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The Church That Jesus Founded? By: Gary Colley
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The Church That Jesus Founded? By: Gary Colley
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Many honest people are confused today because of the existence of so many churches. Not knowing the Bible, and desiring to be generous, they decide to think that all religions are pleasing in the sight of God. However this thinking does not agree with the Bible! Saul, later called Paul, was in the "Jews' religion," and beyond measure persecuted the church of Christ, before he learned and obeyed the Gospel and came into the one body, the church (Galatians 1:13-14). We read in the New Testament of only one God, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one Spirit, one hope, as well as only ONE BODY OR CHURCH (Ephesians 4:4-6, Ephesians 1:22-23). In the first century of the Christian era, all people were classified as saved or lost; in the church of Christ or out of the church, believers or disbeliervers, in Christ or out of Christ. But today we have the confused picture of many religious bodies. The many confusing names, doctrines, and practices can not all be right! Is there some way we can identify the church of Christ amidst all the religious confusion? Yes, the solution is quite simple! If you can identify by certain evidence your car, your house, and your wife, then likewise you can identify the Lord's church! One has but to read the New Testament and find the religious group today that is identical in faith and practive with the church of the first century. Accept no substitutes! Recognize the counterfeit when you see it!IDENTIFYING FEATURES TO FIND
1. Built and founded by Christ not man (Matthew 16:18, Ephesians 2:19-22), in the city of Jerusalem (Isaiah 2:2-4).
2. Individual members wore the name of Christ . . ."Christians" (Acts 11:26, I Peter 4:16-18). Collectively also, they wore the name of Christ (Romans 16:16).
3. They obeyed the Lord's conditions of pardon even to being immersed in water for the forgiveness of sin (John 8:24, Matthew 10:32, Luke 13:3, Luke 13:5, Mark 16:15-16, Romans 6:3-4).
4. They worshiped according to the New Testament pattern (John 4:24; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 5:19;
Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:2).
5. They recognized Christ as their only head (Colossians 1:18).When you find the identifying marks, you have found the church of Christ . . not many, just one. Please investigate!