The Church with the one true God

The Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) firmly believes
that the Father is the only true God, as taught by His Son,
Jesus Christ, and His apostles.

By NICANOR P. TIOSEN

OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST built only one Church, as He Himself declared, thus: “… on this rock I will build My church. …” (Matt. 16:18 New King James Version). The apostles called the Church that He built Church Of Christ (Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation); rightly so, for the Church is Christ’s body and He is its head (Col. 1:18 nkjv).

Despite this incontrovertible truth, churches with varied names have sprouted, all claiming to be of Christ. They even have the temerity to say that the name does not matter, which is a blatant disregard for the truth that “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 nkjv). But there are others who are bold enough to incorporate the name of Christ into their respective churches and make themselves believe that they are indeed Christians, even if the tenets they espouse are diametrically opposed to the teachings of Christ, say, His teaching on the one true God.

Different beliefs concerning God

For one, most of these Christian-professing churches teach that there are three persons in one God: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and that the Son and the Holy Spirit are also Gods like the Father. This is what is known as the Trinity doctrine, advocates of which call themselves Trinitarians. Others practice idolatry despite the clear prohibition of the Bible on the worship of graven images (Acts 17:29).

The Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), on the other hand, believes in the teaching taught by the Bible that the Father Who created all things is the only true God as taught by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

“... on this rock I will build My church. ...”

Matthew 16:18

New King James Version

Who the only true God is

According to our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the God Whom all people should know? In the Gospel of the Lord according to Apostle John, this is clearly stated, thus:

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” (John 17:3 nkjv)

Whom does Christ refer to as the only true God? John 17:1 reads, thus:

“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son that Your Son may also glorify You’.” (nkjv)

Christ teaches in no uncertain terms that the Father is the one true God. He does not point to Himself as such but as one sent by the Father. And this is important, for it means eternal life as our Lord Jesus Christ teaches.

The true believer in Christ, hence the true Christian, does not go beyond what His teacher taught: the Father (not the Son, hence, not Christ) is the true God. And there is no reference to the Holy Spirit being God as adherents of the Trinity doctrine maintain. It really is ironic that some people call themselves Christians when they do not subscribe to what Christ teaches.

The only true God made known by the apostles

How about the apostles, no doubt true followers and believers of Christ, hence true Christians? Whom did they make known as the only true God? Apostle Paul clearly wrote to the members of the Church Of Christ in Corinth, thus:

“Yet for us there is only one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him …” (I Cor. 8:6 nkjv)

Paul addressed the true believers like him, hence, his mention of “for us.” Therefore, whoever teaches that there are other gods aside from the Father contradicts Christ and His apostles. Thus, the belief in the Trinity (that in one God there are three persons each of whom is God) should be renounced.

Why? Which teaching of the Bible is violated by the doctrine that there are three persons in the one true God? God’s very pronouncement as enunciated by the prophet Isaiah is violated, thus:

“Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, a just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me.” (Isa. 45:21 nkjv)

So, the teaching that the only true God has three persons not only cannot be found in the Bible but is also contrary to what God declares, thus: “…there is no other God besides Me.”

“Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son that Your Son may also glorify You’.”

John 17:1

New King James Version

Something for the ‘Christ-is-God’ proponents to ponder

Without qualms, we can say that those who believe Christ is God have totally ignored Christ’s and the apostles’ teachings that the Father is the only true God (John 17:3, 1; I Cor. 8:6 nkjv). They have likewise disregarded Christ’s own disclosure, thus:

“But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. …” (John 8:40 nkjv)

From Christ’s own lips comes the pronouncement that He is a Man Who has told the truth which He heard from God (John 8:42 nkjv). Sure enough, Christ is different from God from Whom the truth that He told people came from. Only the stubborn would insist that Christ is God.

In addition, elevating Christ from being a man to being God is a refusal to accept another biblical truth, thus:

“For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.” (I Tim. 2:5 nkjv)

If Christ were the one God, then who would be the Mediator? Indeed, how could others be so blind? How could they be so adamant despite our Lord Jesus Christ’s declaration, thus: “… I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God” (John 20:17 nkjv). If this is not self-explanatory, what is this?

Apostle Paul further wrote to the Christians about Christ having ascended to the Father, thus:

“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.” (Col. 3:1 nkjv)

In case there are those who believe that when Christ ascended to the Father, He became God, they ought to read this pronouncement from the Scriptures, thus:

“Let Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand, Upon the son of man whom You made strong for Yourself.” (Ps. 80:17 nkjv)

They should contrast this with what is written in Numbers 23:19, thus:

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man. …” And this should seal the issue, thus, “… For I am God, and not man. The Holy One in your midst. …” (Hos. 11:9 nkjv)

It is thus that the Church Of Christ stands firm in its belief that the Father alone is the one true God. ❑

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