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Observations:

Observations:. Jesus promised to build His Church, Matt.16:18; Acts 2:47; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23. Before the church was established Jesus prayed for unity , John 17:20-21, Paul reproved the saints at Corinth because of their division, I Cor. 1:10-13. Paul’s instruction in Eph. 4:1-6.

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Observations:

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  1. Observations: • Jesus promised to build His Church, Matt.16:18; Acts 2:47; Col. 1:18; Eph. 5:23. • Before the church was established Jesus prayed for unity, John 17:20-21, • Paul reproved the saints at Corinth because of their division, I Cor. 1:10-13. • Paul’s instruction in Eph. 4:1-6. • But we live in an age of religious division! • Lesson Title: “If One church is as Good as Another, then:”

  2. “The One church is as Good as Another” Mind Set Only Applies in Matters Religious! • Is One Wife as good as another? • Is one baby as good as another? • Is one prescription as good as another? • Is one doctor as good as another? • When you purchase clothing, is one size as good as another? • Is one deed as good as another? • Is one plate of food as good as another?

  3. If Jesus Built More than One Church, Then: • Our Opening Text, Matt. 16:18, is Grammatically incorrect! • “…upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” • “My church,” (singular in number). • “It,” not “them!” • Note: Rom. 16:16.

  4. If Jesus Built More than One Church, Then: • God Approves of all Churches! • Ps. 127:1: “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.. • Matt. 15:13: “Every plant, which my heavenly Father has not planted, shall be rooted up.” • Note also Hebrews 8:1-3.

  5. If Jesus Built More than One Church, then: • God is the Author of Confusion! • The “one church is as good as another” crowd expects each church to believe what it wantsto believe, and teach what itwants to teach, all with God’s approval! • I Cor. 14:33: “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” • Question: Does God call one man to affirm what he calls another to deny??

  6. If Jesus Built More than one Church, Then: • God’s spiritual law is not immutable! • His physical laws are immutable! Genesis 1:11; Galatians 6:7. • Luke 8:11: “Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.” cf. I Pet. 1:23. • Note: Even as you can not take one seed and get 300 different crop varieties, you can not take the true word of God and get 300 (or more) denominations!

  7. If Jesus Built More than One Church, Then: • Jesus is the Head of all Churches. • 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.” cf. Eph. 1:22,23; 5:23. • If “one church is as good another,” then He is as much the head of one church as He is another!

  8. If Jesus Built More than One Church, Then: • There is nothing in a name! • Acts 4:12: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” • Note: in the secular realm, no one really believes there is nothing in a name!

  9. If Jesus Built More than One Church, then: • He is a spiritual Bigamist! • 2 Cor. 11:2: “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” cf. Ephesians 5:23-25; Matthew 19:6-8. • However, if “one church is as good as another, then Jesus is married to all churches!

  10. If Jesus Built More than One Church, then: • The Lord made a Mistake in His Math! • Acts 2:47: “Praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” • Question: When did God stop adding the saved to “the church,” and began dividing them into many churches?

  11. If “One Church is as Good as Another,” then: • One Belief is as Good as Another! • Mark 16:15-16: “…go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” • John 8:24: “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”

  12. If One Church is As Good as Another, Then: • One Builder is as Good as Another! • Matthew 16:18: “…upon this rock I will build my church…” • Centuries later other churches were built by such people as Luther, Wesley, Joseph Smith, Ellen G. White, Mary Baker Eddy, “Pastor” Russell, etc. Were they as good as Jesus??

  13. If One Church is As Good as Another, Then: • One Foundation is as good as another! • I Cor. 3:11: “For other foundation can no man lay than that that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” • Note also Isaiah 28:16 and Acts 4:11. • Centuries later other churches were built upon different foundations!

  14. If One Church is As Good as Another, then: • The Blood of Christ is of no particular benefit! • 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.” cf. Ephesians 5:23-25. • All human denominations came into existence 100’s of years later!

  15. If One Church is As Good as Another, Then: • One Worship is as Good as Another! • John 4:23,24: “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship Him in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” • Matthew 15:9: “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”

  16. If One Church is as Good as Another, Then: • There is no such thing as TheChurch! • Colossians 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.” cf. Eph. 1:22-23. • Note: If “one church is as good as another,” then no church is unique, no church is unique, no church is “the church!”

  17. Conclusion: • Someone is wrong, and it is not God or the Bible! Titus 1:2; Romans 3:3-4. • The Bible is an all-sufficient guide, 2 Timothy 3:16-17. • By it we will be judged, John 12:48. • It behooves us to obey God rather than man!

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