Growing Together

The Catholic Church has always claimed to go back to the original church and the Apostles, but so did the true church. Tracing yourself back to the first century doesn't prove you are original since the true and false were to grow together.

Mat 13:27  So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? 

Mat 13:28  He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 

Mat 13:29  But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 

Mat 13:30  Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. 

If you look in all the epistles you are given glimpses of the false being present within the true. Here is a list of some of these references. They don't always play by the rules.

Rom 16:17  Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 

1Co 4:18  Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you. 

1Co 4:19  But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. 

2Co 2:17  For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ. 

Gal 1:7  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 

Eph 4:17  This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, 

Eph 4:18  Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: 

Eph 4:19  Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 

Eph 4:20  But ye have not so learned Christ; 

Php 1:15  Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will: 

Php 1:16  The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: 

Col 2:4  And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. 

1Th 5:14  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 

2Th 3:6  Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. 

2Th 3:7  For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you; 

1Ti 1:3  As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, 

2Ti 1:15  This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes. 

Tit 1:10  For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision: 

1Pe 4:4  Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 

Just about every book speaks about those with false ideas and false habits. All mixed in to the church or in a position to influence the church. If you realize that as late as Jerome (342-420) there were arguments and challenges in Rome where at least two elders defended against infant baptism. Infant baptism had slowly creeped in but had not been accepted by the Church. Jerome wrote arguments against two respected elders named Jovinian and Helvidius, the arguments I have dealt with on another page. 

So, throughout history there was a slow inter-mixing of error. Yet Christ said not to destroy those proclaiming the false, but to live happily and joyfully in their presence. The church will be over taken and over turned in some places, but the church will continue peacefully teaching and helping many to be saved.

The doctrine of a falling away is the idea that much of the church would fall, but a remnant would continue throughout time. When Christ returns there will not be much true faith to be seen on earth.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 

Luk 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?