Quote:
Originally Posted by Abiding Now
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Barton Stone was one of the "founding fathers" of what is known today as the Churches of Christ. I was a member of that denonimation for the first 48 years of my life, leaving it when I received the baptism of the Holy Ghost 27+ years ago.
With that being said, I perceive there's something of significant import that has been overlooked during this discussion, namely, the words which our Lord said when He gave unto apostle Peter the "keys" to the kingdom of heaven ...
"And I say unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (
Matthew 16:18).
For anyone to assert, suggest, or otherwise intimate that ANY element of the doctrines, customs, or practices of the 1st Century One God Apostolic Church did NOT exist during the period following the decease of the apostles UNTIL the present day, is the same as saying
"the gates of hell" have prevailed during that same period, and that our Lord's words were not fulfilled.
There has NEVER been a single moment during the past 2000+ years that the church which Jesus Christ instituted on that 1st Pentecost following His bodily ascension to the throne of God located in the invisible heavens, that
"the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood" has ceased to exist somwhere in the earth.
Albeit His church, during this period, may not have been as prominent, or widely renown as it is today, nevertheless it has always been, and will continue to be until He comes again! That fact is indisputable! To say otherwise, IMHO, is to give our enemy more power than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! That I will never do!!!
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