Is one church as good as another?
This is a valid question that millions of folks have pondered. To help put it in focus, ask yourself: Is one medicine as good as another? Or one doctor? Is one car as good as another? Or one airline? When you are traveling, is one direction as good as another? When balancing your checking account, is one answer as good as another? Is one political candidate as good as another? Is one school as good as another? Is a counterfeit bill as good as a genuine piece of currency? Or a forged check of equal value with a good one? Of course, the answer to all of these questions is no. One is not necessarily as good as the other; in many cases, one is downright inferior, or even worthless.
Only in the realm of religion would we even consider such a statement to have any merit. In any other area, to affirm that one thing is as good as another would cause us to be laughed off the platform. Christ purchased a church (Acts 20:28); He built a church (Matt. 16:18); He is savior of a church (Eph. 5:23); He is head of a church (Eph. 1:22). That church is undisputedly of ultimate value and benefit to all who become members of it. New Testament writers speak of it as an exclusive, unitary church. They call it "the" church. They tell us there is one body or church (Eph. 4:4-5). Across the centuries, men and women have established hundreds of churches of their own design and making. Who would say that any one of them is of equal value with that church which Christ built? Christ's church existed long before any human denomination, sect or cult was created. Our eternal destiny depends on our being members of the church, which is God's saved family (Eph. 5:23). It behooves us therefore to be members of that church which Christ built. Paul referred to this body when writing to the Romans, saying, "All the churches (i.e.,congregations) of Christ salute you" (Rom. 16:16). No other church is equal in value to that of Christ.
What is truth?
The true church has the original faith. Jude wrote: "Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3). The Christian faith was delivered once and for all in the first century. Any church with a faith different from the original faith, is not the church of Christ.
The true church follows the Scriptures. Paul emphasized this when he wrote to Timothy: "But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:13-17). A church that does not follow the Scriptures, is not the church of Christ.
The doctrine of Christ is normative for the true church. It does not go "beyond what is written" (1 Corinthians 4:6). "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son" (2 John 9). A church that goes beyond what is written, which does not abide in the doctrine of Christ, is not the church of Christ.
The true church worships "in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). Referring to superficial worshippers, God said: "This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Mark 7:6,7).
The true church preaches the original gospel as preserved in the New Testament. Because some were already preaching a different gospel, Paul had to warn the Galatian churches: "I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:6-8). A church that preaches a gospel different from the original message, is not the church of Christ.
The church that Christ built.
Sad to say, some churches have limited the folks they would serve. By their very names some declare that they exist to serve certain ethnic, social, or nations groups. Conversely, the church which Christ built is unique because, by design, it is a church for all people.
There are no social distinctions. Paul reminded the Christians in Galatia that there are neither bond nor free persons in Christ. All are one (Galatians 3:28).
There are no racial distinctions. In the same place, Paul said there can be neither Jew nor Greek in the Lord's church (Galatians 3:28).
There are no economic distinctions. Jesus rebuked those Christians who discriminated against the poor and fawned upon the rich. Such behavior was totally unacceptable in Christ (James 2:9).
There are no age distinctions. Christ made it clear that children were welcomed in his kingdom (Matthew 19:13-14). The prophet Joel predicted that young and old alike would have a place in Messiah's kingdom (Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17).
There are no political affiliations or agendas in the church of Christ. His kingdom was, and is, "not of this world" (John 18:36). Christ's church is not attached to any political party. Its loyalty is to Him alone (Philippians 3:13).
When these and other negative and undesirable aspects are eliminated, we are left with pure, unadulterated Christianity. This is what we must strive for. With the Bible as our only guide and Christ as our only head, we can be the church he wants us to be. We need only trust and obey. Share the good news. Tell you friends and neighbors about Christ and the possibility of being simply a Christian, a member of that church established by Christ, of which you can read in your New Testament.