Articles
The Church Jesus Built (3)
The Church Jesus Built 3: One Church
By Mike Willis
Most people form their understanding of the church from what they see in the culture around them. Unfortunately, much of what men learn from contemporary churches is disappointing. There are hundreds of churches claiming to be associated with Christianity.
What is surprising is that Jesus promised to build His church. Note that Jesus used a singular noun—church (Matt. 16:18). Later, He exhorted His disciples not to divide, but to be united. On the night Jesus was betrayed, He prayed, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, THAT THEY MAY ALL BE ONE, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me” (John 17:20-21). When first century churches failed to keep the unity of the faith, they were rebuked (1 Cor. 1-4). Therefore, in the broadest sense of the biblical use of church (to refer to all believers in Jesus as the Christ), there was the divine intention that there be but one church or one body (Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4). “For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13). In the first century, those who believed in Jesus were baptized and added to the ONE BODY.
The apostles themselves warned against preaching and following another gospel. Paul warned the various local congregations in the province of Galatia: “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. BUT EVEN IF WE OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN SHOULD PREACH TO YOU A GOSPEL CONTRARY TO THE ONE WE PREACHED TO YOU, LET HIM BE ACCURSED. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:6-9).
It is obvious that first century Christians did not accept hundreds of churches preaching different ways of being saved, different methods of worship, believing different things about Jesus, etc. as exists in 21st century America. Americans may celebrate religious diversity but Jesus did not! Remember, Paul warned that believing and preaching a different gospel has serious and eternal consequences—LET HIM BE ACCURSED!
That means that those who believe in Jesus as their Lord need to be certain that have not believed and obeyed ANOTHER GOSPEL. This warning in Galatians 1:6-9 is contrary to the popular modern belief that says, “It doesn’t make any difference what you believe so long as one is good, honest and sincere.” Do not be deceived.
