The true Church of Jesus Christ bears the name of 'The Church of God' - which is mentioned twelve times in the New Testament (Acts 20:28; 1 Cor 1:2, 10:32, 11:16, 11:22, 15:9; 2 Cor 1:1; Gal 1:13; 1 Tim 3:5, 3:15; 1 Thess 2:14; 2 Thess 1:4). Jesus Christ Himself promised that he will build His church and it could never be destroyed (Matt 16:18). It is worthy to note that He did not say 'churches' - meaning to say that there is only one true church, and by definition, to the exclusion of all others who are outside the rule and government of God. The word 'churches' is used only to identify one from another within the same body with the same doctrine and purpose - not those of differing denominations and doctrinal persuasions, often conflicting ones!
According to the Bible and authenticated through church history, there are seven church eras, namely Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodiceans (Rev chapters 2 & 3) in that order of time. These seven cities were located on a mail route in Asia Minor, now western Turkey. They reflect the time of the founding of the Church by Christ in AD 31 to His Second Coming. Apart from the eras of Smyrna and Philadelphia, all the other five eras have their unique set of doctrinal and spiritual problems that eventually led to their downfall. However, each time when that happened, God has raised up a leader for the Church to enter the subsequent era. We are now in the final era of the Laodiceans - the lukewarm Church which will be spitted out of the mouth of Christ to face the Great Tribulation!
Due to apostasy, division and egoistic leaders, the Church has failed to proclaim the Gospel according to Jesus Christ for some nineteen centuries since about AD 50 to AD 1953, until God raised up Herbert W. Armstrong to proclaim the true Gospel of the kingdom of God. What has been preached all along is the Gospel about the person of Christ, and most churches wrongly assumed it is the same as the kingdom of God. The Gospel of the kingdom has been preached by the prophets in the Old Testament and by Christ even before His crucifixion. As the Apostle Paul rightly expected before it happened, 'But even if our gospel is veiled (hidden), it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.' (2 Cor 4:3-4)
The purpose of the Church is NOT to convert all unbelievers into Christianity in this age. While Christ was on earth, there was no attempt by Him to invite people to believe in Him. He simply drafted twelve men to be His disciples - all called by God the Father (John 6:44). If the Church is the instrument of God to save the world, then all humanity outside of Israel before the time of Christ were doomed! The word ekklesia in the New Testament Greek means the called-out ones - an assembly, a congregation, a gathering or a group. In the Old Testament Church, it was a 'congregation of Israel'. However, the true Church has the sanctity of the name Church of God - used twelve times in the New Testament. Simply put, when Christ said in Matthew 16:18 - I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it - He was saying that He will call out of Satan's world disciples, to grow into an altogether new and different world, which will be God's kingdom. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church (Eph 5:23).
The Church was created for the divine purpose of saving the whole of humanity, but in accordance to God's Master Plan and time order.Those who are called out of this world and into His church now are being called for a specific purpose and for a specific work (1 Cor 12:18). The specific purpose and work is to be trained in the government of God to prepare for the time when all of humanity will be converted to God's way of righteousness. The time will come for the salvation of mankind when Satan is removed from his throne (Rev 20:1-3) and Christ installed as King and the born again saints made immortal as kings to rule and reign on earth (Rev 11:15). Christ will be the King of kings and Lord of lords - Rev 19:16 - (kings - those who are called to form the true Church in this age and lords - those who will be converted in the Millennial age to come).
Jesus did not come to save Satan's world while Satan is still on his throne (2 Cor 4:4). The time for the salvation of all humanity is yet ahead. So why did Jesus Christ come some two thousand years ago to earth. He came for the following reasons:
1. To qualify to rule where the first Adam failed, and to replace Satan on the throne at His Second Coming.
2. To proclaim the Gospel of the kingdom of God - the future establishment of God's government on earth to be ruled by His divine Family.
3. To die for the sins of mankind so that we all can have eternal life with God in eternity through His resurrection.
4. To establish the Church of God to be trained to rule and reign under Christ.
Satan's world is filled with deception, strife and violence, envy and coveteousness, vanity and self-centredness - all contrary to the righteous laws of God's government. Since then, mankind has been on collision course with God. Despite all the mounting problems and disasters mankind is facing, man is unrepentant and like a Titanic heading toward the coming Great Tribulation (the wrath of Satan) and the Day of the Lord (God's wrath). The Good News is after all that, there will be a new world dawning with God intervening in the affairs of man, with Christ and His immortal saints ruling and reigning on earth. The true Church (firstfruits) is the Bride who will eventually marry the Lord Jesus Christ at His Return (Rev 19:7-9) to become His 'help meet' (Genesis 2:18). God the Father, God the Son and His Bride will form the divine Family that will rule the universe for all eternity. The Apostle Paul put it succinctly in Romans 8:19, 'For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God'.
According to the Bible and authenticated through church history, there are seven church eras, namely Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodiceans (Rev chapters 2 & 3) in that order of time. These seven cities were located on a mail route in Asia Minor, now western Turkey. They reflect the time of the founding of the Church by Christ in AD 31 to His Second Coming. Apart from the eras of Smyrna and Philadelphia, all the other five eras have their unique set of doctrinal and spiritual problems that eventually led to their downfall. However, each time when that happened, God has raised up a leader for the Church to enter the subsequent era. We are now in the final era of the Laodiceans - the lukewarm Church which will be spitted out of the mouth of Christ to face the Great Tribulation!
Due to apostasy, division and egoistic leaders, the Church has failed to proclaim the Gospel according to Jesus Christ for some nineteen centuries since about AD 50 to AD 1953, until God raised up Herbert W. Armstrong to proclaim the true Gospel of the kingdom of God. What has been preached all along is the Gospel about the person of Christ, and most churches wrongly assumed it is the same as the kingdom of God. The Gospel of the kingdom has been preached by the prophets in the Old Testament and by Christ even before His crucifixion. As the Apostle Paul rightly expected before it happened, 'But even if our gospel is veiled (hidden), it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.' (2 Cor 4:3-4)
The purpose of the Church is NOT to convert all unbelievers into Christianity in this age. While Christ was on earth, there was no attempt by Him to invite people to believe in Him. He simply drafted twelve men to be His disciples - all called by God the Father (John 6:44). If the Church is the instrument of God to save the world, then all humanity outside of Israel before the time of Christ were doomed! The word ekklesia in the New Testament Greek means the called-out ones - an assembly, a congregation, a gathering or a group. In the Old Testament Church, it was a 'congregation of Israel'. However, the true Church has the sanctity of the name Church of God - used twelve times in the New Testament. Simply put, when Christ said in Matthew 16:18 - I will build My church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it - He was saying that He will call out of Satan's world disciples, to grow into an altogether new and different world, which will be God's kingdom. Jesus Christ is the Head of the Church (Eph 5:23).
The Church was created for the divine purpose of saving the whole of humanity, but in accordance to God's Master Plan and time order.Those who are called out of this world and into His church now are being called for a specific purpose and for a specific work (1 Cor 12:18). The specific purpose and work is to be trained in the government of God to prepare for the time when all of humanity will be converted to God's way of righteousness. The time will come for the salvation of mankind when Satan is removed from his throne (Rev 20:1-3) and Christ installed as King and the born again saints made immortal as kings to rule and reign on earth (Rev 11:15). Christ will be the King of kings and Lord of lords - Rev 19:16 - (kings - those who are called to form the true Church in this age and lords - those who will be converted in the Millennial age to come).
Jesus did not come to save Satan's world while Satan is still on his throne (2 Cor 4:4). The time for the salvation of all humanity is yet ahead. So why did Jesus Christ come some two thousand years ago to earth. He came for the following reasons:
1. To qualify to rule where the first Adam failed, and to replace Satan on the throne at His Second Coming.
2. To proclaim the Gospel of the kingdom of God - the future establishment of God's government on earth to be ruled by His divine Family.
3. To die for the sins of mankind so that we all can have eternal life with God in eternity through His resurrection.
4. To establish the Church of God to be trained to rule and reign under Christ.
Satan's world is filled with deception, strife and violence, envy and coveteousness, vanity and self-centredness - all contrary to the righteous laws of God's government. Since then, mankind has been on collision course with God. Despite all the mounting problems and disasters mankind is facing, man is unrepentant and like a Titanic heading toward the coming Great Tribulation (the wrath of Satan) and the Day of the Lord (God's wrath). The Good News is after all that, there will be a new world dawning with God intervening in the affairs of man, with Christ and His immortal saints ruling and reigning on earth. The true Church (firstfruits) is the Bride who will eventually marry the Lord Jesus Christ at His Return (Rev 19:7-9) to become His 'help meet' (Genesis 2:18). God the Father, God the Son and His Bride will form the divine Family that will rule the universe for all eternity. The Apostle Paul put it succinctly in Romans 8:19, 'For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God'.
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