Leaving New Apostolic Church
Awakened from a deep spiritual Sleep
Lutz Jusko
Introduction
I regret very much that apparently only violations or bad experiences within the New Apostolic Church on the part of its members are conceivable for leaving the New Apostolic Church (NAC) and for corresponding critical representations. Unfortunately, other possible reasons cannot be imagined.
Awakened from deep spiritual sleep
My reasons were not bad experiences, but the turning to Jesus Christ. To a New Apostolic this sounds like a contradiction at first. I will resolve this apparent contradiction in this article. God woke me up from my deep spiritual sleep through special events. After that, I started studying the Bible and the faith. I asked about the will of God. In search of the truth of God, I put the teaching of the New Apostolic Church to the test. This happened under the prayer: “ Lord, show me your way “
This is only legitimate because I could have been born as a Jehovah’s Witness, a Mormon, a Protestant or a Catholic, etc. From the New Apostolic point of view, I would then go the wrong way all my life and not be saved, since no New Apostle would have forgiven my sins and given me the Holy Spirit. So this also applies to a member of the New Apostolic Church. The apostle Paul repeatedly and unequivocally calls upon us to examine everything that brought to us. Why shouldn’t this also apply to preaching within the New Apostolic Church? If the teaching of the New Apostolic Church does not contradict the teaching of the Bible, then there is no need to fear such a review.
Open-ended testing
At the beginning of my work I left it completely open to what result the Lord would lead me to. It could have been that I had to leave the New Apostolic Church, just some boundary conditions were wrong or that the teaching of the New Apostolic Church was completely in agreement with the teaching of Jesus Christ. As I read the Bible, I opened my heart wide to see what the Lord wants to tell me through His Word. What would I have gained from trying to support my view with certain Bible verses or refute someone else’s opinion with other verses? I would never know what the Lord wants to tell me by his word.
Ein Fundament aus Irrlehren
I found that essential teachings of the New Apostolic Church are inconsistent with the biblical message. I do not want to go into specific examples here, because this website covers the topic in detail. I would only like to point out the topics “forgiveness of sins” and“Holy Spirit”. These are subjects that touch the core of the Christian faith and are therefore not marginal questions. I have noticed that the Gospel, the Good News, is not the focus of the New Apostolic Church, nor is Jesus Christ Himself. It is not proclaimed that our sins are forgiven through repentance and conversion and faith and turning to Jesus Christ. On the contrary, in the New Apostolic Church it is Forgiveness of sins only available through acquittal by a New Apostolic apostle.
What to do now
Now I was faced with the question of what to do? I sat in the services and was saddened by the false message of the apostles, I even got a little angry (not at human mistakes) at how much falsehood is being brought to the brethren who now believe this because they do not check against the Bible to see if it is true. Especially since the term “Word of God” (Bible) has been reinterpreted as “contemporary Word of God,” which, according to the New Apostolic Church, is only proclaimed by its apostles.
So my reasons for leaving the New Apostolic Church were not bad experiences, but the fact that teaching is unbiblical. Back to the question: what to do next? For the above-mentioned reason, I no longer attended the services of the New Apostolic Church, but for a while the services of very different congregations. I was amazed to find that – contrary to the claims of the New Apostolic Church – in other congregations and assemblies there is spiritual depth, the Holy Spirit and thus Jesus Christ himself in their midst.
He paid for me!
In this phase I was converted to our Lord Jesus Christ and was able to claim his salvation for myself. He saved me and paid my debt. To him all honor is due. It was not the experiences within the New Apostolic Church that made me leave, but my conversion to Jesus. I can now be certain of my salvation. I know that if I cross the threshold of natural death, or if the Lord takes His church before then, I am with the Lord!
This is something completely different from the supposed security of salvation in the New Apostolic Church. It says there: Only remain faithful to the end and believe in the apostles and you will be there in the day of the Lord. Who cannot remember the fear: You come home, no one is there and you fear the Lord has come and hasn’t raptured you? Someone who is certain of salvation does not know this fear. I wish everyone this assurance of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Still a formal member
But now I was still a formal member of the New Apostolic Church. Therefore, the outside impression could arise that I basically agree with the teaching of this community. To avoid this misunderstanding, I also formally resigned from the New Apostolic Church at the registry office. I want to follow our Lord Jesus Christ completely and not people or an organization who make promises that they cannot keep ( Forgiveness of sins , Reconciliation, Dispensing of the Holy Spirit )!
With this website I want to help people in the New Apostolic Church To question your point of view. I want to make you think. I am sure that the teaching of the New Apostolic Church is a heresy that bypasses the goal and obscures the gospel. My efforts are always accompanied by the prayer that the Lord will bless my work and that what is imperfect will be added and corrected in the thoughts of the reader. The many e-mails I receive in response to this website prove that my work is not in vain. There people tell how they think about this website or how they found faith in the Lord. I am very grateful for that.
Sometimes it needs clear words
Sometimes I am accused of lovelessness. My efforts result from love for Jesus Christ. I want to serve him with my talents and my powers. All efforts in this regard are addressed to the souls in the New Apostolic Church and all interested parties. These souls (all my relatives are still in the New Apostolic Church) are very close to my heart. If I sometimes formulate too harshly, please forgive me. What is too hard for one is formulated too loosely for another. Unfortunately, you can’t please everyone. But Paul also often found harsh words and was not rebuked by the Lord for it. Sometimes it may be hard words that make one or the other think.
I hope I was able to help people understand me better in my endeavors and to clear up misunderstandings.
I wish everyone the assurance of salvation in Jesus Christ and a life in and with him, because only Jesus Christ is the mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5), only he is the way, truth and life, no one comes to the Father but only through Him (John 14:6).
Braunschweig in January 2021
© Lutz Jusko
Copyright 2021 Projekt B