Can A Denomination or a Religious

Body Ever Claim Theirs is the True

Church?

by abuGian
[Updated: Dec. 29, 2003; May 21, 2007]

You see, the true Church is invisible[*]

and universal it is not bounded by walls
or by geography (Eph. 1:10, 22-23;
5:23, 27, 32; Col. 1:18). For example, a
newly regenerated Christian in New York
is supernaturally placed by the Holy
Spirit in this universal and invisible body
of Christ, but it seems that he belongs
to, say, Times Square Church, a local
congregation there, or shall we say a
visible church[**] where he got born
again.

Meanwhile in another part of the world,

in the Philippines somewhere up North,
in Labrador Christian Fellowship, in
another visible church, another person is
born-again, the Holy Spirit immediately
enjoin him to that invisible and universal
Body of Christ, although to him it seems
he belongs to that local congregation or
to that visible church. In the spiritual
realm this guy in Pangasinan and this
guy in New York are brothers in the Lord,
united by one Spirit in one invisible and
universal Church, since they are one in
Spirit they are one in the essential
doctrines of the faith and these are: the
Trinity, salvation by grace through faith,
etc.

There will be at times disagreement in

minor doctrines but when they meet in
the presence of God these minor
differences disappear. Such is the case
for the visible church, The Westminster
Confession of Faith, Chapter XXV, Of the
Church, says:

The purest churches under heaven are

subject both to mixture and error [I Cor.
13:12; Rev. ch. 2-3; Matt. 13:24-30,
47]; and some have so degenerated, as
to become no churches of Christ, but
synagogues of Satan[Matt. 23:37-39;
Rom. 11:18-22]. Nevertheless, there
shall be always a church on earth, to
worship God according to his will.[Matt.
16:18; Psa. 45:16-7; 72:17; Matt.
28:19-20; I Cor. 15:51-52; I Thess.
4:17]
Now going back to Times Square Church
in New York, it is a big congregation and
there are many attendees. Even
unregenerates go there, but though they
seem to be part of that local
congregation in the spiritual realm they
are not part of the invisible and universal
Body of Christ for, not being a born-again
person, they are not made to drink the
same Spirit. They are just enlightened
perhaps by the Pastor who speaks so
well or the praise and worship that is so
dynamic.
The point is there are true churches, we
know it by the doctrines they uphold and
the Spirit they have with them. No single
denomination or any religious body can
ever claim theirs alone is the true
Church, because that is not how it really
is in the spiritual realm. Read more click
the link.

What are the marks of a Bible-based,

Spirit-filled, Christ-centered Church?