The uniqueness of the Church, Or
Why are there so many denominations and churches?

Let's have a structure for our document: I. The teaching of the NT The teaching of Jesus The term Church The first Church The features of the Church Unity Holiness Love Visibility Apostolity Uniqueness Universality Summary II. Different churches and denominations assessed on the base of NT' teaching III. Disapproval of the idea of "many churches and denominations"

I. The teaching of the NT

More than ever before we have the right to ask the question - Why are there so many denominations and churches? - since - as you have probably discovered - the NT does not speak about "Catholic", "Orthodox", "Lutheran", "Calvinist", "Baptist", "Adventist", "Pentecostal" etc. churches or denominations. If you want to have a satisfactory answer, the first and most important is to know the concept and understanding of the church in the NT. The NT also gives you a guide and principles to recognise and to know what the Church is. Those assertions of the NT are as plain as day, therefore all the people who seek indeed the truth cannot claim to have an "imperfect" knowledge in those essential matters. The Church represents the truth of the Bible, that fullness of the truth which the Holy Spirit led the apostles to (John 16:13) and they wrote it down to us.

THE TEACHING OF JESUS
determines also practically the life of his Church. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit (John 15:26; Acts 1:8; 2:33), who led the disciples to realise the unity he prayed for:

I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, {are} in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me. (John 17:20-23)

It is worthy of remark, that Jesus compares the perfect unity of his followers to the unity He has with His Father, which is realised already in this world as far as we are obedient. If it had been impossible to manage, this prayer would have been in vain!

THE TERM CHURCH
meant in the OT the congregation convoked by God, the assembly of the chosen nation (Isaiah 41:8-9; Deuteronomy 7:6-8; 14:2; Exodus 12:6; Numbers 14:5; 16:3; 1 Kings 8:14.22.55-56; 1 Chronicles 28:8; Psalms 22:23-26 etc.). The first Christians consciously applied that term to themselves being aware of the fact that God convoked a new nation to Himself in Christ from the Jews and from the Gentiles, as Jesus predicted:

I have other sheep (Gentiles - note), which are not of this fold (Jews - note); I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock {with} one shepherd. (John 10:16)

It was mostly used to emphasise that the Church is the community of those convoked by God and the elected ones. The verb ek-kaleo (the root of the word church, in Greek: ekklesia) means: to call out, to elect from among the others. God calls everyone and it depends on us whether we accept it. The church is made up of those who are elected, who are called out of the world (1 Corinthians 1:2.26-28; Romans 1:6-7; 1 Peter 1:1; Titus 1:1; Revelation 18:4; 1 John 2:15-17 etc.):

If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. (John 15:19)

Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:16-18)

The members of the Church are those who are called by God "to his Kingdom and glory" (1 Thessalonians 2:12) through the gospel that they may participate "in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Thessalonians 2:14) who are "called out of darkness into his marvellous light". (1 Peter 2:9). By Church we mean the people who let themselves be called by God from life of sin to a holy life (Ephesians 2:1-5; 1 Peter 1:14-16). In the sermon of Peter at Pentecost we can read the following:

For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself. And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation!" (Acts 2:39-40)

Those Jews, who repented in Jerusalem at that time, became the chosen nation of God, the community of believers in Christ.

THE FIRST CHURCH
came to existence in 30 AD (Acts 2:37-47). That was a self-evident consequence of giving up the life of sin. The foundation of the community was not initiated by the apostles themselves. The new brotherly community was established as a result of the Holy Spirit's work that began at Pentecost. All of them were led by the Spirit of love and unity, which had so strong bond that they were ready to share their material wealth besides the spiritual too (Acts 2:44-45):

And the congregation of those who believed were of one heart and soul; and not one {of them} claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them. (Acts 4:32)

This unity in the Holy Spirit followed all their intentions (Acts 2:46; 4:24.31; 5:12). In consequence of their obedience they could realise in one will everything their Master, Jesus also had spoken about.

CONTINUATION - The features of the Church