How to determine what is Orthodox Christianity Today?

 

Text: I Thes. 5:21

Introduction:  How can we today distinguish between genuine New Testament Christianity and

                          apostate forms of Christianity or between orthodox and unorthodox?

 

I. New Testament Doctrine and Practice is the Standard for Othodoxy

 

A. What is the difference between Deviant and Genuine Christianity?

    

         1. Dr. Walter Martin -     A cult, then, is a group of people polarized around someone’s

                                                interpretation of the Bible and is characterized by major deviations

                                                from orthodox Christianity relative to the cardinal doctrines of the

                                               Christian faith…[1] (emphasis mine)

 

         2. Dr. Josh McDowell – A cult is a perversion, a distortion of Biblical Christianity and/or a

                                                rejection of historic teachings of the Christian Church.[2] 

 

         3. James Sire - Any religious movement that is organizationally distinct and has doctrines

                                 and/or practices that contradict those of the Scriptures as interpreted by

                                traditional Christianity as represented by the major Catholic and Protestant

                               denominations, and as expressed in such statements as the Apostles Creed.[3]

 

        Conclusion: All agree that deviant or cultic Christianity is a departure from Biblical Christianity

                            or what is referred to as “orthodox” Christianity.

 

B. The problem of defining “orthodox”  is well stated by John A. Silba  

 

                 The first problem with the definition of a cult as an unorthodox religious group is that it

                 leaves unsolved the question of Christian orthodoxy. Sire’s definition seems to include all

                traditional Christianity (Catholic and Protestant) under the standard of orthodoxy, thereby

                bypassing the many debates that have split the Christian Church through he ages. The

                narrower standard proposed by Martin is that of evangelical Christianity, a criterion that

                excludes several well established Christian churches and sects which are judged to be

               unorthodox and hence liable to be called cults…Many…have at times referred to the

              Catholic Church as a cult…[4]

 

CONCLUSION: Every conflicting denomination claims to be New Testament orthodoxy. Everyone has their personal opinion as to the definition of New Testament orthodoxy? Every denomination uses its own creed or articles of faith as the standard of New Testament orthodoxy. How can you or I tell what is New Testament orthodoxy? Is there a way to determine the essentials of New Testament Christianity?  If not, then it is one denominations opinion versus another denominations opinion. This is the problem. Is there a clear and decisive solution to this problem?

 

II. Discovering the Biblical Standard for Orthodoxy

 

Intro:  The standard for orthodoxy can be easily discovered by the use of common sense principles

             and common sense rules of interpretation.

 

A. Four Principles for Discovering Biblical Orthodoxy: There are four clear reasonable and

     Biblical principles that can be used to define Biblical Orthodoxy. The principles are so clear 

     that no one can deny without being irrational and unreasonable. These principles need no

     interpretation as they are unambiguous and clear.

 

    Principle #1: Every doctrine and/or practice that the Bible itself clearly states or necessarily

                           infers to be non-negotionable or absolutely essential must be regarded as

                           orthodox

 

                          example: One gospel – Gal. 1:6-9 – “if any man preach any other gospel….”

                          example: One God – Deut. 4:6; 13:1-5

                          example: One way to heaven – John 14:6 – “no man cometh to the Father but by me”

                          example: Necessity of new birth – John 3:3,5 – “ye must be born again”

                          example: grace cannot be mixed with works – Rom. 11:6

 

    Principle #2: Every doctrine and practice that is essential to distinguish Christianity from

                          other world religions must be regarded as orthodox

 

              The Bible as the authorized revealed will of God – Isa. 8:20; 2 Tim. 3:16-17 Rev. 22:18-19

              The Triune God of the Bible – Deut. 13:1-5; 2 Jn. 9-11; Jn. 17:3; Mt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:13

              The One Way of Salvation of the Bible – Jn. 14:6; Acts 4:12; Gal. 1:8-9; Acts 10:43             

              The One and Only God/man Savior  – Jn. 1:1; 2 Jn. 9-11

              The Resurrection of the Christ – I Cor. 15:1-20

              The New Testament Church and its ordinances – Mt. 16:18; 28:19-20; I Cor. 11

             

    Principle #3 - All doctrine and practice that are essential to preserve essential N.T.

                           Christianity

             The Scriptures as the basis for faith and practice – Psa. 12:6-7; Isa. 8:20; 2 Tim. 3:16-17

             The Continuing Church Institution as the pillar and ground of truth – I Tim. 3:15; Mt. 16:18

             The Age long Great Commission process of making disciples – Mt. 28:19-20

 

   Principle #4 - All Doctrine and Practice that distinguish N.T. Christianity from predicted

                          Apostate Christianity

 

             The Bible clearly predicts such an apostasy? – I Tim. 4:1; 2 Thes. 2:3; Mt. 24:24-25; Jude 3

             The Bible clearly lists some of the false doctrines? – I Tim. 4:1-5; 2 Jn. 9-11; Gal. 1:8-9

             Apostate Christianity will deny or distort one or more of the above three principles

                  -     It will deny non-negotionable doctrines that the Bible demands to be essential

-         It will deny essentials that distinguish Christianity from other world religions

-         It will deny essentials that preserve N.T. Christianity

 

CONCLUSION: These four reasonable and Biblical principles if applied will define every doctrine 

         and practice essential to Orthodox Christianity.  Cultic or unorthodox Christianity are those

         institutions or denominations that violate the above four principles.

B. Three Clear Biblical rules of Interpretation:   However, it is one thing to identify the correct doctrines and practice and another thing to interpret them correctly. There are some denominations that profess to believe and practice these essentials but in reality they deny them by their distorted interpretation and practice. How does one determine the right interpretation of a specific doctrine and practice in order to identify orthodox Christianity from unorthodox Christianity?  Just as there are four common sense principles that can be used to discover the essentials of orthodoxy there are three common sense rules of interpretation that none can deny without being unreasonable and irrational. All false doctrine is a result of failing to apply these principles. If these principles are applied truth will always be the result.

 

     1. The Golden Rule of Interpretation: “When the plain sense of Scriptures makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and axiomatic (self-evident)  and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.” Any doctrine that violates this golden rule should be rejected as error.  All the below rules of interpretation are included in this golden rule.

 

     2. The Rule of Interpreting the Unclear by the Clear: Common sense tells us that unclear, ambiguous and difficult passages should be interpreted by clear and unambiguous passages – NEVER THE REVERSE. Never should one accept interpretations that are based primarily upon parabolic, symbolic, allegorical or spiritualizations when such interpretations are in obvious contradiction to the plain sense of clear precepts and examples of Scripture. Always should doctrine be based upon clear precepts and teaching of Scriptures and then supported by parabolic, allegorical and symbolic portions of Scripture. All doctrine and practice that contradicts this common sense rule should be rejected as error.

 

   Example: The clear precepts of the New Birth should not be interpreted by a spiritualized

                    Interpretation of Revelation 7:1-9 – JW’s

 

    Example: The clear teachings on the N.T. Church (Mt. 16:18) should not be interpreted by a

                    spiritualized Interpretation of Rev. 12-14 – Seventh Day Adventists

 

     3. The Rule of Context:  Every word, every text of Scripture should be interpreted according to its intended historical, grammatical and immediate context and then that interpretation should be compared to the overall Biblcal context dealing with that particular subject. Any interpretation or application of a text that violates or contradicts its original historical contextual intent is to be rejected as error. Any interpretation that violates the immediate and overall context should be rejected as error.

 

    Example: The Open Window Method – (Jerking texts out of contexts)

-         Judas went out and hanged himself

-         Go thou and do likewise

-         Whatsoever thou doest, do quickly

 

    Example: The Subjective Methods

                     – “I feel…I think” – 2 Pet. 1:20-21; I Cor. 14:38

- “What truth God has for me in this text may not be a truth for you”

   

 

The Escape Assertion:  “That is your interpretation” – Response: “Show me why my interpretation

                                                  is wrong – Let me show you why yours is wrong.” Put up or shut up.

III.  Does God’s Word Promise  the Uninterrupted Continuation

of Essential N.T. Christianity until Jesus Comes Again?

                  

A. The Clear Precepts of Scripture

 

     1. The clear promise of age long Existence – Mt. 28:19-20

         a. The English text states it clearly– “I am with you always even unto the end of the world”

         b. The Greek text clearly demands it – “I am with you all the days even unto the end of the age”

         c. One of Protestants top Greek scholars translates the meaning

                            “I am with you day in and day out until the end of this age” – William Hendricksen

         d. The necessary inference of a repeating ongoing cycle - go..baptize.teach….go…etc.

                 (1) The grammar demands it – one main verb modified by three participles

                 (2) The concluding participle necessarily infers it ‘Teaching them to observe all things”

        e. The guiding precept restricts this to a reproductive cycle of like faith and order – “teaching

              them all things whatsoever I HAVE COMMANDED.”

             (1) the nature of the precept demands the principle of SAMENESS not DIFFERENCE

                  (a) going with the SAME gospel – Jn. 3:16,36

                  (b) administering the SAME baptism – Lk. 7:29-30; Jn. 4:1-2

                  (c) teaching the SAME faith and practice – Acts 2:42; Jude 3

             (2) the nature of the commission requires the New Testament Church as the subject

                  (a) the plural “you”

                  (2) the necessity of assembling in order to obey commission

                       - all aspects require physical gathering together

                       - Mt. 18:15-17 cannot be taught apart from mutual church membership

      f. The combination of promise, precept and necessary inferences require this text teaches clearly

          the age long reproduction of churches of like faith and order.

 

  2. Gates of hades shall never prevail against it – Mt. 16:18

         a. Same book same author same promise would infer it refers to the same kind of church as in

             Matthew 28:19-20

         b. Same author, same promise of the same keys infer the same church as in Mt. 18:15-18

 

  3. Continuity of Church through this age and into the eternal age – Eph. 3:21

 

    

B. The Clear Practice of Scripture confirms the Great Commission Promise – Acts

       2:41-42

 

     1. The Great Commission in practice - Same gospel  -Same baptism - Same doctrine and practice

     2. The Grammatical Customary Practice –  Paraphrastic construction (imperfect verb with

                                                                   present to be verb) – “continued steadfastly” – Acts 2:42

        a. Imperfect verb indicates continuous action in past time without beginning and ending points

        b. Present tense linking verb indicates this is an ongoing action right up to point of writing

        c. Beginning and ending points of paraphastic construction are defined by the point of giving the

            great commission and the termination  point found in the great commission.

        d. Paraphrastic construction just another way of expressing the Great Commission promise “day

             in and day out unto the end of the age.”

     3. The Customary practice confirmed by “added” and “multiplied “ statements – Acts 5:14;

         6:1,7; 14:22; 16:5 – added in the same customary manner or else a contradiction exists

    4. The Customary practice confirmed through ordained representatives – Acts 8:14;11:22

        a. Philip given as an example of ordained man doing missionary work – Acts 6:4; 8:5

        b. Others were ordained men doing missionary work – Acts 11:19

            (1)  Masculine pronouns used only (“hoi” – Acts 8:4;11:19)

            (2)  Term for males only used “andres” – Acts 11:20

       c. The practice of the church in regard to mission points – Acts 11:22-25

      d. The practice of the church at Antioch – Acts 13:1-4; 14:22-23; 14:26;15:2-3; 18:22

      e. Any other interpretation contradicts the Great Commission and the customary practice of Acts

          2:42

 

C. The Clear Inferences of Scripture confirm the Great Commission Promise of

     Continuity

     1. Continuity of Church through this age inferred by Lord’s Supper Command – I Cor. 11:26

     2. Continuity of Church through this age inferred by addressee of End of the Age book – Rev.

          22:16

     3. Continuity of Church through this age inferred by presentation at end – Eph. 5:26,27; Rev.

          19:6-7

 

D. The Clear application of the above precepts, principles, promises and

     inferences demand  that –

 

     1. Orthodox Christianity is restricted to those churches that identify with the SAMENESS

         principle found in the Great Commission in regard to the gospel and baptism.

 

         a. SAME gospel excludes all but evangelical Christianity – Jn. 5:24; Eph. 2:8-9; Rm.11:6; 

                                                                                                        Gal.1:8

         b. SAME baptism excludes all but Evangelical Baptistic Christianity – Lk. 7:29-30; Rom. 6:4-5

 

     2. Orthodox Christian Churches are those who originate through this historical reproductive cycle

          of sameness

 

        a. Excludes and condemns as unorthodox all churches that self-originate apart from this age long

            cycle of reproductive sameness

 

        b. Includes as orthodox only those churches that originate from churches of like faith and order

            found within this historical reproductive cycle.

    

 

Conclusion: New Testament churches DO NOT EVOLVE. They are MADE

                       through the Great Commission reproductive cycle from a previous

                       existing church of like faith and order – like begets like.  They are

                       made either directly by a previous church of like faith and order or

                      indirectly through such a church’s ordained representative.  (early

                     American Baptists called this “regular church order”). Only such

                     New Testament Churches represent ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY

                     today.