Who is the true church?

[phernduke]

Many different religions claim to be the true Church, under Armstrong teachings and fellow founder Gerald Flurry, he believes the Phildelphia Church of God is the true church, and being saved is null, unless you are a member of his church, mormons, and jehovah witness are also in the same boat.

What are your views of which is the true church and why?

What is the true religion and why?

or is religion a sin, for Paul wrote some say they are of Apollos or of Cephas, but they were not crucified for them, but Christ, so why all the diversity, should then, there be not just one church?

A kilikos, as in Greek meaning universal church?

 

[Scuba Pete]

The only church is described in Acts. We need only follow the guide therein.

 

[Original Freak]

You're basically just asking people what their religious beliefs are, just phrased differently.

 

[Silvanus]

That's the very reason why I don't believe in organized churches. All they do is divide the central teachings of Christ and make them out to be something they're not. Jesus did not have an organized anything, he simply taught the crowds wherever he wanted to, and they would sit down to listen and be healed. The true church is the Gospel, not a building.

 

[Lloyd]

I'm going to go for Catholic Orthodoxy on this one and say that all people who are baptized in Christ make up the one Church. This then would include most Christian denominations. Even though there may be differences in creed and organization within this one Church it is nonetheless a single body. It's also important to note that the Church is the body of Christ. You can divide up the body however many times you want, but it's still one Christ.

 

[EnhancedSpirit]

I know that Horton heard a 'who', but I didn't know a church could be a who, I thought it was a 'what'.

 

[cardero]

Repeatedly the Scriptures refer to the body of true Christian teachings as "the truth" and some religions have spoken of this as the way of the truth." (1Tim. 3:15; 2 John 1; 2 Pet. 2:2). I would tend to believe that the religion that bases all their beliefs, their standards for conduct, and organized procedures would be contenders for a true church.

 

[Scuba Pete]

The church has always been the 'Called Out"... the ecclesia. It is an organism not a building.

 

[ch'ang]

It bothers me that there are so many different churchs in christianity even the "radical" are so similar that it makes me wonder how people think its a different religion. To me there all the same

 

[SarahBeara]

I'm sure there is no true church because I highly doubt any denomination has gotten it right yet.

 

[may]

Repeatedly the Scriptures refer to the body of true Christian teachings as "the truth" and some religions have spoken of this as the way of the truth." (1Tim. 3:15; 2 John 1; 2 Pet. 2:2). I would tend to believe that the religion that bases all their beliefs, their standards for conduct, and organized procedures would be contenders for a true church.

yes i think this is correct and in line with the bible,so the question is who does this. ?

 

[phernduke]

Though does it not say in Revelations Chapter 3 I believe the revelation that is being described is a Philadelphia Church, being a one and true church to all others. Therefore there has to be one church out there with attributes incredibly close to a true church.

There is one, that comes to mind by a saint that came out of China in the 1920's by the name of Watchman Nee, now do not confuse the name watchman as watchtower. That is obviously jehovah witness and not what are labeled the local church.

This church has very complete accuracy to biblical doctrine. They believe in the leading of the holy spirit and not a council nor high priests, all are brothers and sisters in Christ.

They also have an interesting thing for keeping the traditions based by the Apostle Paul in 1Tim. where it says women will not wear fancy things and not speak in the church, they cover this doctrine to the Tee.

If anyone has other information regarding the so-called "local-church" or have a based opinion of a true church, I would be glad to hear of it.

-Chris

 

[Lloyd]

Why would the letter of the New Testament be the standard for judging a "true Church?" I would think the spirit would be a more appropriate standard, which of course isn't quantifiable.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Lloyd,

I truly believe that the Spirit is willing and able to lead us into restoring the First Century church. But we should imitate the first century church as much as possible.

 

[greatcalgarian]

Everything follows Darwin's proposal of evolution. Living organisms evolve. So do religions. Some survive, some mutate, and new species emerge, and some disappear. Even the holy book, the so called 'bible' also changes with passage of time, with the language it is written in, with the interpretation of the group of people having the same background changing all the time. Hence there is no true church. True church only exists in the believer's mind, and each believer will have his own concept of what a true church is like.

 

[SpiritElf]

Everything follows Darwin's proposal of evolution. Living organisms evolve. So do religions. Some survive, some mutate, and new species emerge, and some disappear. Even the holy book, the so called 'bible' also changes with passage of time, with the language it is written in, with the interpretation of the group of people having the same background changing all the time. Hence there is no true church. True church only exists in the believer's mind, and each believer will have his own concept of what a true church is like.

Living organisms may evolve, but the objective truth of God does not.
The church is, as some PPs have noted, the assembly of believers that has been called out.
The "so called" Bible??? Do you know what "bible" means?

I think you need to review the Christian position.
"The true church" is not an abstract concept that exists in your mind. It is a group of believers, who's belief is based on the objective truth and Word of God. The Bible does not "change" in doctrine, only in interpretation of those doctrines, since human reason is so variable. What people may or may not believe, however, does not change the reality of what God is.

I think Phernduke made a good point about high priests. Take a look at where Reveletions condemns the Nicolaitans for an example of that error.

And as far as I know, when Paul speaks about the role of women in that church he was talking about *that* church, ie. cultural traditions and being sensitive to the group dynamic. Should those cultural traditions change, then the roles of the members might as well. And Paul does note in other letters about women who do speak and pray in public, and does so neutrally, without denying women that role since it is appropriate for women in that group dynamic.

 

[EnhancedSpirit]

Lloyd,

I truly believe that the Spirit is willing and able to lead us into restoring the First Century church. But we should imitate the first century church as much as possible.

Isn't it true that none of the first church's had it right? Jesus came to explain to the Jews the mistakes they were making. And his followers were kinda mixed up about what this all meant. They were dedicated to following Christ, but that does not mean that they had the life experience to fully grasp what he was saying. Some did, but considering they were all bound by their opinions based on previous experience, I don't think even the first Century Church (though there are several) had all the answers.

 

[Scuba Pete]

Romasn 15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. NIV

The church (the called out for God) will become one as we become more like Jesus. Unity comes from a single goal. The more we imitate Jesus and those who first imitated Jesus, the closer we are to being the "one true church".

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Many different religions claim to be the true Church, under Armstrong teachings and fellow founder Gerald Flurry, he believes the Phildelphia Church of God is the true church, and being saved is null, unless you are a member of his church, mormons, and jehovah witness are also in the same boat.

What are your views of which is the true church and why?

What is the true religion and why?

or is religion a sin, for Paul wrote some say they are of Apollos or of Cephas, but they were not crucified for them, but Christ, so why all the diversity, should then, there be not just one church?

A kilikos, as in Greek meaning universal church?

The true church is comprised of people who have the true Christian confession "Jesus is LORD" as determined by the Bible and early church councils which define Jesus as LORD.

 

[Ordination of Aaron]

There isn't a true church. Those who claim they are the true church are merely remnants of a conflict caused by human frailty.