“…the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.” “…I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Revelation 1:20b, 2:5b
Some proclaim “they” have concluded that the Baptist church is close to the New Testament Church of the Bible. But close isn’t good enough! A church has to be “it” = a “candlestick” by God’s definition and recognition. A church is not a candlestick if it is just close to being one. A church is either one of God’s candlesticks, or it isn’t.
I fail to see in the Bible where God said the day would come when all that would be left would be something close to what a New Testament Church once was. Nor do I find God saying He would authorize some insightful person to tell the rest of us what was close to what the original church was, and that we should follow this man’s insight.
Rather, the New Testament sets forth the New Testament Church that Jesus built and is the Head of. Jesus declared the gates of hell would never prevail against New Testament Churches, and that He would be with them always, which means they have to continue, as He made them for this to happen. The power that opened the door of the first church, is the power that will keep the door open of the last church, until they are removed with the Rapture.
The “candlestick”, i.e., the New Testament Churches started by God and kept by God, being true to God’s Word, are the covenant works of the Kingdom of God during this church age. Just as the gospel of God’s Kingdom has not faded away unto something that is just close to what Biblical salvation once was, neither has the New Testament Church of God’s Kingdom ceased to be the real body of Christ, joined together by God and empowered and led by the Holy Spirit.
To say there are no real New Testament Churches today, like in the days of the New Testament, is to say that God’s Word is no longer effective to produce on earth what God has spoken from heaven. It is to say that the Holy Spirit cannot regenerate and generate according to the will and purpose of God.
Anyone can paint the name Baptist on a church sign. But unless God opened the door, set the candlestick there, and set members in the church, it never was a New Testament Church. And unless that church follows the doctrine of the New Testament, God will withdraw the candlestick. So a church either is, or is not a church of the New Testament order.
SHARING
