Buff Scott Jr.
Sophomore
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- Jul 31, 2023
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Will Contemporary Churches Someday
Be History?
Be History?
Please Read This Before Continuing With Today’s Topic
Before getting into the substance of today’s column, I’d like to encourage you to send for my free 96-page book on Roman Catholicism, especially since a new Pope has been chosen and confirmed. The claim made by media sources and Papal Rome is that the Roman Catholic Church is 2,000 years old. This counterfeit claim is opposite history and the biblical testimony. According to official Catholic sources, it was not until after many centuries the Roman Catholic Church was largely organized. Prior to her adulthood she existed as an adolescent sect. She did not have an Archbishop until the end of the fourth century, and it was much later before she had Cardinals and Popes (Cath.Ency., IX, p. 61; Cath. Ency., Vol. IV, p. 44).
Be informed, please, that no authorized Catholic literature can be printed by Catholic printers, or read by Catholic members, without the imprimatur (Latin for “Let it be printed”) of a high-ranking Catholic official. The Catholic Encyclopedia, from which I frequently quote, was authorized by a high-ranking Catholic official, as noted in my book. In said book, I supply a whole host of historical and biblical evidence and testimony that Roman Catholicism was not formally functional until centuries after Jesus ushered in the Christian community. Consequently, she is far from being 2,000 years old. I have that information in PDF form. Tell me if you want a copy and I will email it to you at zero charge. (Please see an extra notation at the end of today’s column on this.) —Buff.
Be informed, please, that no authorized Catholic literature can be printed by Catholic printers, or read by Catholic members, without the imprimatur (Latin for “Let it be printed”) of a high-ranking Catholic official. The Catholic Encyclopedia, from which I frequently quote, was authorized by a high-ranking Catholic official, as noted in my book. In said book, I supply a whole host of historical and biblical evidence and testimony that Roman Catholicism was not formally functional until centuries after Jesus ushered in the Christian community. Consequently, she is far from being 2,000 years old. I have that information in PDF form. Tell me if you want a copy and I will email it to you at zero charge. (Please see an extra notation at the end of today’s column on this.) —Buff.
Will Churches Be History?
What I’m saying, and have been saying for decades, is that churches should totally reform themselves. Once this has been achieved, if ever, they will cease being churches and become concerned communities and evangelistic societies. Once reformation has run its course, there will no longer be Methodist Christians, Lutheran believers, Baptist disciples, Presbyterian pilgrims, Church of Christ devotees, Episcopal servants, Catholic advocates, Christian Church adherents, or any other off-shoot partisan organization.
Under this umbrella, all of those who are God’s children will be one family, one nation under Jesus the Messiah, one community, one body, and one colony—just as it was 2,000 years ago. Our membership (citizenship) will be in heaven, not placed in some rival sect or church. “But our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20).
To demonstrate my view that churches are not essential to divine deliverance, let us assume a Christian proclaimer journeys into the jungles of Brazil and shares Jesus with the inhabitants. He preaches neither church nor denomination, but tells them simply the story of Jesus and nothing more, as evangelist Philip told the Ethiopian in Acts 8:26-39 nearly 2,000 years ago.
We will suppose 500 of the inhabitants accept the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, welcome it, redirect their lives and, as per Jesus’ command, are immersed in water—as was the Ethiopian eunuch. They are born anew, saved, redeemed, delivered, and now begin their new life.
Tell me, of which church or denomination are they members? Are they Baptists? Are they Methodists? Are they Lutherans? Are they Protestants or Roman Catholics? Are they aligned with the Church of God Sect? How could they be disciples of any of these religious parties when they are totally unaware of their existence?
If the Lord added them to whatever they needed to be members or citizens of the moment they experienced the new birth, and He did, why join any church? They are already citizens of God’s heavenly colony. They may now meet corporately and praise God collectively, thus enjoying all spiritual benefits derived from their acceptance of Jesus. What more do they need? If God added them to His family, and He did, why should they join any of the numerous churches, none of which are remotely referred to in the scriptures? The Lord does the adding, not man (Acts 2:47).
If these new believers can reach Heaven without joining any church or “placing their membership” with some denomination or hanging some kind of partisan sign over the entrance to their meeting places (their homes or in the open jungle), they can be saved without adopting “mad church disease.” This is why I tell those who inquire about my “religion” or church affiliation, “I don’t have a religion, and I don’t have a church. I have a relationship with a Man called Jesus.” If our relationship with Him is strong and ongoing, everything will fall into place. But if we do not have that kind of relationship, everything will fall apart.
So, then, what did Jesus usher in? He founded a new people, a new Israel (not National Israel, but spiritual Israel), a new household, a new kingdom or reign, a new congregation or community, a new assembly. The new people He founded are dispersed among most all of our modern-day sects. And they need to be rescued by Jesus, the Great Reformer! Jesus’ bride is not a sect or faction or denomination. His bride is composed of those who have accepted Him as Lord and King and are striving, as best they can, to respond to His grace, wherever they are found. This is the bride of Christ! She is spread throughout most sects and churches and denominations. She’s in exile, just as old Israel was.
Under this umbrella, all of those who are God’s children will be one family, one nation under Jesus the Messiah, one community, one body, and one colony—just as it was 2,000 years ago. Our membership (citizenship) will be in heaven, not placed in some rival sect or church. “But our citizenship is in heaven” (Phil. 3:20).
To demonstrate my view that churches are not essential to divine deliverance, let us assume a Christian proclaimer journeys into the jungles of Brazil and shares Jesus with the inhabitants. He preaches neither church nor denomination, but tells them simply the story of Jesus and nothing more, as evangelist Philip told the Ethiopian in Acts 8:26-39 nearly 2,000 years ago.
We will suppose 500 of the inhabitants accept the Good News about Jesus the Messiah, welcome it, redirect their lives and, as per Jesus’ command, are immersed in water—as was the Ethiopian eunuch. They are born anew, saved, redeemed, delivered, and now begin their new life.
Tell me, of which church or denomination are they members? Are they Baptists? Are they Methodists? Are they Lutherans? Are they Protestants or Roman Catholics? Are they aligned with the Church of God Sect? How could they be disciples of any of these religious parties when they are totally unaware of their existence?
If the Lord added them to whatever they needed to be members or citizens of the moment they experienced the new birth, and He did, why join any church? They are already citizens of God’s heavenly colony. They may now meet corporately and praise God collectively, thus enjoying all spiritual benefits derived from their acceptance of Jesus. What more do they need? If God added them to His family, and He did, why should they join any of the numerous churches, none of which are remotely referred to in the scriptures? The Lord does the adding, not man (Acts 2:47).
If these new believers can reach Heaven without joining any church or “placing their membership” with some denomination or hanging some kind of partisan sign over the entrance to their meeting places (their homes or in the open jungle), they can be saved without adopting “mad church disease.” This is why I tell those who inquire about my “religion” or church affiliation, “I don’t have a religion, and I don’t have a church. I have a relationship with a Man called Jesus.” If our relationship with Him is strong and ongoing, everything will fall into place. But if we do not have that kind of relationship, everything will fall apart.
So, then, what did Jesus usher in? He founded a new people, a new Israel (not National Israel, but spiritual Israel), a new household, a new kingdom or reign, a new congregation or community, a new assembly. The new people He founded are dispersed among most all of our modern-day sects. And they need to be rescued by Jesus, the Great Reformer! Jesus’ bride is not a sect or faction or denomination. His bride is composed of those who have accepted Him as Lord and King and are striving, as best they can, to respond to His grace, wherever they are found. This is the bride of Christ! She is spread throughout most sects and churches and denominations. She’s in exile, just as old Israel was.
