What is The Church?

[Nice & Wavy]

Identifying the True Church -The Christian Church

People have different concepts and ideas as to what the Church is. There are those who conceived of the Church as everyone who simply believe in Christ as Lord and personal Savior. There are those who think the Church as all the people who simply believe in Christ. Many believe that the Church as collectively all the professing Christians Churches at large, independent and unattached, having no link with one another. Many people assume that the true Church is all the Christian professing religions or churches taken together, the conglomeration of all the so-called "Christian Religions" upholding differing beliefs, teaching irreconcilable doctrines, clinging to different hopes, and recognizing different God and concept of God. Confused? The problem now becomes one of identifying the true Church amidst the numerous claimants. What is the True Church as defined and described by the Bible? If one is really interested in the welfare of his soul, this is the one issue he cannot afford to ignore. It is one issue that every one must face and deal with. Why? What is the compelling reason why everyone must know which is the true church? Has this any bearing to one's salvation? But before engaging in the search for the True Church - the True Christian Church, it is but wise that the inquirer must know exactly what he is looking for.
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The True Church That Christ Shall Save

45.11 Which is to be saved by the Savior according to the Bible?

In Ephesians 5:23, the following is stated:

For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. (Ephesians 5:23, NKJV)
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Every professing Christian knows that Christ is the Savior. But how many know which the Savior shall save? The Bible says, "He is the Savior of the Body". It is the body that Christ shall save. One should take particular note that the Bible did not say that Christ is the savior of the bodies. The Bible is very definite that Christ is the Savior of the body. There is only one body to be saved by the Savior.
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45.12 Which is this one body to be saved by the Savior?

Colossians 1:18, states:

"And he is the head of the body, the church: . . . . . " (KJV)
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The body is the Church. Christ is the Savior of the body -- Savior of the Church. It should be noted again that the Bible did not say that Christ is the head of the bodies. He is the head and Savior of one body - - the only one Church.
There is only one Church to be saved by Christ -- the true Church. To believe that Christ will save all existing Churches is to believe in something contrary to the teachings of the Bible.
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What is the name of the Church established by Christ and which was purchased by the blood of Christ?

Acts 20:28, in several versions of the Bible, this is recorded:

"Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the Church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood." (Lamsa translation)
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Take heed unto yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the Church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood. (American Standard Version)
"So keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock which the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be shepherds of the Church of God, which he made his own through the blood of his Son." (Today's English Version)
Who is the Lord who built the Church and who purchased the Church with His own blood?

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18, NKJV)
"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.'' ( Acts 2:36, NKJV)
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How God made the Church His own through the blood of His Son?

But God has shown us how much he loves us --- it was while we were still sinners that Christ died for us! By his blood we are now put right with God; how much more, then, will we be saved by him from God's anger! (Romans 5:8-9, Today's English Version)
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Thus, the name of the True Church established by Christ and which was also purchased with His own blood and by His blood we are put right with God is rightfully named after Him the "Church of Christ". In other verses and versions of the Bible it is also called the "Church of the Lord" and the "Church of God".
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How else did the Bible show the necessity of the True Church for salvation?

In Acts 2:47, the answer is stated:

Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:47, KJV)
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It is to the Church where God adds people in order to be saved.
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Why is this necessary that God adds people to the Church in order to be saved? Is there salvation outside the True Church?

God judges those outside. "Drive out the wicked person from among you."
(1 Corinthians 5:13, RSV)
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Outside the true Church is the judgment and condemnation of God. For this reason, from outside the Church, God adds people to the true Church in order to be saved. Therefore, how important is it to know which is the True Church? This knowledge in indispensable for salvation. Why? Because according to the teachings of the Bible, in order for man to be saved he must be in the True Church.
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What The True Church Is and What Is Not

But before engaging in the search for the true Church, it is but wise that the inquirer must know exactly what he is looking for. For this reason, it is right for us to ask: What is the Church of Christ as defined and described by the Bible?
People have different concepts and ideas as to what the Church is. For instance,

• There are those who conceived of the Church as everyone who simply believe in Christ as Lord and personal Savior.
• There are those who think the Church as all the people who simply believe in Christ.
• Many believe that the Church as collectively all the professing Christians Churches at large, independent and unattached, having no link with one another.
• Many people assume that the true Church is all the Christian professing religions or churches taken together, the conglomeration of all the so-called "Christian Religions" upholding differing beliefs, teaching irreconcilable doctrines, clinging to different hopes, and recognizing different God and concept of God?

 

[Nice & Wavy]

How does the Bible define the Church?

I Corinthians 12:7, states:

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (Revised Standard)
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At once we see that the Bible projects the Church as an organized collective whole, composed of individual members. It is not as what others conceive of it, people at large who simply profess belief in Christ, independent and unattached from one another. The Church is not just "believers" in general, dispersed and scattered about, having no link with one another. Rather Christ's Church is a tightly organized structure, composed of interrelated members as the Apostle Paul himself describes:

from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:16, NKJV)
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How did Apostle Paul clinch the fact that the Church of Christ is a single organization? To what did he liken the Church?

In Romans 12:4-5, the answer is written:

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. (NKJV)
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The Apostle Paul liken the Church to the human body. The human body is a study in organization. Viewed from an anatomical standpoint, it possesses a high degree of organization, with every part functioning in coordination with one another. In like manner, the Apostle Paul pointed out, "so we (the members of the church), being many, are one body in Christ." The many and different parts of a man are not detached from one another and exist as separate entities. Rather, they are joined together to form one body. In like manner, the Church of Christ is an organization formed by interrelated members and not independent and unattached professing Christians at large.
Furthermore we must take particular note of the fact that the different parts of the human body belong to only one body. As the different parts of a man are not attached to different bodies, so like wise the members of the true Church are not found in different religious bodies or churches but only in one.
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Does it mean however, that every organization that profess belief in Christ is the body of Christ or the true Church?

No, because in that case, there would be many bodies whereas the Bible teaches that there is only one body, as stated in Ephesians 4:4:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; (NKJV)
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What further proves that the body of Christ is not collectively all the Christian professing churches and sect today?

Furthermore, what would be readily observed about the other churches and sects today? Do they all teach, believe and practice the same thing? Obviously not! They differ in many ways and oftentimes contradict one another. It would be absurd to believe that this different and contradictory churches today are all true for this would amount to believing that truth contradicts truth.

For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. (1 Corinthians 14:33, KJV)
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It would be sheer folly to even think this because God is not the author of confusion but of peace.
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Perhaps the true Church is all the Christian professing Churches taken together, the conglomeration of all so-called "Christian Religions". Does the concept fit the Biblical description of the Church? What is the prevailing characteristics of the body of Christ?

Ephesians 4:4-6, states:

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;
one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (NKJV)
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The prevailing characteristic of the body of Christ is unity. Those in the one body all have the same hope (not different hopes), believe in the same way (one faith)!, receive the same baptism (not different kinds of baptism) and recognize the same God (not different Gods). Would the different churches, sects and denominations of the world today taken as a conglomerate fit the biblical description of the body of Christ? No, it does not even come close. The different Christian professing today branched out into multitude of sects and denominations -- have different differing beliefs, teach irreconcilable doctrines, carryon a variety of Practices, cling to different hopes and recognize different gods and concept of god. Such is not the case with the one body, or the true Church. Unity prevails in the true Church -- in faith, doctrine, practice, hope and in the God they deify.
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[Nice & Wavy]

Maybe the true Church is the unseen combination of all the most sincere and faithful followers from the different Churches today? Do the true members or Christians come from different religious bodies?

No, they do not, as proven in I Corinthians 12:12; thus:

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. (NKJV)
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The Bible did not say, the members from the different bodies but the "members of that one body". The true Christians all come from the same body -- from one religious organization.
Therefore the Bible clearly defines what the true Church is and what is not. The true Church is not all who simply believe in Christ. It is not every organization who professes to be Christian, neither is the conglomeration of all Christian believing Churches nor the invisible combination of the most sincere followers from different Churches today. The true Church by Biblical definition is the body of Christ, a single unified organization composed of members who are the true followers of Christ. Hence, in looking for the true Church, we must look for that one organization which is truly of God and of Christ.
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Therefore the Bible clearly defines what the true Church is and what is not. The true Church is not all who simply believe in Christ. It is not every organization who professes to be Christian, neither is the conglomeration of all Christian believing Churches nor the invisible combination of the most sincere followers from different Churches today. The true Church by Biblical definition is the body of Christ, a single unified organization composed of members who are the true followers of Christ. Hence, in looking for the true Church, we must look for that one organization which is truly of God and of Christ.

Identifying The True Church: The Biblical Criterion

The problem now becomes one of identifying the true Church amidst the numerous claimants. But if, in going about this task, one has no criteria in determining the true Church, his search would be an exercise in futility. And even if one uses a certain criterion but is based on human standards or on one's personal or subjective point of view, what he thinks to be the true Church may in fact be spurious. What criterion then must be employed in looking for the true Church? The only valid criterion is the standard of God written in the Bible. The Church that measures and lives up to this standard is unquestionably the true Church. Therefore, regardless of how many Churches there are today, the true Church shall stand alone by uniquely fulfilling this standard of God.

How does one become a member of the true Church?

In Corinthians 1:9, states:

God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (NKJV)
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The true Church is called of God. It is the result of God's calling. What calling of God is this? It is God's call for people to be in fellowship or union in Christ.
Where can we find those who are called by God?

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. (Colossians 3:15, NKJV)
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Those who are called by God are called in one body.
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Which is this body in which God calls for people to be in fellowship or union in Christ?

And he is the head of the body, the church: (Colossians 1:18, KJV)
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The body is the Church. The members of this one body or the true Church became such by virtue of God's calling.
Are those in the body or Church really in union with Christ?
YES, because they are joined to Christ being one member his body, with Christ as the head.
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What then is the Biblical criterion in determining the True Church?

From the foregoing verses it is very clear, then that the true Church is the result and fruit of God's calling. Any church, therefore which is not the result of God's calling, is definitely not the true Church for it is not the work of God.
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God's Calling: The Process

But any Church could claim that they are called by God. This leads us to ask the following question:

How does God call people into the fellowship of Christ or as members of the true Church?

The Bible answers in II Thessalonians 2:14, thus:

To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Revised Standard)
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God's call people by means of the preaching of the Gospel.
Does this mean, however, that all who are preaching today are being used by God in calling people to Christ? And does it necessarily follow that because a person heard and accepted the preaching of a certain preacher with Bible in hand, he has already been called by God into the fellowship of Christ? Does God channel His call through just any preacher?
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[Nice & Wavy]

Who is the preacher used by God in calling people to Christ?

In Romans 10:14-15, it is written:

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!'' (NKJV)​

God channels His call not through just any preacher but through the preaching of one who was sent by God -- the messenger of God. One may very well have heard a certain preaching and may have even believed such preaching. This may led him to become a member of a certain Christian-professing Church. But if what he heard and believed is not the Gospel of God, he became a member of a Church, yes, but not the True Church. Why? Because what he received is not the calling of God.
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On the other hand, if one heard and received the Gospel as preached by God's messengers, this would lead him to the True Church for what he received is truly God's calling. ​

Why is God's call channeled exclusively through the preaching of the messengers of God? Are not all preachers who hold and use the Bible preaching the genuine Gospel of Christ?

In Galatians 1:6-8, this is written:

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ​

which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. ​

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. (NKJV)​

The same verse in the Living Bible for clarity:

I am amazed that you are turning away so soon from God who, in his love and mercy, invited you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ; you are already following a different ``way to heaven,'' which really doesn't go to heaven at all. ​

For there is no other way than the one we showed you; you are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ.​

Let God's curses fall on anyone, including myself, who preaches any other way to be saved than the one we told you about; yes, if an angel comes from heaven and preaches any other message, let him be forever cursed. ​

The answer of the Bible is a resounding NO! There are those who are preaching another Gospel. Is it another Gospel because they will no longer use the Bible? The Apostle Paul said, "Which is not another" They will also use the Bible. But why has it become another or different Gospel? Because there are those who pervert the Gospel of Christ. What is the judgment to those who pervert the Gospel? The Apostle Paul said "Let him be accursed"! They are headed for condemnation.
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Is it only those who are preaching another Gospel that are headed for destruction? How about those who have blindly followed their lead?

Jesus taught that "if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."

"Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.'' (Matthew 15:14, NKJV)​

Hence, instead of leading people to the true Church and to salvation, such preachers would lead people to their destruction.
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Why can't those who are not messengers of God preach the true Gospel of Christ? What is hidden from them?

In I Corinthians 2:7, this is written:

But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, (NKJV) ​

And how did God hide His wisdom? He kept it in mystery.
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Can man, by his own efforts, uncover what God hid in mystery? And is it true that because one has successfully finished years of study and learning in a seminary theological school, or a religious college, he is now a preacher of the truth? What is the firm verdict of the of the word of God?.

II Timothy 3:7 states:

always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (NKJV)​

Man by his own efforts, can never come to the knowledge of the truth which God kept in secret mystery -- even by diligent study of the Scriptures. If he could, it would appear would appear wiser and more intelligent than God. This is not only impossible but blasphemous.
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What is the proof that the multitude of religious preachers today who fill the airwaves, flood the printed media and speak before throngs of people, have not come to the knowledge of the truth?

Bible believing people agree that the bible teaches one unified truth. But after studying the Bible, are the different preachers today preaching one and the same thing? No, far from it! There are glaring differences in what they preach as well us strong disagreements on the points of doctrine, which is a major cause for the rise of various sects and denominations.​

 

[Nice & Wavy]

What then is the only way by which the truth hidden by God in a mystery could be known?

In I Corinthians 2:10, this is written:

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. (NKJV)​

The only way by which the truth could be known is if God, who hid the truth in mystery, will Himself reveal it. And He did. But unto whom did God reveal it? Did He reveal it to everyone? No! The Apostle Paul, who is himself a messenger of God, said: "God had revealed them unto us" God did not reveal His wisdom to everyone nor to every preacher. God revealed to truth only to His messengers. How did the messengers of God come to know the truth? Not by their own efforts nor through human institutions of learning, but as taught to them by the holy spirit. ​

What shall the Scriptures be to those who are not messengers of God according to our Lord Jesus Christ?

And He said to them, "To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, "so that `seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.' '' (Mark 4:11-12, NKJV)​

To them it would be something which they could not see (or easily read) but cannot understand. Why? Because the knowledge of the mystery is not given to them by God. Who was gifted with this knowledge? Jesus said, "unto you" -- the messengers of God -- "it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God." Therefore, what did the Apostle Paul mean when he asked rhetorically, "how shall they preach unless they are sent?" (Rom.10:15) How shall they preach unless God gave them to know the truth? Does it mean that those who are not messengers of God will no longer preach? They will still preach. In fact, they are going out of their way to evangelize" the world with the "Gospel". But shall they succeed in leading man to salvation by their preaching? Do they preach the true Gospel? Definitely not the true Gospel but another Gospel that would lead people to destruction.​

Clearly then, the true Church is the result of God's calling through the preaching of the true Gospel by a messenger of God. Any Church, therefore, that arose from the preaching of one who is not a messenger of God, is definitely not the true Church for it is not called by God. The true Church is the Church with a genuine messenger of God.



Identifying The Genuine Messenger Of God

But any church could say that they have a messenger of God. ​

How then could the genuine messenger of God be identified?

No professing Christian today would ever contest the truth that Jesus is sent by God. But what did He point to us that which testifies of His commission? ​

In John 5:39, Jesus said:

"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. (NKJV)​

The Scriptures testify that Jesus is sent by God.

What kind of Scriptures testifies of our Lord Jesus Christ?​

Revelation 9:10, states:

And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.'' (NKJV)​

The prophecies written in the Holy Scriptures (not manufactured prophecies in other books) testify that Jesus is sent by God. ​

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But does it mean that because one can pull out a prophecy from the Bible and use that prophecy in claiming that he is a messenger of God, he is really God's messenger? When is Biblical prophecy proof that one is sent by God?

Jesus said in John 5:36:

But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. (KJV)​

Scriptural prophecy is proof that one is sent by God if everything contained in the prophecy was fulfilled in him. The prophecies of God cannot be faked or forged. The genuine messenger of God is the one whom the prophecy found fulfillment. This was true of our Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 4:16-21; Isaiah 61:1-3), John the Baptist (John 1:19-22; Isaiah 40:3) and the Apostle Paul (Acts 13:47, Isaiah 49:6).​

Therefore, if anyone says that he is a messenger of God, but is not testified to by biblical prophecy, he is merely a self-proclaimed messenger. And even if there be any who cites a prophecy in the Bible but it was not fulfilled in him or it pertains to someone else, he is not God's messenger.
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[donna20745]

See, this is what i am talking about.


Thanks again

 

[Nice & Wavy]

See, this is what i am talking about.


Thanks again

I'm glad you read this....it was alot, right?

You are welcome...blessings.