Ron Cosby
Not according to at least two groups. One group tells us that the church was never lost; another tells us that there is nothing to restore. Respectfully, we disagree, and here is why:
Mixing Biblical metaphors causes some to deny the need for restoration. “After all,” they tell us, “the church is the people. You cannot restore the people.” With this group, we need only to remind them that God’s spiritual sphere is not only referred to as the church, but the same body is alluded to, among other figures, as the kingdom. Having viewed the church from the aspect of a kingdom, this group will be better able to see the potential of restoration.
The apostles pled for restoration of the old kingdom, “When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6). We can all agree that they knew of the principle of restoring kingdoms. Thus, when one views the church as the kingdom, the rationale for the plea to return to that which once existed in pristine form is evident.
Another principle that shows that the church or kingdom can be restored is found in 2 Kings 23. God’s system of religion deteriorated under the rule of evil kings and lying diviners. After being enlightened by that which was written, godly princes, prophets, and people returned to the Lord by keeping “the passover unto the Lord your God, as it is written in the book of this covenant” (23:21). Lest someone missed it. They kept the Passover “as it is written”; indeed, “as it is written in the book of the covenant.” What these passages tell is that a system of religion (the church, or the kingdom) can be restored. Obviously, the Lord was pleased with their return to His way of righteousness.
What we need now is to understand whether or not the church needs to be restored. It depends on the time frame. Has the church of Christ (the kingdom) ever needed restoring? Yes. Wayne Jackson is exactly right when he says, “Every Biblical passage that warns of a ‘falling away’ from the faith…contains the implied need for a restoration” (Spiritual Sword, Vol. 23, No. 1). Both Acts 1:6 and 2 Kings 23 verify brother Jackson’s basic declaration.
After the apostles established the church on firm footing, false teachers led many astray, even as Paul had forewarned (Acts 20; 1 Tim. 4; 2 Tim. 4; 2 The. 2). His‐ tory shows that the profane so corrupted the church that pure Christianity could rarely be detected, possibly existing only in remote and isolated spots. Thus, having gone astray, the kingdom needed to be brought back to its original condition.
Changing the time frame to today, we ask, “Does the church need to be restored today?” Herein we answer, “No.” However, if providence allows another falling away, God’s system of righteousness will need to be brought back into its primitive state.
Admittedly, what we have said up to this time does not fully address the second group’s opposition to restoration. Remember they deny that there is anything to restore. Listen to one of their proponents. He says, “The church which the Lord built is a universal, unstructured entity which defies limiting patterns.” The writer is saying that no pattern exists. Dear reader, if there is no “limiting pattern,” there can be no falling away.
Did the church in the first century have an original condition, that is, a specific pattern that they followed and kept? Indeed, it did. The apostles established the church all over the land, with every congregation following the same set of rules. Paul as much as said this very thing to the Corinthians: “Timotheus,…shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church” (1 Cor. 4:17). Accompanying this teaching was the warning to remain faithful to what they had been taught: “learn not to go beyond the things which are written” (4:6—ASV). Now, read what Paul said to Timothy. “Hold fast the form of sound words” (2 Tim. 1:13) and, “the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2:2).
Every church was taught the same thing. Paul did not teach one set of doctrines to the Corinthians and then another set to other churches. An equally firm warning was given to the Galatians. They were not to receive anything other than that which was preached to them or/and received by them (Gal. 1:8)—no new teaching!
Therefore, the penitent believer in Corinth did what the penitent believer in Galatia did to become a Christian. He/she was born again (John 3:3-5). Brethren may have dressed a little differently, talked a little differently, and met at a different time to publicly praise God, but they worshiped on the same day and in the same way (Acts 20:7; John 4:24; Acts 2:42; Heb. 2:12; 1 Cor. 11-16). Furthermore, whether in Corinth or Ephesus, God’s people lived according to the standard laid down in the first century (Titus 2:11-12; Rom. 12:1-2). Clones one of another? No, not at all. Followers of the law of Christ (Gal. 6)!
Out of the four meanings, The American Heritage Electronic Dictionary supplies for restore, to “bring back to an original condition” fits exactly what we have been discussing. Builders restore deteriorated houses. Members of antique car clubs take great pride in “fixing up” junkers that have been neglected. The closer they can equip them with the original equipment the more delighted the restorer. Two ingredients are present in any restoration. First, the “original condition” must have existed; second, this primitive state must be sought and attained. So, it is with the kingdom. Certain, specific requirements which have been set forth in the pages of the New Testament must be fulfilled before we can have the original.
When we compare what is being taught and practiced to these specific requirements, we will be able to determine whether we have restored, reformed, or built anew. Reforming falls short. Building a new blueprint is forbidden. On the other hand, insisting on the original condition is not only safe but follows Scriptural mandates.
