Devotions From the Pen of Dr. W. A. Dillard by W.A. Dillard - HTML preview

THE TRUTH ABOUT CHURCH PERPETUITY

New Testament churches are the legitimate successors of the first and only church that Jesus started during His personal ministry on earth. Jesus personally called out the first members, all of whom had the baptism of John, as did He, and set them in the church (ecclesia: called out assembly) as apostles. Furthermore, Jesus promised that church perpetuity (continuous existence until His return and beyond, Eph. 3:21; Matt. 28:20; 16:18).

Some would say that Matt. 28:20 is a reference to the apostles rather than to His church.

But the promise is the continuous presence of Jesus in those activities to the very end of the age. All of those disciples who first heard this were dead within one hundred years. So church assembly is the context and perpetuity is the promise to it.

I have heard some argue that the church Jesus started did, in fact, cease to exist in the dark ages, and it is their mission to restore it. How silly! Almighty God can create. He can hold the vastness of the universe in place and purpose, but He cannot create a living organism and empower and protect it to minister continuously throughout the age? No apologies are offered for vehement disagreement to that faithless thinking. It is an outright denial of perpetuity.

Moreover, one should give serious meditation to the meaning of Ephesians 3:21. This verse of scripture states, “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” If I understand this statement correctly, it promises that God is to receive glory in the church. It further states that this glory will come through its head, Jesus, and that it will extend far beyond this present age to all ages, world without end. Friends that is perpetuity.

Furthermore, what shall be made of Matthew 16:18? The specific promise is that Jesus would continuously build (oikodomeo: dome-up) His church. It also strongly states that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. If at any time there has been even a brief time when the church that Jesus founded on the shores of the Sea of Galilee has not existed, then it follows that the gates of hell did, in fact, prevail against it. But it did not happen, nor will it ever happen.The church of our Lord Jesus Christ is perpetual in its existence.

Finally, in a nutshell, a New Testament church will be identified as having at least the following properties: It started between 30 – 33 A.D. It was started by Jesus. It was started in Palestine. It holds to the doctrines, practices, faith once delivered to it. It perpetuates itself by these things, administering the baptism of John the Baptist which Jesus placed within it to administer to professed believers. It is never invisible, and it is always a local body. It is not hidden, but will be found by those who seek it.

FOR THOUGHT: Matters of faith are not subject to the laws of physical proof. Which came first: the chicken or the egg? Of course, it was the chicken God created. If there are chickens today could there ever be a time since creation that there was not a chicken? So also, if the true church of Jesus exists today, could there ever be a time since its creation that there was not a true church on the earth? Perpetuity! It is the promise of its heavenly creator! What is the history, and what are the doctrines of your church?