A former Catholic who discipled me in the way of Salvation by Grace, The Doctrines of Grace, Church Truths, like Believer's Baptism, and brought me and my soul under the Teaching of the Eternal Word at his New Testament Baptist church, had actually prayed to God, to know "the true church".
You may not believe this, but it is a mystery that must be revealed by our Father.
JonC says he knows the word church in The Bible just means an organized assembly. ( as at In Search Of The Universal, Invisible Church (Chapter 1) by Elder Milburn Cockrell - Sovereign Grace Landmark Baptist Pastor)
It is almost as if that has to first be revealed by our Father!
Colossians 1:24: "...His body, which is the church.
(His kind of churches in the generic sense, i.e., drop the "the" and it is "Churches").
25 "I became its servant by the commission God gave me to fully proclaim to you the word of God,
26 the mystery that was hidden for ages and generations but is now revealed to His saints.
27 To them..."
(His kind of churches, His Organization/ Organism He Promised Perpetuity, to be His Witness throughout our present New Testament age.)
All below adapted from:
https://harmony-mbc.com/wp-content/...rticles/The-Church-that-Jesus-Built-Mason.pdf
"Now, before I begin to suggest some of the peoples of ancient times through whom Baptists may properly claim historical continuity, let me reemphasize: two points that I request the reader to bear in mind throughout the reading of the entire chapter.
First, all I am seeking to establish is that there has always from the time of Christ, been groups of individuals
who held on essential points the New Testament faith, and who banded together in churches that were essentially baptistic in faith and practice.
Second, only two doctrines are essential to a New Testament church;
The way of salvation and the way of baptism. If a group of churches are sound on these two cardinal points they may properly be called Baptist churches
Some may imahine to be exactly like ibe that has gone before, but that is only pretend
It is by no means a difficult task to ascertain the fundamental doctrines and practices of the churches that existed in the days of the apostles because the church which Jesus founded has certain well-defined doctrinal characteristics laid down in the New Testament by which it may be forever recognized and distinguished from all apocryphal institutions which may through the ages arise to call themselves Christian churches.
The Baptist sect grew out of an amalgamation of influences.
But really all contemporary theologies and churches have
We "propose to conduct our search for the true church along three corroborative lines, as follows:
1. THE LINE OF HISTORICAL ELIMINATION.
So in our search, we must eliminate every so-called church whose origin may be dated after the time of Christ. If in this process we eliminate every church save one, we shall be forced to the conclusion that that one is the true church.
Going back to the much-discussed Matthew 16:18, we find two historical tests defined by Jesus---tests that should help and guide us in our investigation. The first is that the only true church was founded by JESUS HIMSELF -" I will build my church." The second is that the institution which Jesus called "My church" shall never cease to exist through the ages---"The gates of hades shall not prevail against it. " If in applying these two scriptural, historical tests we find that none of the organizations calling themselves churches, save one, can meet these tests, I must reiterate, we must conclude that one is the true church of Christ.
Let us then inquire into the origin of the various denominations that exist today In this inquiry we shall concern ourselves only with the origin of the main denominations: those that are well-known and typical of all others.
The denominations that we shall consider are those from which the many small sects have sprung in more recent years. Being the offspring of the older denominations and having their rise in very recent times, they of course fall so far short of meeting Christ's historical test that it would be entirely superfluous to deal with them.
-WHEN DID THE CHURCH OF ROME ORIGINATE? We have this question from Dr. J. B. Moody (My Church p. 95): "It did not originate in a day or year, but gradually subverted the apostles teaching, and in centuries inaugurated full-grown popery. But, there is not a trace of a pope or a universal father… in the first three centuries of the Christian era.”
ORIGIN OF THE LUTHERAN CHURCH The history of the world does not refer to the existence of a Lutheran, or Lutheran Church before the days of Luther. That he was the founder of the Lutheran Church none can successfully deny. Luther, revolting against the degeneracy of the Catholic Church, organized a movement for reform. There is no historical evidence that he even thought of breaking with the Catholic Church and forming a new one.
THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND, OR EPISCOPAL CHURCH, etc., etc.
ORIGIN OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
THE CONGREGATIONALISTS.
ORIGIN OF METHODISM.
ORIGIN OF THE CAMPBELLITE DENOMINATION.
WHAT ABOUT THE BAPTISTS? We have shown that every sect, denomination, and so-called church, Baptist alone excepted, can be traced to a human founder, and originated long after Christ started His church. Plainly all of these being of post-apostolic origin, are eliminated.
2. THE LINE OF COMPARISON OF DOCTRINES.
"But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine. -Titus 2:1
"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrine". -Heb. 13:9 "...
In doctrine showing uncorruptness."-Titus 2:7
con't
