How Did Roman Catholicism Drift into Apostasy?
[How Did Roman Catholicism Drift into Apostasy? By Mike Gendron Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries]: "We are often asked about the history of the Roman Catholic Church, when it started and how it became what it is today. Unfortunately, there are very few resources available that give an accurate history from an evangelical perspective. Recently I have been doing research on this subject in preparation for a message I will be presenting this month.
It appears there were two major catalysts in the 3rd and 4th century that allowed seeds of apostasy to be planted in churches. The first occurred when churches abandoned the plurality of elders in favor of a ruling bishop. Ignatius taught that churches without a bishop had no authority to do baptisms or the Lord's Supper. This major change would pave the way for doctrinal error to enter the church with less resistance. It is much easier for the "Father of Lies" to deceive one ruling bishop when there is no accountability or correction from an elder board. Satan's strategy to destroy the church has always been to place falsehoods in the minds of ecclesiastical leaders. In God's providence and under His divine protection, some churches remained under a plurality of elders and refused to appoint a ruling bishop. They believed the proof of the Spirit's leading was not found in an office but in the lives of believers. The church can fulfill her divinely ordained mission only to the extent she functions according to the Master Builder's blueprint for His church.
The second catalyst occurred when churches no longer submitted to the supreme authority of God's Word. They rejected divine authority and began following traditions, opinions and philosophies of men. All the "church fathers" were embracing some false doctrine, some more than others. Even the so-called Apostolic Fathers of the second century were teaching the false gospel that baptism and martyrdom provided forgiveness of sin. The fall of the Roman Empire led to the rise of the Roman Church, as power was transferred from one institution to the other. At the time, some bishops sought to increase their authority and prestige by accusing others of false doctrine and seeking state support of their positions. They began exchanging the truth of God's word for superstitions, pagan traditions and destructive heresies. In 590 Pope Gregory filled the power vacuum as the Empire imploded. Gregory I organized a papal government to rule a decaying society. He enforced celibacy for the clergy, expanded the concept of purgatory and converted the Eucharist from a sacrament into a redemptive sacrifice with merit, both for the living and the dead. He approved the invocation of saints and martyrs and the use of relics and amulets to reduce temporal punishment for sin. Other unbiblical traditions developed, such as baptismal regeneration, infant baptism and a system of 7 sacraments for salvation. The church ignored Paul's warning that "evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." (2 Tim. 3:13)."
Response to comment [from a Christian]: Constantine took some of the church there when his mother told a bunch of lies. He did what many do today, and most of TOL. He put the gospel of circumcision with the gospel of uncircumcision in a blender and hit puree."
Recommended
reading:
The Plot (An Overview of the Bible) by Bob Enyart
