By Humphsky Rey
The Iglesia ni Cristo Inc. claims to be the one true Church founded by Christ since their name, Church of Christ can be found in the Bible, specifically in Acts 20:28 and Romans 16:16 of certain translations like that of Dr. Lamsa and the Peshitta. They said that they are the one being greeted in the letter of Saint Paul to the Romans in Romans 16:16 which says:
👉"Salute one another with an holy kiss. The CHURCHES OF CHRIST salute you." Romans 16:16
Thus, because of the said phrase in the verse, INC 1914 members are very proud to say that they are indeed Biblically founded, same with how their founder, Felix Manalo had taught them.
But why do we still insist on this matter?
🤔First, the term used in Romans 16:16 is not a name of a church but a descriptive title, it is a possessive noun or "nombre posesivo" which proves that it is indeed not a proper name.
🤔Secondly, the term "church of Christ" cannot be found in that verse (Romans 16:16) rather, we read, "churches of Christ" that's another problem for the INC that uses a single entity of "Church of Christ" rather than "churches of Christ". Because the phrase, "churches of Christ is a common collective noun and not again a proper noun or a proper name.
🤔Thirdly, there were a lot of older and other sects that appeared before the conception of the INC 1914 that uses the term or name, "Church of Christ", let us take a read on the following:
1. Church of Christ (Latter Day Saint) - Joseph Smith (1830)
2. Pure Church of Christ
3. Church of Christ - By Ezra Booth (1836)
4. Church of Christ - By Warren Parrish (1837)
5. Church of Christ - By William Chubby (1836)
6. Church of Christ - By Hiram Page (1842)
7. Church of Christ (Temple Lot)- By Granville Hendrick (1863)
8. Church of Christ (Wightite) - By Lyman Wight
9. Church of Christ - By Otto Fetting (1929)
10. Church of Christ with Elijah message - Broke away from the temple lot in 1929
11. Church of Christ - By A.C Devolf (1930)
12. Church of Christ - By Pauline Hancock (1946)
13. Church of Christ - By David Whitmer (1871)
14. Church of Christ - By James Brester and Hazen Aldrich
15. Church of Christ - By David Clark (1985)
16. Church of Christ - By Howard Leighton Floyd and HH. Burt (1965)
17. Church of Christ - in Congo
18. Church of Christ - in Thailand (Largest Protestant Church in Thailand)
19. Church of Christ Instrumental
20. Church of Christ Scientists
And of course, the Church of Christ (Iglesia ni Cristo)- By Felix Manalo (1914)
🙄To combat this argument, the INC 1914 will argue that there are many Biblical prophecies that can validate their existence, and we don't have a problem on that since we can give an example like the verse below:
👉"For many will come in My name, claiming, ’I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many." Matthew 24:5
🙏The Bible is very accurate about them indeed and again, we don't question such fulfillment. Many will come in the name of Christ, and they will lead many into the wrong path.
🤔If the INC 1914 believes that the requirement for a Church to be true is its inclusion in the words and letters of the Bible, or it must be written obviously, then they must also accept the fact that all of the mentioned "Church of Christ" above must be true, and that would go against what the Bible tells us.
🤔Another is, the letter of St. Paul to the Romans is obviously for the Church of Rome, and we all know that the Church in Rome is no other than the Roman Catholic Church. This is one of the reason why the true Church of Christ is obviously and factually the Catholic Church. And in fact, it can be supported using the very own Pasugo Magazine of the Iglesia ni Cristo 1914 which states that:
👍“Even secular history shows a direct time link between the Catholic church and the Apostles, leading to the conclusion that the TRUE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH"
Pasugo July-August 1988, page 6
👍"The church of Christ has thoroughly become the the Catholic church. Although writers and Historians continue to treat both as synonymous."
Pasugo January-March 1995, page 8
Another one says:
👍"The CATHOLIC CHURCH which is from the beginning is the CHURCH OF CHRIST"
Pasugo April 1966, page 46
😀Clearly the church of Christ is the Catholic church. When we say church of Christ. It is synonymous to the Catholic church.
😇Christ founded only one Church, not Churches and it is the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
👉"And I say to you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18
😊And of course, all claims are equal without proof and evidence, thus the Bible in Job 8:8 tells us to study our history so that we may be able to learn and know the truth, among them are the following:
1. COMPTON’S ENCYCLOPEDIA 1996 edition:
“The Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination that has always existed since the first century and is the only original and true Christian Church in history.”
.
2. YOUNG STUDENT’S ENCYCLOPEDIA volume 17, p. 261:
“The Roman Catholic Church is the most ancient Christian denomination having its root in the first century.”
.
3. COMPTON’S ENCYCLOPEDIA AND FACTS INDEX vol. 20, p. 2024:
“There were no separate sects or branches of Christianity as there are today. The word Catholic is Greek “katholis” meaning “universal”, a Church where all Christians belong for the first one thousand years of Christian history.”
.
4. THE NEW WEBSTER’S DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, INTERNATIONAL EDITION p. 155:
“The Catholic Church is the original Christian Church before the schism of the Church between East and West and the division of the Reformation.”
.
5. WORLD ALMANAC AND BOOK OF FACTS 1999 edition page 688:
“The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ who named Peter the first vicar, developed from Jewish proselytizing and led to the conversion of Imperial Rome in the 4th century.”
.
6. INTERNATIONAL ENCYCLOPEDIA volume 20, page 520:
“The Catholic Church was founded by Jesus Christ who had twofold natures, being human and divine.”
.
7. WEBSTER’S NEW EXPLORER ENCYCLOPEDIA page 1038:
“The Catholic Church is the ancient church responsible for introducing Christianity in many parts of the world.”
.
8. YOUNG STUDENTS LEARNING ENCYLOPEDIA vol.15, p.2292:
“For the first 1,000 years of Christianity, all Christians belong to the Catholic Church.”
.
9. ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA vol. 15, p. 985:
"The Catholic Church is an organization founded by Jesus Christ in Jerusalem in the year 33 AD..”
.
10. THE NEW BOOK OF KNOWLEDGE ENCYCLOPEDIA p. 287:
“The Roman Catholic Church started it’s history in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago as the original disciples of Christ gathered in the upper room waiting for the Holy Spirit to come. The day in which the Holy Ghost came is the birthday of the Catholic Church.”
.
11. GROLLIER ENCYCLOPEDIA volume V, p. 106:
“The Catholic Church is from the Greek which means “universal”. It is a divine society founded by Christ endowed by the outpouring of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost.”
😀So it is very clear that the claim of the Iglesia ni Cristo of Felix Manalo cannot be supported by facts but only by justifications of lies and faulty assumptions, therefore, not with the side of the truth.
🙂Rather, it was founded by Felix Manalo in 1914, in Punta, Sta. Ana, Manila, and was registered to the government of the Philippines as a corporation, no attachment or link with Christ, nor any of the apostles or the early Christian Church.
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