Many people wonder today, why there are so many different churches and denominations, and if there are any churches today that could be considered a true church. In today’s bulletin we will do what we can to address these issue, and show that churches founded by men and women are not the same as the New Testament Church founded by Christ Himself.
Identifying the New Testament Church
The fact is, that Jesus Himself, during His personal ministry, founded the New Testament church. In Matthew 16:18 He said, “Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The “Rock” Christ referred to was Himself (see 1 Cor. 10:4). There is a New Testament church that has been founded, organized, instructed and commissioned by Christ Himself. These churches exist all over the world, and are made up of born again believers who have been baptized and who are committed to the faith and policies Christ placed in His church, and to carrying out the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19, 20).
Why is it so difficult for people to accept the fact that all of the modern day different churches and denominations, with their differing beliefs and practices, are not the same as the New Testament church that Christ established? Why is it so hard for some to understand that, things that are different are simply not the same!
What is Christ’s Position Regarding the Present Day Multiplicity Denominations?
Our Lord made it clear when He was here that He wanted unity, and not disunity, clarity and not confusion where His church was concerned. In His high priestly prayer, He prayed, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21). Jesus’ prayer is answered when His people are one in spirit and one in belief and practice. True unity is based upon, and depends upon, adherence to biblical truth. Did not Christ tell the woman at the well that they who genuinely worship God must worship Him according to the dictates of truth: “God s a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
The apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 are a rebuke to all denominationalism and division that is a manifestation of a departure from what the Word of God teaches: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say , that every one of you saith , I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided ? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Cor. 1:10-13).
Christ and the apostles recognized the tendency of people to follow men instead of the Bible and warned against it. Sadly men and women have deviated from the truth, devised creeds and doctrines of their own and found people who have been more than willing to follow them. This, very clearly, accounts for the many denominations and churches we have today which believe all sorts of different things. Such divisions started very early with the Gnostics in 125 A. D. the Montanists in 156 A. D. and the Manicheans in 144 A. D.
In 325 A. D., the first major splintering or division from the New Testament Church that Christ established took place under the Roman Emperor Constantine, when a number of pastors, under his influence, succeeded in leading members of their congregations to form what we know today as the Roman Catholic Church. In 1054 there was a split within the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in another denomination, the Greek Orthodox Church.
Then, in 1517, the Protestant Reformation began. This movement, led by a Catholic monk named Martin Luther gave birth to the Lutheran, Presbyterian and Episcopalian denominations—splinter groups from the Roman Catholic Church. And out of these have come the various Methodist, Pentecostal and other denominations. It is estimated that there are more than 33,000 Christian denominations in the world today. All the while, the New Testament Church that Jesus founded continued to steadfastly adhere to the teachings and practices instituted in them by Jesus Christ Himself, often in spite of hardships and persecution.
The Confusion Continues
Christ cannot be pleased with the multitude of teaching that is done in he name of His Church. Yet, men and women who have founded and are founding “churches” continued to find followers. Jesus said, “In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:9). Paul wrote, “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” (2 Tim. 4:3).
Paul warned the Church at Galatia, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Gal. 3:8). And yet, there is a large denomination that claims to have received its teachings from an angel!
New Testament Church Exist Today
New Testament churches survive today. They can’t be identified strictly by name. The name, whether it be Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Pentecost, Baptist, Nazarene or Charismatic, etc. is not the Criteria for identifying a true New Testament Church. New Testament churches are identified by what they believe and practice, and by their continuing in the tradition of the Church that Jesus built, to “Contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3).
Christians should reject the popular attitude that says, “Does it really matter what church one goes to?” and the counsel to “Just go to the church of your choice.” Believers should align themselves with a New Testament Church.
Identifying the New Testament Church
The fact is, that Jesus Himself, during His personal ministry, founded the New Testament church. In Matthew 16:18 He said, “Upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” The “Rock” Christ referred to was Himself (see 1 Cor. 10:4). There is a New Testament church that has been founded, organized, instructed and commissioned by Christ Himself. These churches exist all over the world, and are made up of born again believers who have been baptized and who are committed to the faith and policies Christ placed in His church, and to carrying out the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19, 20).
Why is it so difficult for people to accept the fact that all of the modern day different churches and denominations, with their differing beliefs and practices, are not the same as the New Testament church that Christ established? Why is it so hard for some to understand that, things that are different are simply not the same!
What is Christ’s Position Regarding the Present Day Multiplicity Denominations?
Our Lord made it clear when He was here that He wanted unity, and not disunity, clarity and not confusion where His church was concerned. In His high priestly prayer, He prayed, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” (John 17:21). Jesus’ prayer is answered when His people are one in spirit and one in belief and practice. True unity is based upon, and depends upon, adherence to biblical truth. Did not Christ tell the woman at the well that they who genuinely worship God must worship Him according to the dictates of truth: “God s a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
The apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:10-13 are a rebuke to all denominationalism and division that is a manifestation of a departure from what the Word of God teaches: “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say , that every one of you saith , I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided ? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Cor. 1:10-13).
Christ and the apostles recognized the tendency of people to follow men instead of the Bible and warned against it. Sadly men and women have deviated from the truth, devised creeds and doctrines of their own and found people who have been more than willing to follow them. This, very clearly, accounts for the many denominations and churches we have today which believe all sorts of different things. Such divisions started very early with the Gnostics in 125 A. D. the Montanists in 156 A. D. and the Manicheans in 144 A. D.
In 325 A. D., the first major splintering or division from the New Testament Church that Christ established took place under the Roman Emperor Constantine, when a number of pastors, under his influence, succeeded in leading members of their congregations to form what we know today as the Roman Catholic Church. In 1054 there was a split within the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in another denomination, the Greek Orthodox Church.
Then, in 1517, the Protestant Reformation began. This movement, led by a Catholic monk named Martin Luther gave birth to the Lutheran, Presbyterian and Episcopalian denominations—splinter groups from the Roman Catholic Church. And out of these have come the various Methodist, Pentecostal and other denominations. It is estimated that there are more than 33,000 Christian denominations in the world today. All the while, the New Testament Church that Jesus founded continued to steadfastly adhere to the teachings and practices instituted in them by Jesus Christ Himself, often in spite of hardships and persecution.
The Confusion Continues
Christ cannot be pleased with the multitude of teaching that is done in he name of His Church. Yet, men and women who have founded and are founding “churches” continued to find followers. Jesus said, “In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:9). Paul wrote, “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” (2 Tim. 4:3).
Paul warned the Church at Galatia, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Gal. 3:8). And yet, there is a large denomination that claims to have received its teachings from an angel!
New Testament Church Exist Today
New Testament churches survive today. They can’t be identified strictly by name. The name, whether it be Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Pentecost, Baptist, Nazarene or Charismatic, etc. is not the Criteria for identifying a true New Testament Church. New Testament churches are identified by what they believe and practice, and by their continuing in the tradition of the Church that Jesus built, to “Contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3).
Christians should reject the popular attitude that says, “Does it really matter what church one goes to?” and the counsel to “Just go to the church of your choice.” Believers should align themselves with a New Testament Church.
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