Fact #1 The Lord DID establish a church.
A. Anything else is in vain.
Psa 127:1 A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.
Fact #2 He and He alone is the foundation of it. (This Rock)
Peter (Petros = a PIECE of rock) This Rock = (Petra (fem) bedrock)
1 Cor 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Deut 32:1 Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
Deut 32:2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, my speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass:
Deut 32:3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
Deut 32:4 He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment:
Deut 32:30 How should one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?
Deu 32:31 For their rock is not as our Rock, even our enemies themselves being judges.
Psa. 18:31 For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?
Fact # 3 HE is the HEAD of it
Eph 1:22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.
Fact # 4 It is impossible that He built more than ONE KIND of Church
1 Cor 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
1 Cor 1:11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
1 Cor 1:12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
1 Cor 1:13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
Fact # 5 It will endure until He returns
And the" gates of hell shall not prevail against it."
A. He watches over, corrects and protects her. (The seven churches of Asia in Revelation)
B. When He returns at the time of the rapture, it will be primarily to receive her as His Bride.
John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
John 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Fact # 6 She has two divine brands
A. Baptism - The design, purpose and authority is of heavenly origin.
John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
John 1:33 And I knew him not; but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
Mat 3:13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
Mat 3:14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
Mat 3:15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
Acts 1:21 Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
Acts 1:22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
B. The Lord's Supper. Christ himself instituted it. It is HIS supper in HIS House and we can only obey His desires in it.
1 Cor 11:17 Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.
1 Cor 11:18 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
1 Cor 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
1 Cor 11:20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. {Continue to end of chapter}
Fact # 7 A SCRIPTURAL New Testament Church MUST meet three tests.
A. Her Origin. She must be a descendant of the Church that Jesus started. {See Text}
1. Anything else MUST have a man as its founder.
2. An unscriptural church cannot "become" scriptural
Job 14:4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
B. Her Teachings.
Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
3. Her Practices.
Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayers.
James 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James 1:23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:
James 1:24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.
James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James 2:17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
James 2:18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.