Who's making the Lord Jesus Christ a Liar?

What? No Apostasy? Who says so?

Part 1

WHO’S MAKING THE LORD JESUS A LIAR?

 Catholic Defenders said that there was no apostasy or “falling away” that took place in the first century Church. However, the Lord Jesus Christ explicitly said that:

Matthew 24:9-11 RSV

"Then THEY WILL DELIVER YOU UP TO TRIBULATION, and PUT YOU TO DEATH; and YOU WILL BE HATED BY ALL NATIONS for my name's sake. AND THEN MANY WILL FALL AWAY, and betray one another, and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.”

The Lord Jesus was talking about what will happen to the early Christians or the first century Church. He said, “they will deliver YOU up to tribulation, and put YOU to death, and YOU will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. AND THEN MANY WILL FALL AWAY” because “many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.”

The first to persecute the early Christians were the Jews, then the Roman Emperor Nero initiated the imperial persecution of the first century Church. Again, at the end of the First Cebtury, Roman Emperor Domitian persected the first century Church. These were the fulfillment of what the Lord jesus said that “they will deliver YOU up to tribulation, and put YOU to death, and YOU will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.” Remember that what the Lord Jesus Christ said that after the persecution of the first century Church, “AND THEN MANY WILL FALL AWAY, and betray one another, and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.”

The “false prophets” metioned by the Lord Jesus were called “false teachers” by Apostle Peter and declared that they will arise AMONG THE FIRST HURCH:

II Peter 2:1 NIV

1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as THERE WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them-bringing swift destruction on themselves.  

The false teachers mentioned by Apostle Peter were not the “sects” that  separated from the Church in the second, third, fourth centuries, because Apostle Peter said “…there will be dales teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies…” These false teachers did not separated themselves from the Church, but remained and “secretly introduce destructive heresies.”

The Apostle Paul ecplicitly identified these “false prophets” mentioned by the Lord Jesus and the “false teachers” mentioned by Apostle Peter:

Acts 20:28-30 ASV

“Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood. I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

Apostle Paul was talking to the bishops of the first century Church. He said, “Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you BISHOPS…” Also, Apostle Paul declared, “from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”

Among the bishops of the first century Church shall arise men speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Apostle Paul also mentioned that this will happen after their death or the death of the apostles. He said, “…I know that after my departing grievous wolves shall enter in among you…”

Thus, the “false prophets” mentioned by the Lord Jesus and the “false teachers” mentioned by Apostle Peter will come among the bishops of the first century Church and they will lead many astray through secretly introducing destructive heresies, and this will happen immediately after the death of the apostles.

THEREFORE, THOSE INSISTING THAT THERE WAS NO APOSTASY OR “FALLING AWAY” IN THE FIRST CENTURY CHURCH ARE THOSE THAT MAKING THE LORD AND ALSO HIS APOSTLES LIARS BECAUSE THE LORD JESUS HIMSELF  EXPLICITLY SAID THAT AFTER THE INTENSE PERSECUTION OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS “MANY WILL FALL AWAY” AND THE APOSTLES DECLARED THAT AFTER THEIR DEATH FALSE TEACHERS WILL RISE AMONG THE BISHOPS OF THE CHURCH AND WILL SECRETLY INTRODUCE DESTRUCTIVE HERESIES.