When is the Church the True Church?

WHEN IS THE CHURCH THE TRUE CHURCH?

By David J. Riggs

Many people believe that if the church of which they are members was Scriptural and right at one time, it will always be right. No greater doctrine of error has ever been taught by man. The evil Jews of Jesus' day thought if they had been God's chosen people, they would always be. John the Baptist told them not to say, "We have Abraham as our father" for God was able to raise up children to Abraham from stones (Matt. 3:7-9). Jesus showed them that their whole religion was vain because it was based on the traditions and doctrines of men (Matt. 15:1-14). The churches of Galatia stood in danger because they had been "bewitched" and "hindered" from obeying the truth (Gal. 3:1; 5:7). The church at Pergamos was told that if it did not purge out false doctrine, the Lord would execute judgment upon it (Rev. 2:13-16).

The moment a church begins to teach or practice anything which cannot be found in the written Word of God, it is in danger. Truly, a church becomes a false church when it has either an unscriptural name, faith, or practice. If it refuses to repent of error, in due time, it ceases to be the church of the Lord. Speaking of the religious sect of the Pharisees, Jesus said, "And in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men...Every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch." (Matt. 15:9, 13-14).

For a church to be the New Testament church, it must be identical to the one in the New Testament. It must have the same name, foundation, law, worship, etc., as the church in the Scriptures. In Order to accomplish this, it must determine to build according to the pattern given in the Word of God (Cf. Heb. 8:5). Churches which differ from the New Testament one have not followed the pattern. Also, it must plant the seed, the Word of God (Luke 8:11), in the hearts of men. Churches today are unlike the New Testament church because the seed or doctrine of men has been planted. Furthermore, it must continue steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine (Acts 2:42; 2 John 9). Churches today with variations in name, work, worship, etc., are not following the apostles' doctrine and, thus, are not one with the apostles. When men have all things in faith and practice patterned exactly as the New Testament church, they are in fact the New Testament church. Indeed, many churches of our time would be abolished if the teaching and practice of the New Testament were enacted.