Discussion Jumpstarter
Study leader reference - not a definitive answer
Question 9
Jason argues that rejecting clear early-church consensus effectively implies the apostles could write Scripture accurately but failed to transmit its meaning to their own disciples—so “thank goodness… Constantine… popes… Calvin and Luther” could fix it; where do you see that “late-rescue” storyline operating in your own theological instincts, and what would it mean for God’s faithfulness to the early church if that storyline were true?
Another way to ask: Do you ever assume the church got it wrong for centuries and later leaders had to “rescue” the truth? If that rescue story were true, what would it say about God’s faithfulness to the early church?
Discussion Jumpstarter
Direct Answer
Jason warns that ignoring the early church when it is “crystal clear” what they believed can imply a “late-rescue” story: the apostles supposedly failed, and later figures had to correct Christianity. He argues that story doesn’t make sense and is not a safe place to rest your salvation.
- He sets up the scenario: when “it is crystal clear what the early church believed… but your church teaches something different,” refusing alignment carries implications.
- He paraphrases the implied claim: the apostles “did good enough to get their thoughts into the scriptures,” but couldn’t deliver those truths to “their very own disciples.”
- He then mocks the late-rescue conclusion: “thank goodness that Constantine and the popes and Calvin and Luther… were able to clear it all up for us.”
- He admits the failure scenario is “possible,” but says, “I’m not going to hang my salvation on that coat rack… That just doesn't even make sense to me.”
- He frames the issue around trust in God’s work through the apostles and the first generations of the church.