How many churches did Jesus say He would build on this rock?
How many churches did He establish on Pentecost?
How many churches did He establish after Pentecost?
How many churches did He give His lifeblood to redeem?
If there is only one true church, which one is it?
How many names did it have in century one?
How many names does it have in century twenty-one?
Do names given to that church by man mean anything to the One who knows the name of each soul in it and how many hairs each has on his/her head?
If we can believe that God is three Persons yet One, is it impossible that there may be many churches yet one Church?
Does a church have to get every item of doctrine completely perfect in order to follow Christ and do His work in this world?
Does a soul seeking God have to be part of a church which gets every item of doctrine perfect in order to be saved?
If a church has a perfect doctrine, say, about baptism – but its members don’t clean up their act about sexual purity or what they enjoy watching on tv or at the movies or what they like to listen to on their car radios … is that still the one true church washed in Jesus’ blood?
If a church has a perfect doctrine, for example, about the Lord’s Supper – but doesn’t feed the hungry; doesn’t sell its possessions and give to the poor so that none will be in need … is that church still dining with Christ?
If a church has a perfect doctrine about, let’s see, church governance – but its members do not govern themselves in their conduct or demeanor toward others … is that church still ruled by the King of kings?
If a church has a perfect doctrine regarding, oh, divorce – but it doesn’t care for widows and orphans in their desperation … is that church still part of God’s family?
These are hard questions.
But when the tests of life are graded, will it make any difference to the Teacher that we thought all the questions would be on doctrine and that they would all be true/false?
Blog In My Own Eye 
No, it won’t make any difference…..but it for sure is going to be interesting to see the looks on some folks faces when they get the test and see that it has already been taken for them, and they made a 100! Great post………again.DU
Or at least, that <>He<> made a 100!Thanks.
How do you know a perfect score in heaven is not a 1,000 ? or maybe a 1,000,000, you are judging God on man’s scale again. That won’t work 🙂
Keith, now I am really confused! on a recent post you agreed or seemed to with Royce that what ever you did on this earth would not contribute one thing to your salvation, then I read, “But when the tests of life are graded, will it make any difference to the Teacher that we thought all the questions would be on doctrine and that they would all be true/false?”I need to know Keith will we be graded or not? are all these “IF” questions just “IF” we want to do them, or are they really necessary “IF” we intend to obey the Gospel teachings of Christ. “IF” there is a judgment day, what will we be judged on, what Jesus did? “IF” there is no judgment day why worry. “Don’t worry, Be happy”
Yes, they are hard questions. Well, they started easy, but became hard pretty fast.I’ll still working on the questions that pertain to individuals (like me, for example)…they are hard too.
Keith,Excellent post brother.Great questions.I have pondered these questions over the last couple of years. Many of the questions I think I will never know the answer. I think is it self-righteous to say one church is the RIGHT or ONLY Church? Is there a church that is perfect? What do that say about Christianity and what message does that send to unbelievers? Thank you brother for sharing this post with us and striving to get us to think outside the box.
Jesus said “I will build my church..” I am not prepared to say what He builds is not perfect are you? A perfect church made up of imperfect humans who have been born again and given the righteousness of Christ as a free gift.A perfect church whose earthly members are imperfect in their understanding of the things of God. A universal (catholic) assembly made of imperfect people chosen by God to be His own for His purposes and pleasure. A church composed of saints from local, or located, assemblies with scores of names and addresses, different kinds of church government, different ways of worship, differences of understanding about what the Bible teaches, but every one right about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and everyone receipents of eternal life as a free gift, unmerited and undeserved, as safe and secure as the faithfulness of God Himself demands.We expose shameful arrogance at worst, and and at best shocking ignorance if we think our brand of church on earth is any more perfect than the ones we read of in the Bible who were just imperfect, saved folks who were in the process of being sanctified, some further along than others, all standing in the grace of God and experiencing His love.God is God and you and I are not. God will very likely save lots of folks we would not approve if it was ours to choose. I’m coming to the place where I’m OK with that, how about you?His peace,Royce
Royce, I am glad you are “OK” with what GOD does.
Laymond,Are you really glad? His statement strikes me as honest. How could it not be an honest statement? We all have to come to our own with God. No?Lance
Lance, My statement was meant to be sarcastic, but now that you mention it, I am glad! when one comes to see things God’s way.
I need to find my “test” that we were all given as High School seniors in in order to graduate out of the High School Bible Class. There was a singular right answer to all the questions on it. I aced it! I wish it was that easy…well you know what I mean.