[Postscript: Since the dialect they used in this debate is in Cebuano, I cannot
move but to wait if someone can translate it in English. Now that I got it, I can
freely make a comment on this.]
This is a portion of a recent debate between an INC-M
Minister and a Catholic Faith Defender (Bro. Soc). Here the interpellator is
the INC-M Minister. He put forward his case by arguing that the church founded
by Christ has its ‘specific proper name’, this name upon following the argument
that he is building can be found in Roman 16:16 – the Church of Christ! He
moves further by establishing that this ‘church’ is the same church where he
currently belong, therefore the Iglesia
ni Cristo – Manalo is the true church. A ridiculous case based on the
untenable ground.
Specific Proper Name
and the Descriptive Term
Let’s make first a distinction between Specific Proper Name and a Descriptive Term.
The following verses are referring to one person; one
that explicitly designates a Proper name for
specific person and one that describes who this specific person is.
[Y]ou (Mary) will conceive
in your womb and bear a son, and you
shall call his name Jesus. – Luke 1:31
Is
not this the carpenter, the son of Mary – Mark 6:3a
The term ‘Jesus’ in Luke 1:31 is a good example of specific proper name, we know it because
it is explicitly stated in the verse itself, that the son that Mary will
conceive shall bear the name ‘Jesus’; but in the latter verse, instead of
calling him on his designate specific
proper name (Jesus), the speaker gave a descriptive
term based on how they recognized him – the carpenter, the son of Mary.
The ‘Name’ Game
Did Christ gave a specific
proper name for the Church he founded? The obvious answer is NONE. This
Church is called not by ‘name’ but rather a ‘descriptive term’.
Scriptures speak of different descriptive term for the Church founded by Christ, such as (1) a
terms describing the relationship between God and His people ‘church of God’ (1Cor.1:2); ‘church of the
Lord’ (Acts 20:28); ‘church of the first-born’ (Heb.12:23) (2) a
descriptive term based on geographical sense ‘church in Ephesus’; ‘church in Smyrna’; ‘church in Pergamos’ etc.
indicating where the church was, and (3) based on the traits or facet of the
church Ekklesia Kath’oles (the church throughout all – the
universal church (Acts 9:31); Bulwark and pillar of truth (1Timothy 3:15); body
of Christ; bride of Christ so on.
Roman 16:16, one of the common verses exploited by
other religious sect – ‘churches of Christ’ is by a no less than but an
ordinary descriptive term indicating
the relationship of the church to Christ, same that we discuss in category (1).
It is therefore clear to us that the true church founded by Christ has NO
specific proper name, those who claim on the contrary is nothing but based on a
conclusion without a biblical basis; in scriptures, though
diverse but one, the church is no where called by one
exclusive proper name for the entire church that spread in different regions
during apostolic time.
The Church founded by
Christ
We see that the church founded by Christ though addressed
in different descriptive terms, all these are but ONE same Church, though spread from different localities, all these
are but one community professing one same faith.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also
for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them
may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they
also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I
have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are
one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete
unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even
as you have loved me. (John 17:20-23)
HOLY, because
her founder is divine person- the source of all holiness;
CATHOLIC simply
means universal, as Christ commissioned his Apostles to evangelize the world “Go therefore make disciples of all the nations"
(Matthew 28:19), thus this Church in its totality and wholeness is not limited
to a time, place, race or culture. And lastly
APOSTOLIC, an authority bestow by
Christ to his Apostles and from Apostles all the way down
to our present day,
the unbroken line of continuity. “Do not neglect the gift
you have, which was conferred on you through the prophetic word with the
imposition of hands of the presbyterate.” (1 Tim 4:14).
"This is the sole
Church of Christ, which in the Creed we profess to be one, holy, catholic and
apostolic."256 These four characteristics, inseparably linked with
each other,257 indicate essential features of the Church and her mission.
The Church does not possess them of herself; it is Christ who, through the Holy
Spirit, makes his Church one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, and it is he who
calls her to realize each of these qualities. – CCC# 811
"Watch out that you
are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am he,' and, 'The
time is near.' Do not follow them. (Luke 21:8)
One by one each, religious sect is in a hurry to
register their group under the title ‘Church of Christ’ just to say and to
personally claim that they are the one (true church) that Christ founded.
Why INC-M? We are not here to bash someone’s group.
INC-M is a descriptive name assigned to
a church founded by Mr. Felix Manalo which is currently manage by his grandson Mr. Eduardo Manalo whom he inherit it from his Father Mr. Erano Manalo; just to avoid confusion, INC-M meant to distinguish the Manalo's Church (Felix own church) to a
church founded by other leaders which bear same trademark ‘Church of
Christ’, and to show how the INC-M Minister Parba is wrong when he says they are the Church founded by Christ.
PASUGO Agosto-Setyembre
1964, p. 5
“Kailan napatala sa Pamahalaan o narehistro ang INK sa Pilipinas? Noong Hulyo 27, 1914. Tunay nga na sinasabi sa rehistro na si Kapatid na F. Manalo ang nagtatag ng INK."
“Kailan napatala sa Pamahalaan o narehistro ang INK sa Pilipinas? Noong Hulyo 27, 1914. Tunay nga na sinasabi sa rehistro na si Kapatid na F. Manalo ang nagtatag ng INK."
PASUGO Mayo 1952, p. 4
“Kung ang babalingan ng pag-uusapan ay ang nagtatag, dapat na siya ang may-ari ng itinatag, at sa kanya rin manggagaling ang mga aral at turo na ipinatutupad."
“Kung ang babalingan ng pag-uusapan ay ang nagtatag, dapat na siya ang may-ari ng itinatag, at sa kanya rin manggagaling ang mga aral at turo na ipinatutupad."
PASUGO May 1961, p.4
“At sino nga ba ang
gumagawa ng mga leksiyong itinuturo ng mga ministro, maging sa mga pagsamba,
mga doktrina o mga Propaganda? Ang Kapatid na Felix Manalo.”
PASUGO
Mayo 1963, p. 27:
“Kaya’t sa katuparan ng
hula, ang lahat ng mga itinuturo ng mga Ministro ng INK sa mga pagsamba, sa mga
doktrina, sa mga pamamahayag sa gitna ng baya, ay si Kapatid na Felix Manalo
lamang ang bumabalangkas at nagtuturo sa kanila.”
For English Speaking readers:
ReplyDeletePASUGO Mayo 1952, p. 4:
“If we are to talk about the founder, he should also be the owner of that which was founded, and from him comes the doctrines and teachings that are being implemented.”
PASUGO Mayo 1961, p. 4:
“And who makes the lessons taught by the ministers, even those of worship, doctrines or Propagandas? Our Brother Felix Manalo.”
PASUGO Mayo 1963, p. 27:
“So as it was prophesied, all that the INC Ministers teach regarding worship, doctrines and all publications are created and taught only by Brother Felix Manalo.”
Thank you very much. Now I can understand the fallacy of this corporation. God Bless
DeleteMay I add these from the list,
ReplyDeleteBride of Christ, Rev. 19:7, "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
Bride of the Lamb, Revelation 19:7, "“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.”
Body of Christ, Ephesians 5:22-23, "Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body."
Church of the firstborn, Hebrews 12:23, " to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect."
Church of God, 1 Corinthians 1:2, "to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours."
Church of the Gentiles, Romans 16:4, "who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles."
City of the Living God, Hebrews 12:22, "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels."
Daughter of Zion, John 12:15, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”
Flock of God, 1 Peter 5:2, "Shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness."
God's building, 1 Corinthians 3:9, "For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building."
God's field, 1 Cor. 3:9, "For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building."
Household of God, in Ephesians 2:19, "So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household,"
Letter of Christ, 2 Cor. 3:3, "being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts."
People of God, 1 Peter 2:10, "for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
Temple of God, 1 Corinthians 3:16, "Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"
Mount Zion, Hebrews 12:22, "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels."
sure. ^_^ that would be an additional input.
ReplyDelete