles were murdered (and not replaced), there was no longer divinely constructed leadership in the Church. This led to incurable corruption within the early Christian Church. Because of this corruption, doctrines and scriptures in the Church were changed to satisfy the intentions of ill-willed men. Ultimately, due to corruption and the lack of proper leadership and guidance, the early Christian Church fell into apostasy. Andrew C. Skinner, in the article "Apostasy, Restoration, and Lessons in Faith.", explains how the early Christian Church functioned without the Apostles and proper revelation: "History shows, in fact, that after the first century, church leaders, in order to decide important issues, could not (and did not) appeal to heaven for authoritative direction because they did not possess the keys of the kingdom. There were still honorable people on the earth who received personal inspiration for their individual lives. But the church was run largely by men who gathered in councils and held debates, letting their decisions rest on the collected wisdom of mortal beings. Modern scholars have labeled the post-apostolic era an "obscure period." Indeed it was, for the doctrinal integrity of the Church began to be compromised with self-appointed rulers stepping in to fill the void left by the Apostles" passing. Formerly, bishops and other Church officers had been appointed and supervised by the Apostles, as indicated in the book of Acts and Paul"s letters (see, for example, Acts 6; 1 Tim. 2, 1 Tim. 3;Titus 1). But immediately after the Apostolic Age, things changed radically. This is an example of what happened after we lost leadership and revelation in the Church." As Skinner explained, the leaders of the apostatized Christian Church relied more on the intelligence of man more than the revelation from God. This goes against the foundation of the Church of Jesus Christ (Matthew 16: 15-18) and therefore confirming that the early Christian Church was in a state of apostasy due to their lack of proper leadership and revelation. Contention 2: Thank you Satan. Most Christians hardly are required to be taught that the creator of all apostasy is Satan. Though he did not start out as Satan, he became Satan through opposition. He did so by seeking to change the plan of the Father and then audaciously attempting to usurp God"s own power, prerogatives, and glory. As expressed by John the Revelator in Revelations 13:7: "It was given unto him (Satan) to make war with the saints, and to overcome them". The Prophet Joseph Smith said, "the moment Latter-day Saints revolt at anything which comes from God, the devil takes power." The Apostle Paul predicted this would happen in the early Church. In a letter to the Thessalonian Saints, he foresaw that there would "come a falling away " and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition (or satan); "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 (the Church), shewing himself that he is God" (JST, 2 Thes. 2:3"4). Paul went even further by outlining, in a letter to his associate Timothy, some of the characteristics that certain apostate leaders and false prophets would demonstrate. They would "depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; "Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; "Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats" (1 Tim. 4:1"3). In other words, these apostate leaders would act out of deliberately dishonest motives; they would appear to possess "a form of godliness" but would not have the power thereof (2 Tim. 3:5; see also 2 Tim. 3:1"4). Contention 3: The Crumbling Foundation. The loss of the Apostles meant the loss of what Paul had called in Ephesians 2:20 "the foundation" of the Church. This loss allowed false brethren to drive the true Church "into the wilderness" (Rev. 12:6) until the promised restoration. Just like Andrew C. Skinner said, Modern scholars have labeled the post-apostolic era an "obscure period." Indeed it was, for the doctrinal integrity of the Church began to be compromised with self-appointed rulers stepping in to fill the void left by the Apostles" passing. Formerly, in Acts 6; 1 Tim. 2, 1 Tim. 3; Titus 1, bishops and other Church officers had been appointed and supervised by the Apostles. But immediately after the Apostolic Age, things changed radically. Evidence indicates that by the end of the first century, the great apostasy was an accomplished fact. Paul"s prophecies had been fulfilled. This is demonstrated in a work whose author is unknown, written perhaps at the end of the first century and entitled Teaching of the Twelve Apostles. It directs: "Appoint for yourselves, therefore, bishops and deacons " for unto you they also perform the service of the prophets and teachers." In other words, self-appointed bishops were to be regarded as filling the same roles as prophets had earlier. Of this post-New Testament record, the religious historian Williston Walker has written: "The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles shows that self-seeking and fraudulent claimants to divine guidance were soon preying on the churches." The same image arises from the writings of a late first-century bishop at Rome named Clement. Clement wrote to correct "the abominable and unholy schism" in the Corinthian branch of the Church, a situation that had resulted from apostates deposing Church officers (bishops and deacons) who had been lawfully and authoritatively appointed by the Apostles. Clement stated emphatically that it was the Apostles who had overseen the Church and had appointed converts to be deacons and bishops. Therefore, the rebellion against, and unlawful rejection of, legitimate priesthood leadership was the height of religious sedition. But worse than that, says Clement, is the fact that the "schism has led many astray; it has made many despair; it has made many doubt; and it has distressed us all. Yet it goes on!" Here two important truths are corroborated: mass apostasy destroys the faith of many, and it is hard to curtail. In conclusion, I would like to re-state that due to a lack of revelation, Satan, and the crumbling foundation, the early church fell into apostasy. Thank you. Sources: Lds.org http://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org... https://www.merriam-webster.com... https://www.lds.org...