The true church had its origin with God. Jesus set up the church during His ministry and for the first time, it became a visible reality to the world. The devil has tried hard to duplicate the church with many organizations, to confuse as many as possible, in identifying the true church.
The true church was given divine authority to do God's work. In Matt. 18:17-18 we are taught to recognize the church as God's authority. All other religious organizations are impostors, masquerading as the true church, deceiving the unlearned; for all men do not have faith. There are those that Paul spoke of,"The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables (II Tim. 4:3-4). Apostasy can easily be seen everywhere; however, the truth remains the same, the true church is yet on earth.
The true church started her work with Christ. The commission was given to His followers in Matt. 28:16-20. It is the same work that John was commissioned to do; the only difference, John was sent to the Nation of Israel, the church is to go to the whole world. The church is a Baptist, even as John was a Baptist; because of the divine commission.
After Jesus Christ ascended to the Father, He sent the Holy Ghost to enable the church to do God's work on earth. Pentecost was not the beginning of the church, nor the beginning of her work, but it was the coming of the Holy Ghost to lead and empower the church in doing God's work.
The true church is Jesus Christ's bride; which is now being prepared for His return. Paul wrote to the Corinthians and said,"I have espoused you as a chaste virgin to Christ." Again in Ephesians he said,"Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish (Eph. 5:25-27).
It will not be long until the Lord will come in the air and get the church as well as all saved people. There will be a wedding in Heaven. This is the sanctioning of the union of Christ and His church, which will never be separated. When He comes as Lord of Lords and King of Kings the church will come with Him. When He sits on His throne, the church will sit with Him. In Rev. 3:21 John writing to the churches, recorded the words of Christ to say,"To Him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcome, and set down with my Father in His throne." Make sure you are a member of the true church, a local New Testament Church! When you are saved, you are born into the family of God; you are a member of the Kingdom of God, but you are not a member of the church until you have scriptural baptism. God adds to the church. (Acts 2:37-47). Jesus Christ saves; He died to save, He lives to save. Receive Him by faith, Today! Now! then follow Him in scriptural baptism to become a member of the true church.
Scriptural baptism can be ministered only by a New Testament Baptist Church that has an unbroken heritage from ChrisT.