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In his latest newsletter, Mike Gendron has the following:

What is the One True Church?

One of the most powerful tools the god of this world uses to blind people from the light of the Gospel and the glory of Christ is religious indoctrination (2 Cor. 4:4). This is why there is such a stubborn resistance to the Gospel by Roman Catholics. They have been indoctrinated to believe that their church is the one and only true church. It teaches that whoever refuses to enter or remain in the Catholic Church cannot be saved (Catechism, para. 846).

The Roman Catholic Church Is Not the True Church

The 21st century Roman Catholic Church does not bear any resemblance to the 1st century church portrayed in the New Testament. Nowhere in the Book of Acts do we see priests continuing the work of Christ’s redemption on an altar during the sacrifice of the Mass. We do not find anyone praying for the dead, or venerating Mary and the saints, or transubstantiating wafers into the body, blood, soul and divinity of Jesus. Nor can we find any mention of indulgences, purgatory, infallible popes, or a sacerdotal priesthood. There is an indisputable explanation for this. Rather than obeying the exhortation of Jude to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints, the Catholic Church departed from the apostolic faith to follow deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons (Jude 3; 1 Tim. 4:1).

Mike Gendron is correct that the Roman Catholic Church is not the true church and that it changed.

Here is some summary information about that in our free online book Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession?:

The Continuing Church of God has unbroken laying on of hands succession from the apostles. And while the names of some of the top leaders are not in records we have access to, the reality is that there were always those who held to the true faith throughout history.

Those in the COG have held to the original catholic Christian faith and did not accept many changed doctrines that the Protestants and/or the Greco-Roman Catholics adopted.

Although some propose slick arguments to the contrary, the biblical and historical facts show that those of the original catholic church:

• Taught the millennium
• Kept Passover on the 14^th of Nisan with broken bread like the John and the other apostles
• Believed they had the full New Testament canon
• Did not keep Easter or Christmas
• Did not eat biblically unclean animals
• Were not trinitarian per the definition adopted by the Council of Constantinople in 381
• Kept the Ten Commandments
• Did not have a clergy with massively distinctive dress
• Did not insist on clerical celibacy
• Rested and worshiped on the seventh-day Sabbath
• Did not believe humans possessed an immortal soul
• Did not use crosses
• Taught deification after the resurrection
• Were not militaristic
• Believed God had a plan to offer salvation to all
• Considered the Kingdom of God, not the Beatific Vision, as the reward of the saved.

Doctrine	Original Christian Belief and/or Change
Apocatastasis	Early Christians understood that God was only calling some remnant now, but would call the rest in the age to come. The rise of anti-Origenism resulted in Greco-Romans to change, and most Protestants accepted that change.
Baptism	Early Christians taught that baptism was by immersion for those that repented and accepted Jesus. In time, Greco-Romans implemented sprinkling, even for those incapable of repentance. Some Protestants accepted this change.
Beatific Vision	Early Christians did not teach what is called the Beatific Vision. In time, the Greco-Romans adopted it and many Protestants hold to that teaching. Early Christians believed that they would, instead, be part of God’s kingdom making eternity better.
Biblical Holy Days	Early Christians kept biblical holy days, sometimes now called Jewish holy days. Greco-Romans formally condemned most of them in the 4th century, and Protestants generally do not keep them.
Christmas	Early Christians did not celebrate birthdays nor Christmas. In the 4th century, Greco-Romans adopted the 25th of December as Christ’s birthday, as it was long celebrated as the birthday of the sun god Mithras, whose worship had been promoted by Emperor Constantine.
Crosses and Icons	Early Christians did not have crosses or icons. This started to change by some of the Greeks in the late 2nd /early 3rd century and crosses were adopted by the Greco-Romans in the 4th century after being influenced by Emperor Constantine. Icons were jointly formally accepted in 843 A.D. by the Greco-Romans.
Ecumenism	Early Christians were not ecumenical. In the 21st century, many Greco-Roman-Protestants are in favor of ecumenism, though some see dangers in it.
Godhead	The original catholic view of the Godhead was binitarian. The trinitarian view of the Godhead that was formally adopted in 381 A.D. by the Greco-Romans was enforced by imperial edict.
Gospel of the Kingdom	Early Christians believed that Jesus’ message of the Kingdom of God was a reference to a future literal kingdom. The Greco-Roman churches do not formally teach that, but some Protestants do.
Heaven	Early Christians did not teach that heaven was the reward of the saved. They taught that the reward of the saved was to be part of the Kingdom of God on earth which came after the first resurrection.
History	We do not see proof of any leaders called bishops/pastors in Rome until around the middle of the 2nd century. But we do earlier in Jerusalem, Antioch, and Asia Minor.
Holy Spirit	Early Christians believed that the Holy Spirit was the power of God given to baptized Christians who obeyed God. The personhood of the Holy Spirit was declared by Greco-Roman councils in the mid-late 4th century.
Infant Baptism	Early catholics did not baptize infants. In time, Greco-Romans did, as do some Protestants.
Immortality	Early Christians did not teach that souls were immortal. They taught annihilation for those who would reject God’s offer of salvation. Like most Protestants, Roman Catholics do not teach annihilation and do teach souls are immortal.
Jesus	Early Christians accepted Jesus emptied Himself of His divinity (Philippians 2:7) and was fully human on earth (Hebrews 4:15), but now is the Divine Savior (2 Peter 1:1-3), and they strove to imitate Him (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:1).
Jews	Jesus was a Jew. Initially, most Christians were Jews. Antisemitism began to be a major factor under Emperor Hadrian. It was later officially put forth by Emperor Constantine, John Chrysostom, and others (including Martin Luther).
Lent and Ash Wednesday	Early Christians fasted on the Day of Atonement and ate unleavened bread for seven days during the Spring (Leviticus 23:6). Neither Lent nor Ash Wednesday were kept by the apostles or their faithful successors.
Marcion	Marcion was an apostate denounced by Polycarp of Smyrna, but tolerated by the Church of Rome for decades. He denied Jesus. Some scholars have referred to Marcion as the first Protestant.
Mary	Jesus’ mother Mary was considered blessed, but she was not venerated or prayed to. Nor was it believed she was immaculately conceived or that she had never sinned. In the 3rd century, the compromiser Gregory Thaumaturgus was a factor in changing this, which Pope Pius IX formalized in 1854.
Matthew 24:14	Many Greco-Romans and Protestants believe that the gospel of the kingdom has been sufficiently preached to the world as a witness. 2nd century Christians did not believe this had been fulfilled. Since the end (meaning the Great Tribulation per Matthew 24:21) has not come, Matthew 24:14 has not yet been fulfilled, but is expected to be fulfilled to God’s standard in the 21st century.
Meat Consumption	Early catholics avoided biblically unclean meats. The Church of Rome claims that Eleutherius, bishop of Rome from 175-189 AD., changed that position. But in the middle of the third century, Pionius of Smyrna still avoided it.
Military Service	Early Christians did not voluntarily participate in military service nor watch intentionally violent sports. The Greco-Romans changed in the 4th century after being highly influenced by Emperor Constantine.
Millennium	Original catholic Christians taught a literal millennial reign. During the Council of Constantinople in 381, Greco-Romans ruled against that teaching.
New Testament Canon	Early catholics believed that the Apostle John did, in essence, canonize the New Testament. Because of confusion among the Greco-Romans, it took centuries for them to come up with their canon (which ended up being the same as the original catholic church for the New Testament).
Old Testament Canon	Early catholics accepted the same Old Testament books as the Palestinian Jews did in the 2nd century, which did not include what have been called the deuterocanonical books. Into the late 4th century, Jerome argued against the deuterocanonical books, but was overruled by Pope Damasus. The Roman Catholics did not truly finalize their canon until the Council of Trent in 1546. And the Eastern Orthodox in 1672.
Passover	Early Christians kept Passover on the 14th of Nisan. Greco-Romans began to change that to Sunday in the 2nd century and formally accepted that change at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. The Greco-Romans, also, basically dropped the vestiges of Passover from their observance and changed it to a resurrection holiday, later called Easter in English.
Passover Bread	Early Christians used regular unleavened bread that was broken. The Roman and Armenian churches use an unleavened rounded host instead, whereas the Greeks use leavened bread.
Penance and Auricular Confession	While early Christians taught repentance, auricular confession of sins to a priest who then prescribed penance was not an original catholic practice. Penance was proclaimed by the corrupt Roman Callistus in the 3rd century and private confession with a Roman Catholic priest looks to have been implemented in the 7th century.
Persecution	Early catholics were often persecuted, but were never the persecutors. Starting in the 4th century, Greco-Romans began official persecutions with the cooperation and encouragement of Emperors Constantine and Theodosius.
Rapture	Early Christians understood that they were to flee for 3 ½ years in the end times (cf. Revelation 12:14-16). They believed that Jesus would come after the tribulation (Matthew 24:30), not before like Protestant rapturists tend to teach.
Sabbath	Early catholics kept the Sabbath on Saturday. The Greco-Roman churches formally accepted Sunday at the Council of Nicea, 325 A.D. (though Sunday was widely accepted in Rome and Alexandria in the 2nd century).
Salvation	Early Christians believed that God had a plan to offer salvation to all and most would ultimately accept that offer. Apostates, like Marcion, taught most people would be lost.
Ten Commandments	Early catholics taught the Ten Commandments. However, after writings from Augustine of Hippo, Rome changed the numbering. The Eastern Orthodox and the CCOG still teach the original order.
Three Days and Three Nights	Early catholics believed that Jesus was in the grave for a full three days and three nights. In the early 5th century, Augustine of Hippo tried to claim a lessor time to justify a Good Friday to Easter Sunday tradition. The Greco-Romans and most Protestants have accepted that change.
Three Resurrections	Original Christians taught three resurrections. The Greco-Roman-Protestant churches teach about one of more resurrections, but without how they truly align with God’s plan of salvation.
Worldly Politics	Early catholics generally stayed separate from worldly politics unless legally required to do so (and even then only as long as it did not conflict with God’s law).

Consider the fact that the Continuing Church of God holds to the original catholic teaching on all the above doctrines. The CCOG continues to hold to, teach, guard, and promote the original deposit of faith (Jude 3; 1 Timothy 4:16).

Was the true Christian church supposed to change basic doctrine?

No.

Yet, the Greco-Roman Catholics and Protestants have. Notice scriptures from their translations of the Bible:

⁶ For I am the Lord, and I change not: (Malachi 3:1, DRB)

⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (Hebrews 13:8, EOB)

³ … contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. (Jude 3, OSB/NKJV)

If you believe the word of God, consider the following:

³ If the foundations fall to ruin, what can the upright do? (Psalm 11:3, NJB)

The Apostle Paul wrote to “withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly” (2 Thessalonians 3:6, DRB) and “Go out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing” (2 Corinthians 6:17, DRB).

Are not those who significantly changed practices and doctrines from the original faith “walking disorderly” and spiritually “unclean”?

Furthermore, consider something from The Catholic Encyclopedia:

Apostolicity of doctrine and mission is necessary. Apostolicity of doctrine requires that the deposit of faith committed to the Apostles shall remain unchanged. … it follows that if the Church of Christ still exists it must be teaching His doctrine. (O’Reilly TC. Apostolicity)

We in the Continuing Church of God continue to teach the apostles’ original doctrines and are separate from those that do not.

Detailed scriptural and historical quotes to back the above up are in the free online book: Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession?

Related to some modern morality issues and some of the Roman Catholic Church, earlier this month, a reader sent me a link to the following:

When So-Called Christians Turn On the Faithful

We expect non-Christians and Christophobes to hate on Christianity. It happens all the time and is par for the course. But it is a bit more surprising when those who claim to be Christians do much the same thing. …

a … new example of “Christians” hating on real Christians was reported on last week. The opening paragraphs of a piece in the Melbourne Age tells the story:

Former union boss Joe de Bruyn has sparked a mass walkout at a Melbourne university graduation ceremony in response to his keynote speech opposing gay marriage and comparing abortion to the loss of life in World War II. Hundreds of Australian Catholic University students and staff filed out of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Monday during the speech by de Bruyn, a former national president of the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association (SDA).

De Bruyn told faculty of education and arts, law and commerce graduates he had opposed “the deliberate killing of unborn human beings” for several decades. “Today, over 80,000 unborn children are killed by abortion in Australia each year. Worldwide, the estimated number is 42 million each year,” he said.

“Abortion is the single biggest killer of human beings in the world, greater than the human toll of World War II. It is a tragedy that must be ended.” Students and attendees at the ceremony called for the university to apologise, and said the comments were inappropriate for a graduation. “It was not at all appropriate for a graduation ceremony,” one education graduate, who did not wish to be identified, said.

She said the speech started off normally, but then went into anti-abortion and anti-LGBTQ territory. University officials were reportedly worried about what to expect from de Bruyn, who was SDA national secretary from 1978 to 2014, given his public opposition to same-sex marriage, abortion, gay rights and IVF.

Wow. So much for universities being a place where ideas can be discussed, positions can be argued for, and tough topics can be debated in a civil fashion. And this is a Catholic institution! Just walk out like immature little crybabies. Such a great indication of their mental and moral maturity!

But that is what the loony left is all about today. They are unable to actually argue their case and make an informed argument. Cancel culture is their preferred mode of operation. Shouting down, or walking out on, a speaker who dares to differ from them is how they usually operate.

That is how education is being destroyed in the West. And that is how Catholic education is being destroyed as well. Just like the MLC, it seems that the ACU has become so woke and “progressive” that students and staff will actually hate on those who simply stand up for traditional Catholic teaching – teaching that has been the norm for the past 2000 years. 11/01/24 https://caldronpool.com/when-so-called-christians-turn-on-the-faithful/#google_vignette

As it turns out, some Bishops of Rome did support abortion and many in the Vatican currently do support the LGBTQ+ agenda. But those are not things any real Christian should condone.

In his November 2024 newsletter, Mike Gendron also had the following:

The Professing Church Is Not the True Church

Both believers and unbelievers are included in the professing church. Tragically, there are many who “profess” Christ but do not “possess” Christ. They are religious, but have no relationship with Christ. They have a zeal for God but it is not based on Biblical knowledge. Their names are on church rolls, but not in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Jesus calls them “tares” who have been sown by the devil among the “wheat” (Mat. 13:24-30, 36-43). Some of them even call Jesus “Lord” and boast in what they are doing for salvation. These tares may one day hear the most terrifying words they could ever hear when Jesus declares, “I never knew you, depart from Me” (Mat. 7:23).

The Body of Christ Is the One True Church

The true church is the body of Christ and the family of God (Eph. 4:12; 1 Cor. 12:27). It is composed of all believers in the Lord Jesus who have been born again of God (John 1:12-13). It has only one Head, one Shepherd and one builder – the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the only church that Jesus purchased with His own blood (Acts 20:28). He adds to His church when a man is saved by believing His Gospel (Acts 2:47). Like the penitent thief on the cross, he may not have the opportunity to be baptized in water, but he has something far better, the baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13). Each member is being conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29).

The One True Church Is Apostolic

This is the only church which is truly apostolic because it is built upon the one foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone (Eph. 2:20). It upholds the doctrines they preached and contends for the faith of the apostles (Jude 3). It is the church of the living God that is the pillar and support of the truth (1 Tim. 3:15).

Mike Gendron is correct that most who profess Christ are not real Christians and that the one true church is apostolic.

While the Continuing Church of God is apostolic and contends for the original faith (see the free online book Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession?), it should be pointed out the the Protestants churches ARE NOT apostolic.

They do not contend for the original faith nor do most associated with it realize that there was nothing resembling modern Protestantism in the early Christian church. This is documented in detail in the free online book: Hope of Salvation: How the Continuing Church of God Differs from Protestantism.

Let me also add that the LDS (see Teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) and the Continuing Church of God), JWs (see Similarities and Differences Between the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Continuing Church of God ), and non-COG Sabbatarian groups (see SDA/CCOG Differences: Two Horned Beast of Revelation and 666, Messianic Judaism Beliefs Differ from the Continuing Church of God, and Seventh Day Baptists are Protestant, not Church of God) do not hold to the original Christian faith either.

That said, many improperly believe that all Churches of God are basically the same and it makes no real difference which one you support or if you are simply an independent Christian.

Well, that goes against what Jesus taught, particularly in the third chapter of the Book of Revelation.

We have a short booklet available that many may wish to read titled: Where is the True Christian Church Today? 

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This entry was posted on Sunday, November 24th, 2024 at 8:00 am and is filed under Church History.

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