The True New Testament Church: Why the Pope is a Deceiver

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I feel that this beautiful, Spirit driven quote by the late Brother Charles H. Spurgeon is very appropriate considering that a mere man came to our worldly country and deceived thousands of people claiming to be a representative of the living God. Contradicting the living Word of God. I admit that I didn’t listen to even half of the speeches that he made while he was here, but I heard parts of some. Particularly I heard him claiming that somehow people choosing to do good works should lead to salvation rather than Christ Jesus, the Son. Galatians 2:16

“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

This verse of Galatians clearly states the works shall not save us, but that works comes after we believe and are saved. However, do not misunderstand however, works are key to a believer as well as faith. James 2:20 says:

“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” So then, a believer’s belief in the Lord Jesus, the Son is justified by faith, which in turn is justified by good works.

The pope would have us believe that even an atheist, or one that blasphemes God would still be saved, as long as he does good works. I am blessed to having been raised and by the grace of God, continued in a true New Testament church. I, being in this church and having an intermediate understanding of scriptures, knew that the teachings of the pope was wrong and deceitful, but was unclear on where exactly Catholic Church believes they have the authority to appoint an Archbishop or a head of a universal church. So I began to research and read up on some history of the pope, finding out that the Catholics believe themselves to be the heir of the Apostles, and that they believe that Brother Peter was the first Archbishop of Rome. I was puzzled at hearing this still wondering where they got this idea from. I then saw that they base all of this on a scripture in Mathew 16:18–19 which says:

“And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

These two verses leads the Catholics to believe that the Lord told Peter that he would base the church on Peter and would give him power over it, but for those of you who read this earnestly and truthfully and think that something doesn’t seem right about that, you’d be correct. I do not believe for a second that this verse is saying that the Lord was telling Brother Peter that he was a rock, but rather that the Lord Jesus himself was the rock that the church would be established on. The name Peter in greek actually means pebble or a small stone, while the word rock illustrates a much larger stone such as a boulder. Peter was not fit to be the rock that the church was to be established on. He was unstable as all ordinary men are, the Lord however, was and is a rock for his church’s. He is the foundation, and the head of all of his church’s. Ephesians 5:23 says: “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.”

So then the Catholic faith is based on deceit, then who started the church? Who are the true heirs to the Apostles? And who was the Lord talking about when he said that he’d give the “key’s to the kingdom of heaven”?

Let’s start with the first question on who established the first church. It wasn’t the Apostles, nor was it any mere man, but it was the Lord Jesus himself. The Lord, as said in Mathew 16:18 that he would establish the church, which he did, and that the Apostles were the first members of his church, and in verse 19 of that chapter he is saying that the church would receive the keys to the kingdom of heaven. He even uses the example:

“…and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

He uses this same example when talking about church discipline a couple of chapters later in Mathew 18:18

“Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”

There is no doubt that it was the church he established that was to get the keys to the kingdom of heaven. “But when does this happen?” You may ask. Mathew 28:16–20

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

So that answers two of our questions, but what of the third? Which sect of churches are the true heirs to the Lord Jesus’s church, which are the New Testament churches? Is it one like the Catholics or Mormons who believe that the true church had been overtaken in sin and forgotten but they brought it back? No. Once more lets look at Mathew 16:18

“…and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

If the true faith, of the true church had been forgotten then how can this verse be true? Then it must mean that there has been one faith over all the years throughout history. The church’s that believe the word of God, and add nothing to it. Who are these? I believe that they are the Baptists. Some believe that the Baptists were formed during the Protestant Reformation by John Smyth, but I assure you that this is not the case. The Baptists beliefs were inspired by he ones known as the Anabaptists. The Anabaptists have gone through many names over the years, but have constantly stood fast in the faith but have been persecuted and killed by the thousands over the years. I believe that there is a trail of blood that stretches from the Lord’s church to the some of the church’s that bear the Baptist name today. So does this mean that all churches who call themselves Baptists are New Testament churches? No, absolutely not. These days many who bear the name of Baptists are as false of teachers as any other religion. “So then how do I find a true New Testament church?” You might ask. Here is what I recommend. Buy yourself a King James Version Bible. Go to a Baptist church. If you see that they abide not in the word, then leave that church and look for a different one. But if you find a church that abides in the word and fears God and keeps his commandments, become a member of that church and continue with it. In conclusion, stay in the scriptures, trust and obey. I hope this as been a blessing and a help to you.