The Last Reformation | Page 2

a grand Scriptural ideal, it is evident that no particular
band of people enjoy its exclusive monopoly. May the same Holy Spirit
illuminate our hearts and minds in the contemplation of the truths of the
divine Word.
The term reformation signifies "the act of reforming or the state of
being reformed; change from worse to better; correction or amendment

of life, manners, or of anything vicious or corrupt." In its application to
the religion of Christ, reformation means the correction of abuses and
corrupt practises that have become associated with the Christian system;
the elimination of all unworthy, foreign elements. In other words, it
implies restoration, a return to the practises and ideals of primitive
Christianity.
[Sidenote: What the final reformation must include]
If we inquire concerning the limits of true reformatory work, we see at
once that, if there is to be a final reformation, such a movement must
restore in its fundamental aspects _apostolic Christianity_--its doctrines,
its ordinances, its personal regenerating and sanctifying experiences, its
spiritual life, its holiness, its power, its purity, its gifts of the Spirit, its
unity of believers, and its fruits. This assumes, of course, that during
the centuries there has been a departure from this standard.
[Sidenote: The church itself the real object of reformation]
No reformation since apostolic times has covered all this ground. All
the reformations taken together fall far short of this standard. They
have been reformations only in part, each movement simply placing
special emphasis on particular doctrines, or ordinances, or personal
experiences. Hence the need of further reformation. The present
movement embraces all the truth contained in all the previous
reformations of Protestantism. But it does not stop there. It stands
committed to all the truth of the Word of God. It goes straight to the
heart of the reformation subject and reveals the pure, holy, universal
church of the apostolic times as made up of all those who were
regenerated, uniting them all IN CHRIST; in the "church of the living
God," which church was "the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Tim.
3:15); the church that was graced with the gifts of the Spirit and filled
with holy power.
The true apostolic church has been largely lost to view since the early
Christian centuries, when a general apostasy dimmed the light of truth
and plunged the world into the darkness of papal night. In modern
times the term "church" as applied to a general body of religious

worshipers is usually employed in a restricted sense, specifying some
particular organization, as the hierarchy of Rome or the aggregation of
local congregations constituting a Protestant sect. By a natural reaction
from the Romish extreme, wherein the church and church relationship
are exalted above the personal relationship of the individual with his
God, many teachers now incline to an opposite extreme, which makes
little of the church as an institution, substituting therefor a sort of
"loyalty to Christ," individualism, subversive of true New Testament
standards.
[Sidenote: The true church Scripturally important]
The church is not to be exalted above the Christ, nor is it a substitute
for the Christ; but in the light of New Testament teaching we must
regard the true church as the instrument--the divinely appointed
instrument used by the Holy Spirit in carrying forward the work of
Christ on earth. Jesus himself said, "Upon this rock I will build my
church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18).
At a later time we read, "And the Lord added to the church daily such
as should be saved" (Acts 2:47).
If Paul were living today, he also might despise the "church" idea in its
narrow sectarian sense. But from the apostle's words, it is very evident
that he regarded the church as it existed in his day as an institution
crowned with glory and honor, the concrete expression of Christ and
his truth. "God hath set some IN THE CHURCH, first apostles,
secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of
healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues" (1 Cor. 12:28).
"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the _edifying of the body of
Christ_; till we all come in the unity of the faith ... that we ... may grow
up into him in all things, which is the head, [of the body, the church,
Col. 1:18] even Christ" (Eph. 4:11-15).
[Sidenote: The church as a divine institution]
Inasmuch as God set in the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, gifts

of miracles, of healings, etc., we must regard the church as originally
instituted as being more than a mere aggregate of individuals
associating themselves together for particular purposes. We must
recognize the