What is Christian Church "Replacement Theology" ?

Replacement Theology and Supersessionism is the Method by which a Church is founded upon claims to be the New Sole Authority that Now Replaces all other (Former) Churches so that it becomes the Only Authority by which God may Communicate his message to the World.

Before I go any further in this I want to say that the View of "Supersession" Is wrong from the Beginning... Regardless of who teaches it.

In today's world, the more famous Churches who are Guilty of teaching this Replacement Theology are the Mormon / LDS and the Jehovah's Witness movements of the mid to late1800's that continue until today with this same type of teaching. To this elite group of Us Only'ists you can also add some branches of the Pentecostal, 7th day Adventists, Church of Christ, World Wide Church of God.. etc etc...

6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

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

8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Jesus said in Mt 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon (A) this rock (B) I will build (C) my church ; and (D) the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

This is one of the two or three most important passages in the bible regarding our discussion so let us examine it very closely.

A) "This Rock" that Jesus was going to build his church upon needs to be identified. This rock when studied in the Greek is a foundational bedrock. Now we know that It was Peter to whom Jesus was talking to (who's name is also a type of rock). However Peters name means a small stone... a rock, but not one you would build a house upon... More like one you would throw or place around a camp fire.

So when we look at this verse in context with the verses that precede it we find that the Foundation that Jesus was going to build upon is the Testimony that Peter had just declared in verse 16 "...Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."

So the Foundation ROCK of the Church is the testimony that "Jesus is the Christ... The Son of God".

B) " I " will build" The Church was not built by man in the first place.. it was not built by the apostles any more than a hammer builds a house without a carpenter to swing it... or that a nail can drive itself into the boards. Jesus has built the Church on the foundation that He is the CHrist. He is the Son of the Living God.

Now Notice that these things are not plural... Jesus is not "One of the Sons" of God.. but THE SON OF GOD... SINGULAR. John 3:16 says "16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son , that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Jesus is the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON... there is no other "SON of GOD". That is exclusively Jesus and No Other.
C) " "my" church" Jesus said that He would build His Church. It is Jesus that ownes it... and it is Jesus that Built it... and as we shall see in the next verse... What he has built... He will protect and preserve.

D) "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." ...It is Jesus Himself that protects it. It is Jesus who has Preserved it and Jesus who also told the truth in this prophecy that the Gates of Hell itself would not prevail or overcome what he has built.

Now we enter into the area of Church history and Falty allegations.

No one debates if Jesus started a Church... that much is pretty well established and even Atheists do not dispute that Jesus did in fact start a Church.

But once we pass that point we enter into a realm of opinions about which Church today best represents the Early Church... Or which church IS the only one descended from the early Church.

That really is the question is it not??? Which Church or Churches today is (are) truly descended from the Original group of apostles that Jesus empowered?

And Specificaly: Are they still here? Or have the all Ceased to Exist?

As is the Claim made by the Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses etc.

This is the claim they have made.. and This is the way they have founded thier Churches and this is what we need to examine to find the truth... or to expose the falsehood it is regarding.

Most if not all Christian Churches today claim their authority from dissension. (Pun intended) Every one of them...

Every one of the mainstream Churches today also believe in Jesus the Only begotten Son of God...

With the Sole Exception being the ones who make the (False) claim that the Original Church became Extinct and was replaced... By themselves.

Everyone falls into one of these two brackets. Either they believe in Jesus the Only begotton Son of God.. as the Bible declares him... and also that Jesus is "God with us" (Emanuel)... or they believe that Jesus is something else... someone else...

I myself have puzzled over this issue extensively at times... I like History.. and I most especially enjoy Church History. I have found a great deal of truth over the years.. some of it is very gratifying.. and some of it galls me. The things that some people have said at times,

Some People who claim to be of my own Church even, say things at times which places them right along side of the very worst of these "Replacement Cults"...

Does that make my Church a cult? No, But it does make some of the people who call themselves by my denominational name just as much heretics as the other knot heads who purvey this type of junk in the name of Christ.

But what about "Churches" who have literally taught this Replacement theology as the official Dogma since day one? So Then it is not just an isolated thing, But a Church wide infestation of Herrisy: and Leaven that has already permeated the whole lump.

The Problem as I see it is that there truly has been "Some" Apostacy over the years... Actually.. there has Always been a certain measure of Apostasy in the Church ever since the very beginning... Or we could say that as soon as the Lord ascended It came out from the Human side of the men who were following Jesus... and we also see this written about in the New Testament in various places.

The "Pun Intended" I wrote Above is one of the easiest to point at character flaws of the Early Church... and is an ongoing joke among many of the brethren...

Q) "How do Baptists know they are descended from the Early Church?" or "Do Baptists have proof of their Dissension? Punch Line of Joke: "Sure... and they are still arguing about it!!!"

Well I hate to be forced to admit to the truth in that Joke... But self analytic Humor and truth is always way more funny than made up junk...

The truth is that the Apostles did in fact argue over who was greatest.. and who would be the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.. and the truth is that Jesus reproved them for it... probably quite often as at times it seemed to be thier favorite topic.

Is it wrong for a Church to think Highly of its Ministry? Or for that matter Its heredity?

No.. I don't think so... Its not a sin to esteem your leaders highly or think well of your particular Church... not so long as the conversation stays within the bounds of Truth and does not cross the line and Exclude from the Body of Christ, the rest of what Christ has Purchased with his own Blood and called his Own Bride.

"Baptists" Have a very old Church history. But Baptist is actually more of a "Category" of Church than it is a Name of one.

There are some people who would love for the history of the Baptists to begin in the 16th Century when the rest of the "Reformers" started to come out of Roman Catholicism.

They try hard to teach that junk in most Seminaries in an effort to indoctrinate those who will accept it without further study... But the truth is far more incriminating than that and it is also much more intriguing than simply lumping the Baptists with the Reformation...

The fact is that it is far easier on the conscience of the "Catholics" and "Protestants" than to address 1200 years of slaughter by both Rome and her Daughters.

Before the time of the Reformation, was a very long 1200 Plus Years of Persecution in which anyone who did not Kowtow to the Roman Catholic Church would be brutally treated and or Killed for their Heresy. And then... even on the United States Soil the Persecutions continued under the mighty hand of the Protestants who had been given sole authority over their own States in the New England Colonies and were in turn carrying on the traditions that they learned in the old world... "Ana-Baptists" and "Paulicians" were to be whipped through the streets and run out of town... Or worse.

Nevertheless... their were people through that 1200+ years of time (300-1500) who maintained their beliefs in Christ (apart from the Church of Rome), and who in fact maintained their own Biblical Ideologies.... These people were known by many names as recorded by the men who Led them.. and by the Cruel Bishops and Cardinals who examined them, Tortured them and executed them.

There was one particular name however that stuck around long enough to eventually be used in the 1500s as a catch all for these people who maintained their unique bible based beliefs. They started being called Ana Baptists which means Re-Baptizer and later it was shortened to just Baptist. So again... it was not a Denomination... but a Category of believer.

Not only was there NOT a UNIVERSAL APOSTASY... But to declare that there was one does several things that are outright Blasphemous.

1) it calls Jesus a Liar in saying that he could not and did not preserve the Church that he founded and said he would preserve.

and

2) This Heresy Spits on the graves of 2000 years worth of better men than they... Men who gave thier lives and even watched thier families killed for the crime of NOT BEING AN APOSTATE...

The Church never ceased to exist... The Church is the Bride of Christ... and the Church has Never Been Rejected by its Founder and Owner... The Real Jesus Christ... the ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD.

Somewhere in the world right now... Scattered up in the hills of every country... are Men Women and Children that do not even know the names of the Churches (Protestant or Baptist or whatever) that sent them the Gospel... But they know what they Believe.. and they Know who it is that saved them from their sins. And Church Membership in some elitist Church has nothing to do with the Gospel Message.

For what it is worth... If you are a Protestant and you are reading this.. .I want you to stop for just a moment and pray... Then ask God to show you what it is that you believe that has Given you your Convictions and Salvation experience...

Then.. Check and see if the most important things you believe are not summed up in about 7 or 8 things that your Church has in common with the things still being taught at Baptist Churches today...

Do a study on "The Baptist Distinctives" and see where the beliefs you have came from... It was the teaching of the Baptists... as they were being burned at the stakes.. that reached the eyes and ears of the people...and finally erupted in the reformation. Some of the things you Protestants hold most dear... are the things we taught you. Regardless of the names.... "Baptist" , "Brethren", "Paulician" or "Waldensian"... etc etc. Don't let History be Given a face-lift... study it.

So with all of this laid out in the open.. placed on the table.. Lets look at it...

What a Mess!!!

To sort out this plate of spaghetti, we need to first arrive at a foundation of truth.

I am not interested in debating Bible Theology with someone who does not even consider the Bible as God Inspired. Not worth my time... and you will never convince someone like that anyway as they are already wise in their own conceit.

Today there are so many people who want to debate the bible...

Most of them have never even read the whole Bible!!! So without even having read the Bible themselves one time from cover to cover... From Genesis 1:1 to Revelations 22:21 They then presume to make Judgments on what it means... and about the one who inspired it... Without even knowing the whole Word of God... and without even knowing the God who Inspired its writing and protects its content. Because many of them are not even saved Yet...

If you do not have this foundation of belief in the Bible as the Word of God, then we will probably never be able to agree on its content... our discussions will quickly descend into a world of Opinions VS Bible..

That is... Your Oppinions VS my Bible. Because I not only know my Bible... I read it...Cover to Cover... Repeatedly.

I believe that this is one of the main reasons there are so many people teaching so many errors in Bible Theology today. Everyone wants to be a Commentator... Without even knowing the rules of the Game.

They don't know God himself because they have not hidden his word (Christ) in their hearts... and since they do not know Truth (Jesus) from falsehood (lies and twisted logic of the devil) they quickly agree to anything that sounds like the bible... (Even Spurious Other books written in Elizabethan English that sure sound like the King James Bible now don't they?

The Battle comes down to Who is God? What is his Word? Who is His Son and... Do you have what it takes to study to show yourself approved unto God... Or are you just going to repeat what you have been told since birth by the Church you are inside of...

Too many people today are like "Christian Parrots".

They do not have the relationship with God himself... But are merely Parroting what other people have taught them... Repeating what the weekly propaganda publications dictate... instead of studying it out for themselves... Instead of talking to the one who Wrote the Bible in the first place. They cast God to the side and listen to men instead.

Matthew 15: 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

By the way... "Christian" really is not necessarily a term reflecting a persons Salvation experience. Many people claim to be Christian with the same reasoning that I claim to be Caucasian... I was born this way. Physically. Some people are only as "Christian" as a given property that they think they cant change because of family traditions... But they have still not been Born Again... Jesus said that if a person has not been truly born again... they will not enter the Kingdom of God.

But there is a time in my life when I Received Christ... When I Accepted that I had sinned... and that what he did on that Cross was not for himself, But his death burial and resurrection was for me. His being tortured at the hands of those Roman Guards was what Bought my Healing... I asked the Lord for forgiveness and I turned my Life over to the Lord and asked him to come into my life and be my GOD... I would FOLLOW HIM... and at that time It was all settled... Grace and Mercy were applied to my blood stained account. . I was cleaned, and justified... and the Holy Spirit of God placed in me... I was sealed as the Property of my God.

So I can say that I am a Christian... and I can also say that I am Born Again. Irrevocably.

Being Born again becomes an eye opener... a Born again believer has the Holy Spirit living inside of them and we are Sealed unto the day that the Lord comes for us.

We have the Holy Spirit as a Comforter and as a Guide who opens the Word of God and shows us more in depth what the Word of God means... and Gives Discernment as to right and wrong interpretations and miss-readings...

Unfortunatly many people today who call themselves Christians.. have stopped short of having a relationship with God...

They have settled for a little prayer.. and a little religion... Or maybe ... allot of prayer and allot of religion... But what they have missed is that Salvation is of God -not man... and you will either get it though your relationship with Him in Truth... Or you will keep fooling yourself and miss the boat.

In order for an Organisation to teach their potential followers to follow them and no one else...

They must first have some sort of Gimmick... The Organization needs a way to make the people think that they have found something that no other Church has to offer. So it finds fault in the former institutions and creates a divide of miss trust that the followers may never overcome. The teaching is that the former order of religion is obsolete and rejected of God... in the same way that OT Judaism was superceded by NT Messianic or Christian teachings.

The Mormons and JW's are not the first group of people to try and do this... It has been already been done several times in the past in several different ways with various groups of people. Make no mistake... if a Church tries to use the Universal Apostasy theory as a reason for its supersession then it is litterally saying that "IT IS THE ONLY SHOW IN TOWN" and that "NO OTHER CHURCH HAS ANY AUTHORITY"

This may not seem like what the "some" Church teaches today...

But it is in fact Exactly what they were teaching from the time they were invented until just a few years ago when their leadership decided to change the public image and become "Just another Christian Church". (and spent Millions of dollars in propaganda and Advertisments for an Olympic Games to be hosted in their state)

Well... Are they???? Are they the same as the other Christian Churches???

Maybe they are... In the same way that some men have been so wrong before... and because they are following down the same road of Denying the truth.. and because like those who have erred from the faith in times past they are also writing their own books and changing things to suit themselves with each passing year....

Even Re Writing the Bible itself (JW's) and Superceding the Doctrines that were given the Original Church with the writings of men (LDS's Book of Mormon, POGP, Doctrines and Discourses etc)

They Had to do this in order to gain a following... But was it of God... or Man???

I propose to you that God Cannot Lie... and he will not change his Word either.

If it was wrong a hundred years ago, its still wrong today...

If they lied to the Public before... then they will continue in it tomorrow.

Read up on some REAL CHURCH HISTORY...

Foxes Book of Martyrs.

The Trail of Blood By JM Carrol (and look at the Chart that goes with the book...it explains allot)

And Remember... You don't get Saved by Joining a Church... You only Get Saved by placing faith in Christ Jesus...