Friday, September 30, 2016

THE TRUE CHURCH

THE TRUE CHURCH
Friday, September 30, 2016

  Today I begin reviewing the asked question of which church is the one true church.
  Is there one true church?
  Yes, there is. But studying the Word of God, the Bible, we don’t see any denominational names. We do see phrases “my (Christ’) church”, “the church that was at Antioch”, “the church at Cenchrea“, “the church of God which is at Corinth”, “the church that is in their house”, “the church which is in his house”, “the church of the Thessalonians”, “The church that is at Babylon”, and beginning with “the church at Ephesus” a total of 7 geographical locations listed in The Book of Revelation. There is not however any denominational identities. Camp and faction taxonomy came later.
  How would it work today if our letterhead and street signage read “The church at _______”?
  Below are the 79 verses in KJV New Testament that include “church”. (The word is nowhere in OT.) I suggest reading them thoughtfully in context. Do you see denomination? Neither do I.
Then what is the one true church? (Clue: All epistles are addressed to the one true church.)
EBB4

Mat_16:18  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Mat_18:17  And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
Act_2:47  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Act_5:11  And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
Act_7:38  This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
Act_8:1  And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
Act_8:3  As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
Act_11:22  Then tidings of these things came unto the ears of the church which was in Jerusalem: and they sent forth Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch.
Act_11:26  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
Act_12:1  Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.
Act_12:5  Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.
Act_13:1  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.
Act_14:23  And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.
Act_14:27  And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
Act_15:3  And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren.
Act_15:4  And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them.
Act_15:22  Then pleased it the apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send chosen men of their own company to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas; namely, Judas surnamed Barsabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren:
Act_18:22  And when he had landed at Caesarea, and gone up, and saluted the church, he went down to Antioch.
Act_20:17  And from Miletus he sent to Ephesus, and called the elders of the church.
Act_20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Rom_16:1  I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea:
Rom_16:5  Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
Rom_16:23  Gaius mine host, and of the whole church, saluteth you. Erastus the chamberlain of the city saluteth you, and Quartus a brother.
Rom_16:27  To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.
1Co_1:2  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:
1Co_4:17  For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.
1Co_6:4  If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
1Co_10:32  Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
1Co_11:18  For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
1Co_11:22  What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.
1Co_12:28  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.
1Co_14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
1Co_14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
1Co_14:12  Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
1Co_14:19  Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
1Co_14:23  If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
1Co_14:28  But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
1Co_14:35  And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
1Co_15:9  For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
1Co_16:19  The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
2Co_1:1  Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
Gal_1:13  For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
Eph_1:22  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph_3:10  To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph_3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
Eph_5:23  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Eph_5:24  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
Eph_5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Eph_5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Eph_5:29  For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
Eph_5:32  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Php_3:6  Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Php_4:15  Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.
Col_1:18  And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Col_1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:
Col_4:15  Salute the brethren which are in Laodicea, and Nymphas, and the church which is in his house.
Col_4:16  And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.
1Th_1:1  Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
2Th_1:1  Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
1Ti_3:5  (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
1Ti_3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
1Ti_5:16  If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed.
2Ti_4:22  The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. The second epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time.
Tit_3:15  All that are with me salute thee. Greet them that love us in the faith. Grace be with you all. Amen. It was written to Titus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Cretians, from Nicopolis of Macedonia.
Phm_1:2  And to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellowsoldier, and to the church in thy house:
Heb_2:12  Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Heb_12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Jas_5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
1Pe_5:13  The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
3Jn_1:6  Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:
3Jn_1:9  I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
3Jn_1:10  Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
Rev_2:1  Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;
Rev_2:8  And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;
Rev_2:12  And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
Rev_2:18  And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
Rev_3:1  And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
Rev_3:7  And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
Rev_3:14  And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

79 verses found, 80 matches
Matthew
2 verses found
3 matches
Acts
18 verses found
18 matches
Romans
4 verses found
4 matches
1 Corinthians
16 verses found
16 matches
2 Corinthians
1 verse found
1 match
Galatians
1 verse found
1 match
Ephesians
9 verses found
9 matches
Philippians
2 verses found
2 matches
Colossians
4 verses found
4 matches
1 Thessalonians
1 verse found
1 match
2 Thessalonians
1 verse found
1 match
1 Timothy
3 verses found
3 matches
2 Timothy
1 verse found
1 match
Titus
1 verse found
1 match
Philemon
1 verse found
1 match
Hebrews
2 verses found
2 matches
James
1 verse found
1 match
1 Peter
1 verse found
1 match
3 John
3 verses found
3 matches
Revelation
7 verses found
7 matches


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