Perilous Changes Foreknown and Revealed

To know, however, that these perilous changes were all foreknown to the Lord, and that they were revealed to the prophets and apostles long before they were made, together with the glorious truth that the church of God’s planting would ultimately triumph, affords Christian believers abiding confidence in the God of all wisdom and love. In Paul’s farewell interview with the elders of the church at Ephesus, he said to them:AGP 194.1

“I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.” Acts 20:29, 30.

It must have given the great apostle a heavy heart to foresee the serious evils that would come upon the church he had labored so earnestly to upbuild. But his predictions given by inspiration were fulfilled. Grievous wolves did indeed enter in among the innocent sheep, causing the spiritual ruin of multitudes. Moreover, from within the church itself men arose introducing heresiesAGP 194.2

and speaking perverse things, and they turned many disciples away from the truth of the gospel. Gradually and almost imperceptibly this took place during the first two or three centuries after Christ. In the fourth, the tide is well-nigh resistless.AGP 195.1

The same deplorable apostasy was foretold by Peter:AGP 195.2

“There were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not.” 2 Peter 2:1-3.