How To Recognize the Church of God

Recognizing the Church of God

Last week I urged you all to look to the Church for help in establishing a firm foundation for yourself   and to build on that foundation with your own personal bible study... quoting 1 Timothy 3:15.

But today, many churches professing Christianity are out there... yet teaching all kinds of different doctrines. If truth matters then they can't all be right. How can a person recognize God's Church in such a sea of confusion?

Today, we will look at the essential characteristics of God’s Church? What does it teach? What does it do?

God Calls

The Church is not a building, its people call to assembly by God, to fulfill a purpose in His unfolding plan:

To preach the gospel... to live as an example of God's way... to prepare personally for the kingdom of God... to help others join the program and prepare themselves.

Like it was with Abraham, like it was during Jesus' ministry, like it was in the 1st century... God is calling people out of the world to join that assembly... John 6:44, Revelation 18:4.

Responding to God’s Call

Acts 2:38 they recognize that His calling requires them to start making changes to their lives (they repent). AND they enter into God's new covenant through baptism. So, God's Church will be a baptizing Church. Bible defined baptism involves full immersion in water (as we see in Jesus' personal example)... He went down into the water and He came back up out of the water…. Baptism is then followed by the laying on of hands from an elder in the Church for the receipt of the holy spirit.

So… God’s Church will both baptize and administer the laying on of hands.

1 Corinthians 12:13, 27-28 through baptism you enter into the body of Christ Ephesians 1:22-23. To be the body of Christ means to represent Him on earth, in the flesh, to other people who are in the flesh.

Water baptism followed by the laying on of hands eliminates many of the contenders. But not all! I just recently talked with a person who was immersed in water and received the laying on of hands... but I do not consider that person part of the body of Christ... WHY?... because what they were baptized into lacks the other defining features of God's Church. Specifically:

l Commandment teaching Matthew 5:19

l Commandment keeping Matthew 7:21-23. They keep the commandments which they agree with

So… baptism and the laying on of hands is a marker of God’s Church… but there is more!

Fruits of the Spirit

Baptism is a visible act, experienced in the flesh, witnessed by others in the flesh. Spiritual growth is more subjective. For example; the fruits of the spirit Galatians 5:22-23.

God's holy spirit helps a person change their way of thinking and start developing the unselfish character traits of Christ. But these don't all show up immediately... we grow in grace and knowledge... and that takes time. Plus, in any given congregation some have been at it a long time and other are just beginning...

Further complexity comes into play because people who do even believe in God can appreciate and practice (in a visible way) qualities like self, control, gentleness, or joy... but often with different goals or motives (which remain unseen).

Showing forth the fruits of the spirit is a transformation taking place within a person and as such is unseen. However, this transformation should lead to actions which others can see and experience. So, fruits of the spirit are defining characteristics of God's Church but they requires wisdom, patience, and mercy to discern.

Godly Love

Love is one of the fruits of the spirit mentioned in Galatians 5… but we are going to call it out for special attention because Jesus calls it out for special attention as a sign of His people.

John 13:34-35 the love which serves as an identifying trait of God's church is of course Agape. A type of love not driven by emotion, or relationship. Agape is a choice to show love whether the person receiving the love is lovable or not, whether they are worthy or not, without any expectation of being loved back.

How does the bible tell us agape expresses itself?

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 these are great, but they are a lot like the fruits of the spirit. Highly important but hard for an observer to know whether they are witnessing patience... or fear of confrontation, is that person not easily angered... or are they apathetic. God who looks upon the heart knows. But sometimes you don't.

1 John 5:2-3 here agape is equated with keeping God's commandments. The word tereo (keeping) means; carefully attending to, to guard, to preserve, to do. Observing God's 10 commandments (not just the ones you agree with but all His commandments) moves a person toward behaviors that are observable and knowable... you either keep the Sabbath or you don't... you either steal of you don't... you either honor your mother and father or you don't etc.

Mathew 22:35-40 Jesus quotations from Leviticus and Deuteronomy tell us that the motive and goal of the commandments are to show and experience agape... to God... and to other people.

The new commandment to love one another does not replace the older commandments… it helps us understand them. So, living out this Godly love… the seen and unseen… is a distinguishing marker of God’s Church.

Will the People of God's Church Be Without Flaws

The quick answer is NO. Let's take a look at what was going on in congregations of the 1st century (the supposed golden age).

1 John 1:8-2:2 God's people overcome the penalties of sin through Jesus blood... they overcome the habits of sin through  application.

1 Corinthians 3:2-3 the people of God's Church are a work in progress. True Christians continue to repent, change and overcome as they recognize their shortfalls.

Galatians 6:1-4 God's Church is a safe place, providing mutual support and forgiveness for others as they struggle towards the fullness of Christ. HOWEVER... the Church is not here to enable habitual or premeditated sin 1 John 3:9-10.

So, being without fault of flaw is not a marker of God’s Church… BUT, addressing and overcoming sin is!

Will the Church of God Evolve?

The bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow... repeatedly God tells that human beings are fickle, variable, and ever-changing... but He is not.

The Church of God will not seek to alter any of God's commandments to appeal to the masses. The Church of God will not absorb human traditions (or human philosophies) and use them to worship Him.

1 John 2:3-6 the 1st century Church was a commandment keeping Church. But does it stay that way? 

Revelation 12:17, 14:12 to the bitter end (when Christ returns) witnessing to the salvation made available only through Jesus Christ … in conjunction with keeping the commandments are markers of the Church of God. You need both operating together (Lord, Lord vs. Lawlessness). 

By commandments we are talking about the 10 commandments here... and of those commands the gathering on the 7th day Sabbath is especially visible to outside observers.

7th Day Sabbath Observance

Luke 4:16 Jesus observed the 7th day Sabbath... it was His regular practice.

Acts 17:2, 18:4 Paul kept the 7th day Sabbath... it was his regular practice.

Hebrews 4:9 the 7th day Sabbath remains as a distinctive sign by which you can recognize God's Church.

The Work the Church Does

Matthew 24:14 to the very end... the Church will proclaim the coming kingdom of God... the return of Christ, the rule of God on earth... the future role of the first fruits within that kingdom.

This is the same "good news" Jesus proclaimed Mark 1:12-14.

So, teaching about the good news of the coming kingdom of God is another marker of God’s Church.

God’s Church in 2024

After centuries of hiding from the power of the dragon and his persecution the Church of God crossed over the Atlantic and resurfaced in the new colonies of America. Tracing the history of God's Church in America back beyond the mid 1800s is sketchy. We have few written records other than stuff like people's personal diaries, or letters.

What we do know is that about 100 years ago a portion of the Church of God started using the power of radio to proclaim biblical truth.  After several decades of laying the ground work the Church of God grew quickly in the 1960s and 1970s. At its height, the Church printed and mailed out bible studies, magazines, and books by the 100s of millions. A lot of seed was sown.

In the late 1980s and early 90s the Church of God was infiltrated by deceitful and heretical wolves. The Church broke up into chunks of various sizes. UCG is the largest chunk left from the wreckage.

In the meantime other groups have come on the scene bearing “some” of the visible characteristics of the Church of God, IE. Sabbath observance.

During the 1970s the messianic movement started to take off in the U.S. and then in the 1990s the Hebrew roots movement took off. Both are dramatically larger than the United Church of God.

The messianic churches out there do not appear to have a coherent set of fundamental beliefs. They vary widely on matters like; laying on of hands, the keeping of Christmas, most appear to accept the trinity, and teach heaven and hell as the destination for immortal souls.

The “Hebrew roots” movement appears to have taken up the teachings of the Church of God... but rather than enter into fellowship with the Church of God and take up the role of "learner", many have decided to position themselves first as teachers. They are equally diverse on the key beliefs I just listed.  Also, they don’t have much of a congregational presence relative to their numbers… the appear more focused on Torah lifestyle than preaching the gospel of the kingdom.

Mark 9:38-40

What Will You Decide

When surveying the options out there the United Church of God fits the traits of God’s Church as found in the bible. However, some are confused by the Church’s small size and apparent lack of growth. Wouldn’t a bona fide Church of God be blessed, wouldn’t it be large and strong.

Luke 12:27-32 material success is not a marker of God’s Church

The Church of God is not ours… it belongs to God… and Jesus Christ is its leader. Our job is to continue to scatter the seeds of God’s truth… it is God’s role to draw people to him and convict them through His spirit working with them. We can’t do that part.

If we start thinking its our job to grow the Church we will either become vain and proud or downcast and depressed. We have a responsibility to put God’s truth out there in the most persuasive compelling way we know how, to skillfully manage the resources He gives us… But God gives the increase 1 Corinthians 3:5-9

Collectively, as the body of Christ, our job is to welcome those whom God calls and chooses. To teach the precious truths of the bible to those God decides to work with. To nurture their spiritual growth.

Matthew 28:18-20