There is a Bible doctrine clearly taught in God’s Word. You can read in the New Testament about the one church doctrine. The word church is translated from a Greek word which means the called out. Therefore, the church is the body of believers that are called out and gathered for a specific reason. God calls men out of the world through the Gospel (2 Thessalonians 2:14).
Jesus committed to build His church (Matthew 16:18 – note that the singular word “church,” not “churches,” is used). In that same context, He referred to the church as the kingdom (Matthew 16:19). Just prior to His transfiguration, Jesus promised this kingdom or church would come in the lifetime of those to whom he was speaking (Mark 9:1). He said the church or kingdom would come with power when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles (Acts 1:8). This took place on the Pentecost following the Ascension of our Lord as recorded in Acts 2. On that day, Peter and the other apostles taught the Gospel by which men were called out from sin. When the hearers were “pricked in their heart,” they asked what they were to do (Acts 2:37). When told, many (about 3,000) accepted the truth of the Gospel, turned from sin and were immersed to be forgiven of sins and to be saved (Acts 2:38, 41, 47). When they did this, they were added (by the Lord, v.47) to the one church that had come into being with power on that notable day. Jesus had promised one church. The one church was established on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). The Lord added the saved to the one church (Acts 2:47).
The one church doctrine was further confirmed when, by inspiration of God, the apostle Paul wrote that the church is the body of Christ and that there is only one (Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4). If there was no other Scripture that taught the one church doctrine, these passages in Ephesians would suffice to prove this teaching.
It is significant that Jesus had prayed for the unity of believers (John 17:20-21). Divisions in Christendom today go contrary to this prayer of the Savior. The apostle Paul rebuked the early church and said let “there be no divisions among you” (1 Corinthians 1:10-13). Men were following men, instead of following Christ who bled and died for them. That is still the problem today. Men are still following the teaching of men instead of following Christ and His Word. Division was wrong then and is wrong now. Denominationalism is division. Thus, denominationalism is contrary to the teaching of God’s Word and contrary to the one church doctrine.
If there is only one body, the church, then those religious groups that cannot truly be identified with the one church cannot be of God. Every plant (religion) that God has not planted “shall be rooted up” (Matthew 15:13). Therefore, it is essential to be a part of the one body that Jesus will save (Ephesians 5:23). What good would it do to be a part of a manmade religious body that would be rooted up?
Again, there is one church. It is the one body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4). The one body or church has many members but is still only one body (1 Corinthians 12:13ff; Romans 12:4-5). The church has many congregations but it is still one body (Romans 16:16; cf. Galatians 1:2 “churches of Galatia”; congregations of the one church in the region of Galatia).
The one church doctrine can be illustrated with the Noah and the ark account (Genesis 6-9). Men were living in sin in Noah’s day. Today, men still live in sin. The flood was to destroy those condemned by sin. Sin still condemns men today. There was one ark. There is one church. There was one door into the ark. There is only one way into the one church (Acts 4:12). The obedient (those who entered the ark) were saved. The obedient are saved today (Hebrews 5:9; 1 Peter 3:21). God commanded Noah to build the ark to His specifications. God has given His pattern for the one church in the New Testament. Now some questions: Do you think the ark would have floated if it were not built according to God’s pattern? Do you think a manmade religious body “will float” today if not built according to God’s pattern? The answers should be obvious! So why do men condone and approve of denominationalism? It must be because they are unwilling to accept the truth of the Bible doctrine of the one church. Obedient Noah and his family were saved because Noah built the ark as God had told him. The church today must be according to the instructions or pattern given by God in the New Testament. Had Noah not followed God’s pattern, the ark would not have saved Noah and his family. Likewise, if a church is not according to God’s pattern, it will not save in the end.
