The Truth About The One Church

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The Truth About The One Church
He is also head of the BODY, the
CHURCH Colossians 118

• there is ONE BODY
• Ephesians 44

2
The Truth About The Church

• Ekklesia literally, the called out.

• In a universal sense, to designate all the saved.
  (Matt. 1618 Eph. 122 525)
• In a local sense, to designate Gods people
  within a definite locality. (1 Cor. 12 1
  Thess. 11)

3
Church Organization In The NT
The ONLY organizational pattern is the local
church. A plurality of qualified elders are to
oversee the local congregation.Acts 1423 1
Tim. 31-7 Titus 15-9
4
Church Organization In The NT
The oversight authority of the elders (overseers,
pastors) is limited to those among them. Acts
2028 1 Pet 52 Elders have no authority beyond
their local congregation! Thus, all congregations
are completely independent and autonomous.
5
30-150 A.D. Biblical organizational structure.
Each local church is independent and self
governed by a plurality of equal elders. These
men meet the qualifications of 1 Tim 3 and Titus
1 and their authority does not extend outside
their local church.
6
150 A.D.Rise of theexalted elder
At first, a single elder (also known as a bishop)
began to be exalted above the other elders.
7
200 A.D.Rise of theEpiscopal Presbytery
The exalted elder became a distinct office from
the eldership. Local churches began to be
governed by a single bishop/overseer (Episcopate)
over a group of elders (Presbytery).
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250 A.D.The rise of the Diocesan Bishops
The bishops of larger churches began to exercise
control over smaller churches within a geographic
area known today as a diocese.
9
325 A.D.Rise of the Metropolitan Bishops
Constantine declares Christianity to be the state
religion and appoints diocesan bishops from the
larger and more important cities, at first Rome,
Constantinople, and Antioch, to be over other
diocesan bishops.
10
381 A.D.Rise of the Patriarchs
Metropolitans from Rome, Constantinople, Antioch,
Alexandria, and Jerusalem become the 5
Patriarchs. Thus, the organization of the
Eastern Greek Orthodox patriarchal systems is
fully formed. The Roman Catholic papal system
will not be fully formed until 606 AD.
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The Development of the Papacy

• 451-588 A.D. The Reign of the 5
  PatriarchsRome and Constantinople are seen as
  near equals, with neither having universal
  authority.
• 588-606 A.D. Fight for Control of the
  WorldJohn The Faster of Constantinople was
  first to make the claim of Universal Bishop, but
  Gregory of Rome said no man should wear the
  title, and called such the earmark of the
  anti-Christ.
• 606 A.D. to Present The Monarchy of Rome
  Boniface III becomes the first official Pope.

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Non-Biblical Practices Added
Worship of Icons (787) Celibacy of Priests
(1015) Sale of Indulgences (1192) Transubstantiati
on (1215) Auricular Confession (1215) Priestly
Absolution (1215) Sprinkling Only
(1311) Tradition/Scrip. Equal (1545) Papal
Infallibility (1870)
Clergy-Laity (250 A.D.) Nicene Creed
(325) Easter (325) Christmas (354) Worship of
Mary (389) Infant Baptism (416) Purgatory
(593) Latin Mass (600) Instrum. Music (670)
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The Man Of Sin
And the man of sin shall be revealed, the son
of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself
above all that is called God or that is
worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple
of God, showing himself that he is God. 2
Thessalonians 24-5
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Institutional Concept of the Church
Harry Pickup, Jr, Torch Magazine, Vol. 23, June
1988 The Constantine concept revamped the Lords
church into a religion greatly patterned after
the concept, nature and organization of the Roman
Empire. Most historians view the rise of the
Institutional Church as the result of the
Churchs need to fight heresies, prevent schisms
and effect and perpetuate universal solidarity.
Many Christians thought it necessary to bring all
Christians together into a visible body of
Christ.
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Institutional Concept of the Church
A visible body would by necessity be an organized
body. The unit of this visible body would be
the local church. Thus, the unit of the one
church was no longer viewed as individual
Christians in a right relationship with God. The
church was now viewed as a group of local
congregations organized in order to be a visible
church.
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Time Of Beginning

• 1830 Mormon Church
• Seventh Day Adventists
• Jehovahs Witnesses
• Church of God
• Nazarene Church
• Christian Church
• Assemblies of God

• Roman Catholic Church
• Greek Orthodox Church
• Lutheran Church
• Church of England
• Presbyterian Church
• Baptist Church
• 1739 Methodist Church

Are You A Member of an Institutional Church
Built by the Concepts and Creeds Of Men?
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The Seed Principle
The seed is the word of God Luke 811
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The Biblical Concept of the Church

• The body is an organism, NOT an organization.
• Unity is NOT viewed as an organizational unity of
  local churches.
• Unity is NOT maintained by bringing all
  Christians into a visible body of Christ.
• Unity is maintained as Christians remain faithful
  to the revealed TRUTH of God.
• Unity is known only by word of mouth.

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Institutional Concept of the Church

• The Church is composed of congregations.
• These congregations are organized or associated
  together in some manner.
• These congregations provide financial support to
  dependent supplementary social organizations
  (colleges, hospitals, missions, etc).
• These supplementary organizations are seen as
  necessary for the church to fulfill a collective,
  universal social and spiritual mission.

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The United Methodist Church

• A religious denomination composed of local
  Methodist congregations.
• Organized much like the U.S. government.General
  Conference (legislative), nine-member Judicial
  Council, Council of Bishops (executive).
• A number of Methodist colleges, missionary
  societies, welfare agencies, hospitals, etc. are
  designed to aid the Methodist Church in
  fulfilling her universal socio-religious mission.

21
The Baptist Church
The Hiscox Standard Baptist Manual THE WIDER
FELLOWSHIP OF BAPTISTS Because churches are the
only Christian organizations provided for in the
New Testament, it may be said that they are the
only ones really essential to the accomplishment
of the purposes of Christ. Experience, however,
has demonstrated that churches in fellowship with
one another are able to fulfill the work of the
gospel more effectively than churches alone.
22
The Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is a
United States cooperative ministry agency
serving missionary Baptist churches around the
world. The words Southern Baptist Convention
refer both to the denomination and its annual
meeting of delegates. Because Baptist churches
believe strongly in the local autonomy of the
church, the SBC can be seen mainly as a
cooperative organization by which churches can
pool resources, rather than as a body with any
administrative control over local churches. It
does, however, maintain a central administrative
organization based in Nashville, Tennessee. -
Wikipedia
23
The Churches Of Christ

• Like many Baptist churches, all Churches of
  Christ declare themselves to be
  non-denominational.
• They have NO official organizational structure
  however, many of these churches view the one
  church as composed of local congregations, all
  with the name, Church of Christ.
• These Church of Christ churches are tied
  together by their connection to a number of
  colleges, schools, welfare agencies, hospitals,
  orphan homes, etc. which are designed to aid the
  Church in fulfilling its mission

24
God Prohibited Division

• 1 Corinthians 110 Now I exhort you, brethren,
  by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you
  all agree and that there be NO DIVISIONS among
  you, but that you be made complete in the same
  mind and in the same judgment.

25
Jesus Prayed For Unity

• John 1720-21 I do not ask on behalf of these
  alone, but also for those who believe in Me
  through their word that they may ALL BE ONE
  even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that
  they also may be in Us, so that the WORLD MAY
  BELIEVE that You sent Me.

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The Sin Of Division

• Truth Denominational Christianity is
  AGAINST the will of Christ.
• Truth Denominational Christianity
  contributes to UNBELIEF.
• Conclusion Anyone who participates in
  Denominational Christianity should REPENT
  and turn away from sin.

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The Cure For Division
When all men will lay down their creeds,
disciplines, manuals, confessions of faith,
catechisms, think-so's, maybe's, and subjective
feelings, and with an unprejudiced and receptive
heart turn to the Word of God, then, and ONLY
then, will unity result. We must be committed to
being nothing, calling ourselves nothing, obeying
nothing, and saying nothing except that which is
authorized by the Word of God.
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Let All Who Confess Jesus

• Enter One Body - unity in organization.
• Possess One Spirit - unity in life source.
• Envision One Hope - unity in purpose.
• Submit to One Lord - unity in authority.
• Embrace One Faith - unity in doctrine.
• Obey One Baptism - unity in induction.
• Worship One God - unity in worship.

Ephesians 44-6
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Have You Obeyed The Gospel?
Hear The Word (Rom. 1017) Believe That Jesus
is the Son of God (Acts 837) Repent of Your
Sins (Acts 238) Confess That Jesus is the Son
of God (Acts 837) Be Baptized for the
Forgiveness of Sins (Acts 238) Having Become A
Christian, Live Faithfully Until You Die (Rev.
210)
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The church of Jesus Christ
500
1000
1500
2000
Scott Stone Smith Campbell
Gal 16-12 Acts 2029-30 2 Thes 23-9 2 Peter
21-3 1 John 41-6
Restoration Movement

• Church Government
• Special PriesthoodClergy-Laity
• Sacramental System
• Union of Church and State
• Holy Wars, Moral Corruption
• Roman Catholic

Lutheran Anglican (Episcopal)
Methodist Presbyterian Baptist
Reformed Mormon Adventist Christian
Science Holiness
Reformation Movement
Luther Swingli Tyndale Calvin Knox
Greek Orthodox
WHY SO MANY CHURCHES?