Finding Jesus in the Bible…So We Can Follow Him in Life
Bible Reading Plans
- Plan One: New Testament Only
- Plan Two: New Testament + Psalms
- Plan Three: New Testament + History
- Plan Four: The Entire Bible – Year 1 of 3, Year 2 of 3, Year 3 of 3
Don’t know which plan? Go to A Christ-Centered Bible Reading Plan: Quick Start.
Extras
Verse of the Day, Audio Capsule, and Video Minute
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(Today’s Book Installment)
The One True Church
Chapter 36 – The Ten Marks of the One True Church
Each of the three major branches of institutional Christianity – Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Protestant – have a view of what constitutes “the” or “a” legitimate church. The Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic seek to identify “the” true church – each thinking themselves to be the true one. The Protestants seek to identify “a” true church – being more open-minded about the possibility of there being more than one “true” church.
In making these kinds of proclamations, all three branches usually use the term “mark” for distinguishing characteristics. That is, they’ll say, “the marks of the church are…”
They use the term “mark” because it comes from the Latin word “nota,” which historically meant a sign, seal, brand, or distinguishing feature. You could also use the term “norm,” “standard,” or “pattern.” The point is to identify what distinguishes a good church from a bad one, or the right church versus the wrong one, or the true church from false ones.
All three branches of institutional Christianity trace the roots of their thinking on this subject to the Nicene Creed. It says that the church is “one, holy, universal, and apostolic.” Then each branch adds its own twist beyond those four marks.
I’m not going to try to explain what’s the same and what’s different in their respective list of marks. Instead, I’m going to identify the marks of the one true church. This one true church is, of course, also known as the New Testament church, the 1st century church, the Israel of God, spiritual Israel, and by other names. I’ve used all these terms interchangeably.
All institutional churches present themselves as following the pattern of the one true church, but they cannot match up to it. The one true church was unique, and there are ten marks that distinguish it. It’s not that the institutional churches aren’t trying hard enough. It’s that the one true church cannot be replicated. It was a one-generation phenomenon and a once-in-history phenomenon. (This is why we today must seek the kingdom of God and not seek a church.)
Here are the ten marks of the one true church. I’m going to spend a chapter on each, so the list below is just an introduction to them.
- Apostles – No other church had or has apostles – the personally commissioned representatives of Jesus – to oversee it.
- Miracles – No other church had or has the quantity and quality of miracles accompanying it.
- Spirit-Led Gatherings – Though some other churches seek to have their meetings be led by the Holy Spirit, none come close to what we read about in the New Testament church.
- Eyewitnesses of Jesus’ Resurrection – There were more eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection than the 11 original apostles. Such witnesses were part of the 1st century church…and no other.
- Unity – The apostles would vomit at the disunity we see institutional Christianity today. By most counts, there are tens of thousands of Christian denominations. Even three major branches is two too many.
- Discipline – The New Testament church practiced a church discipline more rigorous and more virtuous than any we see today.
- A Generational Anticipation – The New Testament church expected the Second Coming in their generation. Many churches since have said the same thing about their own generations…and been wrong every single time.
- The Great Tribulation – Jesus said that the tribulation experienced by the New Testament generation would be greater than any in history – past or future.
- The Great Apostasy – As the great tribulation would be church-wide and therefore worldwide, so the apostasy was as well.
- A Movement, Not an Institution – The 1st-century church made no contingency plans for how to proceed if the Lord had not returned on time.
The 1st-century church had all these characteristics. Subsequent churches have none of them.
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