What makes the Iglesia Ni Cristo victorious?

The Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) continues to grow in faith and number because God is fulfilling His promises to His chosen people, as stated in the Scriptures.

By MARLEX C. CANTOR

THE CONTINUING SUCCESS of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) over the years is something that has piqued the curiosity of many people. Not a few leaders of other religions have gone so far as to really study the Church—some even joining it eventually—while others are left wondering with grudging admiration. As a lay Protestant preacher once wrote in his book:

“Why is it that every time we get to talking about a strong and well-managed, disciplined and powerful church, we invariably point to the Iglesia ni Cristo?
“We would even heave a sigh and wonder what makes the INC so influential. What makes its members so committed and disciplined that they attend services twice a week without fail? While we … we have problems with attendance even during the regular service on Sundays—the one day a week we devote to worship.” (The Isaiah Paradigm, p. 116)

The said author even ventured to ask how it is that the Iglesia Ni Cristo has “so many palatial churches” unlike the chapels in the church he belongs to, which he described as not very different from “dilapidated, wooden residential houses.”

It is not hard to believe that such questions also run in other people’s minds especially now. It has been observed that many religions have been experiencing a recession. More and more churches around the world are closing down or selling their chapels due to low and continuously decreasing number of attendees to their services. On the other hand, the Church Of Christ today keeps on building many more houses of worship, not just in the Philippines, but even in other countries worldwide to accommodate the ever-increasing number of its members who attend its worship services twice a week.

Amid such a stark contrast, it is understandable that some would ask, “Why does the Iglesia Ni Cristo continue to succeed where other religions have failed?”

Why the true religion succeeds

Consulting the Bible, we will find that there is only one reason the true religion succeeds and others don’t: true victory comes from God—it is He Who commands victories for His people (Ps. 44:4 New Living Translation). He does so in fulfillment of His promise to them, thus proving to one and all that they are His elect (Ps. 98:3 Good News Bible). This was true for ancient Israel before, God’s past nation; it also remains true for His people in these last days.

It was the Lord God Who gave victories to the Israelites to prove, to them and their enemies, that they were His people. When they were under siege and almost cornered by their oppressors, God parted the waters and let them pass through the sea as on dry land. But when their enemies tried to do the same, they did not succeed but drowned. God willed for His people to succeed as a nation, no matter how small they were compared to other nations in their time. They won many great conquests despite their seeming disadvantage in number, wealth, and wisdom. So many other similar instances throughout the long history of God’s ancient nation can be cited as proofs that the reason for all their victories is God.

The victories of God’s people also prove that He is with the leader He placed over His nation. Thus, David became successful as king of Israel because the Lord was always with him (I Sam. 18:14 Easy-to-Read Version). God has a standing promise to His appointed leaders that if they follow exactly the teachings He gave them, they will be successful in everything they do (Josh. 1:7–8 Expanded Bible).

God’s people in the last days

As God granted victories to His faithful people of old, so did He make the same promise to His Messenger and the Church Of Christ in these last days. To His chosen whom He “took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners,” God declared, “‘Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. … Fear not, you worm Jacob, You men of Israel! I will help you,’ says the Lord …” (Isa. 41:9–10 Revised Standard Version; 41:14 New King James Version, emphasis added). That this prophecy pertains to God’s Messenger, Brother Felix Y. Manalo, and the Iglesia Ni Cristo, which he preached about, is evident in the expressions of time and place mentioned, namely, “ends of the earth” and “its [earth’s] farthest corners.”

“Ends of the earth” refers to the period when the end of the world is near or at the doors. It is heralded by a war that would be rumored or heard across the world (Matt. 24:3, 33, 6–8), the fulfillment of which was the First World War in 1914 (Matt. 24:6–8 Last Days Bible, footnote). Concurrently, on July 27, 1914, the Iglesia Ni Cristo was registered with the government in the Philippines.

The Philippines, where this Church emerged, is a country in the Far East. This same Church began to expand worldwide after it reached the West—particularly America’s far west states, Hawaii and California, 57 years ago. Indeed, to this Church belong God’s chosen people in these last days from the “farthest corners” of the world (Isa. 41:9–10, 14).

Thus, there is no need to be baffled as to how and why the Church Of Christ has consistently been growing bigger and stronger in its faith. God has only been fulfilling what He promised to His chosen people as stated in the Scriptures. He has been upholding this Church with His victorious right hand.

The victory parade

And so, whenever the faithful rejoice about the victories of the Church especially during its anniversary, they do so not out of selfish arrogance but with humble gratitude to God, whom they acknowledge as the One Who made such victories possible for the Church. Their hearts echo what Apostle Paul stated in II Corinthians 2:14–15, thus:

“… I want to thank God for what he is doing. As a great leader of fighting men causes all his prisoners to take part in his victory parade, God leads us who are his workers to always win out over Satan because of our close relationship with Christ. God causes people to come to know Jesus Christ as a result of our teaching his message. That message is like the smell of perfume. When we tell God’s message about Christ, it spreads out among people like the smell of perfume. Those who believe the message that we tell them are saved {Jesus Christ saves them} from the guilt of their sin. But those who reject that message will be separated from God forever.” (Translation for Translators)

Indeed, the Iglesia Ni Cristo today has been marching on a long, joyful victory parade set out by God. A hundred and eleven years since it started, this Church now counts millions of members from 168 countries and territories worldwide. Its membership now encompasses people from 152 different nationalities. For the past 15 years alone, it has ordained 5,154 ministers to care for its growing fold, not to mention the countless Church officers who were sworn in to aid in the same purpose. Houses of worship continue to be built. Since January to May this year, 18 were already completed and 50 more are set to be finished. These are but some of the wonderful victories that God has blessed the Church with.

Proclaiming these works of God for the Church may not be well-received by others, especially the detractors of the Church, for as Apostle Paul said, “To those who are on the way to hell, our message is like a foul smell because it is about dying and being separated from God forever.” Yet, the Church Of Christ soldiers on in making known to all God’s message, for as the same apostle puts it, “to those on the way to heaven, the message that we teach is like a pure fragrant smell, because we tell them that they will live forever with God.” The faithful can only hope that as more people are made aware of the true Church as God’s last work of salvation, they will also realize that “no one can have enough ability to do such important work for God,” for, indeed, “how can anyone have enough ability to do such important work for God?” (II Cor. 2:16 t4t).

Promise to God reaffirmed

Recounting the victories God has blessed us with reminds us, Church Of Christ members worldwide, not only of the truthfulness of our God-given election but also of the responsibilities that come with such heavenly gift. Hence, our thanksgiving to God for the Church anniversary is also an occasion for us to reaffirm our promise to Him to throw aside sins which are the “dead weight” that keeps holding us back. Rather than letting sin get us entangled or trip us up, we vow to “give our full and undivided attention to the race marked out for us, running hard, with strong determination and unyielding endurance, until we finally reach the finish line” (Heb. 12:1 ldb).

Not without weaknesses, we hold on to God’s promised help amid all the hardships we face in this world. We have faith that because we are His people, it is the Lord Who will march with us and He will not fail us or let us go or forsake us. Thus, there shall be no cowardice or flinching in our hearts. Neither shall we fear nor become broken in spirit (Deut. 31:8 Amplified Bible). No matter what the odds or obstacles that may come our way, we are confident that we can overcome them all. Why? Because God promised to strengthen, help, and uphold His Messenger and the fruit of his work with His victorious right hand (Isa. 41:9–10, 14 rsv).

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