Can't there only be one true church???

Question

Many branches of Christianity have the "your church is as good as mine" attitude, however they can't all be right.

It seems that only one of the following is possible:
1. All churches are wrong in some ways (there fore not teaching the truth)

OR

2. One church teaches God's truth, and the rest are wrong.

I'm sure some will say "it doesn't matter, as long as you believe in Christ....etc". However, much of the New Testament is from the Apostles writing letters and trying to correct things that were "going wrong" in those areas. The letters didn't' say "do whatever you want...just believe in Christ".

Finally, assuming that God's church does exist (and by that I mean a church that God leads and inspires directly, possesses his authority, and is authorized to do his will), wouldn't they proclaim it to the world?

Which churches proclaim this???

Answer 1

hee hee...sorry...i just thought this was ironic. Joseph Smith, the first president and first prophet of the Latter Days, asked the same question. He was in between a church type debate thing, where every church was proclaiming themselves as the true church...and they would all have different interpretations of the same passage...Well, Joseph Smith was led to a verse in the bible...i think it was James 1:5....i can't remember...lol...but it said, ask and you shall receive...and he prayed in what we, church members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, call the Sacred Grove and he received the First Vision where God said not to join any of the churches... Then, through God, he set up the Church...other churches do have some of the truth of the Gospel, but i KNOW that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the full truth present at this time...the Book of Mormon was mentioned in Ezekiel 37: 15-19. I know it's the truth. And we do proclaim it. EVERYDAY!! He does lead and inspire this church through a living prophet.

i suggest to you to go to www.lds.org and find missionaries in your area...they can teach you this...my brother is serving a mission right now.....if you, or anyone who reads this has questions on my answer, email me...or look up the question on the church site.

Answer 2

You're right:

1. All churches are wrong in some ways (there fore not teaching the truth)

As long as there are human beings leading a church (no matter who they claim to receive 'revelation' from), the church is imperfect.

You might say "the church is perfect but not the members or leaders." Unfortunately, however, imperfect humans make imperfect choices in the name of the church, and often enact imperfect policies and practices. This is the case in the LDS Church, the Watchtower organization, the Catholic Church, the Raelian sect, and any other religious organization. There is no true church.

Jesus himself said that the ENTIRE law and ALL of the prophets hang on two commandments:

1. Love God with all your heart
2. Love your neighbor as yourself

If you follow those two commandments, you're believing and following Jesus. Those two questions, if they dictate your choices, will lead you to believe and act appropriately, and even if you think God is circle-shaped, when he really might be rectangle-shaped, it doesn't matter. God looks upon the heart, so why can't we?

Christ himself even repudiated dogmatic religious rule.

Answer 3

I used to ask that same question, and I was determined to have it answered. I deicided to first figure out what was right, and then see if there was a church that matched it. This made me really research religion externally and internally. What I discovered was not what I expected. Just as there are many dimentions to the universe, there are many dimentions of God, and therefore many faces. One day, while I was thinking of the universe, I saw it as a giant puzzle, where every piece of the puzzle was a puzzle of it's own. Every element was a piece if the small puzzle pieces, and every organized thing or being was the bigger pieces. When the puzzle is completely apart, it is meaningless. When it is completely put together, it is boring. The point of the puzzle is putting it together. The difference between this and a conventional puzzle, was that the big peices can be taken apart (death abstract) and re-built (life abstract) to fit with other pieces so that it is a perpetual puzzle. God is the puzzle, and we are a piece of the puzzle. It's not the destination, but the journey. The point of life is not to follow a specific set of rules so that everyone can be just like everyone else. The point of life is to experience. Only one rule should be followed by everyone, and that is that we harm none.

Answer 4

There are many college physics textbooks. They tend to discuss the same topics, but they discuss them in many different ways. Virtually all of them contain typographical errors, virtually all of them offer statements of fact that, even before they published, were known to be incorrect in some small way, and virtually all of them contain semantic errors.

Does that make those books untrue? No. In fact, if you read them all, you'll have a much better and truer understanding of Physics than if you read only one, no matter which one you choose.

Much of the New Testament was written by Paul, who was an enemy of Christ during Christ's lifetime. Paul's family made their money by tanning leather and selling tents to the Romans who were oppressing the Jews and the Christians.

Most American christian churches acknowledge only 27 of the 81 books found in the New Testament. What's more, many of those 27 books are of questionable origin. Even at the time that the St. Athanasius canon was established, in 367 AD, it was pretty clear that the pastorals, Timothy and Titus, were fraudulent, but they were included because it was thought they promoted church order. Other books were unknown to the gentlemen at Alexandria, or like the Gospel of Mary, were a threat to the male-dominated church leadership.

The United Church of Christ, the United Methodist Church and the other mainline christian churches assert that they are led by God and are inspired directly by God.

However, they assert that God is STILL SPEAKING.

The one who usurps God's authority, the one who claims authority to do God's will, is not a representative of God, but of Satan.

Answer 5

Only one true church?... one would think so.

The logic you present is sound--
Most churches' teachings are at least a little different from other churches, so either they're all wrong or all but one is wrong.... They can't ALL be right.

Regarding what was written in the NT, I agree- it seems that the intent of the Apostles' letters were to correct.


"Finally, assuming that God's church does exist..."
You already know what I think.....

Answer 6

All churches are wrong in some ways. They have humans running them, humans are sinful, they're going to screw something up. Every church proclaims that their the Church of God. But I know that my church couldn't get along with most churches because we 1. Don't bow to statues/Pray to Mary 2. Follow Mosaic law 3. Go to Church on Saturday.
Not to say that churches shouldn't get along and stop bickering and trying to convert each other like some inane war, they should get along. But they don't have to give up what they believe because the Bible is open to interpretation so everyone believes just a little bit differently.

Answer 7

You're on to something! If you keep asking these clever questions, you'll come to the realisation that there's no such thing as a true, pure church.

It has always baffled me how Christians across the spectrum have an issue with (natural) Evolution, when the very branch of Christianity that their church belongs to has evolved from some predecessor church.

I really encourage you to read "Jesus for the non-religious" by bishop John Shelby Spong. It will open your eyes.

Answer 8

There is only one true church, the body of all true believers. You see the church is not an organization, it's an organism. It is the body of Christ, the family of God. It is the collection of all the saints of God, both living and dead. That is the true church. It is made up of people from all denominations and it has no denomination, no leader other than Jesus, all members are ministers, and all are going to heaven. It contains lots of people who you might not think are true believers and is lacking lots of people who you may believe are true believers, because it is chosen by Jesus based on people's hearts, which only Christ sees.

Answer 9

The Israel Of God
The Israel of God is a Bible Study class. Our purpose is to teach the uncut word of God according to the Prophets (old testament) and Apostles (new testament). We observe the Lord's Sabbath Day. We observe all of the Lord's Feast Days, as outlined in the 23rd chapter of Leviticus. We observe the Lord's Dietary Law, as outlined in Leviticus, Chapter 11. We teach, and observe the Royal Law, which is the Ten Commandments. We believe in the resurrection. We believe that Jesus is the King of Israel and that he will rule over the House of Jacob forever. We believe that Jesus is the God of all people, and that his house "shall be a house of prayer for all people."
(Isaiah 56:7)
http://www.theisraelofgod.com

The House Of Jacob
http://www.thehouseofjacob.net

Israel The Chruch Of God
http://www.thykingdomcome7.com

Answer 10

As long as a Church believes that Jesus Christ is the son of God, born of a virgin, died on the cross to forgive all sins, rose again on the 3rd day, is the only way to heaven, and believes he will come back one day:

theyre a righteous church, the rest is just doctrine.