Reformation versus Restoration
- A king took Abraham’s wife and God told this king to “restore” Sarah to Abraham (Gen. 20:1-7).
- Sarah was “restored” to Abraham, and the meaning of the word “restored” is not difficult to understand.
- The word “restore” means to put make things as they were; “restore means putting something back into its original condition.
- In the Bible we find multiple “restorations.” Lk. 15:3-7 – 100 sheep and one of these sheep became lost.
- Woman who had 10 pieces of silver (verses 8-10).
- The youngest son went into a “far country” and was later “restored” to his place in the family.
LET’S THINK ABOUT “RESTORATION” IN THE SENSE OF RELIGION.
Back in the 16th century men decided there was a need for religious “reformation.”
- People began to realize the great corruption in the religion of their day and men decided to “reform” religion.
- “Reformation” is not the same as “restoration.”
- “Restoration” means going back to what previously existed; going back to an original state.
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- “Reformation” (which is what people began to seek about 500 years ago) was what men tried.
- In the area of religion, “reform” is a bad thing instead of a good thing.
- In the area of religion, “reform” leads to chaos, confusion, more religious error.
- Changes were certainly needed 500 years ago, but there should have been a “restoration” vss “reformation.”
- Rather than just try to make things better, men should have said “We need to back to the original.”
- Is it possible for the church of the New Testament to be “restored” instead of “reformed”?
- Josiah, a man who was one of Judah’s best kings.
- 2 Kgs. 22:1 says Josiah became a king at the age of 8 and he reigned for 31 years.
- This young man did what “pleased God” (2 Kgs. 22:2).
- According to 2 Chron. 34:3 (a parallel account).
- This king was “personally present” when some idols were removed (2 Chron. 34:4).
- Before Josiah Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah had also been involved with religious restoration.
- 2 Kgs.22:5 – READ
- 2 Kgs. 22:8 – READ
- Verses 11and 13 in 2 Kgs. 22 – READ
- God said His will had not been followed and punishment was going to come (verses 16-17).
- Josiah, however, would be allowed to die before the promised punishment came (verse 20).
- 2 Kgs. 23:2 – READ
- Josiah made a commitment to getting things back to how they should be as we see from several other vss in this chapter.
- Verse 19-20 – READ
- Verse 21 describes how this ruler said the Passover needed to be kept.
- Verse 25– READ
- The Bible gives us an even better summary of this man’s life in 2 Chron. 34:33:
- In our time we need people to start asking: “What is necessary to be the RESTORED” church built by Christ?
- We can be part of the restored church by having the right head; Jesus is the “head” of the church (Eph. 1:22).
- A restored church will abide by the “apostle’s doctrine” (Acts 2:42).
- The first Christians came together on the “first day of the week (Acts 20:7).
- We read about instruments of music being associated with worship in the Old Testament, but not in the NT.
- As Christians came together the members were known by designations such as saints, brother, sister, disciple.
- There was no “clergy-laity” system. No one was referred to as a “special priest.”
- There was no “spiritual father” in the sense that some claim today.
- Those who were old enough to “believe” (Mk. 16:16) were taught about repentance (Acts 2:38).
- Believers they were baptized into His spiritual body (the church) and received the forgiveness of their sins.
- People did not “join” the church as some now teach; the Lord “added” people to His church (Acts 2:41-47, KJV).
- God’s plan for Christianity is simple – incredibly simple.
- When it comes to religion, will we choose a “reformed” or a “restored” faith and church?
