Hello, I have been researching (as a personal curiosity) “governmental” differences between churches. I was just reading an article you wrote, and I was wondering if you could further explain the underlined statement below more specifically for me: from: “The First Church” “The first church — the one that Jesus built — still exists today. It is to this church — his church — that our Lord adds the saved.” Do you assert that to this church ONLY are the saved added? Or are saved peoples present in other Christian churches as well; i.e., Baptist, non-denominational, etc. Thank you for your time. [name withheld upon request]
Only one church existed in the first century. Jesus only promised to build one church and he styled it as his church (Matthew 16:18). In the figure of a “body,” the apostle Paul taught that there was but one church.
“. . . the church, Which is his body . . . There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are 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” (Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:4-6).
In the first century, Jesus added the saved to his church (Acts 2:47). This church was established in Jerusalem according to prophecy (Isaiah 2:2-3) in the days of the fourth world kingdom from and including the Babylonian kingdom — the Roman Empire — also according to prophecy (Daniel 2:44). This church was known by various designations, each of which glorified the Godhead (e.g., church of God, 1 Corinthians 1:2; churches of Christ, Romans 16:16; etc.). Congregations were independent and guided by elders (1 Timothy 3:1-7) while served by deacons (1 Timothy 3:8-13), preachers (2 Timothy 4:1-2) and teachers (Hebrews 5:12-14). All other churches came hundreds of years later and changed their doctrine, organization, often names, worship, etc. from the church Jesus built and about anyone can read in the pages of inspiration, namely, the New Testament.
Any church not the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, established somewhere other than Jerusalem, not known by designations that glorify God, not congregational with a biblical form of government, teaching manmade doctrines and worshipping God contrary to the worship prescribed in the New Testament is not the one church of the Bible. Such churches are not the church for which Jesus Christ died to establish, over which he is head, to which he adds the saved and for which he will return to take with him to heaven. Simple, unadulterated Christianity that corresponds to the New Testament is the only church in which one dare place his hope for eternity with confidence. No other religious heritage, irrespective of how dear, is able to bear one to heaven.
