A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin FranklinFranklin, Benjamin
Religion
A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin Franklin
Franklin, Benjamin
Churches of Christ
We never say _my church_. There is no being on earth who has a right
to say _my church_. The Lord says, Matt. xvi. 18: “On this rock will I
build my church.” He has a right to say “my church.” He gave himself
for the church. The church belongs to him. He sanctified and cleansed
it. This church, in Scripture, is frequently styled simply “the
church,” and in our conversation about it, in nine cases out of ten,
we can be understood sufficiently explicitly, if we say “the church.”
We read of “the church in Jerusalem,” “the church in Corinth,” “the
church in Rome,” “the church in Ephesus,” etc. We may say “the church
in Cincinnati,” “the church in Covington,” “the church in Louisville,”
“the church in Indianapolis,” etc. It is called in Scripture “the
body,” “the body of Christ,” “the church of God,” “the church of the
living God,” “the kingdom of God,” “the kingdom of heaven,” “the
kingdom of God’s dear Son,” etc. These latter designations refer to
“the whole family” in the aggregate. This body, or building, or temple,
is the one of which Solomon’s temple was only a type. According to
Scripture, _there is no other church but this_. The Spirit of God is
in this. The life of Christ is in it. God dwells in it. In it is life.
Out of it there is no life. It does not belong to the members, but
they _belong to it_. It does not _belong to the preachers_, but _the
preachers belong to it_.
We repeat, there is no other church but this according to Scripture.
This church originated in Jerusalem more than eighteen hundred years
ago. It was established in about one week after our Lord ascended into
heaven. The King was coronated and crowned Lord of all. The great High
Priest had entered the true holy place, not with the blood of slain
beasts, but with his own blood, to make one offering in the end of the
ages to purge us forever from our sins. The Spirit of God descended,
inspired the apostles, and the church was established. That is the
true church, according to Scripture, and there is no other church
that has one particle of divine authority in it. The Romish Church
was born hundreds of years too late. There is not a trace of a Pope
in Scripture, except in prophecy, referring to him as the man of sin
and son of perdition, nor in any other writing for centuries after
the founding of the true church. Nor is there a reference to a Roman
Catholic. There really was not one in the world, much less a Romish
Church. For the first three centuries there was no church but one, “the
church of the living God,” in existence. All others have come into
existence since then, and have not one spark of authority.
Does the reader say, “You are not in that church yourself?” We are not
discussing that question; but if we are not in it the loss will be as
great to us as to any one else not in it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account