Articles
Is One Church Just as Good as Another
Is One Church Just as Good as Another? By Derek Long
Many today would tell you that it does not matter which church you go to, one church is just as good as another church, and go to the church that fits you the best. We must realize however that the Bible often calls upon us to do things that might not “fit my preferences”, instead I must learn to deny myself and submit to Christ (Matthew 16:24). Rather than seeking for a church that “fits” us, we should be looking for the Church that “fits” God.
When Jesus talked about the Church, He only promised to build one church (Matthew 16:18). If someone was to say it does not matter who builds your house, one person is just as good as another, would you agree with them? You would not. A contractor is going to do a much better job building your house than say an accountant or someone who has never built a house and is not qualified to do such. So it is with the church, those churches built by men are not as good as the Church built by God. We find that those who follow things not planted by God will be uprooted (Matthew 15:13) and such will be the case with many churches on the last day. Most people realize the importance of being in the Church that Christ built, yet by realizing this, they admit that a church built by man is not as good as the Church built by Christ and therefore one church is not just as good as another. However, when we look at the religious world around us we find many churches that have been built by men. Sadly, some even wear the name of a man openly in their title. For example, the Lutheran Church and the Wesleyan Church are churches that wear not the name of Christ but the name of a man because they were founded by men. Any church that you cannot read about in the Bible is certainly not the Church that Jesus built and therefore has the wrong builder.
The argument that there are many different churches all approved by God is in direct contrast to very clear Bible passages. For example, Ephesians 4:4-6 says, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” From this passage we are taught there is simply one body, but what is the body? In Ephesians 1:22-23 we find, “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” In this passage we learn the church is the body and since we have already noted there is only one body, there is only one church. Notice the inconsistency of those who argue all churches are alright. The same passage of scripture that teaches there is one church is the same passage that says there is one God yet they do not say it is alright to worship the God of your choice. The reason we cannot say one church is just as good as another is because the Bible only speaks of one church and Jesus only built one church. In addition, notice that Jesus is “the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). Notice how there is only one Savior (Acts 4:12; John 14:6) because it simply speaks of “the Savior”. Yet at the same time, there must only be one body
(one church) because it simply speaks of “the body”. Any argument opening the door to multiple churches approved by God, by the same logic, opens the door to multiple saviors approved by God.
In order to be added to the church that Jesus built, one must be saved (Acts 2:47). Upon meeting the terms of forgiveness as laid out in scripture, God will add you to the Church built by His Son (Colossians 1:13) not to some church built by men. In order to be saved and added to the Church, one must hear the gospel (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus Christ (Mark 16:16), repent of past sins (Acts 2:38), confess one’s faith in Christ (Acts 8:36-37), and be baptized (Acts 2:38, 41, 47).
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