From the Elder's Pen One Or Many? 12/24/00 Past/Future Articles

The Bible authorizes and reveals only one church.  Jesus spoke of only one kingdom/church.  He said, "I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).  Jesus did not say he would build Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian and so on churches.  He said "My Church" - one.  He did not say many "churches."  He never promised to build one belonging to someone else.

The church and the body are terms that refer to the same thing (Ephesians 1:22-23).  The Bible clearly reveals that the church of the Lord is one body.  There is only one body for which Christ died (Ephesians 4:4, Acts 20:28) and one body He has promised to save (Ephesians 5:23).

In our world there are many different religious bodies - - all claiming Christ as the one head.  We have only one set of rules that the Lord gave us to go by.  That rule book is for Christ's Church - the one He built.  This book is called the Bible.  All the other churches have their own rules, written by men.  In the New Testament we read of only one church.  All who become Christians are added by the Lord to His one body (church) (Acts 2:41, 47).  No one can find more than one church, one body, one faith in the New Testament.  Jesus is the one head of the one church which is his body (Ephesians 1:22-23).  He does not have many bodies any more than He has many heads.

Do you want to hear the truth?  The Lord Jesus has only one church for which He shed His blood (Acts 20:28) and of which He is the Saviour (Ephesians 5:23).  All other groups that call themselves a "Church" are simply counterfeits that are in competition with His "one true church."  Counterfeiters will be forbidden to enter Heaven.

Hope to see you Sunday.                                                                                                        Charlie Turner, Elder