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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