THE ONLY TRUE HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH O. O. Boggers (EPHESIANS 5:20–32) INTRODUCTION The word CHURCH is taken from the Greek word Ekklesia and means simply the called out people of God. Any assembly, political, social or otherwise would be an Ekklesia. The Christians of New Testament times were familiar with the word Ekklesia used in their Greek translation of the Old Testament to signify the ideal assembly of Israel. They used the word Ekklesia to indicate that they, as Christians, were now the true Israel of God. The Divine Ekklesia means those who have heard and responded to the call of the Holy Ghost and have been called out from the world and sin, and have identified themselves with the family of God through regeneration. Congregation of God, or Assembly of God would be an even more appropriate term to use. The word CATHOLIC means “comprehensive, broad, general, universal.” (Funk & Wagnall) Thus the Holy Catholic Church is the assembly of God in all the world. PART I IT IS THE REDEEMED FAMILY OF GOD. In Ephesians the 3rd Chapter and the 14 and 15 verses, the apostle Paul says, “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” There is a sense in which every person in the world belongs to God. He says, “all souls are mine.” This means that by right of creation God owns everyone of us but because the human race has sold out to sin and turned their face away from God, they are not a part of His redeemed family. Sin has made them unclean in the sight of God and before they can be a true Christian or child of God they must be cleansed from their sin. Jesus said to the Jews of His age—“ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” (John 8:44). Jesus was teaching one day in a certain place when word was sent into the building to Him that His mother and His brothers were waiting for Him outside, desiring to see Him. Using this as an opportunity to teach them a spiritual lesson, He replied, “Who are my mother and brothers and my sisters?” Receiving no answer He said, “Whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and my mother.” (Mark 3:35). In this scripture He puts the Virgin Mary on an equal basis with all of the other disciples. There is no evidence in the Word of God of prayers or supplications being offered to the Mother of Jesus. There is not even the slightest hint of any such prayers or supplications. It is emphatically stated that there is but “one mediator, Jesus Christ.” All who are in the family in heaven and earth constitute the Church. In Psalms 87:6—it was prophesied that “the Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people that this man was born there.” The word “there” means in Zion, the New Testament Church, thus the Lord counts only those who have been born again. When we contemplate the multiplied millions who have gone up to heaven during the last six thousand years, we are forced to recognize the infinitely superior magnitude of the celestial body of glorified saints over the body yet here on earth. While we recognize everyone who has heard the call of the Holy Spirit and who has come out from the world and sin and has been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb as being full-fledged members of God’s glorious Church, yet we have only a fraction of the number in the church. We must remember that over half of the human race die before the age of accountability and are saved by the blood of Jesus through a passive faith, because it is stated that Christ “should taste death for every man.” (Hebrews 2:9) These infants have no committed sin to repent of and are not conscious of or responsible for the inherited sin of Adam, yet, they must be sanctified before entering heaven. The atonement of Christ provides for this sanctification. Frequently I am asked, “Will not the children of a saved and sanctified couple be born entirely holy and without need of regeneration or sanctification?” The answer is No, because “in Adam all die” and “in Christ all are made alive.” God does not begin a new physical or moral creation when a person is saved. He simply creates divine life in the soul of the one saved or sanctified. To illustrate: God created the first oak tree. He has not created any oak tree since. Every oak tree is the descendant of that first oak tree. No children were born to Adam and Eve before their fall. All were born after their fall. Hence, all inherited their sin in their fallen condition. Every child that is born is the son of Adam and Eve physically and morally. God does not start a new line but simply sanctifies individuals and creates new life in their hearts. Each individual is a “new creation in Christ Jesus.” There is a difference in generation and regeneration. I may say in passing that infants need no baptism. The atonement of Christ is all sufficient. He says, “of such is the kingdom of heaven.” There are the heathens who have never heard of the Gospel of Christ. No doubt there will be many at the judgment who have never heard of the Gospel of Christ, but have lived by the law of conscience. In Matthew the 25th Chapter, we read of those who said, “Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” This scripture shows that some have simply lived for the benefit of others and some have lived for self. When the first settlers came to America, the Indians believed in a “Great Spirit” and they called Heaven “the happy hunting ground.” In all nationalities and tribes there have been found evidences of belief in a Supreme Being. The Apostle Paul speaking of those heathens who were without the Law, says in Romans 2:14-15—“For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves; Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing, or else excusing, one another.” This scripture says that there are many who have never heard of the Law of Moses or of the Gospel of Christ, yet, who have lived by the Law of Conscience and will be saved. For when God judges the human race on the great Judgment Day, He will judge all people according to the standards under which they lived. The Antediluvians had one standard; those under the Law of Moses had another standard; those in the Gospel Light still another standard, and the heathens who have never heard of the Gospel still another. Thus, we see the universality of the membership of the true Church of God. It contains every saint who has ever lived on earth and who ever will live on earth. I am glad to know that I belong to the Church which Paul, John, Peter, all of the apostles, prophets, saints and martyrs who ever lived on earth and suffered and witnessed and died in the faith belonged. Furthermore, I will always belong to that Church. For when my membership is cut off here by death, I shall step over the life-line and join that great company of believers who have gone to be with that portion of the family over-there. PART II “THE UNIVERSALITY OF ITS HEAD” Now let us consider the universality of the head of this True Holy Catholic Church. Most all denominations have an earthly head in the form of Pope, Bishops or Patriarchs or other groups of men who act as the ruling head of their Church; but since this was to be a Universal Church there must of necessity be a Universal head. It must be a head that all of the world will honor and respect. Also it must create no national or political prejudices. It must be a head that would not become corrupted or backslide or lead the Church into worldliness or apostasy. Therefore God said, “Well make the Son the head of the Church.” In Colossians 1:18—we are told that . . . “He is the head over the body, the Church . . . that in all things He might have the preeminence . . .” Most religious people admit that the Bible teaches that Christ is the head of the Church but they say “He is the invisible head . . . We need a visible head.” My friend, He is the visible head of the Church. He was crucified, buried, and on the third day arose from the grave and is now “alive forevermore.” He has a visible body. He was seen of many of the disciples. He lived here forty days after His resurrection. He ate with them, talked with them, was touched by them and was seen to go away. While here He said to Thomas: “Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” (John 20:27). Also in Luke 24:38–39—“And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” Then he went away. Where did he go? He went to the right hand of God and is ruling from His mediatorial throne, till his enemies be made his footstool. (Acts 2:35). Many expected that when the true Messiah should come he would free the Jewish nation from the yoke of Rome and establish His throne in Jerusalem and reign a thousand years. This was the dream of the Jewish Rabbis. Since this did not happen at his first coming, many people today are still dreaming of the time when Christ shall return the second time and set up His Kingdom in Jerusalem and have a literal reign of one thousand years here on earth. They say, “did not God promise that Christ would be established on David’s throne?” Yes, God did promise that. In the 2nd Chapter of Acts and the 29th Verse, the apostle Peter was preaching his sermon on that great day of Pentecost. He said, “Men and brethren let me freely speak unto you of the Patriarch David that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore, being a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne, he seeing this before, spake of the Resurrection of Christ.” Thus we see that the apostle Peter interprets Christ on David’s throne as his literal Resurrection. He was raised up, stayed with the disciples for about forty days and then visibly ascended into heaven and is seated on the right hand of God. (Acts 2:33). He is given a name that is above every name. He is “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” He is now ruling over the hearts of all of his subjects and is the visible head of the Church. Just where do you think his throne should be established? Should it be here or should it be in heaven? Did you ever stop to think that many more of the family of God are over there than are here. Paul says, “I would rather depart and be with Christ.” If we had Jesus here, we would have to go and leave Him in a short while. Then we would wish He were there with us through those long ages of time that may last until the judgment. Our relationship to God as earthly members of Christ’s body can be compared with a body of United States citizens who live in Alaska. Is it logical that the seat of our government should therefore be established in Alaska? The answer is, certainly not. The place for the seat of government should be where the main body of citizens dwell. So it is with Christ. His throne is established where the main body of the Church is located—in paradise. I know I must leave here soon. I am only a pilgrim passing through but I am going to join the main body of believers over-there where there will be no devil and no sorrow and where God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes. While the world stands and the work of salvation goes on, the Holy Spirit is given charge of this portion of the body of Christ here on earth in the visible absence of Christ. Do you feel that Christ is any less the visible head of the Church because you cannot see Him with your natural eye? No, my friend, He still carries on a greater work through the Holy Spirit than when He was here on earth. I wonder how many Catholics have seen the Pope. I wonder how many people in the United States have seen the President of the United States. But we know that they are no less real, visible persons because we have never seen them. Just so Christ is no less visible because we can’t see Him with our natural eyes. He is the visible head of the Church. We need no other. All we need to do is to submit fully to the ruling of the Holy Spirit while here until our time comes to go and join the main body of the Church; then we shall see him just as John saw him while he was cast away on the Isle of Patmos, and just as Stephen saw him standing at the right hand of the throne while he was being stoned to death. Yes, “He is the head over the body, the Church.” PART III “THE UNIVERSALITY OF ITS NAME” Every country has its great heroes. One cannot read the History of America without finding such great men as Washington, Franklin, Webster, Adams, Patrick Henry, Stonewall Jackson, Grant, Lee and Lincoln. In the Ohio Valley where I used to live, there are such great names as Zanes, Wetzels, McCullochs, etc. Around these great names there is woven much of the history of the development of that Valley. Just so, in the Old Testament you can very nicely study and get a comprehensive knowledge of the history of the Jewish Nation and much of the Nations surrounding them by studying the 16 leading characters—Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Samuel, Saul, David, Solomon, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and Nehemiah. All of these did great exploits under the direction of God and are worthy to have a great place in the program of the Church. But since the New Testament Church was to be a Universal Church it stands to reason that it should have a universal Name. None of these names that I have mentioned, while they are the names of great men, are universal names. Any name honoring an individual must narrow and nationalize the organization, so in order to make it universal and fit for any nationality, God chose a name for his church which was not, and could not be partial. Some say, “Well, the name makes no difference. You can call the Church anything just so long as the people are Christian.” God thought the name was very important. He thought it was important enough to actually make it a matter of prophecy. In Isaiah 62:2—“And the Gentiles shall see Thy righteousness and all Kings Thy glory and Thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.” But we may ask, “Did Christ really name the Church?” Yes, we believe that He did. For we find this prophecy fulfilled in St. John 17:11–12. Here Christ prayed for the disciples and said of them, “Holy Father keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are. While I was with them in the world I kept them in Thy name . . .” Then again the apostle Paul in Ephesians 3:14–15, declared that the Church was named after God the Father . . . “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” This scripture shows that the Apostle expected the whole redeemed family of God to be called after God the Father. The apostles continued this practice of calling the assembly—“Church of God.” In the 20th Chapter of Acts and the 28th Verse, we read again of the apostle Paul instructing the Ephesian elders. He said, “Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock over the which the Holy Ghost has made you over-seers to feed the Church of God which he has purchased with his own blood.” Then in both of the letters written to the Church at Corinth, Paul addresses them as the CHURCH OF GOD which is at Corinth. In Revelation 3:12, Jesus said, “I will write upon him the name of my God.” In Isaiah 54:5, we read—“For thy maker is thine husband; the Lord of Hosts is his name.” We see here that Christ is the husband of the Church, and then in Romans the 7th Chapter and the 4th verse, we find that the Church is represented as a bride that is married to Christ. In other scriptures the Church is also represented as the bride, the lamb’s wife. Now I ask, “Whose name should a bride bear.” Is it not true that she takes the family name of her husband? Would you want your wife to be called by a different name? I am sure that Christ is displeased with the many names that have been assumed by organizations that claim to be his Church. The name “CHURCH OF GOD” is the family name of the Church. It should be recognized and acknowledged by all of God’s true people. There are definite reasons why the “CHURCH OF GOD” is the proper Bible name for the Church. First; it honors God, the Father; second it honors God, the Son; finally it honors God the Holy Spirit. Thus it is a recognition of the divine trinity. The “CHURCH OF GOD” is the only proper Bible name for God’s Church. PART IV “THE UNIVERSALITY OF ITS MODE OF ENTRANCE” Then a way to become a member of this Church must be a way that would be accessible to all people. It must be a universal way. If authority were given to some human being to take members into the Church, that person might not be accessible to all nations and people; but friends, I am glad that this Church has a Universal Door and every man or woman, black, brown, white or any other color has access to it. Jesus said, in John 10:9—“I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” Acts 2:47 declares, “The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved”; and the revised version puts it—“Such as were being saved.” And the Lord has continued to add every one who has been saved since that time to his Church. When a sinner, with a broken and contrite heart, comes to Jesus, whether it be in America, China, Japan, India or any other place, and with godly sorrow asks for forgiveness and turns from the world of sin to serve the living God, accepts Jesus Christ as his Savior, then and there Jesus takes him in and makes him a full-fledged member of his Church in good standing. No denomination can have a universal door with man standing in the door of the Church. He can add only some of the Christians to his sect. As we have seen in the first Chapter, the Church is all the family of God. No sect organization contains all of the family of God. Let us examine briefly some of the leading sectarian movements . . . Does the Methodist sect contain all of the Christians in the world? If one is fair, one will have to answer NO as there are many saved Baptists. Does the Baptist sect contain all of the Christians? Again, we say NO for there are many saved Methodists. Does the Roman Catholic Church contain all of the Christians? NO, for there are many saved Protestants. Do all of the Protestant Churches together contain all of the saved? Again, we must answer NO, for there are many saved Catholics. Do both Catholic and Protestant contain all of the family of God? NO, for there are some on earth and some in heaven who never joined a denomination. Thus we see that no sect can be the true Church. Therefore the true universal Church is not the Protestant denomination or the Roman or Greek Catholic Churches, but it is the whole family of God who have entered in through Christ THE DOOR. It may be that they have never heard of the true family name, CHURCH OF GOD, but they are members never the less, because they are born into the family. 1 Corinthians 12:18 tells us—“Now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him.” At one time the disciples went out to preach under the direction of Christ. They returned rejoicing, saying, that the devils were subject unto them. Jesus told them—”Rejoice not that the devils are subject unto you, but rather rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Friends, the class book of the true Church is not some earthly record but is God’s divine record in heaven, and membership in the true Church is not obtained by joining some man-made institution, but is obtained by coming into the body of Christ by spiritual induction. The Bible says, “for by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Since Christ is the door of the true Church it contains none but the saved. I know of no denomination ready to admit that all of its members are true Christians—those “born again.” They all freely admit that many inside the denominational wall are not really saved. Not so with the true CHURCH OF GOD. Every member is saved and every member has his name on the divine class book. He is a member of the family of God. As a member of the family of God, he does not need to join anything else. When a child is born into a home is there a certain time when one says, “We must now have some kind of ceremony to take this child into the family and make it a member of our family?” No, we know that this is not done. The very fact that a child is born into a family makes it a member of that family. THE VERY FACT THAT ONE IS A CHILD OF GOD MAKES HIM A MEMBER OF GOD’S FAMILY, WHICH IS THE CHURCH. Joining different denominations and assuming different names has succeeded only in dividing the body of Christ. It was Christ’s desire that we all be one. This can only be accomplished by separating ourselves from all denominational divisions and standing in the Body of Christ alone, recognizing the body of Christ only as the true CHURCH OF GOD. PART V “THE UNIVERSALITY OF ITS CREED” Every Country has customs and practices which are peculiar to that Country. No other Country has them. While in Syria, one of the Church of God Missionaries was holding an Open Air Meeting. Nearby was a spring of water. At the conclusion of the service, the Missionary stepped to the spring and took a drink and brought his wife a cup of water. This simple act caused a great stir among the people. They said, “This man is trying to change our customs; it is not right for a man to serve a woman.” Of course, in America we pay no attention to such trivial things. We find in some Church creeds beliefs that are peculiar to their particular denomination, but the true Universal Church must have a creed that would be practical to the Eskimo of the northern regions as well as the Savage of Africa. It must work equally as well for the American as for the Christian in India. In fact, it must be a creed that will work in any country on the globe. So the true Church has a universal creed. Jesus said, “My words they are spirit and they are life.” And then again we are told—“bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill the Law of Christ. Then again in 2 Timothy 3:16–17 it is stated—”all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” We see here that the Word of God which was divinely inspired was intended to be the only creed of the true New Testament Church. One might say, “My creed is precisely like the Bible.” If that be so, then you don’t need it. Take the Bible only. Any creed which contains more than the Bible is too much. Any creed which contains less than the Bible is not enough. The Bible, and it alone, is the universal creed for God’s True Church. The Bible knows no nationality. The oldest conciliar Church creed that we know of is the NICENE Creed of A.D. 325. The oldest Protestant creed is the AUGSBURG CONFESSION of A.D. 1530. All other Church creeds have come into existence after A.D. 1530. These were simply rules of faith and conduct written by the leaders of those movements which governed certain bodies of people. God never intended anything to be the standard of faith and conduct except his Holy Word. Even the “Apostle’s Creed” is not found in the Bible. PART VI “THE UNIVERSALITY OF ITS CHARACTER” It is the Holy Catholic Church because of its likeness to its founder which is Christ. (Matthew 16:18). In speaking of the relationship of Christ and the members of the Church, the illustration of a Vine and Branches is used. Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5). In this illustration He shows the close relationship between Christ and His Church. There can be no closer relationship, literally, then a vine and its branches. The same life-giving sap that is in the vine flows out through the branches and the tiniest twig on the branch has the same character as the main body of the vine. In Romans 11:16, the writer tells us—“and if the root be holy so are the branches.” Christ is divine. He has a divine nature and character. This same divine nature and character flows from Christ through every member of the Church. We are told in Romans 8:9—“Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his.” Then Paul speaks of it as “Christ in you the hope of glory.” The apostle James informs us that “as He is so are we in this world.” Just as a drop of water out of the ocean is like all of the rest of the ocean; and a spark of fire from a great fire is like all of the rest of the fire; just as a twig from a mighty oak tree has all of the elements in it of the oak itself, so the divinely created character in the life of the Saint—no matter where he may be found—will cause him to have the same characteristics as God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost and all of the rest of the Universal Family. One of the commands that is given to us in God’s Holy Word is “be ye holy for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). Then in Ephesians 1:4 we are instructed to be “holy and without blame before him in love.” For all of God’s children to be holy is regarded by many to be too high a standard, yet if we will refer to Ephesians 5:25 we shall discover this to be the only kind of church which Christ will receive unto himself when he comes for his bride. In this Scripture he says—“husbands love your wives even as Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that He might present it to himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish.” This statement from the lips of the apostle Paul shows us that it is a glorious Church because it is cleansed and when Christ receives it unto Himself it must be holy—without spot or wrinkle or any such thing. In fact it is said there will not be a spiritual blemish on this Church. Of course this calls for Christian perfection, but that is exactly what Jesus demanded of his disciples. In the great Sermon on the Mount He said, “be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect . . .” Matthew 5:48. We must not confuse this Christian perfection with human perfection. We must not think that because we have the holy nature that we will not make mistakes or err in judgment or that we will have perfect understanding of all of God’s will but what Christ does demand for His Church is a full and complete consecration and a life which is filled with the spirit of God bringing forth the fruits of righteousness. He also says, “every branch in me that beareth not fruit He taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit.” (John 15:2) Thus we see that it is possible for those who were once in Christ the Vine, by failing to bear fruit, to lose out in their Christian experience and be severed from the Vine. It also shows the natural progress of salvation. First; the experience of justification which makes us a member of Christ the Vine; second the experience of entire sanctification, spoken of as “purging,” which means “to cleanse.” This cleansing is a second cleansing wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit. Peter in speaking of this experience received by the Gentiles after their conversion under the preaching of Phillip, (Acts 8:3–8 and 14–17) says, “And God which knoweth the hearts bear them witness giving them the Holy Ghost even as He did unto us; and put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. (Acts 15:8–9). As you read these statements from God’s divine Word and measure your own life, can you say, “I am really a branch in Christ the Vine and I have gone on unto that full experience of entire sanctification which is wrought by the baptism of the Holy Ghost?” This is the normal experience of every true member of the Universal Church of God. If you have not attained this experience, it is for you. God never intended his children to go along with an experience that was only half satisfactory, but he expected us to have “the fullness of joy.” My friend do you have it? QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS CONCERNING THE CHURCH QUESTION: How does one become a member of the true Church? ANSWER: Salvation alone makes one a member of the true Church. Act 2:47 “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” 1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.” QUESTION: What is the door of entrance into the true Church? ANSWER: Christ is the door of the true Church. John 10:9 “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” QUESTION: How does one remain a member of the true Church? ANSWER: One remains a member of the true Church by living a Christian life. John 15:4 “Jesus said, Abide in me, and I in you, As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye except ye abide in me.” QUESTION: How does one lose membership in the true Church? ANSWER: Committing sin causes one to lose membership in the true Church. Romans 11:22 “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God; on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Exodus 32:33 “And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.” QUESTION: Where is the Church record kept of the true Church? ANSWER: The Church record is kept by the Lord in heaven. Luke 10:20 “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” QUESTION: What is the discipline of the true Church? ANSWER: The New Testament is the discipline of the true Church. 2 Timothy 3:16 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” QUESTION: What is the name of the true Church? ANSWER: The name of the true Church is “THE CHURCH OF GOD.” Acts 20:28 “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” 1 Corinthians l:2 “Unto the Church of God which is at Corinth.” QUESTION: Why is it called the Church of God? ANSWER: It is called the Church of God because it is the family of God. Ephesians 3:15 “Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” Also Jesus himself named the Church. John 17:11 “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as We are.” QUESTION: How many Churches did Christ intend for there to be in the world? ANSWER: Christ intended that there be just one Church. John 10:16 “And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.” Ephesians 2:14 “For He is our peace, Who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” QUESTION: What is the duty of true Christians who are members of the Church of God by spiritual experience and have also joined a denomination? ANSWER: The duty of Christians who have joined denominational churches is to separate themselves from these human institutions and abide alone in the true Church counting membership in the body of Christ as true church membership. 2 Corinthians 6:14 “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? . . . Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” QUESTION: Did Christ intend that all of His followers be in unity? ANSWER: Christ intended that all of His followers be in unity. John 17:20–21 “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; That they all may be one.”
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 20:49:01 +0000
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