Grammar and proper English appears to be a thing of the past, which makes us wonder why continue to teach such things in our schools? Does anyone remember what ‘the’ and ‘a’ are called grammatically? While they are adjectives, we called them ‘articles,’ and are very important in the English language. ‘The’ is a definite article which when we say, ‘the book’ or ‘the table,’ we understand it refers to specific book or table. ‘A’ on the other hand is an indefinite article which refers to no specific book or table. Now apply that to the Word of God. Men say, “Join a church of your choice,” but you will find no such statement in all the Bible. Nowhere, does God use the indefinite article ‘a’ when using the words church, truth, or gospel. Not only are these words found in the singular (meaning there is only one), but the addition of the definite article proves there is ONE, in particular, not multitudes.
Jesus said He would build “HIS church” (Matthew 16:18), meaning He would only build ONE, and God the Father agreed when He added to ‘the’ (specific church Jesus built) those being saved (Acts 2:47). This verse also proves that the church cannot be joined like a club, one must be added to it by God, who will only do the adding when one has obeyed the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8). Since words do have meaning and purpose, no one can prove that God allows more than one church, more than one doctrine, more than one truth, more than one gospel. This is the case because many times God has pointed out that religious division is a sin (Galatians 5:19-21, et al), and that we are required to believe and teach the same doctrine (1 Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 2:2; et al).
IF one interpretation of Scripture is as good as another, then why does God waste space to require us to have one and the same interpretation? Think about that one. Of course, many of you will cast it off as non-sense rather than caring enough about truth that you will actually study it out for yourselves. Maybe, just maybe a couple of you readers will be as noble as the Bereans (Acts 17:11). Our entire purpose, as we have said time and time again is to make you think for yourself. To cause you to rethink what you have accepted as the truth (2 Corinthians 13:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). IF it is truth that God only authorized one church for all men and women to be added to for salvation (which He did), then should you not be scrambling to find out what church that is? Shouldn’t you be willing to cast off your family traditions to follow only what God requires of all of us? Jesus said, you cannot be His disciple if you are unwilling to leave behind family tradition, as well as family and friends (Luke 14:26-33). Your denomination came too late to be ‘the’ church Jesus said He would build, nor does it show others who it belongs to – ‘the’ church of Christ.