History of the Church

Dear Brethren,

Have you ever compared the history of the True Church with that of mainstream religion?  Catholicism and Protestantism claim to go back to Jesus Christ – but do they really?  When was the origin of the True Church?   The origin of the New Testament Church of God was on Pentecost when God’s Spirit was poured out on 120 people called out of the evil world (Acts 1:15).

Did Jesus establish the Catholic Church some three hundred years after He founded the first-century Church of God on that first Pentecost after His resurrection?  Absolutely not!  Jesus promised that His Church would always exist:  Jesus said, “ I will build my church and the gates of [the grave] shall not prevail against it."   (Matthew 16:18)

Where is the Church that Jesus built?  The world has no idea what or where that one church of Jesus Christ’s is.  For “church,” Jesus used the Greek word ekklesia, which means a called-out congregation of brethren.  Ekklesia does not refer to a building, synagogue, or religious organization of men.  The Church, then, refers to the people who have received God's Spirit.  "You are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.  Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His... For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."  (Romans 8:9, 14)  "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body."  (1Corinthians 12:13)

Make no mistake about it - Jesus has only one Church.  Jesus purchased His Church, this one body of believers, with His own life’s blood (Acts 20:28).  Jesus said, “My Church,” meaning a spiritual entity consisting only of those brethren who have received a special calling from God the Father.  The Church of Jesus Christ is the called out congregation of brethren through the ages who have been given God’s Holy Spirit – making them children of God, and who are led by God’s Holy Spirit, and who have totally surrendered themselves to the rule of God.

How does a person enter into this true Church of God today?  Peter gave us the answer, about how to be in the true Church of God, on that first Pentecost Day.  "Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."  (Acts 2:38-39)

To become a Christian in God's Church, a person needs to realize that they have been living wrong, sinful lives, and that baptism is the only way to obtain forgiveness for their sins.  Baptism is the most important decision a person will ever make in their entire lifetime.  We are sinners, and we need to be washed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and obey God as He did.  "Walk worthy of God, who has called you unto His kingdom and glory."  (1Thessalonians 2:12) 

We have seen over and over that too many people who say that they want to be cleaned of their sins in baptism, are not willing to walk worthy of God, who has called them unto His kingdom and glory.  They are like a man who knows that he needs to be cleaned up with a shave and a haircut, who then returns to his world in reckless abandon - without care or regard for the consequences of his sins.  With a shave and a haircut, it is expected that we will have to come again and again to get cleaned up - but that is not the way to look at entering God's Church where we desire to walk worthy of God. 

Baptism is where we get cleaned up all over, and endeavor to remain clean throughout our lives.  "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."  (Romans 6:4)  In God's Church, a Christian does not live a stationary, unchanging life.  Understand this:  Even after receiving God’s Holy Spirit, it is necessary to continue repenting and growing in grace, knowledge and Godly character.

Especially after receiving God’s Holy Spirit, we need to grow and overcome.  The seven churches of Revelation are made up of imperfect human beings – who continuously need to repent.  Jesus does not say to the Church, "The world is a mess – but you Church brethren are doing just fine."  No, He has a lot of correction for the Church brethren – and he says, "Hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches," seven times in Revelation, chapters 2 and 3. "It is seven, that stamps with perfection and completeness that in connection with which it is used," wrote E. W. Bullinger.

Jesus gave correction to all the seven churches of Revelation – who have God’s Holy Spirit.  Jesus pointed out that there are sins that they have to overcome.  "To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:  Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God."  (Revelation 3:7, 12)  Jesus is speaking of our sins that must be repented of and overcome.

The True Church of Jesus Christ has never been a political force, but rather a scattered and persecuted Church, called “heretics" by the world.  To find the Church that Jesus Christ built, do not look for a group with great numbers.  Jesus said, "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."  (Luke 12:32)