GOD’S PLAN FOR REDEEMING MAN

1. GOD’S PLAN FOR REDEEMING MAN God’s Eternal Plan for Us As Revealed in the Word Lesson 8: The Sects and the Denominations

2. SECTS AND DENOMINATIONS NOT IN GOD’S PLAN FOR SAVING MAN! • Before the foundation of the world, God had a plan to choose a people of His own, a people who should be holy and blameless before Him. • EPHESIANS 1:3-4. • “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.”

3. Then His Son came and said He would build His church. • MATTHEW 16:16-19. • “Simon Peter replied, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ 17 And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it.”

4. The church is God’s people whom He washed, justified and sanctified in Christ. • 1 CORINTHIANS 6:11. • “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

5. Since the church is now that people, a people who have been washed, justified and sanctified, it follows that the church has been a part of God’s plan for the ages.

6. The church was the institution which God purchased with His own blood. • ACTS 20:28. • “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” • This means that the crucifixion and death of Jesus has been a part of God’s plan to choose a people of His own.

7. Through the supervision of the Holy Spirit who was sent by the Father and the Son (JOHN 14:26; 15:26; LUKE 24:49), the house of God—the church—was built in the city of Jerusalem on that first Pentecost day after Jesus rose from the dead.

8. Preaching the Good News of His death, burial and resurrection, persuading those who believe to repent and be baptized in order for their sins to be remitted—these are all included in God’s plan. • LUKE 24:44-47. • “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spoke to you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

9. “45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, 46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

10. Three thousand souls were baptized on that Pentecost day. • Then was fulfilled God’s purpose to choose a people, a kingdom, a church of His own. • The church that began in AD 30 has continued to flourish in our time, ever-multiplying, ever-conquering, marching victoriously on to the beat of the Divine Drummer. And this is the church we are members of.

11. The church of the Lord came before there ever were sects and denominations in the world. • If God was able to save a people, justify them, and sanctify them, without starting a sect or a denomination, what then is the need for these human institutions?

12. PSALM 127:1 says, “Except the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it.” • The house of God is the church of the living God (1 TIM. 3:15). “Except the Lord builds the church, they labor in vain who build it.”

13. SECTARIAN SPIRIT THE CAUSE OF RELIGIOUS DIVISION! • Jesus prayed for all believers to be one. • JOHN 17:20-21. • “I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”

14. The rise of the sects is contrary to God’s plan. Our plea to achieve religious unity is for all believers to go back to the Bible as the basis of our teaching and practice. • Sectarianism divides, as illustrated in the religious system we now know as Catholicism:

15. The Catholics in the East (under the patriarch of Constantinople) and the Catholics in the West (under the bishop of Rome) had divided over the filioque issue, anathematizing each other, and finally separating in AD 1054. • (1) Eastern Catholics became the “ORTHODOX CHURCH.” • (2) Those in the West became the “ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH.”

16. (3) Martin Luther’s protest over the abuses of the Roman Catholic Church led to his group’s separation from the main Catholic body, and the founding of the “LUTHERAN CHURCH” in 1530. • The Lutherans also call themselves German Catholics.

17. (4) Because the pope would not let him divorce his Catholic wife, Henry VIII split from Rome in 1534 and became the head of the English Catholic church, or the CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

18. (5) Half a million German Catholics, led by the theologian Johann Joseph Ignaz von Dollinger, separated from the main Roman Catholic body over the disagreement on papal infallibility, in 1871, and became what is now known as “OLD CATHOLICS.”

19. (6) Filipino Catholics, led by Gregorio Aglipay, separated from the Roman Catholic Church in 1902 and formed the “PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC CHURCH.”

20. Sectarianism divides, and divides again. • If we all agree to speak where the Bible speaks, be silent where the Bible is silent, then we may put an end to this blight in Christendom.

21. LIST OF SOME SECTS FOUNDED BY MEN • (1) ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH • Also known as the Western Church. • Head: The “Pope” of Rome • First “pope”: Boniface VI (607 AD) • Headquarters: Rome, Italy

22. The Roman Catholic Church fulfills this prophecy of Paul. • 1 TIMOTHY 4:1-3. • “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; 3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.”

23. (2) GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH • Also known as the Eastern Church Orthodox Church • Head: Patriarch of Istanbul • Headquarters: Istanbul, Turkey • Year: 1054. • Cause of separation from the Western Church: The filioque issue. • For additional info on the sect, visit this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox_Church

24. (3) LUTHERAN CHURCH • Founder: Martin Luther, a former Agustinian monk • Place: Germany • Year: 1517 was the start of Luther’s controversy with Rome. His followers began calling themselves “Lutherans” in 1530. • Cause of separation: The abuses of the Roman Catholic Church. • For additional info, visit this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutheranism

25. (4) CHURCH OF ENGLAND • Founder: King Henry VIII of England • Head: King or Queen of England • Place: England • Year: 1534 • Cause of separation from the Roman Church: Because the “pope” would not allow him to divorce his wife and marry another. • For additional info, visit this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_England

26. (5) PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH • Founder: John Calvin • Year: 1535 • Place: Geneva • Please visit this site for additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbyterianism

27. (6) CHURCH OF SCOTLAND • Founder: John Knox • Year: 1560 • Place: Scotland • Please visit this site for additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Scotland

28. (7) BAPTIST CHURCH • Founder: John Smith • Year: 1609 • Place: Amsterdam, Holland • For additional info, please visit this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baptist_Church

29. (8) QUAKERS • Founder: George Fox • Year: 1647 • Place: England • For additional info, visit this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quakers

30. (9) METHODIST CHURCH • Founder: John Wesley • Year: 1729 • Place: England • For additional info, visit this site: • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methodist

31. (10) MORMON CHURCH • Founder: Joseph Smith • Year: 1830 • Place: New York • Visit this site for additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormonism

32. (11) SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH • Founder: William Miller • Year: 1844 • Place: New York • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seventh-day_Adventist_Church

33. (12) SALVATION ARMY • Founder: William Booth • Year: 1865 • Place: England • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvation_Army

34. (13) JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES • Founder: Charles T. Russell and J. F. Rutherford • Year: 1872 • Place: Pennsylvania • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jehovah's_Witnesses

35. (14) CHURCH OF CHRIST-SCIENTIST • Founder: Mary B. Eddy • Year: 1879 • Place: Massachusetts • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Christ,_Scientist

36. (15) CHURCH OF GOD • Founder: Richard Spurling • Year: 1886 • Place: Tennessee • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_God_(Cleveland,_Tennessee)

37. (16) THE NAZARENE CHURCH • Founders: Bresee & Widney • Year: 1895 • Place: California • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazarene_Church

38. (17) CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST • Founders: Jones & Mason • Year: 1897. Some say 1907. • Place: Tennessee • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_God_in_Christ

39. (18) PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENT CATHOLIC CHURCH (Aglipayans) • Founder: Gregorio Aglipay • Year: 1902 • Place: Philippines • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aglipayan

40. (19) PENTECOSTAL CHURCH • Outgrowth of Azusa Street Church • Year: 1906 • Place: California • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peniel_Mission#Azusa_Street_and_the_Rise_of_Pentecostalism

41. (20) IGLESIA NI CRISTO - 1914 • Founder: Felix Y. Manalo • Year: 1914 • Place: Taguig, Philippines • Felix Manalo first became a member of the Church of Christ (instrumental group). Leaving the group, he became an Adventist. Leaving the Adventist he established his own church, first in Punta, Sta. Ana, Manila. • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iglesia_ni_Cristo

42. (21) ASSEMBLIES OF GOD • Founders: Group of Ministers • Year: 1914 • Place: Arkansas • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assemblies_of_God_USA

43. (22) MONCADISTA • Founder: Hilario Moncado • Year: 1927 • Place: Philippines • Some info may be gleaned here: http://commentary.mindanao.com/2007/02/i-finally-satisfied-my-curiosity/

44. (23) UNIFICATION CHURCH • Founder: Sun Myung Moon • Year: 1946 • Place: South Korea • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unification_church

45. (24) UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST IN THE PHILIPPINES (UCCP) • Founders: Group of Ministers • Year: 1948 • Place: Philippines • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Church_of_Christ_in_the_Philippines

46. (25) PHILIPPINE BENEVOLENT MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION (PBMA) • Founder: Ruben Ecleo, Sr. • Year: 1965 • Place: Dinagat Island, Philippines

47. (26) “CHILDREN OF GOD” • Founder: David Berg • Year: 1968 • Place: California • Additional info may be had here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unification_church

48. (27) “ANG DATING DAAN”(CHURCH OF GOD INTERNATIONAL) • Founder: Eliseo Soriano • Year: 1977 • Place: Philippines • Additional info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ang_dating_daan

49. END OF LESSON SERIES