| The Fallacy of "The One True Church", Part 4 |
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| Written by David Lawrence |
| Monday, August 04 2008 00:00 |
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Throughout this study we have suggested that the one true church is the invisible church. This claim would be consistent with Jesus’ statement that the kingdom is not an observable phenomenon (Luke 17:20). The invisible church is the only body that truly is the one body. This church is composed of all the saved of all time, seen from God’s perspective. Jesus said that he had other sheep not of the fold known to the disciples who must be brought in (John 10:16). God told Paul to remain in Corinth and continue preaching because He had many people in the city who needed to hear the gospel (Acts 18:10). Jesus spoke of “all those the Father has given me” (John 6:37, 39, 17:2). All these people, without the loss of one, will come to Christ and will receive eternal life. Jesus told His Father that He had given eternal life to all of these people. The invisible church includes all saved people who are living on the earth today. There is no possible way we can know them all, but God does (2 Tim. 2:19). It includes all the elect of God living today on this planet who have yet to hear the gospel and believe, like the people in Corinth and the sheep that must hear His voice. It includes all the saved who have ever lived in the past, even those who lived before Christ who are still saved by Christ (Heb. 9:15). It includes all those whose names were written in the Lamb’s book of life before the foundation of the world (Rev. 17:8) who have yet to be born. It is the vast multitude gathered around the throne of God and the Lamb seen in John’s vision (Rev. 7:9-10). This is the church purchased by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28, Eph. 5:25-27); these are the sheep for whom the Good Shepherd laid down His life (John 10:11, 15). Theologians have said that ours is the task to make the invisible church visible. This we are to do by preaching the gospel, living the Christian life, and offering encouragement to people. Of course, only God calls and regenerates people, but He does use us as unworthy earthen vessels to perform the ministry through which He shall act. Rather than follow the never-ending quest for some visible group that offers truth and salvation, let us look to Christ who alone is the way, the truth, and the life. Let us have faith that His church shall prevail against the gates of hell and that Christ shall not lose one of His. Our job is to serve in the great tabernacle the Lord has pitched, not to judge. |
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