On Prescriptions
"It would no doubt be a wonderful thing that evil should have any force of
its own, were it not that heresies are strong in those persons who are not
strong in faith. In a combat of boxers and gladiators, generally speaking,
it is not because a man is strong that he gains the victory, or loses it
because he is not strong, but because he
who is vanquished was a man of no strength; and indeed this very conqueror,
when afterwards matched against a really powerful man, actually retires
crest-fallen
from the contest. In precisely the same way, heresies derive such strength
as they have from the infirmities of individuals— having no strength
whenever they encounter a really powerful faith.
Weak People Fall an Easy Prey to Heresy, Which Derives Strength from
the General Frailty of Mankind. Eminent Men Have Fallen from Faith; Saul,
David, Solomon. The Constancy of Christ.
It is usual, indeed, with persons of a weaker character, to be so built up
(in confidence) by certain individuals who are caught by heresy, as to
topple over into ruin themselves. How comes it to pass, (they ask), that
this woman or that man, who were the most faithful, the most prudent, and
the most approved in the church, have gone over to the other side? Who that
asks such a question does not in fact reply to it himself, to the effect
that men whom heresies have been able to pervert ought never to have been
esteemed prudent, or faithful, or approved?
This again is, I suppose, an extraordinary thing, that one who has been
approved should afterwards fall back? Saul, who was good beyond all others,
is afterwards subverted by envy. David, a good man after the Lord's own
heart, 1 Samuel 13:14 is guilty afterwards of murder and adultery. 2 Samuel
11 Solomon, endowed by the Lord with all grace and wisdom, is led into
idolatry, by women. 1 Kings 11:4 For to the Son of God alone was it reserved
to persevere to the last without sin. But what if a bishop, if a deacon, if
a widow, if a virgin, if a doctor, if even a martyr, have fallen from the
rule (of faith), will heresies on that account appear to possess the truth?
Do we prove the faith by the persons, or the persons by the faith? No one is
wise, no one is faithful, no one excels in dignity, but the Christian; and
no one is a Christian but he who perseveres even to the end. Matthew
0:22" - Tertullian
As cited in previous writings, the decline of Christendom in general
particularly in the western world both continues and even accelerates at an
alarming rate in our age. During the days of the primordial church, this
or that sect might fall into unbiblical teaching and attract others to
follow. But in both Biblical and church history there have been those times
when the entire faith stood on the edge of collapse. While God has always
preserved His remnant1., it is frightening indeed to live in such times.
For the true follower of Christ finds him or her self in very small company
or standing alone.
Many among Church laity and clergy are starting to realize that modern
Christendom now rapidly approaches one such precipice. Like the Threat of
the Gnostic issue and the and the era of the great reformation, the Church
now deals with heresy on such a grand scale that the entire faith quivers
near extinction.
Story after story now elaborate on the pastor or church departing from the
institution not out of any personal failing or falling from faith, but
because the entire church has become so wanting of truth and practice that
any person found stolidly standing for Christ finds themselves ostracized.
One minister reported after his departure that the church had become a
bloated, hypocritical political institution that bore absolutely no
resemblance to what Christ intended. Another well trained layman found
himself facing condescending snickers and accusations of lacking
sophistication as he challenged a minister who actually taught a Sunday
school class that both sin and it's consequences did not exist. He was a
follower of Christ that found no place in church.
And even worse, since the church has in the past traditionally stood for the
cause of Christ and no longer does so, many individuals now reject Christ
along with the church under the assumption that one action necessitates the
other. As in the case of the Biblical church at Corinth, the faith has been
made a laughing stock because of the actions of those individuals that
remain in it's fold. The church is to admonish, teach and gently restore
the follower who has gone astray. But what is the Christian to do when the
entire church no longer follows Christ? What happens when a Christian is
actually ashamed to introduce his or her friend to the church? What happens
when the only defense a Christian can give is that "In Christ you will find
no cause to reject Christianity? Faith is based on Christ, who never
fails. But does that give the church card blanch to fail at a whim? The
church rightly ought to address the heretic for the good of the person. But
what is the Christian to do when an entire church, even the global church
has largely fallen into heresy?
Tertullian wrote a "prescription against heresy" to address the doctrinal
difficulties the church faced during it's early centuries. The prescription
included: 1. A Canon, a authoritative and definite list of those writings
considered Divinely inspired. 2. Creed, Precise statements of exactly what
Christianity teaches with references to those passages of Holy Writ which
support the statements. And 3. Episcopacy, or a well trained and thoroughly
screened church leadership.2. With this prescription in their back pocket,
the early church under the Grace of God managed to shrug off the various
little sects which later withered and died to march on through the millennia
and represent Christ faithfully to the world. But from time to time such
resets in orientation become essential.
It is at least possible now that the church is constrained not so much by an
occasional spurious teaching or sect. It is indeed likely that Christians
find themselves in a situation where their beliefs and convictions make them
unwelcome in church. That being the case, is it not time to at least give a
long, hard look at where the church in general has gone astray and at least
try to decide what must be done. The Bible teaches that the true followers
of Christ will be few indeed at all points. Well, what are those who follow
Christ to do with a church that only gives lip service to the gospel at
best?
1.
http://reformedtheologyinapplication.blogspot.com/2010/09/in-fullness-of-tim
e.html
2. http://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0311.html
