Why are there so many churches and is one church as good as another?

According to Colossians 1:18, the church is the “body” and Christ is the head. Ephesians 1:22-23 tells us the same thing. Christ promised in Matthew 16:18 to build His church and we find in Acts 2 people were being added to His church (Acts 2:47). We read in Ephesians 4:4 there is one body or one church. So, it was in the beginning of the church there was only one and that one was purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Paul warned the early Christians there was a time coming when that oneness would be gone. It was not a good thing. Already in Paul’s time there were those calling themselves after men instead of after Christ. We read in 1 Corinthians 3:3-6 where Paul condemned this division. Jesus had Himself condemned such division in His prayer to God in John 17 where He prayed we would all be united and one in God (verse 21).

Paul told Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:1-3 the time was coming when there would be those who caused such division. They would create rules of their own and teach them as doctrine. They did and thus began the first division of Christ’s church known as the Catholic Church.

As time went on, there were those who were opposed to many of these false doctrines and tried to restore New Testament Christianity. Martin Luther led in this reformation, but he died before he was able to accomplish the task. Many other religious leaders tried but were not successful. Instead, the church was split many more times into what we know today as denominations. An Internet search will show up to 45,000 different religions today, but the Bible still calls for only one.

But there have always been those who insist on New Testament Christianity and are always striving to achieve that goal. The only way to do so, of course, is to follow the commands and examples found in the New Testament. In doing so, you will find that one denomination is as good as another, but there is no denomination equal to the Lord’s church. Our goal must be to be in that church and no other.

In studying the doctrines of the different churches over the years, I have found only one church that wears the name of Christ and teaches His doctrine as delivered in the New Testament. If you are not familiar with the church of Christ and would like to find a congregation near you, let me know and I will try to find you an address.