Where is the White House? We might be quick to answer that it is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington D.C. United States of America. That is relatively easy for many people. The White House was commissioned to be built at that location in the late 18th century and remains occupying its 18 acres despite being burnt by the British during the War of 1812.
The next question might be very difficult for some in this world. Where is the church of Christ? This one for some may be a much more difficult question to answer. There are 4500 denominations of Christendom. Can one of these be the church which Christ built? Jesus said,
“And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 16:18-19
This is a very important question that each one must honestly ask and find the answer. If Christ’s church is not present on this earth than there is none that has a God-given right to exist. If Christ's church does not exist on this natural earth then all others are imposters and all their members are members of churches of human origin. However, if it does remain in existence on this earth, it must be the purpose of all to find it and be added to it.
So, can any church trace its origin truly to the New Testament? We can find in the Holy Scriptures that the church Christ promised to build was built and present in the first century. Is that same church here now? Can it be identified?
What It Is Not
Any church whose origin begins after the time of the Apostles is not the New Testament church. Despite their claims, the Roman Catholic church cannot be the New Testament church, because its doctrines of; original sin, the papacy,veneration of saints, purgatory, celibate priesthoods, among others, are unfounded in the New Testament. All other modern denominations find their origin coming at some point after even the Roman Catholic religion which was organized as early as the council of Nicea in AD 325. One might say AD 325 is a real early date, that may be so in comparison to the church of England (est. in the 1530s), but in comparison to the church of Christ it is almost 300 years later (cf. Acts 2). If any church is Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical, or even “non-denominational” in founding they cannot be the church established by and belonging to Christ. We must go further back. We must seek the church which by nature is pre-denominational.
What It Is
The church must produce after its own kind. Just as Jehovah created all living things to produce after its own kind (cf. Gen 1). We can tell the seed by its fruit. “ Therefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matt. 7:20). So, with the church we would expect the same seed to produce the same fruit. If I plant corn seed it will not produce watermelon in its due time. How could we expect to plant the seed of the Gospel and when harvest time came receive a plant that looks nothing like the one which grew from the original seed. There are alleged plants growing from the seed that look nothing alike and contradict eachother. One teaches “infant baptism” and another teaches that baptism is for people who have the capability of believing that Christ is Lord, how can this come from the same seed? It cannot! Look around at the institutions of men, they understand the seed principal. When a recruit is planted at Camp Pendleton, in due season, a Marine is grown. So, if the church of the New Testament is in existence today, it must have been grown from the same seed that the churches at Jerusalem, Antioch, Corinth, and Ephesus were grown from, as recorded in God’s Word.
Do We Have the Same Seed? Is It Still Capable of Growing?
The Guardian reported, “Scientists in Israel grew date plants from 2,000-year-old seeds” These seeds were found at Masada, an ancient stronghold. When you consider the age of those seeds, you might believe that they were dead and incapable of growing. Some believe that because of denominational departures it is impossible to go back and grow the church of the New Testament. Oh ye of little faith! If Israeli scientist can grow dates from ancient seeds, can we not grow the New Testament from the Old Paths, the Gospel of Christ when we have never lost the seed? The seed is the Word (cf. Luke 8:11-18). The seed is not dead but living. Hebrews 4:12 reminds us,
“For the word of God is living, and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and quick to discern the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The Word of God is living and active even almost 2000 years after it was first sown. Peter said that this seed was incorruptible (cf. 1 Peter 1:23-25) If the church of the New Testament was begotten of incorruptible seed, can we find that same seed today within the Word of God? The answer is a resounding yes.
It is greatly distressing that many will start a number of churches because they are unhappy with the state of their present church. The better way is to return back to the pattern that God has given. Would it not be the best thing to search for a church that teaches what the Bible teaches concerning all things? Would it not be valid for one to compare a church to the New Testament rather than the varying subjective thoughts and feelings of men? If you wanted to find the church you read about in the New Testament, you would have to find the church that has the same identity in matters of; admission, doctrine, description, leadership, worship, and works as the first century church.
Is this church on earth today? Absolutely yes! If you will open your Bibles and test the words you hear proclaimed against the Word, you will find that is what the church of Christ is, nothing more and nothing less.
Grace and Peace,
R.D. Beavers
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