I used to be a Baptist like you Prince Jeff and I know what denomination means. Have you studied what the "Iglesia Ni Cristo" teaches and have you compared this with your church? If you haven't, then you don't know what you are talking about. That's why we invite people to study the word of God with us.
I don't need to study what any church teaches when it claims to be the only true church of Christ, because it goes directly against the word of God to do so. I study my Bible and it says many times that ANYONE who believes in the Lord as his/her savior and confesses with their mouth that they will be saved. The NT speaks of the church as the Body of Christ, including ALL of the redeemed of ALL the ages, believers from EVERY tribe, tongue, people, and nation. This means all people Ed. Read Romans 1:16 (The Apostle Paul tells us that the gospel (good news) is the power of God to salvation to everyone who believes), 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (The good news of Christ concerns His death, burial, and resurrection. This is the gospel the Apostles preached. You'll notice that Paul makes no mention of the church in this declaration. If the church is necessary for salvation, Paul certainly would have mentioned it here.), Romans 5:8-9 (The INC teaches that Jesus shed His blood for the church only (people collectively in the INC organization) and that it is through the church organization that one comes to Christ. This is a false gospel. The Bible teaches that Christ shed His blood for sinners individuals these individuals, coming to Him alone for salvation, then make up His church the body of Christ.), Mark 1:15 (In order to receive forgiveness of sin we must repent (change our mind) and believe that Christ died for our sin, was buried and rose again. Change your mind that only Christ can save you, and not the INC, good works, or anything else.), Romans 10:9-10 (With a repentant and believing heart, you can call upon the Lord Jesus and be saved!), Galatians 4:6 (When you believe in and confess Christ He comes to indwell you by His Spirit, and you are adopted into His family. (Romans 8:15), 1 Corinthians 12:27 (As previously stated, as members of Christ's family, we are the body of Christ the church.), and John 3:36 (If you refuse to obey the gospel of Christ, your sins cannot be cleansed and you remain under the wrath of God).
The "Iglesia Ni Cristo" is NOT a denomination. It is THE true church of Christ in these last days. THE true church of Christ in the first century was called the Greek equivalent of "churches of Christ" (Rom. 16:16).
There is a key phrase here: "churches of Christ". All believers Eddo. Any church started by anyone besides God Himself is in deep error claiming to be the only true church. Read your Bible again.
These people who TRULY believe in Jesus and will have everlasting life are found ONLY in the "Iglesia Ni Cristo" the TRUE church of Christ in these last days. That's why we invite everyone who desires to be saved to "enter" (John 10:9) or become "members individually" of the church or body of Christ (Rom. 12:4-5).
Looks to me after studying John 10:9 that to be saved you enter through Jesus Christ, not the INC. Going through Romans 12:4-5 I see, "For as we have many members in one body, and all mebers have not the same office: So we,
being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." We don't all have the same office which means we are not all in the same group, and 12:5 again refers to ALL believers not just one group, such as the INC says.
Where did you get the idea that John 3:16 excludes certain groups of people? Jesus clearly says "whoever" believes... meaning ANYONE (not any group).
I said it myself Ed that it means ANYONE. Read closer and you would have seen that. When I said, "outside your denomination" I was saying that ANYONE who believes, not just members of the INC. Now you are saying it means ANYONE, which contradicts everything you have ever said claiming the INC to be the only true church. If you believe the Bible literally, you would not say John 3:16 means ANYONE who believes is saved, then claim the INC is the only true church. Swing and a miss, my brother.
God ABHORS denominationalism, schism or division Prince Jeff. The fact that your church is a denomination of something is proof that YOUR CHURCH is NOT of God.
I should say the same of your church Ed. But you refuse to believe the INC is a denomination started by men.
What do you mean I'm treading dangerous grounds by excluding other denominations?
Lookie here! He indirectly admits his church IS a denomination. Ed your attitude is the same as the Pharisees, who claimed only they were right and everyone else was wrong. Look where that got them.
The Bible clearly says that Christ built HIS church. Christ did NOT build MANY churches. The church is Christ's body and he is the HEAD [Col. 1:18]. It is therefore UNTHINKABLE for Christ to have MANY bodies with DIFFERENT names and DIFFERENT faiths.
Yes he built HIS church. He did not build the INC. Yes the church is the body and he is the head, but we are all different parts of ONE BODY as Bible-believing Christians. And I never said there was many bodies with different names and different faiths.
It is also UNTHINKABLE for Christ to have a BODY or church who DOES NOT believe what its HEAD says. The HEAD says he is a MAN (John 8:40). The BODY says "You are God! Thomas says so.) The HEAD says the FATHER is the ONLY true God (John 17:3). The BODY says "You are ALSO God IN ADDITION to the FATHER! The Catholic Council of Nicea declared it in 325 AD.
"Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord." (credit to the So. Baptist faith and message)
I can't say it better myself.
Jeff
