As far as I know there are TWO that I knew so well, that believed that there is such thing as an “ETERNAL CHURCH”, number one is the CATHOLIC CHURCH:
The CATHOLICS believed that the CATHOLIC CHURCH is the ETERNAL CHURCH.
“Here we have it, then. Everything is clear at last. The only priests acceptable to the Vatican are priests prepared to make an act of "genuine fidelity to the Conciliar Church." It is, therefore, not traditionalists who are making a distinction between THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, THE ETERNAL CHURCH, and the Church of Vatican II. This distinction is made by an official spokesman for the Conciliar Church. Since the seminarians at Econe have already promised their fidelity to the Catholic Church they cannot transfer it to the Conciliar Church.”
And secondly our Blog’s number one FAN and ever loyal – ERIC from TORONTO, CANADA:
He said:
“The CHURCH is ALL that GOD ELECTS and its the ETERNAL EXTERNAL CHURCH comprised of ALL of the ELECT”
The Catholic Church and Eric share the same belief that there is an existing ETERNAL CHURCH, and that this church was NEVER APOSTATIZED, for it is the church established by Christ in the FIRST CENTURY, though they may differ in some point:
for the CATHOLIC CHURCH believed that the ETERNAL CHURCH is the CATHOLIC CHURCH,
for Eric, the ETERNAL CHURCH is not an EARTHLY CHURCH but a CHURCH continuously to exist in HEAVEN and those GOD’S ELECTED people were its members, so for him it is not an EARTHLY ORGANIZATION, anyone can be a member if God chose him or she to be a member, regardless of what they believed and what were their religion.
But the COMMON DENOMINATOR between the TWO is CLEAR, the CHURCH that was established by CHRIST never APOSTATIZED, for it is an ETERNAL CHURCH.
Here is now a BIG QUESTION…
Is there such thing as an ETERNAL CHURCH?
Was this phrase ever existed in the pages of the Holy Scriptures? Or let’s say we accept it that the phrase does not exist because it really doesn’t, but does any verse in the Bible at least can give us an idea that an ETERNAL CHURCH really does exist?
Does the Church Jesus Christ built in the First Century [33 A.D.] continued and really never was apostatized as what they believed? Can we really described that Church as ETERNAL?
What do you mean by the word ETERNAL?
Let us read from a dictionary:
ETER'NAL, adj. “Without beginning or end of existence.” [Webster’s 1828 Dictionary]
Very clear is the meaning of the dictionary regarding the word “ETERNAL” it means WITHOUT BEGINNING OR END OF EXISTENCE.
So in order for us to prove that there is an ETERNAL CHURCH we must prove first that the CHURCH of CHRIST mentioned in the Bible have NO BEGINNING and no END, if the Church passed these criterias then that’s the time we can conclude that there is really an existing ETERNAL CHURCH…
Does the Church mentioned in the Bible have no beginning?
Let us read:
Matthew 16:18 “And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” [American Standard Version]
So the first criteria to be identified as ETERNAL which means NO BEGINNING is not applicable to the CHURCH, because the CHURCH only existed right after it was built by Jesus Christ in the First Century. There is no Historical Record that a CHURCH ever existed prior to the time that it was built by Jesus in 33 A.D.
Can anyone prove that there is a Church existed before the time of Jesus? Go on Eric, and the Catholic Church is also welcome to respond.
Does the church really existed after it was built? A testimony from Jesus himself proved this:
Matthew 18:17 “And if he refuse to hear them, TELL IT UNTO THE CHURCH: and if he refuse to hear THE CHURCH also, let him be unto thee as the Gentile and the publican.” [ASV]
See in Matthew 16:18, Christ built the Church, and in Matthew 18:17, Christ had proven that the Church that he built really does exist, by saying “TELL IT UNTO THE CHURCH”…a clear proof that there is an existing Church, otherwise he would not be saying that, would he?
It’s quite clear that the first criteria to be identified as ETERNAL which says “NO BEGINNING”, is not applicable to the Church, for the Bible proved that it has a beginning – it was built by Christ in 33 A.D. in Jerusalem, and prior to that it does not exist.
Let us now try to examine if the Church will pass the second criteria to be called “ETERNAL” – NO END…
Does the Church built by Christ have no ending?
First thing to do, is to know what is the Church mentioned in the Bible?
Apostle Paul has this to say:
Ephesians 1:23 “THE CHURCH IS CHRIST'S BODY and completes him as he fills everything in every way.” [God’s Word Bible]
Apostle Paul said that the Church is the BODY OF CHRIST, was the Church the literal body of Christ that was nailed and shed blood on the Cross? Of course not, for this is just a METHAPOR, because the CHURCH is just likened to Christ’s body.
Then who are the Church or the Body of Christ?
Apostle Paul will again reply to us:
1 Corinthians 12:27 “NOW YE ARE THE BODY OF CHRIST, AND MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR.”
1 Corinthians 12:28 “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” [King James Version]
The BODY which is also the CHURCH are the MEMBERS in particular. The CHURCH pertains to the MEMBERS for they are the BODY of Jesus Christ.
Since the CHURCH is the MEMBERS, were they ETERNAL? Do they have NO ENDING of EXISTENCE?
Well unless someone can prove to us that the MEMBERS were IMMORTALS, then go ahead…
Remember we’re talking about the FIRST CENTURY CHRISTIANS here, the ORIGINAL MEMBERS of the CHURCH or the BODY of CHRIST that is mentioned in the Bible.
Were they ETERNAL? Do they not have an ENDING? Remember the first to have became members of this Church were the APOSTLES, weren’t they ALL DEAD?
Can someone proved that up to this moment there were still among the ORIGINAL MEMBERS of the FIRST CENTURY CHURCH that are still alive?
Why we are asking this question? Because they said that the CHURCH built by CHRIST is an ETERNAL CHURCH, and in order to be considered as an ETERNAL CHURCH we must be able to prove that this CHURCH have NO BEGINNING and NO END OF EXISTENCE.
So if the MEMBERS of the BODY OF CHRIST which is the CHURCH OF CHRIST really has an ETERNAL EXISTENCE, where they are now? Can anyone tell us?
The UNDENIABLE FACT:
ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE FIRST CENTURY CHURCH OF CHRIST WHICH INCLUDE THE APOSTLES WERE CENTURIES DEAD ALREADY.
Can anyone object?
So there is no such thing as an ETERNAL CHURH, for the Church in the Bible HAVE A BEGINNING and HAVE AN ENDING of its EXISTENCE. Unless you can prove otherwise, there is no way you can describe or call the Church ETERNAL…
For ETERNAL also means “FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING” as the ETERNAL GOD. And that is not the Church for it has a BEGINNING and an END...
There goes your ETERNAL CHURCH DOCTRINE Eric, goes directly down the drain…..
Does Jesus Christ really promised that the Church that he built will never Apostatized nor Perished?
But the CATHOLIC CHURCH will surely raise an eyebrow, and will say
“JESUS CHRIST have a promise that the CHURCH that he built will never PERISHED nor APOSTATIZED…and that is the CATHOLIC CHURCH, the ETERNAL CHURCH, since it’s still exists until today.”
And of course to prove that, they will use the Bible, and their favorite VERSE [Even Eric is using this VERSE] is Matthew 16:18 of which says:
Matthew 16:18 “And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH, AND THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST IT.” [Douay Rheims Version]
They said this is the promise of JESUS that his Church will never be APOSTATIZED nor PERISHED.
But does the VERSE actually said that? Try it folks read it over and over. Does that VERSE said that the CHURCH will never APOSTATIZED nor PERISHED?
What is meant by that VERSE as the GATES of HELL, what do that REPRESENT, does the GATES OF HELL also means APOSTASY?
Let us read the same VERSE from another version of the Bible:
Matthew 16:18 “So I tell you, you are Peter. And I will build my church on this rock. The POWER OF DEATH will not be able to defeat my church.” [Easy to Read Version]
So it is clear that the GATES OF HELL stands for the POWER OF DEATH. But which kind of DEATH that is being referred to by Jesus Christ that will not prevail against his Church? Does this mean that the members or the Body of Christ will never die?
Because if the meaning of that passage is that the MEMBERS of CHRIST’S BODY or CHURCH will never die, so where they are now? Where are the APOSTLES and the FIRST CENTURY CHRISTIANS now, if they were still alive?
So it is quite clear and without doubt that Jesus was not referring to the DEATH which occurs when a person ENDS his BREATHING, but for the SECOND DEATH in the LAKE OF FIRE…
Revelations 21:8 “But cowardly, unfaithful, and detestable people, murderers, sexual sinners, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars will find themselves in THE FIERY LAKE OF BURNING SULFUR. THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH." [GWB]
So Jesus is promising in Matthew 16:18 SALVATION to the Church, that the POWER of the SECOND DEATH in the LAKE of FIRE will not prevail against them,
in simple words:
“the MEMBERS of his CHURCH will not go to HELL, because he will save them”
That is really what that VERSE means.
And it’s indeed TRUE, that Jesus will save his CHURCH as Apostle Paul clearly testifies:
Ephesians 5:23 For a husband has authority over his wife just as Christ has authority over the church; and CHRIST IS HIMSELF THE SAVIOR OF THE CHURCH, HIS BODY.” [Good News Bible]
So Matthew 16:18 is not a promise that his Church will never PERISHED nor APOSTATIZED but the promise of SALVATION in JUDGMENT DAY…
He promised even the members DIED he will resurrect them:
John 11:25 “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth on me, THOUGH HE DIE, YET SHALL HE LIVE;” [ASV]
We have clearly proven that the CHURCH that is mentioned in the Bible is not an ETERNAL CHURCH for IT HAS A BEGINNING, it was built by Christ in the FIRST CENTURY in JERUSALEM, and it has an ENDING for it’s ORIGINAL MEMBERS were all DEAD…
The NEXT POST will prove more that this Church has an ENDING for it’s TRUE MEMBERS had CEASED TO EXIST after the Death of the Apostles.
Also in My NEXT POST we will explain, what is the meaning of the word APOSTASY? Does the Church built by Christ never really was APOSTATIZED nor PERISHED?
What will happen to the people who lived to the period between 110A.D. to 1914A.D. The time where there was no TRUE CHURCH existed, and no TRUE TEACHINGS for there were no TRUE MESSENGERS from GOD, how they will be saved?
Does the membership of the Church in order to be saved also required or applicable to those people that had lived in that specific period of time?
We will answer all of these in our NEXT POST…
