A great many individuals firmly believe that their church, denomination, or organization is the One True Church.
In a recent Facebook conversation I wrote:
I, too, have encountered individuals in person and on line who have made such decisions as our mutual friend. Early in my Christian life I studied a stack of Knights of Columbus booklets and by request was asked to make a presentation in the form of a debate case of what I learned at the church high school youth group I attended. Several youth group members came up afterwards and said “Jerry, if we did not know for sure that you did not believe the case you were presenting, you would have convinced us to become Roman Catholics.” We must all learn to be as discerning as possible (1 Thessalonians 5:21; Jude 3; Proverbs 14:15; Proverbs 18:17; Acts 17:11; Acts 20:28-30; 2 Peter 3:17; 1 John 4:1). In my experience, any religious group claiming to be the “one true church” most certainly isn’t!
I think back now to when I prepared that debate case. That was an experience I will likely never forget. I had read enough material that it seemed as if I could see things the way the booklet writers did and could have been fully convinced myself.
My pastor at the more local to me Thoburn Methodist Church may have cautioned me more than once to “let the Roman Catholics alone.” That was very good advice, and for most individuals, I would recommend the same to them as my Methodist pastor did to me.
Nevertheless, I had taken a course at Cass Technical High School in discussion and debate. I was a member of the two-person team that represented Cass Technical High School in a regional debate tournament. I was on the team that won the regional championship that year. The course in debate and discussion taught me valuable research skills. I learned how to prepare an effective case on both sides of the debate topic. I used those skills in college where I was a member of a two person team in debate tournaments that won most of the debates we participated in. I value those experiences highly even today.
As for the question, “Is there such a thing as the One True Church?” I must say that if any church exists as a human institution, denomination, or organization, the answer is “Absolutely Not.”
The subject is complex and involves the careful study of church history and the Bible. History does not support any such claim made by anyone today. It is very evident that striking changes and departures from the true faith taught in the Bible took place very early in Christian history. These departures from the faith are spoken of in the New Testament itself (see Acts 20:25-35):
Act 20:25 And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more.
Act 20:26 Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
Act 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
Act 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
Act 20:33 I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.
Act 20:34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.
Act 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
This passage from the New Testament is worthy of careful reading and rereading. It deserves further careful study by means of consulting the cross references given for each verse in resources like The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge or more completely as given in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury.
Among other things, notice that Paul’s prophecy or prediction (Acts 20:29, 30) that there would come men speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them. This indicates that false doctrines and heresy were problems from the very beginning. Paul saw it. John saw it. Peter saw it. This means, in part, that the supposed ability to trace a doctrine or practice back to a very early time in church history is no guarantee that it is correct if it is not directly taught or represented in the New Testament! This also means that the claims of any church, denomination, or other religious organization must be carefully tested against the record we read in the New Testament and the whole Bible itself.
Dig deeper into what the Bible teaches by consulting the following cross references for Acts 20:27 as given in The Ultimate Cross Reference Treasury:
Acts 20:27
I have. **Act 20:20; **Act 20:35, *Act 26:22; *Act 26:23, Psa 40:10, Jer 1:7; Jer 42:19, 1Co 2:4, *2Co 4:2, *Gal 1:7, 8, 9, 10; *Gal 4:16, *1Th 2:4.
not shunned. +Act 20:20, Act 4:11; Act 4:29, Gen 40:19, Lev 19:17, Isa 58:1, Eze 3:11, Mar 6:18, 2Co 2:16, 17.
to declare. +*Act 4:20; Act 14:27; Act 22:14, 15, Job 26:3, Pro 14:25, Isa 21:10; Isa 58:1, Jer 1:17; Jer 6:17; Jer 7:27; Jer 19:2; Jer 42:21, Eze 3:11; Eze 33:7; Eze 40:4, *1Jn 1:3.
all. +Act 20:20, Act 2:23; Act 4:11, Exo 6:29; Exo 7:2, Lev 10:11, Num 9:8; Num 29:40, Deut 1:18; Deut 4:5; Deut 31:30, *Jos 8:35; Jos 11:15, 2Sa 7:17, 1Ki 22:14, 1Ch 17:15, 2Ch 18:7; 2Ch 18:13, *Job 6:10, *Psa 33:11; Psa 40:10, *Isa 46:10; *Isa 46:11, Jer 15:19; Jer 17:16; *Jer 23:22; *Jer 26:2; Jer 34:6; Jer 38:21; Jer 42:4; Jer 43:1, Eze 2:4; Eze 33:7, 8, *Mat 28:20, Mar 4:22, *Luk 7:30, Joh 15:15, 1Co 11:23, +*Eph 1:11, Col 1:28, 1Th 2:11, 12; 1Th 4:1; 1Th 5:14, +*1Ti 4:16, 2Ti 2:15, Heb 6:17.
the counsel of God. +*Psa 107:11, Eze 2:4, +*2Ti 3:16; +*2Ti 3:17.