A Guide To

Find

The True

Church
—Michael G. Urangikor

Front Cover
 A GUIDE TO FIND THE TRUE
CHURCH
A GUIDE TO THE OLD PATHS
The world is religiously sick in that one does not know which way to follow
(Jeremiah 6:16). Man has, in his efforts to accord God an acceptable
service, gone as far as propounding strange doctrines and holding to
tenets that have become a complete violation of the teachings of Christ (II
John 9:11; Galatians 1:8-9; I Peter 4:11).

The world has also rejected the inspired directives of the One that is
vested with "all authority in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18).
Consequently, this rebellious act in man has supplied him with a strong
delusion so that he could not see the need to secure a hopeful relationship
with God in the body of Christ, the church.

Today, many have ignorantly grounded their faith in an unscriptural axiom

which states that "church is not important." With this religiously bigoted
belief, man has gone into a competition with Jesus in the statement "I will
build My church" (Matthew 16:18). Those that have his conviction are
unabashedly promoting this heretical dogma because they do not know
what the Bible says about the word "church."

I reserve no blame for such people because they are unaware of the
eternal purpose of God in his plan of salvation. Also I would not hold this
against them for the fact that they are offspring of the great harlot and as
a result have been trained to drag the church into apostasy.

It is this that the writer has taken the pain to write, without bias, a brief
guide to the church of the first century which is the only true church that
can survive the gates of hell. It is my plea that you should see the need,
after reading through this tract, to become a member of God's saving
church where His manifold wisdom is made known.

IDENTIFYING THE TRUE CHURCH

Is it possible to identify the true church in this world of increasing
denominationalism? Yes, if only we can allow the Bible to

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be our guide. Then how can one know which is the church of the Bible? We
must go back to the Bible to obtain the identification marks of the first
century church and compare them with the existing churches around the
world.

Naturally, for instance, if Mr. Awajiokino is missing, the only way his
parents can locate him is to gather his marks of identification and then
begin to search. It is only after finding the one that matches every mark of
identification used in the search that the parents would accept him as the
one they were seeking.

Therefore, when one wants to locate the true church that saves, one needs
to gather its identification marks. What are the identification marks? Where
are they found? The Bible has the answer.

ITS BUILDER
In Matthew 16:18, Jesus promised to build a church, "and on this rock I
will build My church." This indicates that no church can be the spiritual
church unless it was founded by Jesus Christ. Therefore, any church
founded by someone other than Christ is an apostate church. Many
centuries before the promise to establish a church, David announced a
great truth when he said, "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in
vain who build it" (Psalm 127:1).

The "house of God" is shown in the New Testament to be "the church of

the living God" (I Timothy 3:15). In Matthew 15:13 Jesus declared openly
that "every plant which my heavenly Father has not planted will be
uprooted." This teaches that it is not scriptural for a man to be a member
of any spiritual household, religious plant or church which was organized
by anyone except Christ: "It shall be uprooted."

PLACE OF ESTABLISHMENT
The true church of the Bible was established at Jerusalem. If you are a
member of a church that was not first begun at Jerusalem, you are not a
member of God's saving family on earth.

In Isaiah 2:2-3 we have a prophecy that Jehovah's house was to be

established in Jerusalem; Jehovah's house would be exalted

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and all nations would flow into it; and the time of fulfillment would be in
the latter days. What does Jehovah's house mean? Paul, the Apostle of
Christ, speaks of "the house of God, which is the church of the living God
..." (I Timothy 3:15).

Therefore, Jehovah's house in the book of Isaiah is the church, and, from
this prophecy, we learn when and where it was to be established.

In Micah 4:1-2 and Zechariah 1:16 it was also prophesied that the Lord's
house would be established in Jerusalem. These prophets have, through
the Holy Spirit, alerted the world on where the spiritual body of Jesus
Christ, the church, would first be established. These prophecies were
fulfilled thus:

1. The Holy Spirit was not to come until Jesus had gone away (John
16:7) and the apostles saw Him ascend out of their sight (Acts
1:9).

2. The apostles were commanded to tarry in Jerusalem (Luke

24:49), and the apostles, after His ascension, returned to
Jerusalem, the appointed place (Acts 1:12).

3. The apostles were to be clothed with power from on high (Luke

24:49), and this happened on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem
(Acts 2:1-4).

4. The Word of the Lord was to go forth from Jerusalem in the latter
days (Isaiah 2:2-3; Micah 4:1-2). And, on Pentecost Day, a
stirring sermon was preached in Jerusalem (Acts 2:14-42).
Peter, in his preaching, quoted Joel 12:28-32 and declared this
day was the latter days.

5. Repentance and remission of sins started in Jerusalem

6. The Lord's house, the church was to be established in Jerusalem

in the latter days (Isaiah 2:2-3; Micah 4:12; Zechariah 1:16).
This prophecy came to pass at Jerusalem with the baptism of
three thousand souls (Acts 2:41).

Dear friend, you need to be a member of this same church. There is no

importance in church succession. But if the same

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seed of the kingdom that produced the church of the first century is sown
today, I believe it will reproduce the true church in any community. Is that
what you are doing?

TIME A.D. 33
The church was founded on the first Pentecost following the resurrection of
Jesus from the dead. If you are a member of any church not built on the
Pentecost day of A.D. 33, then you are not in the church of the Bible, and
therefore should seek union with the body of Christ. This date is based on
the account of Acts 2.

It is a great privilege to be a member of the church that Christ established

and which He is the foundation (I Corinthians 3:11). Notice that the first
apostate church started many centuries after the establishment of Christ's
church.

ITS DESIGNATIONS
The true church has no special name, but it is spoken of in several
significant applications. A critical survey of the Bible reveals that the
following designations were authorized by the Holy Spirit for the church:

1. The body of Christ (Colossians 1:18, 24; Ephesians 4:12; 1:22-

23);
2. The kingdom of God's dear Son (Colossians 1:13);
3. The house of God (I Timothy 3:15);
4. The church of God (I Corinthians 1:2);
5. The church of the firstborn (Hebrews 12:23);
6. The church of the Lord (Acts 20:28);
7. The household of faith (Galatians 6:10);
8. The kingdom of God (Acts 28:23, 31); and
9. The churches of Christ (Romans 16:16; Matthew 16:18.

Notice that these references are not denominational names with their
headquarters somewhere on earth. They do not refer to different churches
established by men, but only to God's one true church. In each of these
names one can see God and His Son's name being glorified. God has
chosen these names for His church. Any term which is not from the Bible is
not a scriptural

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name for the true church. Beloved, if we are professing Christianity with a
name or designation that is foreign to the Bible, we are dishonoring God,
Christ and the Bible.

NAMES FOR ITS MEMBERS

Members of the true church wore the name "Christian" (Acts 11:26(. King
Agrippa knew of this name (Acts 26:28), and the first century church was
admonished not to suffer any other name than the name "Christian" (I
Peter 4:16). This name was the fulfillment of the prophecy that worshipers
of God would "be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will
name" (Isaiah 62:2), when the Gentiles would see the righteousness of
God. Along with this name, the Bible also recorded that members of the
true church were known by several distinctive and significant names,
among which are:

1. Disciples (Acts 20:7);

2. Saints (I Corinthians 1:2);
3. Beloved of God (Romans 1:7);
4. Brethren (I Corinthians 15:6);
5. Sons of God (Romans 8:14);
6. Children of God (I John 3:1);
7. Heirs of God (Romans 8:7); and finally,
8. Royal priesthood or priests (I Peter 2:9).

Members of the church were not called Baptists, Methodists, Anglicans,

Catholics, Lutherans, Pentecostals, Jehovah's Witnesses and many religious
hyphenated names. The Bible declares, "nor is there salvation in any other,
for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we
must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

ITS HEAD
Paul, in his writings, depicts Christ as the redeemer, the creator, and the
head of the church (Colossians 1:14-18; Ephesians 1:22-23; 4:15; 5:23;
Colossians 2:10). Christ is the source of life to the church. He rules the
church with divine authority.

These quotations suggest that Christ has a divine head and a divine body
(Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22-23), a divine authority (Matthew 28:18),
a divine practice (Colossians 3:17;

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I Thessalonians 5:21), a divine perpetuity (Hebrews 13:8) and a divine
relationship with the church (I Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:11-15; I
Peter 4:8-11). Therefore, if one has developed the desire to have Christ as
his head, he must be in the body or church of which Christ is the head and
the Savior.

ONLY ONE TRUE CHURCH

The Scripture states that "there is one body and one Spirit, just as you
were called in one hope of your calling" (Ephesians 4:4). This indicates that
the body is one and that God loves oneness. But what does the Bible say is
the body? Colossians 1:18 and Ephesians 1:22-23 are proofs that the
church and the body are the same.

Therefore, if there is one body and it is the church, then there is but one
true church. God does not have pleasure in denominationalism in that He
does not give any man the power to duplicate churches in the name of
Christianity (John 17:20-21).

The existence of denominations on earth today is the result of our inability

to stay in the doctrine of Christ and to recognize Him as the only head of
the church.

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
Men were not called members of the New Testament church by a decision
to join it in a crusade or by filling out a form. They were not known as
members because their parents were prominent members of the church.
The Scripture, the standard of authority, has provided some conditions for
an alien sinner who wants to become a Christian. Notice that to become a
member of this church is to become a Christian.

The conditions are:

1. Believe in Christ (John 8:24; Hebrews 11:6);

2. Repent of your sins (Acts 17:30-31; Luke 13:3-5);
3. Confess your faith in Christ Jesus as the Son of the living God
(Romans 10:9-10). Confession of sin is only for those who fall
away from the faith (I John 1:7-9) and not for alien sinners, and
finally;
4. Be baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16).

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The purposes of baptism are:

1. To wash away sins (Acts 22:16).

2. For the remission of sins (Acts 2:38).
3. To enter into the one body, the true church (Acts 2:47; I
Corinthians 12:13).
4. To become a member of God's kingdom (John 3:3-5).
5. To be saved (Mark 16:16; I Peter 3:21).
6. To put on Christ (Galatians 3:27).

Baptism is not pouring or sprinkling as it is being practiced by some

denominations. It is a figure of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ
(Romans 6:3-5). Its action is immersion (Acts 8:38-39). Baptism does not
require examination or official aptitude tests whereby if one fails he may
be restricted from it. Finally, an infant is not a subject for baptism.

ITS WORSHIP
All religious services in the first century were commanded to be done in
spirit and in truth (John 4:24) and also to be decent and in order (I
Corinthians 14:40). The first century church met for worship on the first
day of the week (Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 16:2) and their worship was
simple and based entirely on the command of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible reveals only five items of worship and they are:

1. Singing (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 2:12). This

was done without the use of mechanical instruments. The fact
that David commanded the use of instrumental music in Jewish
worship (Psalm 150) does not indicate that Christians can do so
today. The Bible specifically states that we are not under the Old
Testament Laws (Hebrews 1:1-2; 8:6-9; Galatians 3:24-25;
Colossians 2:14-15). The first century church did not have
choristers to sing for them or any type of mood music to
entertain the saints. Moreover, the Greek word which is
translated sing in the English Bible does not mean to "play an
instrument." Therefore, instrumental music in worship today is
rebellion against God's will concerning the Christian worship.

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2. Praying: The only way man can talk to God is by praying. The
Bible states that the early Christians were commanded to pray
everywhere (I Timothy 2:8), without ceasing (I Thessalonians
5:17) and in every situation (Acts 12:5; 16:25; Romans 8:26).
The denominational practice that permits a woman to lead
prayers in church (where both men and women are present) is
against the command of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 14:34; I
Timothy 2:8).

3. Teaching or preaching: It is God's will that Christians should

study His written word so that they would not go away from the
doctrines of Christ (II John 9). The following quotations point
out that teaching or preaching was important and was a practice
in the church of the first century (Acts 20:7; I Corinthians
14:23-26; Romans 1:15; I Timothy 3:15; Acts 2:42). Christians
were commanded to study to show themselves approved as
workmen that needed not to be ashamed (II Timothy 2:15) so
they would be able to give an answer to questions concerning
their faith (I Peter 3:15). In I Timothy 2:11-12 and I
Corinthians 14:34-35, the Scripture commanded that women
should not teach or preach but to learn in silence with all
subjection. But women can teach children and other women
(Titus 2:3-5), and also men in private situations (Acts 18:26).
This is the command of God to those who are spiritually gifted (I
Corinthians 14:37) and a violation of it does mean that we are
children of disobedience.

4. Lord's Supper: Before the death of Christ, He instituted a feast

and commanded the apostles to observe it as a memorial of His
death till He would come again (Matthew 26:26-29; Luke 22:13-
21). Then, the apostles commanded the church to do it as the
Lord instituted (I Corinthians 11:23). This was a weekly feast in
the first century (Acts 20:7) and was meant to be done on no
other day than the first day of the week. Nowhere in the Bible
do we read of monthly, quarterly, or yearly communion
services. The early Christians partook of the unleavened bread
and the fruit of the vine regularly on every first day of the

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 week. They also did observe this feast in a worthy manner (I
Corinthians 11:27-28). All Christians are qualified to eat with
Christ (I Corinthians 11:23-36).

5. Giving: Collections of the Saints is an act of worship. By this

collection of their individual means the early Christians
supported their ordained missions. Apostle Paul commanded
that it should be done on the first day of the week (I Corinthians
16:1-2). There was no tithing, class fee, seed faith box or New
Year offering in the original church. They did give as they were
prospered and purposed in their hearts (II Corinthians 9:6-7).
God is seeing our individual giving and will share His blessing
accordingly. The examples of God-approved givers are the
Macedonians who gave beyond their power (II Corinthians 8:1-
4) and the poor widow of Mark 12:41-44 who gave all she had.
The Bible says that "It is more blessed to give than to receive"
(Acts 20:35).

ITS MISSION
The mission of the church is three-fold. The church of the first century
preached the gospel (Mark 16:15; I Thessalonians 1:8; Philippians 4:14-
18), helped those in need (Acts 4:34-35; 6:1-7; I Timothy 5:16) and
edified its members (Ephesians 4:11-16). Any church that does not have
these as its mission is not the church of the Bible.

ITS DOCTRINE
The doctrine of the original church is based on the Bible only. The early
Christians accepted the revelations from the Holy Spirit without addition,
subtraction or substitution (Revelation 22:18-19; Galatians 1:6-11). A
sensible motto rightly states: "If a human creed contains more than the
Bible it contains too little, but if it contains the same thing as the Bible, we
do not need if anyway." Therefore, the catechism, church manuals,
confessions of faith, canticles are not needful today because they are
works of uninspired men. The early Christians did not have them in their
worship as they knew such would change the doctrines of Christ. The New
Testament was their guide!

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 ITS ORGANIZATION
The early church had reverently recognized Christ as its head (Colossians
1:18; Ephesians 5:23; 20:17-18) and each congregation was under the
elders (Acts 14:23; 20:17-18) who were assisted in their work by the
deacons (I Timothy 3:1-13); Philippians 1:1). It also had evangelists who
publicly proclaimed the gospel (II Timothy 4:5; Ephesians 4:11). The
organizational structure of the early church was according to God's
command. The Lord's church has no earthly head or headquarters and
neither did it have national or international man-made organizations. Every
local congregation was independent and had every right to exist without
the oversight of an older congregation.

The present practice of one elder or single pastor over God's church is
unscriptural. The Bible says, "Appoint elders in every city" and not one
"elder" (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5). There should be a plurality of elders (who
are the same as bishops and pastors) in every church. These names were
interchangeably used (Acts 20:17, 28 and I Peter 5:1-2).

It was a departure from God's pattern that gave rise to synods, general
councils, assemblies, conferences, presbyteries, etc. in the religious world.
This is the result of a full-grown apostasy from the New Testament pattern
of government and organization. Also, all religious titles are not scriptural.

It is not wise in a religious sense to call a man by the title: Reverend,

Father, Apostle, Prophet, Master, Pope, Cardinal, Archbishop, Archdeacon,
Pastor, etc. (Read Matthew 23:8-10.) Terms like elder, deacon, evangelist
are scriptural but cannot be used as a title.

THE TRUE CHURCH WAS UNDENOMINATIONAL

The church of the Bible was never a denomination. The word denomination
means a division by name which also, in a religious sense, signifies a sect
or party.

The original church was not a division of any other church. It was not a
Jewish synagogue as the Old Testament had been fulfilled and done away
before the church was established (Romans 7:1-4; Colossians 2:14-17;
Hebrews 8:8-13). It was not a

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protestant denomination as all denominations of our day were established
by men hundreds of years after A.D. 33 (Mark 9:1; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4, 47).
The practices such as prayer altars, voting on baptismal candidates,
mechanical instruments of music in worship, universal and territorial
organizations, etc. were not in the original church.

Finally, the true church was not the Catholic Church. The Roman Catholic
Church did not exist in a full-grown state until A.D. 606, nearly 600 years
after the true church was established. Moreover, their cardinal doctrines do
conflict with the doctrines of the true church.

The original church is that one fold mentioned in John 10:16. There is only
one body and it is the church of Christ on earth. This is the body that
Christ is the head (Ephesians 4:4; Ephesians 5:22-23).

CHURCH DISCIPLINE
The early Christians did not compromise sin. This was an obedience to the
Holy Spirit command to withdraw from an unruly brother (II Thessalonians
3:6). In spite of the Bible record that God was a God of love (I John 4:8),
He is also a God of severity (Romans 11:22).

The Lord intended that the true church should exercise discipline so as to
bring the erring ones to repentance before it was too late (I Corinthians
5:5). Discipline can not wreck a local congregation as it did not weaken the
early church (Acts 5:1-11, 14).

Therefore, as Paul would not compromise sin at Corinth (I Corinthians 5:4-

5) but rebuked a tolerance of sin in that church, any congregation that
overlooks discipline today is not the true church and cannot lead one to
heaven.

The Holy Spirit warns that sin should be publicly rebuked (I Timothy 5:20).
There was no back-bench and suspension system of discpline in the true
church.

Beloved, the above mentioned marks of identification were taken from a

concise study of the Bible and not from a biased mind. You are sincerely
requested to compare these with that of the

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church you are attending or other churches around you. If they do not
agree with the doctrines of the church you attend, then you have ample
opportunity now to fight for your salvation by leaving your traditions
behind and taking the Bible as your guide and only standard of authority in
religion. You need to become a member of the body where salvation is
possible. God loves you and needs you in His Family, the church of Christ,
which is God's kingdom on earth (John 3:16; II Peter 3:9).

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