NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANITY
Sabbath School Lessons
1st Quarter, 2012
General Introduction
Before the final visitation of God’s judgments upon the earth, there will be, among the people of the Lord, such a revival of primitive godliness as has not been witnessed since apostolic times. The Spirit and power of God will be poured out upon His children. At that time many will separate themselves from those churches in which the love of this world has supplanted love for God and His Word. Many, both of ministers and people, will gladly accept those great truths which God has caused to be proclaimed at this time, to prepare a people for the Lord’s second coming. The enemy of souls desires to hinder this work; and before the time for such a movement shall come, he will endeavour to prevent it, by introducing a counterfeit. In those churches which he can bring under his deceptive power, he will make it appear that God’s special blessing is poured out; there will be manifest what is thought to be great religious interest.
Wherever men neglect the testimony of the Bible, turning away from those plain, soul-testing truths which require self-denial and renunciation of the world, there we may be sure that God’s blessing is not bestowed.
A wrong conception of the character, the perpetuity, and the obligation of the divine law, has led to errors in relation to conversion and sanctification, and has resulted in lowering the standard of piety in the church. Here is to be found the secret of the lack of the Spirit and power of God in the revivals of our time.
It is only as the law of God is restored to its rightful position that there can be a revival of primitive faith and godliness among His professed people. “Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.” Jeremiah 6:16.
The Faith I Live By, page 326.
Compiler’s note:
This series of lessons looks at those elements of New Testament Christianity which were not recovered during the Reformation, or at least, were not established as part of the Reformed faith. Because of these failures, the Reformation was incomplete and God had to raise up a people to complete the work begun in the Reformation, restoring those truths which the Reformers have failed to grasp.
During these lessons, the writings of early Christian writers will sometimes be briefly quoted to show the difference between early Christianity and popular Evangelicalism today. What emerges from the Bible, and the way the early Christians put the Bible teaching into practice, is uncomfortable for modern Evangelicals. Yet those who were willing to suffer and die for their Master deserve to be listened to, if we are to understand what a revival of primitive faith is.’