History—sometimes the truth is more shocking
than lies. All churches today, whether it be the Catholic
church or the various protestant denominations, claim to be of Christ, but where do the find
their true roots? Find out today on Face the Truth. Welcome to Face the Truth, a show brought
to you by the Church Of Christ. I’m Brother Barry Thompson. Now we’re studying the history of Christianity. When we say history, we’re not talking about
some watered-down version that leaves out some critical information. This version contains the things that many
do not know, and others, though they may know, would rather keep you from knowing the true
history because there are many things that are not only too painful to hear, but it will
also change the view you have about Christianity today. Now, it will also explain to you why it is
that, although Christ established only one church in the first century, the Church Of
Christ, which all true Christians should belong, many centuries later, we find today that many
people find themselves belong to thousands of different churches whose names, doctrines,
teachings and practices differ greatly from what Christ and his apostles taught. Now, in our previous episode, we learned from
the Lord Jesus Christ Himself and his apostles the false prophets would rise from within
the church itself ,and teach the members false teachings thus leading them away from the
true faith, or the true teachings of Christ and the apostles. Now, we have to find out what happened to
the other members of the church who did not allow themselves to be deceived by the false
prophets. Now, lets continue with the warning of apostle
Paul to the members of the Church Of Christ then. And this is what apostle Paul says in Acts
20, and the verse is 29. It says this: I know that after I leave, fierce wolves will
come among you, and they will not spare the flock. So, this is the warning of apostle Paul. And he warned about fierce wolves entering
among them and not sparing the flock. What is meant that the flock would not be
spared? Let’s read this time from our Lord Jesus
Christ Himself, in a related prophecy, Matthew 24, and the verse is 9. Christ says this: Then they will deliver you up to tribulation
and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. So, Christ warned his disciples that they
would be killed. Now, the question is who are these fierce
wolves that would put to death the true disciples of Christ, or members of the Church Of Christ? Well, let’s listen to what’s written in
Ezekiel 22, and the verse is 27. This is stated: The government officials are like wolves tearing
apart the animals they have killed. They commit murder in order to get rich. Now who is one fulfillment of the term used
by Apostle Paul as the fierce wolves? Who would kill members of the Church? Well, what we read from this verse, the government
officials are like wolves tearing apart animals they have killed. They commit murder. Now, who else were likened to fierce wolves
aside from government officials? We’re going to go back to the Lord Jesus
Christ. Matthew 7 and 15 now, he mentions this: Beware of false prophets, who come to you
in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. So, not only government officials, even false
prophets were likened to wolves—fierce wolves, ravenous wolves. What would they do to the members of the church? They would kill them. Now when would the false prophets rise up
and deceive the members through the false teachings and when would the members also
be killed? Let’s go back and read what apostle Paul
said in Acts 20:29 and also 25 as he continues to teach us. For I know this, that after my departure savage
wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. And indeed, now I know that you all, among
who I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. Now, as Apostle Paul was teaching the members
about what would happen to them at the hands of those who would deceive them through false
teachings, as well as telling them that the flock would not be spared or they would be
killed, he also mentioned when this would happen. And he said after my departure, the time when
the members would no longer see his face. Now, does anyone think that this was some
ordinary journey of Apostle Paul? What departure was he really referring to? We’ll ask him, and let him answer as he
tells us here in the book of 2 Timothy chapter 4, and the verse is 6, this is stated: From henceforth I am ready to die, and the
time of my departure is at hand. Apostle Paul, when he mentioned his departure,
which is the time when the flock would not be spared also. People would rise up and teach the members
false teachings to deceive them or lead them away from the faith. That departure that Apostle Paul was referring
to was his death. Now what exactly happened to the Christians
after the Apostle Paul and the other Apostles died? Find out when we return on Face the Truth. Coming up, Christ and the Apostles forewarned,
history attests to it, but are you prepared to hear it? Stay with us on Face the Truth. Welcome back to Face the Truth. Today we’re looking at the history of Christianity. And we’re learning from history that after
the death of the Apostles, a great work of iniquity began to take place. Many members of the first century Church Of
Christ were deceived by false prophets and those members who were not deceived by the
false prophets were killed. Now, this killing of the members would start
with the government officials themselves, and time came when the false prophets also
put people to death. And so eventually, the Church that Christ
established in the first century or the Church Of Christ did not continue as a true organization. Many of the members were led away from the
true faith and the teachings of Christ, the others were killed. We’re trying to make that very clear. Now what remained of the organization was
not what Christ established. The Church did not remain faithful to its
founder. The faithful were put to death while the faith
of the unfaithful died. Now, you don’t have to take our word for
it because this is backed up and proven by history. Now, lets start with what Christ warned us
of in Matthew 24:11, and the Apostles warned us of in Acts 20:30, 2 Peter 2:1 about the
false prophets rising up from within the Church and teaching false teachings to the members. Did this happen? I’m going to read to you an excerpt from
a book entitled The Church in History by B.K. Kuiper on pages 44 and 17, I quote: The Apostolic Age came to a close around the
year 100. The apostles were followed by the Apostolic
Fathers. From their writings we can see that the signs
of deterioration were disturbing the Church. In the course of the next four hundred years
that deterioration increased steadily. Right doctrine is important. Wrong doctrine will hurt the Church. The Church cannot live with false doctrine. So the last half of the second century was
a time of tremendous crisis for the Church. So in this book, you heard that after the
Apostolic Age or after the time of the apostles, there was a deterioration within the Church
itself by means of false doctrines entering into the Church. But we don’t stop there. Now we’re going to read another excerpt
from a book entitled Understanding the New Testament, which was written by Howard Clark
Kee, Franklin W. Young, and Karlfried Froehlich. On page 417, this is their declaration: Again the danger has arisen from within the
Church. The false teachers were originally members
of the Christian community where they lived unnoticed until by their open separation…
they revealed their true identity. They are “false prophets,” “antichrists.” So, did you notice that what the Apostles
mentioned, what our Lord Jesus Christ mentioned was also confirmed by this history book? What is another book that tells us what happened
to the Church that Christ established in the first century? Let’s read this time from Halley’s Bible
Handbook, and I just happen to have a copy with me, on pages 760 and 761. The Imperial Church of the 4th and 5th centuries
had become an entirely different institution from the persecuted church of the first three
centuries. In its ambition to rule, it lost and forgot
the spirit of Christ. Worship, at first very simple, was developed
into elaborate, stately, imposing ceremonies having all the outward splendor that had belonged
to heathen temples. Ministers became Priests. The term “priest” was not applied to Christian
ministers before A.D. 200. It was borrowed from the Jewish system, and
from the example of heathen priesthood. Leo I (440-461 A.D.) prohibited priests from
marrying, and Celibacy of priests became a law of the Roman Church. There you have it. History confirms the pronouncement of Christ
and the Apostles that there would arise from within the Church those who would introduce
false teachings to the first Christians. And what about the other warning of Christ
and the Apostles concerning the fierce wolves not sparing the flock or killing the members
of the church. The fierce wolves mentioned, one were government
officials as well as also the false prophets. Did this actually happen? Let’s go back to Halley’s Bible Handbook. Let’s continue reading on page 761, and
then we’ll also read what’s on page 762. Domitian, A.D. 95... Domitian instituted a persecution against
Christians. It was short, but extremely violent. Many thousands were slain… Trajan A.D. 98-117… Christians were not sought out, but when accused
were punished. Marcus Aurelius A.D. 161-180… he encouraged
persecution of Christians. It was cruel and barbarous, the severest since
Nero. Many thousands were beheaded or thrown to
wild beasts… Septimus Severus A.D. 190-211… This persecution was very severe… Decius A.D. 249-251… Resolutely determined to exterminate Christianity. Valerian A.D. 253-260… More severe than Decius; he aimed at the utter
destruction of Christianity. Many leaders were executed… Diocletian A.D. 284-305… The last Imperial persecution, and the most
severe, coextensive with the empire. For ten years, Christians were hunted in cave
and forest; they were burned, thrown to wild beasts, put to death by every torture cruelty
could devise. Now, as you can see, history proves that what
Christ and the apostles prophesied, that the members would be killed, actually happened. Did it happen at the hands of the government
officials? Absolutely, because these were the various
Roman Emperors with the goal of exterminating Christianity during their particular time. Now, how about what Christ and the apostles
forewarn concerning false prophets also likened to fierce wolves who would also kill? Did this happen? Well, let’s read now. This small pamphlet, small book, written by
John A. O’Brien, this is an official Catholic book or pamphlet, so small. On pages 49 and 47, look at what is stated
here. This is what they admit: “The first law of history,” declared Pope
Leo XIII as we mentioned previously, “is to assert nothing false and to have no fear
of telling the truth.” In conformity with that wise principle, we
frankly acknowledge the responsibility of the popes in the use of torture and in the
burning of thousands of heretics at the stake. Their sanctioning of such cruel and brutal
measures is unquestionably one of the blackest stains on the record of the Holy Office and
will remain to the end of time a cause of obloquy and shame upon the papacy. Even when it is frankly conceded, as it must
be, that their intentions were good and their solicitude was for the welfare of the victim’s
soul, let it still be affirmed that the cruel and inhuman methods used are beyond all defense.” Now this is what is written on page 47. The Church cannot escape responsibility for
the use of torture nor for the burning of victims at the stake. The Church in the person of her pontiffs was
responsible for the use of torture; this cruel practice was introduced by Innocent IV in
1252. The pontiff tries to defend the use of torture
by classifying heretics with thieves and murderers; a mere comparison is his only argument. This law of Innocent IV was renewed and confirmed
by Alexander IV on November 30, 1259, and by Clement IV on November 3, 1265. Neither can the Church escape responsibility
for sending heretics to be burnt to death at the stake. The mere subterfuge of having the victim turned
over to the secular arm cannot hide the fact that the popes repeatedly insisted under pain
of excommunication and interdict upon rulers enforcing the death penalty against heretics. We read a lot to you, but we’re just trying
to show you exactly what happened. The killings did not end with what the Roman
Emperors did, but it continued with the popes at the forefront. And so there you have it. What the Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles
warned about, it really happened. This apostasy or turning away from the true
faith did not happen all at one time. It was gradual. The killing of the Christians also happened
over a period of time even simultaneously with the introduction on the false teachings
to the members of the Church. And so, it is so easy to deduce from the bible
and history that there came a time when the one true church of Christ ceased to exist
as a true organization. But when exactly did this occur and how many
of the original teachings were changed? Find out when we return on Face the Truth. Stay with us. Welcome back to Face the Truth. Our topic today is the real history of Christianity. Now earlier we read dates in which the killing
of Christians took place. The following also took place. When we look in history around 110 A.D. Ignatius,
a bishop of Antioch applied the name Catholic to the church. At the beginning of the second century with
the death of the apostles, the bishops began teaching that Christ is God. In the same period, they also began veneration
of relics of the saints. Now, by the fourth century, the celibacy of
the priesthood was already being enforced. The doctrine of the trinity became fully established
with the elimination of all opposition. So that by the sixth century people were forced
to accept it. By then, worship of images was also widespread. And with the proclamation of the Catholic
church as the state religion of the Roman empire, all of the religions were banned inflicting
bloody persecutions against all who resisted. Now, the others we have listed for you so
that you can view it and understand, but take note, we were not able to cover every single
detail of what happened to the church established by Christ, but we believe you get the point
by now. And to put it bluntly, it goes like this:
the true church of Christ that he himself established in the first century eventually
turned into the Catholic church. Although there was still an organization,
it was no longer true because the teachings had changed. Now, we want you to understand this. This is not religion or Catholic bashing. This is truth telling. Because the truth is what people today really
need. However, we are still not done yet with the
real history of Christianity. What about all the other churches that now
exist? Where did they come from? For the answer, you need to watch our next
episode—part III of this series and you will be shocked at what the Bible and history
will reveal to you. The truth may be painful at first, but whether
we accept it or not, whether we believe it or not, the truth is something we all must
face. Thanks for joining us on Face the Truth. See you again next time. God bless.
