Maybe a friend or coworker invited you to attend a Bible study or worship service of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, but you’re on the fence about the invitation. Or, maybe you found the Church Of Christ after googling religious topics. Whatever it may be, the main point is that you’re a little uneasy about accepting an invitation. That’s understandable, there are a lot of religions out there claiming to be holders of the true one.
So, what makes this one worth your time?
Trust me, I asked that same question when I was in your shoes over 40 years ago. A coworker invited me to attend a Bible study. I said, “No thanks.” My life was good already. I had my family, I had my job, and I even had exciting hobbies to fill my time with.
And then I got into an accident. I asked God for help.
Nothing like a life-changing event to make you rethink your priorities in life, right?
So, the next time my coworker invited me, I accepted. I figured I had nothing to lose, and I was right!
If your search online has brought you here, or you’ve been invited to learn more about the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), here are ten things you should know about the Church, and an invitation to dig in and learn more.
- We are not a denomination.
- We believe that Jesus Christ is a man and thus, not God. In other words, we don’t believe in the Trinity.
- We follow the Bible and only the Bible.
- We’re not a cult.
- We don’t practice infant baptism.`
- We don’t celebrate Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, or any holiday based on pagan beliefs.
- We are not a Filipino church.
- We believe the reestablishment of the Church is Bible-based and supported by biblical prophecy.
- We don’t practice tithing.
- We believe that to be saved, you need to enter Christ and be part of His body or Church.
Ten things you should know about the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) and why they’re essential to you.
1. We are not a denomination.
We get this question a lot since many churches go by the name “Church Of Christ” in many cities across the US. The first point to clarify is that the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) is not part of the Churches of Christ associated with the American Restoration Movement.
So what makes this Church different? Well, how many of those churches have biblical prophecy as evidence of their authenticity? The Iglesia Ni Cristo was registered in the Philippines in 1914. Both the time and place of this Church’s emergence are supported by biblical prophecy.
2. We believe that Jesus Christ is a man and thus, not God. In other words, we don’t believe in the Trinity.
Did you know the word “Trinity” or its concept can’t be found in the Bible?
The Bible speaks of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but it never refers to all of them as gods nor as three persons in one God; instead, it points to the Father alone as the true God.
This might be completely different from what you grew up believing. That’s why we invite you to set up a one-on-one discussion with a minister of the Church Of Christ to understand what the Bible says about God, Jesus, and what you should believe.
You can also watch videos where we tackle common questions about God’s true nature and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Here are a few videos to check out:
3. We follow the Bible and only the Bible.
Some religions use other books to support their teachings.
In the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ), we use only the Bible to answer questions that are asked. Question and answer. The answers are from the Bible. It’s the same format we follow in worship services, Bible studies, and even the one-on-one conversations you’ll want to have with one of the Church Of Christ’s ministers.
4. We’re not a cult.
Unless being a cult means completely following God’s words written in the Bible, then we’re not a cult.
We’d love to help clarify the questions or misconceptions you may have about the Church Of Christ. Let’s set up some time to talk.
You can also watch an episode of INC International Edition where we cover the question at length.
5. We don’t practice infant baptism.
The Bible teaches that to qualify for baptism, one should be taught the words of God, believe in them, repent, and renew his life (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:38, Ephesians 4:21). Since an infant cannot do these things, infant baptism is not practiced in the Church Of Christ.
We also follow what the Bible says about how baptisms are done, which is by immersion.
6. We don’t celebrate Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, or any holiday based on pagan beliefs.
Since the Bible prohibits adding to or subtracting from what is written in it, we don’t follow any religious holidays rooted in pagan beliefs. If you trace the history of any of these holidays mentioned above, you’ll quickly discover how pagan practices crept in and influenced each one.
We’ve even broken down some of the holidays for you, complete with references and Bible verses.
7. We are not a Filipino church.
The Church Of Christ has congregations around the world and members from over 147 ethnicities. While there are many Filipinos and a lot of congregations in the Philippines, people from many different races and cultures make up the Church Of Christ.
Here’s a quick video to learn more about the Church Of Christ.
8. We believe the reestablishment of the Church is Bible-based and supported by biblical prophecy.
Like we mentioned earlier, everything we believe and follow in the Church Of Christ is Bible-based. This includes why we believe this Church is the reestablishment of the first- century Church Of Christ founded by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Learn the significance behind the timing of its registration in the Philippines and the outbreak of World War 1. And find out how this Church grew from the East and made its way to the West, and the biblical prophecies that back it up.
We’ve got a series of lessons breaking it down with Bible verses for you to follow along and ask questions. Let me know if you want to set up some time to discuss this.
Meanwhile, here’s a link to watch about God’s messengers and how they will be revealed to us.
9. We don’t practice tithing.
We frequently get this question from those emailing our website. So it’s good we’re covering it in this list. To answer the question, we turn to the writings of Apostle Paul, II Corinthians 9:7, which reads this way:
So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.
[2 Corinthians 9:7 New King James Version]
Here, we can see what God’s command to the Christian is. He was specific. First of all, who should give? What did He say? Each one should give. How should our offering be given? The Bible says, “as he purposes in his heart.” So not 10% anymore as it was during the Old Testament times. Now, it’s what the person purposes in his heart.
We cover this topic in more detail on the program That’s in the Bible if you want to watch it here: https://incmedia.org/should-tithing-be-practiced-today/
10. We believe that to be saved, you need to enter Christ and be part of His body or Church.
If your goal is to make it to heaven, the Bible outlines precisely what you need to do to get there. In short, we’ve all sinned, so we all need salvation.
According to the Bible, for a person to be saved, he or she should enter in by Christ, by becoming a member of His body or Church because it is His Church that Christ will save.
Ephesians 5:23 Good News Translation be added here which says: “For a husband has authority over his wife just as Christ has authority over the church; and Christ is himself the Savior of the church, his body.”
We’re not shy in saying that to be saved you need to be part, or a member, of the true Church Of Christ because that’s what the Bible teaches.
Invitation to learn more about the beliefs of the Church Of Christ
I get it. This is a lot of information. I still remember the first time I accepted an invitation to attend a Bible study. It was all so new and overwhelming at first. But I remember walking out already wanting to go back to ask more questions.
And I did. And you know what? Just like it is today, every question was answered with the Bible.
So, what are you waiting for? If you’re hesitant about attending an event, why not set up a one-on-one meeting with a minister of the Church Of Christ. You’ll get to ask your questions, and if you’re interested in learning more, we’ll tell you more about the next step.
Over forty years later, I’m still glad I did.
Not only that, these days, I spend my time helping share the biblical teachings taught inside the Church Of Christ as a minister of the gospel.
