Christ's Church
Is Christ's True Church on the planet today? If it is, should we not seek it diligently?
There are many religions across the world today and many more no longer in practice from every generation of mankind. According to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), there are 237 religions currently in practice. With so many choices, the question must be asked: Are any of the current religions actually established and led by Jesus Christ? And if Jesus is at the helm of one or more religions, shouldn’t all of mankind seek to become members of and adhere to the teachings as closely as possible?
Let’s go on a little saucy adventure and see if we can find the truth.
Note: As this is an extremely subjective and sensitive topic, I do not claim to know or to present absolute truth. On the contrary, I am wrong often and could be wrong about this. Nonetheless, if I am wrong, I pray that my words might plant seeds in another that might nourish those seeds
Contents.
Religion.
What is religion? According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, the word “religion” comes from a 5th-century Late Latin word meaning, “monastic life,” which is the life of one who separates themselves from the things of the world to live a life of solitude at a monastery. A “monastery” is a “place of residence occupied in common by persons seeking religious seclusion from the world,” and “originally applied to houses of any religious order, male or female, but commonly especially ones used by monks.” This understanding tells us that religion is individual, not collective, but also that those who share the same religion gather together in a place where they can separate themselves from the world and be in company with others of the same understandings and world views. The word “church” infers the same meaning but specifically applies to those individuals who are of a Christian religion, of which there are many kinds.
I was actually quite impressed by the descriptions given by the CIA of current religions across the world. They did an excellent job of presenting unbiased information for each of the 237 religions they speak of. If you’re interested in a very general synopsis of any current religion, I suggest checking that site out.
Nonetheless, a person’s religion can be said to be his system of personal beliefs. But is there a religion that has been revealed by God as the True Religion? And if so, how might He deliver that religion to the world?
Prophets.
A prophet is a “person who speaks for God.” The Spirit of God moves within them, with or without their knowledge or comprehension, and they hear the words of angels in their minds as if their own voice (or in the voice of someone they know, who would be a righteous man that the recipient trusts). When they relay those words, they are as if they were spoken by God Himself. In the article, Knock Knock — Are you sure you know what’s going on?, in the section, How God moves the pieces, is a decent understanding of how God talks to man and how He moves the pieces through mortal, fallible, and sometimes even evil men (viz. (S)Paul).
In fact, God tells us this is how He works over and over. Amos 3:7 says, “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” Thus, God does nothing directly Himself in this world, but instead He inspires men to accomplish His works and build the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. Amos himself didn’t believe himself to be a prophet, but the Lord knew better than Amos. In chapter 7:14-15, we read, “Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.”
We have another example of how prophets are called from Samuel. Take note that Samuel is a “child” at this time (no explicit age is given). This is 1 Samuel, chapter 3:
And the child Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli. And the word of the Lord was precious in those days; there was no open vision. And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; and ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; that the Lord called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. And the Lord called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet revealed unto him. And the Lord called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the Lord had called the child. Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.
And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever.
And Samuel lay until the morning, and opened the doors of the house of the Lord. And Samuel feared to shew Eli the vision. Then Eli called Samuel, and said, Samuel, my son. And he answered, Here am I. And he said, What is the thing that the Lord hath said unto thee? I pray thee hide it not from me: God do so to thee, and more also, if thou hide any thing from me of all the things that he said unto thee. And Samuel told him every whit, and hid nothing from him. And he said, It is the Lord: let him do what seemeth him good.
And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the Lord. And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord.
Wow. Why do you think the Lord preferred working with a child? Could it be that children are still in their innocence (or near unto), and that adults have had far more time to become addicted to and corrupted by the ways of the world? Keep this in mind.
Jeremiah was also called as a child. In Jeremiah 1:4-7, we read:
Then the word of the Lord came unto me [Jeremiah], saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.
Another important understanding about prophets is that every word spoken of by a prophet (or, rather, every formal prophecy of a prophet) must be fulfilled before the end can come. Christ said, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Matthew 5:17-18.
By understanding what prophets are and how they work, we begin to understand that if Christ ever did reveal His True Religion to the world, He would have done so through mortal men, and likely though a child. But where might people who have learned or adopted such a religion gather for companionship? Is there a place they should gather, or is religion purely individual?
Churches.
A church is a “place of assemblage set aside for Christian worship.” They are places where people that share a common religion might gather together as a single community or body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12 tells us the importance of such institutions:
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 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. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
So we learn that Christ has many gifts, and people can obtain these gifts, but that all these gifts come from one source (Christ) and, while independent, depend on each other and cannot exist alone or by themselves. This answers the question I posed earlier: Is there a place they should gather, or is religion purely individual? The answer is that while each person that shares a religion are individuals, they are all part of a collective body and cannot exist by themselves.
Take note that it’s explicitly mentioned that “God hath set some in the church,” directly affirming that He established an actual church — meaning, a literal physical place whereby the members of His Church might gather together. Do you suppose Christ to not know what the words meant that came out of His lips? Do you suppose Christ to be a liar?
I hear arguments all the time that religion doesn’t require a church. And I have sympathy and pity for those that believe such, for one of Satan’s greatest victories has been convincing mankind that all churches are evil. O what a frightening notion! Does God expect us to brave the storms of the devil by ourselves? Are there no walls in the world where the followers of Christ might find refuge? Are we not stronger together than alone?
Critics often point toward the sins committed by members of a particular religion or church, or even the sins committed by its leaders. Do you expect to find a perfect church on the face of the land? Nay. There is no such thing. If Christ’s True Church is in fact on this world, it had to have been formed by a mortal and fallible man, and it must also be filled with sinners, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
Characteristics of Christ’s Church.
The first thing that must be accepted in order to discover the characteristics that must belong to Christ’s True Church is that “Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). What this doctrine means is that anything that was true about Christ and His Church in the past is the same today and is the same forever. He does not change, nor does His doctrines and laws.
Types of members & types of works.
So what, then, must a True Church of Christ possess? Well, we already learned a few characteristics from 1 Corinthians 12:27-30:
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
The answer to the questions posed is: NO. As we learned in the verses leading up to these ones, there are many gifts, and to each is given their own gifts. So there would be some apostles, some prophets, some teachers, some who perform miracles, some who perform healings, some who provide charity, some who help ensure righteous governments, and some who speak many languages to share the gospel with the whole world. The purpose of the callings within the Church are mentioned in Ephesians 4:11-14:
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ…
Let me ask you, did or has the “body of Christ” (viz. the members of His Church) become as a “perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ”? No. No, we have not. I’ve heard some argue that the Church perished upon Christ’s death (or upon the deaths of the Apostles), but that cannot be true, for all of the words of the prophets must be fulfilled. And the Church in Christ’s day never achieved that, and it’s easy to look around the world and see that we are nowhere near becoming that “perfect man” even in our day.
We also learn from 1 Corinthians 1:10, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.”
Members are called Saints.
In 1 Corinthians 1:2, we learn that members of His Church should be called as “saints”: “Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours…”
This is emphasized further in Ephesians 2:19-20, which says, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” This also tells us that Christ’s True Church must have Christ Himself as the “chief corner stone.” A cornerstone is a “stone which lies at the corner of two walls and unites them,” and is figuratively used to mean “that on which anything is founded.”
Callings by God & laying on of hands.
Another requirement is that those who are leaders within the Church do not promote themselves to such positions. In Hebrews 5:4, we read, “And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” Thus, all leadership positions must be called of God through inspiration, being called by one who has authority to make such callings. In fact, we have record of this process in the calling of Barnabas and (S)Paul. In Acts 13:1-3, we read:
Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
So we see another requirement: callings must be done by the laying on of hands and the setting apart of the one being called to a position.
Possesses the Melchizedek Priesthood
In the same chapter of Hebrews, we also learn that Christ’s Church must have people who possess the Melchizedek Priesthood. Hebrews 5:5-10 says:
So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
Thus, a man must receive this Priesthood from another and cannot bestow it upon himself, for not even Christ had the power to bestow the power of God upon Himself, but was bestowed upon directly by God.
Unpaid ministry.
Another requirement of Christ’s Church is that its leaders, or those called into positions of authority, are not paid. In 1 Corinthians 9:16-19, we read:
For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
This is again supported in Acts 20:33-35:
I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
Jesus explicitly taught that the reason for this is that if a man does it for money, then he cares not for the members. In John 10:11-13, we read:
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.
Baptism.
Baptism is a very important part of Christ’s Church and is required for salvation. Mark 16:16 says, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Notice, one must believe and be baptized, but even if a person is baptized he must still believe or cannot be saved.
Some scriptures make it seem as though belief is all that is needed. For example, John 3:36 says, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” I have been in many religious debates where people have tried to profess that all that is needed is to believe. But such have either not read all of the scriptures — all of the words of the prophets — of, if they have, they did not understand them. It’s made very clear to us how important works are in James 2:14-26:
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?
Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
One cannot choose to believe one prophet’s statement without believing all. Thus, baptism is essential and cannot be disregarded.
Another interesting account pertaining to baptism (more of a side note here) is found in 1 Corinthians 10:1-2, which says:
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea.
First off, the “cloud” that was above them was a cherub. See CHERUBIM — God’s planetary defense vehicles for more on Cherubims. But more intriguing is that this suggests that the Israelites who fled Egypt with Moses were not baptized individually — not by the hand of Moses, nor Aaron, nor any other. I’d never considered before the means whereby they would have been baptized, but this tells us exactly how they were! The cherub parted the Red Sea, and the divided parting was filled with the elements of God keeping the elements of Satan divided (showing the power of the flaming sword); and the Israelites passing through that was the same as a person being fully baptized by immersion, being completely separated from the elements (or the “waters”) of Satan.
But I digress. Back on topic…
Father, Son, & Holy Ghost are separate.
Another very important belief the True Religion must have is that God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate entities, though they function as if with one mind and one purpose (just like the members of His Church are supposed to function). John 17:11 supports this, saying, “And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.”
Jesus regularly affirmed that He was not the same as His Father, though they still had one mind and one purpose. Right after His resurrection, John 20:17 says, “Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” One fascinating understanding obtained from this passage is that Jesus Christ is our brother, and that we all have the same Father in Heaven (the Father of our spirits).
We receive another confirmation in Acts 7:55-59:
But he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, and cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.
How is it that anyone can receive (or hear of) a vision with God the Father and Jesus as two separate entities yet still claim them to be one and the same? Maybe before His ministry, I could understand such a false conclusion being made, but beginning at His baptism, there’s no doubt they were and are separate. Matthew 3:16-17 says:
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
In 2 Peter 1:17-18, we have another confirmation:
For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
Luke 9:34-35 also confirms this:
While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
The same account is found in Matthew 17:5, though the cloud is described as being a “bright” cloud in that one, and the words that came out said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” As a side note, the cloud was undoubtedly a cherub. See CHERUBIM — God’s planetary defense vehicles for more on Cherubims.
Father and Son are of flesh and bone.
Christ’s True Church must also teach that the resurrected Christ has a body of flesh and bone, not a body of spirit — though we must differentiate, “Spirit” with a capital “S” usually refers to bodies made of the elements of the Kingdoms of God and are as physical as the elements we have in this world, except Spirit Matter is perfect and does not decay. This is differentiated from “spirits” with a lowercase “s” that refer to the vaporous bodies that occupy or drive these tabernacles of decaying flesh we currently occupy — elements such that if a “spirit” were to take form so as to be visible, our hands of flesh would pass right through them.
In Luke 24:36-39, we read:
And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 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.
Yet we know Christ didn’t always have this form of tangible flesh. In Hebrews 1:1-4, we read:
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
These verses actually reveal much more than the progression of Christ from spirit to flesh and bone. It also teaches us that Jesus Christ is He who formed the worlds (under the direction of His Father), and that His current resurrected and perfect form is greater even than that of the angels.
A logical conclusion from this must infer that God the Father also possesses a body of flesh and bone, for Christ was made in His Father’s Image, and has ascended to sit beside His Father. It wouldn’t make sense that Christ has taken upon Himself a greater form with greater glory than His Father. Such a notion is absurd on its face.
Missionaries.
The True Church of Christ must also have missionaries that spread the gospel to all the world. This ties into the requirement that the members possess many languages. Matthew 28:16, 18-20 says:
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. . . . And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Known by their fruits.
Another key characteristic of the True Church of Christ is that they will be known by their fruits (meaning by their works, or the things that come about because of their works). In Matthew 7:15-20, we read:
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Sacrament often.
The True Church of Christ must also have a Sacrament that its members can partake of to renew their covenants with the Lord, and that Sacrament must be partaken of often (not once in a while). In 1 Corinthians 10:16-21, we read:
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.
Christ taught us how to partake of His Sacrament in 1 Corinthians 11:23-29:
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
Temples.
Any religion claiming to be Christ’s must also have temples built after the same pattern as the Tabernacle (a mobile temple) and the Temple of Solomon — namely, must contain outer and inner courts representing different degrees of glory and a room dedicated to communion with God.
In Exodus 25:8-9, God instructed Moses to gather certain materials and then said, “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.”
After the Israelites were finally settled in the Promised Land, secured by King David, David’s son Solomon was instructed to build a real temple, patterned after the Tabernacle. It was built with three chambers representing the three degrees of glory. 1 Kings 6:6 says, “The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad.”
Baptism for the dead.
Solomon’s Temple also had a baptismal font in it. Why would the temple have a baptismal font in it? Anyone wishing to enter the temple had to already be baptized and meet certain conditions of righteousness. What, you didn’t think just anyone could waltz into the house of God, did you? So why, then, did Solomon’s Temple have a baptismal font? It was for baptisms for the dead, and there is no other conclusion that can be drawn.
This requirement is inferred from the description of the construction of the Temple of Solomon. In 1 Kings 7:23-26, we read:
And he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other: it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about. And under the brim of it round about there were knops compassing it, ten in a cubit, compassing the sea round about: the knops were cast in two rows, when it was cast. It stood upon twelve oxen, three looking toward the north, and three looking toward the west, and three looking toward the south, and three looking toward the east: and the sea was set above upon them, and all their hinder parts were inward. And it was an hand breadth thick, and the brim thereof was wrought like the brim of a cup, with flowers of lilies: it contained two thousand baths.
Here is a modern example of what these verses is describing.
What most people don’t know is that “Baptism for the dead was performed by the dominant church until forbidden by the sixth canon of the Council of Carthage (397 [AD]). Some of the smaller sects, however, continued the practice” (John A. Tvedtnes). It was recorded:
That baptism for the dead was indeed practiced in some orthodox Christian circles is indicated by the decisions of two late fourth century councils. The fourth canon of the Synod of Hippo, held in 393, declares, “The Eucharist shall not be given to dead bodies, nor baptism conferred upon them.” The ruling was confirmed, Tvedtnes says, four years later in the sixth canon of the Third Council of Carthage.
Thus, the mere fact that such a practice became forbidden is proof that the same practice was actually being performed. In the Epiphanius of Salamis, it was said:
For their school reached its height in this counotry, I mean Asia, and in Galatia as well. And in these countries I also heard of a tradition which said that when some of their people died too soon, without baptism, others would be baptized for them in their names, so that they would not be punished for rising unbaptized at the resurrection and become the subjects of the authority that made the world.
And so, the practice was lost with time due to corruption and confusion of doctrine. Anything lost would have to be restored before the end can come, which I’ll speak about shortly.
List of Requirements.
Though there are probably dozens or more requirements that could be pulled from scripture, we have discovered enough that we should be able to assess all modern religions to see if any match the conditions.
Here is a list of the requirements derived from above:
Must have Apostles.
Must have Prophets.
Must have Teachers.
Must perform miracles.
Must perform healings.
Must provide charity.
Must help lead governments into righteousness.
Must speak many languages to carry the gospel to the whole world.
Structure/organization must continue to exist until all members have become as a “perfect man.”
Must be united in thought and purpose.
Members should not quarrel one with another.
All churches should have the same mind and judgment.
Members should be called Saints.
Jesus Christ must be the chief cornerstone (all things centered on Christ).
Leadership positions must be called by God and sustained by the members.
Callings are accomplished by the laying on of hands of those with authority.
Must have members holding the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood.
Must have an unpaid ministry.
Must have baptism by immersion.
Must teach that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are separate yet one in purpose.
Must teach that Jesus Christ is our brother.
Must teach that Christ was a spirit but now has a form of flesh and bone.
Must teach that the Father also possesses a form of flesh and bone.
Must teach Jesus Christ is He who formed the heavens and the earth.
Must have missionaries that bring the gospel to all the world.
Must be recognized by their good fruits.
Must partake of the Lord’s Sacrament often.
Must build temples.
Must perform baptisms for the dead.
If you are a true seeker of God, you must search out every religion and see if any satisfy ALL of the above requirements. If even one is forsaken, the whole religion cannot be Christ’s True Religion. That’s not to say the religion is “evil,” but rather they simply do not have all of the truth and cannot be led directly by Christ. Furthermore, true salvation can only come through Christ’s True Church, by being baptized by one having authority from Christ to perform such baptisms. You didn’t think just anyone could open the gates to heaven, did you? Nay, only those Christ has explicitly given permission can perform His ordinances. This is common sense and sound reasoning.
Be warned, however. There are many who choose to judge a religion based on the actions of its members, or even the actions of its leaders. Do not forget that all men are imperfect, even prophets chosen by God. In fact, prophets often require correction from God. Jonah refused God’s command and was corrected in a fascinating manner (being swallowed by a whale…). Balaam was a prophet who prophesied of the coming of the Messiah but then succumbed to greed and other sins. King David was led by God to save all of Israel, only to succumb to his own lusts. Christ Himself was even betrayed by the Apostle, Judas, showing that even those closest to Christ are not immune to temptation and sin. In fact, the closer one comes to God, the more the devil throws his storms their way.
My own research has found only one religion on the face of the planet that checks all these boxes. This is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While many may disagree (and are free to do so), a thorough study of history and scripture makes it impossible to refute if every prophecy and every word spoken of by the prophets is to be believed. Only by refusing to believe individual prophecies can one turn away from this truth. “But Joseph Smith got all his ideas from Freemasons” or “Joseph Smith was a fraud” or “You guys used to have many wives” or “You didn’t give blacks the Priesthood for a long time” or “Your prophet recommended the vaccine” or “Your prophet was misled with the Salamander letters” or “You guys burned down newspapers” — what else can you throw out? I’ve heard it all…yet people seem to forget that just because the Religion is true and perfect doesn’t mean the members are, who are often led by Satan like a leaf on the wind, and there are frequent corrections made not only to the members of the Church but also to its leaders.
Yet, you must look to the checklist above. Does the Church satisfy every bullet? Yes, it does. Nonetheless, there is a little more we should look into to affirm this truth.
Restoration.
Christ taught us that His Church would have to be restored before the “restitution of all things.” In Acts 3:19-24, we read:
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
Thus, after the time of Christ’s mortal ministry, the “times of refreshing” must come, and that it will come through Jesus Christ, who will remain in heaven until this prophesied time comes. Now, some have argued that the “prophet” the Lord God would raise up like unto Moses was Jesus Christ. But if that were true, then this scripture would be a lie, for Jesus had already come and it was not yet the “times of restitution of all things.”
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 supports this:
Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.
Thus, Jesus will not begin the works of the Restoration until after there has been a falling away and Satan gains great hold upon the world.
Note: Though some scripture refers to the time of Christ as “the last days” (see 2 Timothy 3:1, 2 Peter 3:3, etc.), one must be careful, for a day to God is a thousand years to man (2 Peter 3:8), thus “last days” (plural) suggests this phrase refers to at least the last 2,000 or so years before Christ’s return. In other words, the “last days” began at the meridian of time when Christ was born.
Drawing from the understanding of a “day,” the reference here to “that day” that shall not come must refer to the last 1,000 years of this world’s temporal existence. Christ doesn’t return at the end of the “last day” but at the beginning, for the end of the last day is the end of the Millennium, whereby Judgment occurs and the whole world is rolled up as a scroll (Revelation 6:14).
In Revelation 14:6-7, we also read:
And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.
Now I must remind you that God does nothing directly in this world but works through mortal men. So, if an angel is flying through the midst of heaven “having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth,” how would that be accomplished? Why, it would be accomplished by whispering into the hearts and minds of mortal men to manifest that which is required. Thus, a mortal, fallible, and weak man must bring about or have brought forth such a perfect and infallible religion. It’s amazing when you understand how it all works!
Christ confirmed this in Matthew 24:3-14:
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
This teaches us that after Christ ascended, many would come claiming to be Christ (meaning, people who claimed to be prophets speaking the words of Christ, not necessarily claiming to be the literal Christ — though there are many instances of that happening as well). And there would be wars and rumors of wars, which we have plenty of record of in the centuries following Christ’s ascension. As Christianity spread into Rome and beyond, it butted heads with Judaism, leading to intense persecution of the early Saints. When Constantine blended Christianity into the Roman Empire, fractures in the religion occurred, with many offended at what the Roman Empire had done. This drove a wedge between true Christians and the various sects that arose in that day. This would include the Oriental Orthodox Churches and Chalcedonian Christianity, both of which refused the outcome of the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD. There was also the rise of Islam in the 7th century AD and many others in surrounding lands, all claiming to have authority none of them could possibly have possessed.
The Restoration of the gospel wasn’t a singular event but was a process which began in the 16th century AD when Martin Luther fractured the mainstream (fallen) church that led to new sects that desired to return their religions to the True Religion. This is the time in which “this gospel of the kingdom” began to be able to be “preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations,” as explorers to the New World (i.e. Americas) brought with them their Bibles to spread the gospel around the world.
One might even say this was when light began to shine through the darkness!
For sake of the length this article has already reached, I will not throw the rest of the history that occurred from here on. Fortunately, I already wrote about it in another article, entitled Re: The Great Apostasy — A defense for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
No Additional Scripture Fallacy.
One final thing I must touch on has to do with a passage at the very end of the New Testament, in the last verses of The Book of Revelation. I bring this up because I’ve just professed that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the True Church of Christ on this planet, and that there are none save this one that Christ is at the helm of. One argument I hear a lot has to do with The Book of Mormon — Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I can’t even count how many times I’ve heard it, and it’s always something along the lines of “Revelation says nothing more can be added to the Bible.” They base their erroneous opinion on Revelation 22:18-21:
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
The biggest fallacy with this argument is found in the fact that The Book of Revelation was not written as part of the illusory compilation called “the Bible.” On the contrary, every “Book” in the Bible was written independently, most of which were mere scrolls or letters, compiled into the book we call the Bible in 382 AD as a result of the Council of Rome. Not to mention, John explicitly says “the book of THIS PROPHECY,” referring specifically to the words he wrote.
Understanding this forces us to acquire a new perspective, concluding that John the Revelator was speaking solely of The Book of Revelation, which was the only book received entirely by revelation (whereas the other books in the Bible would be better described as historical journals).
Sound reason also must prevail here, for claiming the the Book of Revelation is the last and final scripture ever given is extremely short-sighted, as I already mentioned that most books in scripture were nothing more than historical journals that recorded the prophetic or miraculous events of every generation. If God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, then He must still talk to mankind, and those who receive His word undoubtedly still record those words in journals, many of which will at some future time be collected and compiled into yet another addendum to “The Bible.”
Conclusion.
The Bible gives us many words of the prophets that tell us what characteristics Christ’s True Religion and His True Church must possess. These must be taken as a whole, and no religion claiming to be led by Christ can choose to discount a single word spoken of by the prophets.
If one wishes to discover Christ’s True Church, all they have to do is identify those characteristics that must be present in His Church and compare those against the beliefs and works of every religion on the planet. My conclusion, whether the reader agrees or not, is that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is that Church, restored in these last days to prepare the world for Christ’s return.
What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment below.
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