Can the church of Christ Trace Its Lineage to the Apostles?

Can the church of Christ Trace Its Lineage to the Apostles?

John:
Please tell me what you know about the church of Christ during the centuries after the death of the apostles-and before the Restoration of the 19th century.
-Norene

Dear Norene:
The existence of the Lord's true church does not depend on our ability to trace a continual line of churches from the apostolic age to ours. The Roman Catholic Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church, the Methodists, the Baptists and others seek to justify their existence by labored efforts to trace their linage back to the apostles. One need only compare their faith and practice with Scripture to know that even if they should be able to show such a linage, they have so changed their faith and practice that the historical connection is meaningless.

These denominations and others are driven to establish a lineal descent to the apostles because of a misunderstanding of Jesus' words in Matt. 16:18. "Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." Most tend to prefer the King James rendering, "the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it." This seems to make their point that the church would never fail because, Satan the master of Hell, would not be able to overcome it. A closer study however yields a different meaning.

Jesus promised to build his church. Yet in verse 21 of the same chapter he told his disciples that "he must go unto Jerusalem...and be killed." Like any other mortals, they would have wondered, how can you build your church if you are going to be killed? His answer was, "the gates of Hades....not Hell" shall not prevail against my building my church. The word used by Christ was hades "the region of departed spirits" not gehenna (hell) the place of eternal. punishment, Satan's realm. He clarified this by clearly stating that even though he would be killed, on "the third day (he would) be raised up."

In essence the Lord was saying, I am going to build my church, but first I must die. But do not let this discourage you for the gates of Hades (where the souls of the dead go) will not be able to contain me. I will be resurrected and then I will fulfill my promise to build my church. This he did on the Pentecost following his resurrection (Acts 2).

The existence of Christ's true church does not depend on our ability to trace it in history. The Lord taught that the seed of the kingdom "is the word of God" (Luke 8:11). He did promise that his "words would never pass away" (Matt. 24:35). If one lived in an area where the true church had never existed, or where it had once existed and either by apostasy or persecution had ceased to exist, he would still be able to raise up a true church of Christ by planting the seed of the gospel in the hearts and minds of people. When they gladly receive the word they will obey Christ's instructions and upon their baptism be added to his spiritual body, the church (I Cor. 12:13). When there are two or more of them who resolve to worship and serve the Lord, they will constitute his church in that community (Matt. 18:20). In the very same way we today plant the church of Christ in a new part of the world by preaching the gospel, so in past days of apostasy and corruption, the true church was propagated through the centuries. This we call "restoration."

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