IGLESIA NI CRISTO EVANGELISM: NOT KEEPING SILENT UNTIL SALVATION SHINES

IGLESIA NI CRISTO EVANGELISM:  

NOT KEEPING SILENT

UNTIL SALVATION SHINES

INVITATIONS TO GRAND evangelical missions (GEMs).  Distributions of pamphlets and religious magazines.  Request to listen or watch religious programs on TV and radio.  These and other ways of sharing the true gospel to non-members continue unabated, as members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) devote much of their time, effort, and even financial resources to the noble mission of spreading God’s message for man’s salvation in these last days.

     Indeed, the Iglesia Ni Cristo remains committed to evangelism or to spreading the Good News even if the world faces persistent problems and perils.  With God’s abiding guidance, it will continue to reap success in this noble mission of proclaiming to all people God’s words as the world approaches its nearing end.

FULFILLING THEIR CALLING

Every member of the Church Of Christ makes it a point to fulfill his duty to never keep silent until salvation shines:  “For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her vindication shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.  I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the Lord, give yourselves no rest, and give him no rest till he establishes Jerusalem
and makes her the praise of the earth.  You will be a crown of splendor in the Lord’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.”  (Isa. 62:1, 6, 7, 3, New International Version)

     Moreover, in His pronouncement, our Lord Jesus Christ likens the members of His Church to the branches of the vine and thus He expects them to bear fruit;  He also warns them that the branches that do not bear fruit will be taken away (John 15:16, 2).  Thus, members of the Church Of Christ in these last days fulfill this mandate by sharing their faith to others and winning them over to the Church.  And to illustrate their mission to convert people into the Church, Christ likens them to lights of the world that should shine brightly in the dark:

     “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” (Matt. 5:14-15, New King James Version)

     Christ does not count worthy any member of His Church who dodges his obligation to share his faith.  God’s true servants should take seriously their role as God’s instruments in making known the message of salvation to the world in as much as it is God Himself who wants all men to be saved (I Tim. 2:3-4).

SAVING SOULS

Fulfilling their mission to win people over to the Church is no ordinary undertaking; it is a noble mission because in so doing, they are saving souls—snatching them from the fire:  “Save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.” (Jude 1:23, NIV)

     Hence, by taking part in this holy endeavor to spread the gospel of salvation, they manifest their love and compassion for their fellowmen.  However, Apostle made it clear that not everyone has the authority to preach the gospel, for it is the ministers and evangelical workers who are given the gift to preach (Rom. 12:5-6; II Tim. 4:1-2).  Even so, as “lights of the world,” they should illuminate others who are still in the dark on the true knowledge that leads to salvation (Matt. 5:14, 6).

     Time is really of the essence.  Thus, the task of snatching or rescuing as many souls as possible from the fire on Judgment Day—which is swiftly drawing near because the events that serve as the signs of this appointed day given by Christ have been fulfilled (Matt. 24:3, 33, 6-8) and because on that day “the heavens and the earth… are reserved for the fire… and perdition of ungodly men” (II Pet. 3:7, NKJV)—is made more urgent and immediate.  Before time runs out, they are doing everything they can accomplish their great mission of sharing the true faith.

PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS

Member of the Church of Christ received God’s compassion through Christ; He died for them as explained by Apostle Paul:  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Rom. 5:8-9, Ibid.)

     Furthermore, His death benefited His Church only; and Christ Himself will save the Church, His body (Eph. 5:25, 23).  And so, they were justified through the blood of Christ when God called them to become members of the Church Of Christ—the Church which He redeemed with His blood:  “Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with His blood.” (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation). 

     Thus, God delivered them from condemnation and brought them to salvation.  And because they have been redeemed, they should proclaim what God did to them and His righteousness to others.  Indeed, the faith that will assure them salvation and eternal life is faith worth sharing and they should not keep it to themselves:

     “I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness
In the great assembly;
Indeed, I do not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You Yourself know.
I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.” (Ps. 40:9-10, NKJV)

FORTIFYING THEIR OWN SALVATON

Not only do members of the Church show their care and concern for humanity when they share with everyone God’s Message of salvation; such works also fortify their hope for their own salvation.  Apostle Paul mentioned those who labored with him in the gospel, noting that their names “are written in the Book of Life” (Phil. 4:3, Ibid.).  To labor in the gospel is to take part in “spreading the good news…” (Phil. 1:5, Contemporary English Version).  Hence, the time and efforts that faithful members of the Church Of Christ share for the service of God will never be wasted (I Cor. 15:58)—they are certain of attaining salvation in the Second Coming of Christ.

     Moreover, they follow the example of the early Christians who, according to Apostle Paul, helped “in the work of [spreading] the gospel from the very first day until now.” (Phil. 1:5, Today’s English Version).  Thus, participating in sharing the gospel ought to be a consistent and continuous practice among true Christians.  True enough, many brethren today, despite successfully converting many people to be baptized in the Church, continue to show the same enthusiasm as that of the early Christians in fulfilling this mission to proclaim the good news of salvation.

     They understand that in sharing their faith, the reward is well worth the struggle and sacrifice.  The Bible guaranteed that those who are “willing to share” (their faith) are “storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life” (I Tim. 6:18-19, NKJV)  *

Based on the article written by

Brother Roland A. Aguirre

PASUGO GOD’S MESSAGE

JULY 2012/VOLUME 64

NUMBER 7/PAGES 4-6

A DIFFERENT KIND OF SHARING

A DIFFERENT KIND OF SHARING

HOW FAR WOULD you go for the things that matter?  Consider these scenarios:  people who helped total strangers during devastating disasters; employees who agreed to cut their working hours rather than see co-workers lose their jobs; teachers and medical practitioners who chose to go to far-flung areas to aid the poor and the downtrodden; and philanthropists who donated millions of dollars to improve global health and education.

     Indeed, varied are the ways to share one’s wealth or possessions, time, experience, aspiration, talent or expertise with someone else. Yet, there is another kind of sharing that is more profound and noble, for it enables others to attain eternal life and salvation on our Lord Jesus Christ’s return—sharing the Good News of salvation.

     Thus, members of the Church of Christ make it a point to help in sharing their faith to all.  Such endeavor matters much;  it is never in vain in the sight of our Lord god.

     Moreover, it does not only manifest our concern and compassion for our fellowmen but it also allows us to fulfill our spiritual obligation.

FULFILLING OUR CALLING

In His pronouncement, our Lord Jesus Christ likens the members of His Church to the branches of the vine.  He expects every branch to bear fruit; thus, he warns that the branches that do not bear fruit will be taken away (John 15:16, 2).  And so, we, members of the Church of Christ in these last days, should fulfill the sacred purpose of our calling:  to bear fruit.  One way of bearing fruit is to share our faith to others and to win them over to become members of the Church.

     Moreover, to illustrate our mission to convert people into the Church, Christ likens us to lights of the world that should shine brightly in the dark (Matt. 5:14-15).  Hence, members of the Church who do not fulfill their mission to bear fruit are likened to lamps that are put under a basket, unable to shine or give light.

     In another illustration, we are compared to the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13).  Among other purposes, salt is used as a preservative; it is used to prevent decay.  And because people of the world suffer from decay—that is, moral and spiritual decay—due to widespread wickedness, our task as the “salt of the earth” is to preserve people to a life of righteousness by convincing them to join the true Church.  Not accomplishing such duty is tantamount to the salt losing its flavor, so to speak, thus Christ declared:  “… it is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matt. 5:13, New King James Version).

     Clearly, Christ does not count worthy any member of His Church who dodges his responsibility to share his faith.  Therefore, we should take seriously our role as God’s instruments in presenting or making known the message of salvation to the world.  And it is God himself who wants all men to be saved:

    “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (I Tim. 2:3-4, Ibid.)

SAVING SOULS

Fulfilling our mission to win people over the Church is no ordinary undertaking because in so doing, we are saving souls, pulling them out of the fire:

     “But others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire,[a] hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” (Jude 1:23, Ibid.)

     Hence, by taking part in the mission to spread the gospel of salvation, we manifest our love and concern for our fellowmen.  However, Apostle Paul clarified that not everyone has the authority to preach the gospel, for it is the ministers and evangelical workers who are given the gift to preach (Rom. 12:5-6; II Tim. 4:1-2).  Even so, as “lights of the world,” we should illuminate others who are still in the dark on the true knowledge that leads to salvation (Matt. 5:14, 16).  We should make good use of every opportunity to win many people over to the true Church.

     We all know that judgment Day is swiftly drawing near because the signs about this appointed day given by our Lord Jesus Christ have been fulfilled (Matt. 24:3, 33, 6-8.)  And because on that day “the heavens and the earth … are reserved for the fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men” and “both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (II Pet. 3:7, 10, NKJV), the task of snatching or rescuing as many souls as possible from the fire on Judgment Day is made more urgent and immediate.  Time is really of the essence.  Thus, before time runs out we should do everything we can to accomplish this great missions of ours.  Indeed, what we do will surely help people turn from God’s wrath to His mercy.

PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS

During our Lord Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry, He showed His compassion to a possessed man—healing him and telling him to go home to his friends and to make known to them the great things that the Lord had done for him (Mark 5:18-19).

     As members of the Church of Christ, didn’t we also receive God’s compassion?  Apostle Paul explains:

     “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Rom. 5:8-9, NKJV)

     While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  But His death benefited His Church only; and “Christ is himself the Savior of the Church, his body” (Eph. 5:25, 23, Today’s English Version).  And so, we were justified through the blood of Christ when God called us to become parts of Christ’s body or members of the Church of Christ—the Church which He redeemed with His blood:

     “Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.” (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation)

     Thus, God delivered us from condemnation and brought us to salvation.  Because of this, we will be saved from His wrath.  Because we have been redeemed, we should proclaim it to others.  Truly, a gift as precious as salvation is worth sharing.  We should proclaim the Good News of God’s salvation to all, more so to our friends and loved-ones who belong to other religions.  Such a great and wonderful blessing should not be kept to ourselves:

“I have proclaimed the good news of righteousness
In the great assembly;
Indeed, I do not restrain my lips,
O Lord, You Yourself know.
I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart;
I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation;
I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth
From the great assembly.” (Ps. 40:9-10, NKJV)

PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL

We can utilize the various ways that the bible teaches in winning souls over to the Church.  Indeed, these are opportunities to show our care and concern to our fellowmen.

     We can invite people to listen to Christ’s teachings as what the Samaritan woman did.  Upon meeting Christ and knowing whom she was talking to, she went back to her town and invited the people to listen to what our Lord Jesus Christ had to say.  The Samaritan woman’s efforts proved to be fruitful as many of them believed in Jesus (John 4:28-30, 39, TEV).

     Also, we can fulfill our obligation to share our faith with others not only through the spoken word but also through the written word (Acts 17:11-12; I Pet. 5:12)

     Therefore, let us invite people to listen to the words of God, which are taught during our instructions in biblical doctrines, grand evangelical missions (GEMs), and congregational worship services.  We can also use the mass media in order to communicate God’s words to all and sundry.  Let us take part in the distribution of our pamphlets, religious tracts, and magazine, Pasugo:  God’s Message.  Let us encourage nonmembers to watch and listen to our religious programs on TV and radio.  Needless to say, since there are various means by which we can spread our faith, everyone of us can take part in sharing God’s message of salvation to all people.

NEVER IN VAIN

The time and efforts that faithful members of the Church of Christ sacrifice and share for the service of God—one of which is our mission of winning souls back to God—will never be wasted:

     “… Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord’s service is ever useless.” (I Cor. 15:58, TEV)

     Each one of us who diligently takes part in the spreading of our faith is truly fortunate.  In fact, by actively sharing our faith, we “will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ” (Philem. 1:6, New International Version); hence we would understand that in sharing our faith, the reward is well worth the struggle and sacrifice.  Apostle Paul guaranteed that we will attain salvation for the names of those who help in our missionary works are recorded in the Book of Life:

     “And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.” (Phil. 4:3, NKJV)  *

Written by
Brother ROLAND A. AGUIRRE

PASUGO GOD’S MESSAGE
FEBRUARY 2009
VOLUME 61
NUMBER 2
PAGES 16-18

THE GREATEST MESSAGE

THE GREATEST MESSAGE

ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS in our life, our birthdays for instance, we normally receive gifts from people who care for us.  We usually appreciate the gifts given us especially when they benefit us so much.  In return, we thank our well-meaning friends and relatives and treasure their gifts for quite a long time, because we perceive them as an expression of their love.

     However, there is a gift given to man that is priceless, yet many have failed to realize and regard it the way it should be.  This is the greatest gift of God to mankind—none other than our Lord Jesus Christ.  Apostle John explicitly states:  “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life” (John 3:16, Today’s English Version).


FOR REFLECTION
The abovementioned statement of John raises three important points we must reflect on:  First, God’s love for us is immeasurable.  Not only did He create us but also provided us a suitable place, a good habitat to live including the things we need to sustain life.  Far above these material graces, God gave His only Son manifesting the greatness of His love for us.

     Second, God’s love for the world is indeed great that He sent His only Son (I John 4:9), our Lord Jesus Christ for the purpose of giving us an understanding to know the One who sent Him.  Apostle John articulates this:  “We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” (I John 5:20, New International Version).  Christ was sent to make us understand an extremely important message that we should know the true God, and that this has something to do with our salvation and attainment of eternal life.  Otherwise, we will not be saved.  Apostle Paul declares:  “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.  They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might”  (II Thess. 1:8-9, Ibid).

      And third, the greatest message of God which Christ has taught to mankind through the Holy Scriptures is to know who the only true God is.  Christ emphasized this, for He Himself was fully aware of the fact that many believed in other gods other than the One who sent Him.  As a matter of fact, the vast influence of Greek and Roman culture, particularly the Greek’s and Roman's religious practices, had crept deeply into the lives of the people living within the Roman empire.  Apostle Paul who was sent to the Gentiles to preach the message of salvation articulated the most important teaching of Christ:  “So then, about eating the food offered to idols:  we know that an idol stands for something that does not really exist; we know that there is only the one God.  Even if there are so-called ‘gods,’ whether in heaven or in earth, and even though there are many of these ‘gods’ and ‘lords,’ yet there is for us only one God, the Father, who is the Creator of all things and for whom we live; and there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created and through whom we live.  But not everyone knows this truth.  Some people have been so used idols that to this day when they eat such food they still think of it as that belongs to an idol; their conscience is weak, and they feel they are defiled by the food” (I Cor. 8:4-7, TEV).

     Christ also explicitly stated that eternal life is only for those who do believe in the message he taught—the Father is the only true God (John 17:3, 1, Contemporary English Version).  The belief that there is God the Son and that the Holy Spirit is also God is against the teaching of Christ.  God Himself said:  “Consult together, argue your case, and state your proofs that idol worships pays.  Who made these things known long ago?  What idol ever told you they would happen?  Was it not I, the LORD?  For there is no other God but me—a just God and a Savior—no, not one!  Let all the world look to me for salvation!  For I am God; there is no other” (Isa. 45:21-22, New Living Translation).


WHO DOES RECOGNIZE THE ONLY TRUE GOD?
Christ not only has made the only true God known, but also of great importance, has taught the greatest commandment.  Matthew recorded:  “ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matt. 22:36-38, NIV).  Knowing and recognizing the only true God is one very important thing.  But loving Him, certainly, is another thing, in fact the greatest commandment.

     In view of this commandment, Apostle John who was among the apostles Christ called to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15-16), taught:  “If we obey God’s commands, then we are sure that we know him”  (I John 2:3, TEV).  Emphatically, he also said:  “In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” (I John 5:3, NIV).


THE MISSION
The Church of Christ that emerged in the Philippines in these last days as prophesied in the Holy Scriptures has taken this task of spreading the message about the only true God as its primary mission.  As this mission was started by the last messenger, Brother Felix Y. Manalo, the Church through its administration continuously sends ministers and evangelical workers to many places to preach the message for man’s salvation.

     The Church members all throughout the world will never get tired of employing all possible means to help in sharing with the peoples the most important message of God, so that they too will be able to fulfill the purpose for which He created man.

     The Church fervently prays that more and more people find God’s mercy that when His message reaches them, they will appreciate the efforts of its members.  And eventually, they will value His teachings through which they will also attain the promise eternal life.  *


Based on the article written
By CELERINO G. BACLAAN
PASUGO GODS MESSAGE
FEBRUARY 2010
VOLUME 62
NUMBER 2
PAGES 13-14

THAT THEY MAY BE ONE

THAT THEY MAY BE ONE

Any church that claims to be truly Christians

ought to exhibit the essential characteristic of being united

in doctrine and practice.

Feljun B. Fuentes

UNITY IS ONE of the distinctive marks of the true Christian Church.  Any church that claims to be truly Christian ought to exhibit this essential characteristic.  Such that the failure of any claimant to possess and practice unity in the proper sense expressed in the Bible only proves that the church in question is not the true Church of Christ.  Only the true Church of Christ will possess genuine unity and this distinguishes it from the other so-called Christian churches.

     That genuine unity can only exist in the true Church is supported by the fact that Jesus did not speak of a plurality of churches.  He said that not everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven; only those who do the will of His Father will (cf. Mt. 7:21-23).  Hence, He does not acknowledge just any religion that recognizes Him.  The only religion He recognizes is that which does the will of God and obeys all of His commandments.

     The foregoing discussion will prove from the Scriptures that God intended His Church to remain truly united which makes unity a striking and exclusive mark of the Christian Church.

BIBLICAL BASIS FOR UNITY

     Unity in the Church of Christ is founded purely on the teachings of the Bible.  It is a doctrine that has been upheld by the people of God from ancient times to the present.  Both Old and New Testament Scriptures contain passages essentially supporting the practice and preservation of unity within the nation of God.  For instance, in Psalm 133:1, it is succinctly written:

     “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!” (New International Version)

     This biblical passage teaches that to dwell together in unity is both good and pleasant in the sight of God and even in the proper ordering of the lives of His people.  This biblical doctrine, however, is further confirmed by other verses of the New Testament.

     During the apostolic period or in the early Church, the Apostles wrote their epistle that contained appeals to the early Christians for unity.  When individual judgments and selfish motives threatened the unity of this society and created disunion and confusion among the brethren, the Apostles lost no time to exhort the brethren to maintain the unity of the organization.  With the same degree of conviction, they vehemently condemned disunity.  In one of his letters to the Christians, Apostle Paul made the following statements:

     “I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.” (I Cor. 1:10, Revised Standard Version)

HOW UNITY IS EXPRESSED IN THE CHURCH

     Unity as has been practiced in true Christianity is absolute.  It is unequivocally expressed through a complete agreement in what the disciples should say by being perfectly united in the same mind and the same judgment.  Thus, the true Christian Church in her dedication to the exercise of unity is one in doctrine, in polity, in faith, and in worship.  Factions and dissensions were strongly discouraged and condemned.  Thus, the perfect execution of this unity is exclusively found in the true Church.

     Let us not, however, misconstrue this unity as a reaction to counter the persecutions that the Christians suffer or a desire to gain collective strength in order to accommodate mundane concerns or promote social and political ends.  The fact is, by being united, the chosen people of God glorify Him.  Apostle Paul was rather emphatic on this in the following biblical passage:

     “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had,

     “so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 15:5-6, NIV)

     Bringing glory to God is premised on the unity of the Christians in following Jesus Christ with one heart and mouth.  The practice of worshipping God should be done through the collective efforts of the members of the Church.  How can a group of people be united in worshipping God or in bringing glory to Him when they are disunited in their beliefs, in their faith, in the administration of the Church or in their mind and judgment?  God will never find pleasure in being worshipped by servants who are divisive and conflicting.

     Aware that God Almighty is glorified by Christians who possess that spirit of humility and selflessness because these would enable them to translate the unity of the Church into concrete reality, Apostle Paul wrote the following:

     “Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.

     “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,

     “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” (Philip. 2:2-3, 12, Ibid.)

    

JESUS PRAYED FOR UNITY

     Unity in its concrete biblical essence can never be exercised by just any organization, not even by just any zealous religion.  Since it is a mark of the true Christian religion it has to be distinctively and exclusively found in the true Church.  The claim of any religion, therefore, becomes empty and meaningless should its constituents fail to be united.

     Before the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ into heaven, He uttered a prayer to His Father.  This prayer gives us an idea as to how distinctive a characteristic of the true Church unity must be.  A portion of that prayer goes like this:

     “And now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the word, but they are in the world.  Holy Father!  Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one just as you and I are one.

“And now I am coming to you; I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world. Holy Father! Keep them safe by the power of your name, the name you gave me,[a] so that they may be one just as you and I are one.  I in them and you in me, so that they may be completely one, in order that the world may know that you sent me and that you love them as you love me.” (Jn. 17:11, 23, Today’s English Version)

     As the Church of Christ that emerged in these last days has been prophesied to expand to various countries worldwide, there exists the danger that private judgments of the individual members would create disunion and disharmony within the Church.  Disunity and dissensions might be fueled by the variety of the brethren’s opinions and by their various nationalistic inclinations.  In anticipations of this, Jesus Christ sought for the grace of the Almighty God against disunity and disharmony when He petitioned that the Church be perfectly united.

     Note that the unity intended by Jesus for His Church on earth is founded on the mutual love and concern of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.  As the Father and the Son are completely united so should the Church be in its entirely.

     Clearly at this point, the prayer of the Lord Christ Jesus has become the safeguard for the unity of the Church.

MEANING AND SCOPE OF UNITY

     When the Church of Christ insists on the unity required by the Scriptures, it does not refer to the kind of unity flaunted by worldly organizations and other groups of people.  Unity in the Church of Christ is that which has, as its ultimate objective, to praise and bring glory to God (cf. Col. 3:17; I Pt. 4:11).  As this is so, unity within the true Church has its own inherent pattern.  The unity of its organization also follows certain scriptural principles.

     The singularity of the Church founded by Jesus Christ implies that all churches that differ from it is not the Church of Christ but a different organization.  It is even wrong to assume that all the so-called Christian religions or those that profess belief in the Lord Jesus Christ would make up the whole Church of Christ.  Putting them together under one umbrella organization while upholding conflicting doctrines is not the biblical notion of unity.  The Bible says:

     “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call,  one Lord, one faith, one baptism,  one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.” (Eph. 4:4-6, RSV)

     Clearly then, there is only one Church of Christ, recognizing one Lord who is Jesus Christ, sharing with one another on hope, upholding one faith, the members of which have been baptized once into the body or Church, and recognizing only one God, the Father in heaven.  This is the oneness of the Church of Christ so that unity is distinctively its own.

     Indeed, it is in the nature of the Church organization that it is united, that unless it is so, it becomes improper to recognize it as the true Church.  The Church, properly so-called, is the body of Christ:

     “He is the head of the body, the church.”  (Col. 1:18, Ibid.)

     In his epistle to the Romans, the Apostle Paul vividly described the nature of the Church as an organization, being composed of individual members working in perfect unity.  He said:

     “For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function,

     “so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” (Rom. 12:4-5, Ibid.)

     What are counted as many are the members of the Church and not the religious bodies.  These members serve various functions within one organized unit.

     The arrangement of each part of this body or Church has been fashioned by God in such a way that the unity of the organization may be maintained and kept:

     “But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.

     “ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other." (I Cor. 12:18, 25, NIV)

     Since it is God who put together the members of the body, it now becomes clear why, in reference to the early Christians, the Apostle Paul said:

     “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” (I Cor. 12:27, RSV)

     God has a purpose in putting together the parts of the body or the members of the Church of Christ.  He abhors discord or divisions among His chosen people.  By arranging the parts of the body according to His will, there will be no schism or discord in the body.  Instead, the members would have the same care for one another.

     When we speak of Christ being the head of the Church, we also imply that the members of the Church who are collectively referred to as His body, are under the spiritual obligation to perform their religious duties under His command.  Members, whose obedience is patterned after that of Jesus toward His Father (cf. Philip. 2:5, 8), neither reason out for themselves nor follow their own opinions against the commandments of God written in the Scriptures.  Indeed, members of the Church practice no righteousness of their own.  Apostle Paul explained this further in the following passage:

     “And be completely united with him. I no longer have a righteousness of my own, the kind that is gained by obeying the Law. I now have the righteousness that is given through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God and is based on faith.” (Philip 3:9, GNT)

     Total unity is to be preserved by the parts of the body of Christ or by the members of the Church.  In a physical human body, it is the head that should take complete control of the body by directing the movements and ensuring the coordination of the parts within the whole system.  Inside the church, Christ takes complete control over the lives of His servants.

     The nature of the unity in the Church is all the more understood by taking into account the manner by which Christ created “one new man from the two, thus making peace” (cf. Eph. 2:15).  Referred to here as the two that Christ created as one new man are Christ Himself and the Church—the head and the body (cf. Col. 1:18).  So that, to understand the organized functioning of the various parts of a physical human body means to understand also the organized unity that prevails in the Church of Christ.

PARADOXICAL REACTION TO PERFECT UNITY

     Among the various occasions when public attention focuses on the Iglesia ni Cristo is when the citizens are called upon to exercise their right of suffrage.  What attracts the attention of people is the fact that members of this Church cast their votes in perfect unity during elections or plebiscites.

     However, in proportion to their ability to understand the underlying principles behind this practice, people either admire or criticize this unity.  Some of them accuse the Church of interfering or involving in politics.  Others impute ignoble motives to the Church’s behavior.

     What is paradoxical here is that those who point accusing fingers at this Church for its solid unity in all aspects of its religious life are themselves avid and active proponents of unity.  They rally the whole nation or groups of people behind them to be united for a cause.  They ask politicians and partisan advocates to brush aside their differences and work for the common good.

     Surprisingly though, when they are confronted with the real honest-to-goodness unity exhibited by this Church, they mysteriously forget their hossanahs for unity.  Furthermore, they cast thunderbolts at the entity practicing what they themselves advocate.

     It must be noted that the Iglesia ni Cristo practices unity not during elections alone.  Unity as a mark of the true Church is a principle that it consistently upholds in every aspect of the Christian life.

     So, the Church of Christ itself is an organized whole.  And the Bible tells us that it is the work of God Himself that the members or parts of this body are set together.

     The Bible likewise defines the extent of unity that should be practiced in the Church.  The Church must be so united in such a way as to fulfill the biblical teaching that its members must be “liked-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Philip. 2:2, Ibid.).  Apostle Paul indeed very emphatic when he added that, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit” (Philip. 2:3, Ibid.)  This eliminates all throughout even the smallest possible practice of divisiveness in the body of Christ.  Therefore, the Church is, and must continue to be, united in all endeavors that have to do with the members’ religious life.  This being done, the members of the Church have complied with the commandments of God.

     Finally, Apostle Paul explains that God is glorified when members of the Church of Christ are united in everything they think, say, and do (cf. Rom. 15:6).

     On the other hand, any form of disunity and schism in the Church of Christ is disdained by the Apostles as proven in the letters of Paul and James:

     “For you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving like ordinary men?

     “For when one says, “I belong to Paul,” and another, “I belong to Apol′los,” are you not merely men?” (I Cor. 3:3-4, RSV)

     “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

     “This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

     “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” (Js. 3:14-16)

     Therefore, the slightest hint of disunity in the true Church is contradictory to the sanctity of its mission and existence.  The Bible requires that unity of the Church of Christ be upheld by its members at all times.  In this way, the God of love and peace will remain with the Church:

     “In the meantime, brothers, we wish you happiness; try to grow perfect; help one another.  Be united; live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (II Cor. 13:11, Jerusalem Bible)  *

Copied from PASUGO GOD’S MESSAGE/JANUARY-FEBRUARY 1992/VOLUME 44/NUMBER 1/PAGES 4-8

MORE THAN SUNSHINE AND RAIN

MORE THAN SUNSHINE AND RAIN

By NICANOR P. TIOSEN

WHY ARE PEOPLE HESITANT and even adamant to seek the true Church Of Christ?  Why are many already contented and are thus complacently comfortable in the church they are in?

     “What for?” says a successful businessman and father of five who are equally successful in their respective careers.  “We’re living the good life!” he continues.

     “Mine is a worry-free existence.  I’ve been in this church for so long.  A member of good standing at that.  Moreover, I’ve received so much blessings here.  What do you make of it?  Surely, I cannot but be of God,” another quips.

     Indeed, today a lot of people associate having much in life (in terms of material holdings) to being of God and enjoying His providence, hence, not seeing the need of finding out if they are in the true church or not.  They find it superfluous, thus unnecessary, to change their religious affiliations.  And many even quote the Bible for what they think as pertinent verses to support their contention.

GOD FEEDS AND CLOTHES ALL

“God does not discriminate!”  And before an argument could ensue, they would cite our Lord Jesus Christ, thus:  “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matt. 6:26, New International Version)

     “Didn’t our Lord Jesus Christ generally show the value of a human life, irrespective of a person’s religious affiliation?” they’d ask.   And to bolster their belief, they would continue appropriating for themselves our Lord Jesus Christ’s pronouncement, thus:  “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” (Matt. 6:30, Ibid.).

THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER

What this people did not realize is that Christ’s statement in Matthew 5:45 is a carryover from verses 43 and 44 where He mentioned about enemies and persecutors, thus giving His disciples specific instructions as to how they ought to deal with them.  Moreover, in Matthew 6:26 and 30, Christ was rebuking those who are of little faith, hence, making a distinction among His disciples regarding faith.  Had they been careful, they would have realized that Christ was pointing out the kind of faith some of His disciples have, hence, “… you of little faith,” He says.

     Another thing that people who regard material bounty as proof of being of God is that Christ Himself said that God “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous” (Matt. 5:45).

UNGODLY MEN AND

THE DAY OF JUDGMENT

But is there really no difference?  In II Peter 3:7, this is stated, thus:  “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (New King James Version).  Sadly, regarding Judgment Day, there are those who take it for granted.  Engrossed with one’s daily life, many barely, if ever, think about it.  Moreover, the wicked continue to flourish on earth making many skeptical but this should not come as a surprise because King David even then observed, thus:  “I have seen the wicked in great power,
And spreading himself like a native green tree.” (Ps. 37:35, Ibid.).  They failed to notice though what the psalmist said earlier, thus:  “Don’t be worried on account of the wicked; don’t be jealous of those who do wrong.  They will soon disappear like grass that dries up; they will die like plants that wither” (Ps. 37:1-2, Today’s English Version).  This should be a fair warning to people wallowing in wickedness and a signal to those who are envious of others, who despite their doing evil, continue to thrive.  For King David said:  “… but sinners are completely destroyed, and their descendants are wiped out” (Ps. 37:38, Ibid.).

     On the other hand, to the righteous, King David instructs, thus:  “Seek your happiness in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desire.  Give yourself to the LORD; trust in him, and he will help you” (Ps. 37:4-5, Ibid.).  He also said:  “Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is future for the man of peace” (Ps. 37:37, NIV).

WHAT AWAITS THE MAN OF PEACE?

Certainly, the man of peace is he who has found the peace of God.  And the learned Apostle Paul taught where we find him, thus:  “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Col. 3:15, NKJV).  Those who have found real peace—the peace of God—are in one body or Church whose head is Christ (Col. 1:18, Ibid.)  Hence, they are in the Church Of Christ (Rom. 16:16, Ibid.).

     One may reason out though:  “But I have not done anything wrong to anybody, nor have I even thought badly of others!  Should I still join the Church Of Christ?”  Apostle Paul says:  “What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?  … God will judge those outside. ‘Expel the wicked man from among you’” (I Cor. 5:12-13, NIV).  God will judge those outside the Church.  And only one church existed then:  Church Of Christ (Acts 20:28,  Lamsa Translation).

LOVE MADE COMPLETE

Others say that by virtue of creation, they have received God’s loving kindness, hence living a prosperous life.  Truth is, none compares to the love that members of the Church Of Christ receive from God, the love that renders them confident on the day of Judgment, thus:  “In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment …” (I John 4:17, NIV).  One may have all the riches in the world, but if he is not saved on Judgment Day, then he is the most pitied.  His wealth shall become useless as Christ forewarns (Luke 9:25, Ibid.).  What is the proof that God’s complete love pertains to man’s attaining salvation?  In Psalms 91:14-16, this is stated, thus:  “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him
 and show him my salvation.’” (Ibid.).

KEEPING GOD’S COMMANDMENT

Wealth, per se, is not evil, but it should not cause man to forget God and His commandments, one of which is to join the Church Of Christ.  Our Lord Jesus Christ who spoke what the Father told Him to (John 12:50, Ibid.) commands men to enter the fold or flock (John 10:9, Revised English Bible), or the Church Of Christ (Acts 20:28, Lamsa Translation).

     Must one then hesitate to join the Church Of Christ?  Must one have second thoughts and put to naught the God-given privilege of receiving from Him a blessing far greater than material wealth that people in this world are so concerned about?  Before it is too late, should one not think about it?  *

Copied from PASUGO GOD’S MESSAGE/FEBRUARY 2015/VOLUME 67/NUMBER 2/PAGES 28-29

PAANO MAKIKILALA ANG TUNAY NA TAGAPANGARAL?

PAANO MAKIKILALA

ANG TUNAY NA TAGAPANGARAL?

Ni TEOFILO C. RAMOS SR.

MARAMING NANGANGARAL NG relihiyon sa kasalukuyan.  Bawat isa sa kanila ay nag-aangkin na ang kanilang itinuturo ay siyang kaparaanan sa ikaliligtas ng tao sa araw ng Paghuhukom.  Bagaman iisa ang Biblia na kanilang pinagbabatayan, magkakaiba naman ang aral na kanilang itinuturo.  Sino kaya sa mga mangangaral na ito ang nagsasabi ng totoo?  Paano ba makikilala ang tunay na tagapangaral ng salita ng Diyos?

ANG TUNAY NA TAGAPANGARAL

     Ang Banal na Kasulatan ay may itinuturong pagkakakilanlan sa tunay na tagapangaral.  Ang isa sa mga ito ay mababasa sa Isaias 8:20:

     “Sa kautusan at sa patotoo! kung hindi sila magsalita ng ayon sa salitang ito, tunay na walang umaga sa kanila.”

     Dito natin sukatin ang sinumang tagapangaral.  Ang isinasagisag ng umaga ay liwanag.  Sinumang tagapangaral  na hindi nagsasalita ayon sa kautusan at sa patotoo ay walang liwanag kundi pawang kadiliman!

     Ano ang ibig sabihin na magsalita ayon sa kautusan?  Saan ba naroon ang mga kautusan ng Diyos?  Sa II Timoteo 3:15-17 ay ganito ang sinasabi:

     “Mula pa sa pagkabata, alam mo nang ang Banal na Kasulatan ay nagtuturo ng daan ng kaligtasan sa pamamagitan ng pananalig kay Cristo Jesus.

     “Lahat ng kasulata’y kinasihan ng Diyos at magagamit sa pagtuturo ng katotohanan, sa pagpapabulaan sa maling aral, sa pagtutuwid sa likong gawain, at sa pag-akay sa matuwid na pamumuhay.

     “Sa gayon, ang lingkod ng Diyos ay magiging handa sa lahat ng mabubuting gawain.” (Magandang Balita Biblia)

     Sa Banal na Kasulatan o sa Biblia nakasulat ang mga katotohanan o ang mga salita ng Diyos na nagtuturo ng daan ng kaligtasan.

     Kapag wala sa Biblia o kaya’y lumalabag dito ang mga aral na itinuturo ng sinumang tagapangaral, ang gayong tagapangaral ay hindi tunay.

     Ano naman ang patotoo na dapat taglayin ng isang tagapangaral?  Sa Apocalipsis 19:10 ay ganito ang sinasabi:

     “At ako'y nagpatirapa sa kaniyang paanan upang siya'y aking sambahin. At sinasabi niya sa akin, Ingatan mong huwag gawin iyan: ako'y kapuwa mo alipin at ng iyong mga kapatid na mayroong patotoo ni Jesus: sumamba ka sa Dios: sapagka't ang patotoo ni Jesus ay siyang espiritu ng hula.”

     Ang patotoo na dapat taglayin ng isang tunay na mangangaral ay ang espiritu ng hula.  Dapat munang tiyakin ng sinumang tagapakinig kung mayroong paunang salita ang Diyos sa tagapangaral na kaniyang pinakikinggan.  Dapat hanapin sa kaniya ang gawaing ipinagagawa ng Diyos.  Kung wala sa isang tagapangaral ang patotoo at ang kautusan ay walang umaga sakaniya.  Nasa kadiliman o wala sa katotohanan ang gayong tagapangaral.  Nangangahulugan na hindi tunay ang relihiyong kaniyang itinataguyod.

     Sino ang isa sa mga halimbawa ng tunay na tagapangaral ng mga salita ng Diyos?  Sino ang nagpapatotoo sa kaniyang karapatan?  Sa Juan 1:19, 23 ay ganito ang mababasa:

     “At ito ang patotoo ni Juan, nang suguin sa kaniya ng mga Judio mula sa Jerusalem ang mga saserdote at mga Levita upang sa kaniya'y itanong, Sino ka baga?

     “Sinabi niya, Ako ang tinig ng isang humihiyaw sa ilang, Tuwirin ninyo ang daan ng Panginoon, gaya ng sinabi ng propeta Isaias.”

     Si Juan Bautista ay nangaral at inihayag ang kaniyang karapatan.   Sa kaniyang pangangaral ay sinabi niya na siya ang tinig ng isang humihiyaw sa ilang na maghahanda ng daan para sa Panginoon na hinulaan ni Propeta Isaias.  Hindi nakasulat ang pangalan ni Juan Bautista kundi ang gawaing kaniyang gagampanan.  Ang paliwanag ng katuparan ng hula ay ang hinuhulaan—si Juan Bautista.

     Pinatunayan ng ating Panginoong Jesucristo ang karapatan ni Juan Bautista sa Mateo 11:7-11:

     “Pag-alis ng mga alagad ni Juan, nagsalita si Jesus sa mga tao tungkol kay Juan:  ‘Bakit kayo lumabas sa ilang?  Ano ang ibig ninyong makita?  Isa bang tambo na inuugoy ng hangin?

     “Ano nga ang ibig ninyong makita?  Isang taong may maringal na kasuutan?  Ang mga nagdaramit ng maringal ay nasa palasyo ng hari!

     “Ano nga ba ang ibig ninyong makita?  Isang propeta?  Oo.  At sinasabi ko sa inyo, higit pa sa propeta

     “Sapagkat si Juan ang tinutukoy ng Kasulatan:  ‘Narito ang sugo ko na aking ipinadadalang mauuna sa iyo; ihahanda niya ang iyong daraanan’.

     “Sinasabi ko sa inyo:  sa mga isinilang, wala pang lumilitaw na higit na dakila kay Juan Bautista; ngunit ang pinakaaba sa mga taong pinaghaharian ng Diyos ay dakila kaysa kanya.” (MB)

     Si Juan Bautista ang sugo ng Diyos na maghahanda ng Kaniyang daan.  Sino pa ang isang halimbawa ng sugo ng Diyos na hinulaan sa Biblia?  Sa Lucas 4:16-21 ay ganito ang mababasa:

     Pumunta siya sa Nazaret na kanyang nilakhan.  Gaya ng kanyang kaugalian, pumasok siya sa sinagoga ng araw ng Sabbat.

     “Tumindig siya para bumasa.  Ibinigay sa kanya ang aklat ng Propeta Isaias at binasa niya ang bahaging nagsasaad ng ganito:

     “ ‘Sumasaakin ang Espiritu ng Pannginoon, sapagkat hinirang niya ako upang ipangaral sa mga dukha ang magandang balita.  Sinugo niya ako upang ipahayag sa mga bihag na sila’y lalaya; ang mga bulag ay makakakita, at bibigyang kaluwagan ang mga naapi, at ipahayag ang taon ng kaligtasan ng Panginoon’.

     “Pagkatapos, binilot niya ang aklat, ibinalik sa naglilingkod, at naupo.  Ang mata ng lahat ng nasa sinagoga ay pawang nakapako sa kanya.

     “Sinabi niya, ‘Naganap na ngayon ang kasulatang ito ayon sa inyong narinig’.” (New Pilipino Version)

     Pinatunayan ng ating Panginoong Jesucristo mismo na Siya ang kinatuparan ng hula.  Sinabi Niyang “Naganap na ngayon ang Kasulatang ito ayon sa inyong narinig.”  Hindi mapasisinungalingan kung kanino natupad ang hula—sa hinuhulaan—samakatuwid baga’y kay Cristo.

     Ang Diyos mismo ang nagpatotoo tungkol kay Cristo.  Sa Mateo 17:5 ay ganito ang mababasa:

     “Samantalang nagsasalita pa siya, narito, ang isang maningning na alapaap ay lumilim sa kanila: at narito, ang isang tinig na mula sa alapaap, na nagsasabi, Ito ang sinisinta kong Anak, na siya kong kinalulugdan; siya ang inyong pakinggan.”

     Sinabi ng Diyos na si Cristo ang Kaniyang sinisintang Anak.  Nang ayaw tanggapin ng ibang mga tao si Cristo bilang sugo ng Diyos, sinabi ng ating Panginoong Jesucristo ang mga gawa na ipinagagawa sa Kaniya ang nagpapatotoo na Siya’y sinugo ng Ama (cf. Juan 10:38).

ANG SUGO SA MGA HULING ARAW

     Sino naman ang sinugo ng Diyos sa mga wakas ng lupa o sa mga huling araw?  Sa Isaias 41:9-10 ay ganito ang mababasa:

     “Ikaw na aking hinawakan mula sa mga wakas ng lupa, at tinawag kita mula sa mga sulok niyaon, at pinagsabihan kita, Ikaw ay aking lingkod, aking pinili ka at hindi kita itinakuwil;

     “ Huwag kang matakot, sapagka't ako'y sumasaiyo; huwag kang manglupaypay, sapagka't ako'y iyong Dios; aking palalakasin ka; oo, aking tutulungan ka; oo, aking aalalayan ka ng kanang kamay ng aking katuwiran.”

     Wala ring pangalang binanggit sa Biblia sa lingkod na pinili ng Diyos sa mga wakas ng lupa.  Sino kaya ang kinatuparan ng hulang ito?  Ito’y ating pag-aralan. 

     Ang binabanggit na mga wakas ng lupa ay ang panahon bago dumating ang wakas ng lupa o ang pagparito ni Cristo.  Ang mga palatandaan nito ay ang mga digmaan at mga balita ng digmaan, kahirapan, kaguton, at mga paglindol sa iba’t ibang dako ng daigdig.  Kapag nangyari ang mga ito ay malapit na ang wakas (cf. Mat. 24:3, 6-8, 33).  Ang Unang Digmaang pansalibutan ay sumiklab noong Hulyo 27, 1914.  Sa petsa ring ito natala sa pamahalaan ng Pilipinas ang Iglesia ni Cristo na ipinangaral ni Kapatid na Felix Y. Manalo.

     Ipinangako ng Diyos sa Kaniyang sugo na ang gawaing ito ay tutulungan at palalakasin.  Ito’y magtatagumpay at magiging makapangyarihan dahil sa tulong ng Diyos.  Sa loob ng halos 50 taon ay lumago ang Iglesia ni Cristo at naging maluwalhati.  Ngayon ang Iglesia ni Cristo ay nasa 65 bansa at mga teritoryo sa buong daigdig.

PATOTOO NG MGA LIDER NG RELIHIYON

     Ano ang sinasabi ng mga lider ng iba’t ibang relihiyon ukol sa Iglesia ni Cristo?  Sa isang aklat na sinulat ni Joseph J. Kabanagh, na pinamagatang The Iglesia ni Cristo ay ganito ang mababasa:

     “Subalit ito’y hindi maikakaila na ang Iglesia ay isang malaki, makapangyarihan at lumalaganap na kapisanan.  Maaaring ito ang pinakamahalaga at mapusok na banta na kinakaharap ng Iglesia Katolika sa Kapuluan sa kasalukuyang panahon.  Sadyang ito ay isang lakas na nararapat subaybayan ngayon pa at sa mga taong darating ng sinumang may pagpapahalaga sa kapakanang pangrelihiyon ng sambayanang Pilipino.” (p. 4, salin mula sa Ingles)

     Ayon naman kay G. Robert G. Elliff:

     “Ang Pinakamalaki sa daigdig… Kakaunti sa mga grupo o kapulungan na may kasindami ng mga kaanib o makapaglulunsad ng impluwensiya ukol sa pulitika at sa relihiyon sa lipunan sa paligid nila katulad ng organisasyon ng Iglesia ni Cristo.” [Iglesia ni Cristo (The Chruch of Christ from the Philippines):  The Only True Church?, p. 13, salin mula sa Ingles]

     Narito naman ang patotoo ng lider Protestante ukol sa Iglesia ni Cristo.  Sa aklat na A Protestant View of the Iglesia ni Cristo, ng awtor na si Albert Sanders, ay ganito naman ang binabanggit:

     “Ngayon ang mga sekta ng relihiyon ay lumalago sa Pilipinas.  Ang isa sa mga ito ay ang itinatag ni Felix Manalo noong 1914 at opisyal na tinatawag na Iglesia ni Cristo… Marami sa mga kaanib nito ang nagmula sa mga iglesia Protestante.  Si Manalo ay isang makapangyarihang pinuno na nakapagpakita ng di-pangkaraniwang kakayahan sa pag-akit sa mga tao sa pagtatayo ng isang malakas na organisasyon.  Ang kaniyang mga kaanib ay matatagpuan hindi lamang sa Luzon kundi maging sa Visayas at Mindanao.” (p. 3. Salin mula sa Ingles)

     Ang may akda nito’y isang pastor ng United Church of Christ, isang sekta ng Protestante.  Hindi nalingid sa kaniyang pangmasid ang pagiging makapangyarihang pinuno o lider ni Kapatid na Felix Y. Manalo.

     Sa isa pang aklat na pinamagatang Iglesia ni Cristo:  A Study in Independent Church Dynamics na sinulat naman ni Arthur Leonard Tuggy, isang Baptista, ay ganito ang mababasa:

     “… Sa daan-daang taon, ang bawat lunsod at bayan sa Pilipinas ay napangingibabawan ng mga katedral ng Katoliko Romano na ginawa sa pamamagitan ng paggawang walang bayad sa lupang donasyon.  Ngunit marami na rito ang mga luma na at sira-sira.  Ang mga katedral-kapilya ng Iglesia ni Cristo ngayon ay nakikipagpaligsahan sa mga lumang gusaling ito sa laki at nilagpasan sila sa ganda.  Ang mga kaanib sa Iglesia [ni Cristo] na ang bilang ay minorya pa rin ng mga mamamayan, ngunit ang kanilang mga gusali ay nangingibabaw sa maraming tanawin sa lunsod.  Ang kahalagahan ng katotohanang ito ay hindi matataya.  Ang mga kaanib sa Iglesia [ni Cristo], bagaman mahihirap, ay maligaya sa inihahayag na kaluwalhatian, na kinikilala sa gayon din, na ang kanilang Iglesia ay nagsisikap na tulungan sila na makakita ng higit na mabuting ikabubuhay.  Ang mga taga-labas ay kailangang makilala na ang mga magagandang kapilyang ito ay isa pang katuwiran kung bakit ang Iglesia ay hindi maaaring pawiin lamang.  Binabalak nito na mamalagi sa mahabang panahong darating,  kung hahatulan salig sa kaniyang arkitektura.” (p. 180, salin mula sa Ingles)

     Ang mga nakita nilang nagawa ni Kapatid na Felix Y. Manalo ang siyang nagpapatotoo na natupad din sa kaniya at sa kaniyang gawain ang mga ipinangako ng Diyos.  *

Talasanggunian:

Elliff, Robert G.  Iglesia ni Cristo (The Church of Christ from the Philippines): The Only True Church?, 1989.

Kavanagh, Joseph J. The Iglesia ni Cristo. Catholic Trade School.

Sanders, Albert.  A Protestant View of the Iglesia ni Cristo.  Philippine Federation of Christian Churches, 1962.

Tuggy, Arthur Leonard.  Iglesia ni Cristo:  A Study in Independent Church Dynamics.  Conservative Baptist Publishing, Inc.:  Quezon City, Philippines, 1976.

Copied from PASUGO GOD’S MESSAGE/OCTOBER 1994/VOLUME 46/NUMBER 10/PAGES 15-17