IS JOINING THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO A BAD IDEA? by Bro. Joe Ventilacion

Mr. Isahel N. Alfonso, a Roman Catholic apologist and blogger, a member of the Catholic Faith Defenders (CFD) in the Archdiocese of Davao wrote an article which he called WHY JOINING THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO IS A BAD IDEA. Although his arguments are just a rehash of what has been used by CFDs before him against the Iglesia Ni Cristo, I decided to answer his allegations so that he could not deceive our Catholic and Protestant friends who are in the process of joining the Church. As I look at his arguments, some were simply copied and pasted from other Catholic websites.

First, let us take a look at his arguments then let us provide the answers so he and his co-defenders may be enlightened and hopefully, will join the chorus of Catholics who are in exodus and now are finding their way into the Iglesia Ni Cristo.

ARGUMENT NUMBER ONE

1. The Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) was founded by Felix Manalo, not by Jesus Christ.

The Iglesia Ni Cristo apologists rely on a single Bible text to prove that INC is the true Church of Jesus Christ. According to them since the name of their Church is "Church of Christ", and in Romans 16:16 we can read "Churches of Christ" therefore, theirs is the true Church of Jesus Christ since the name of their Church can literally be found in the Bible. This argument cannot hold water for two reasons,
1. If the name of the Church is the basis of its authenticity then the INC have to accept that other Protestant denominations that got its name from the pages of Scripture must also be a true Church of Jesus Christ. 2. The authenticity (or being the true Church) relies not on its name but whether it is personally of historically founded by Jesus Christ.

ANSWERS TO ARGUMENT NUMBER ONE:

It seems that Mr. Alfonso is outdated when it comes to the issue of the verses that are being used by the Iglesia Ni Cristo to prove that the name of the Church built by Christ is the Church of Christ. He said that we are just using a single text to prove that the true Church is called by the name Church of Christ. He cited Romans 16:16 then concluded by saying that “if the name of the Church is the basis of its authenticity then the INC have to accept that other Protestant denominations that got its name from the pages of Scripture must also be a true Church of Jesus Christ.”

First, it is not true that only Romans 16:16 mention the name Church of Christ in the Bible.Below are some translations into English and Spanish that contain the name Church of Christ, proving that Mr. Alfonso's arguments really cannot hold water. His argument is flawed and inconsistent.

Before we go to the different translations of the Bible that contain the term, I would let a Catholic author, a Jesuit priest, to educate him on the issue of the name of the Church established by Christ. Let’s analyze the points he raised:

5. Did Jesus Christ establish a Church?
“Yes, from all history, both secular and profane, as well as from the Bible considered as a human document, we learn that Jesus Christ established a Church, which from the earliest times has been called after Him the Christian Church or the Church of Christ.” (Cassily, Francis B., S.J. Religion: Doctrine and Practice for use in Catholic High Schools. 12th and revised edition. Imprimi Potest: Charles H. Cloud, S.J. Provincial of the Chicago Province. Imprimatur: George Cardinal Mundelein, Archbishop of Chicago. Chicago: Loyola University Press, 1934, pp. 442-443.).

We agree with this priest's contention that the Church established by Christ was called after him, the CHURCH OF CHRIST. We believe what he is saying, not because he is a priest, but because he said that it is from the Bible that “we learn that Jesus Christ established a Church, which from the earliest times has been called after Him the Christian Church or the Church of Christ.”

Obviously, Mr. Alfonso did not learn from his mentor and does not know that the Bible teaches that the name of the Church established by Jesus Christ is called the Church of Christ. If the Roman Catholic Church where he belongs is the true Church and not the Church of Christ, how come it is not written in the Bible? Does it mean that Mr. Alfonso’s church is not true and he is a member of a false church? You know the answer to these questions.

To show his ignorance, I am going to cite the translations of the Bible that have the term “Church of Christ” so he may learn not to jump to a hasty conclusion that only Romans 16:16 mentions the term. He probably needs to study more before he would say anything that would just make him laughable at the end. Here is one verse and the translations that proved them:

ACTS 20:28 LAMSA TRANSLATION

Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed your overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood."

ACTS 20:28 ETHERIDGE TRANSLATION

Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to the whole flock over which the Spirit of Holiness hath constituted you the bishops; to pasture the church of the Meshiha [Christ] which he hath purchased with his blood.

ACTS 20:28 DISCIPLES NEW TESTAMENT

Therefore, take care of yourselves, and of all the congregation in which you have been appointed through the holy Spirit as bishops, to shepherd the church of Jesus Christ, that which he established by his blood.

ACTS 20:28 BIBLIA PESHITTA

Por tanto, tengan cuidado de ustedes mismos, y de todo el rebaño sobre el cual los ha puesto el Espíritu Santo como supervisores para apacentar la iglesia del Cristo, la cual Él compró con su sangre.

With the preponderance of biblical texts that show the term CHURCH OF CHRIST, they tell us that Mr. Alfonso’s arguments are unfounded.

We do not say that the name alone identifies the true Church. It’s true that there are some Protestant churches that use the name Church of Christ. However, the identity of the true Church is that it is not only named or written in the Bible but the teachings that it embraces must be in the Bible. That’s the problem with Protestant churches and especially the Catholic Church where Mr. Alfonso belongs since their doctrines and practices are against the teachings of the Bible. Please read my postings on THE TRINITY AND INCARNATION: TRUTH OR FALLACY? and you will see that the Catholic and Protestant doctrine about God and His Son Jesus Christ is flawed and directly contradicts genuine biblical teaching.

In our next article, we shall show to Mr. Alfonso why we believe that the true Church is not only named after Christ but it is personally founded by Jesus Christ. He will have the opportunity to know that the Iglesia Ni Cristo which emerged in the Philippiness in 1914 was established by Christ himself. Who knows, he might be enlightened and join the Church of Christ but first, he should sit down and listen as our ministers will teach him from the Bible the truth about the re-establishment of the true Church of Christ in the Philippines. Like the millions who joined the Iglesia Ni Cristo, he will have the confindence that he is indeed a member of the true Church of Christ.

We will continue to answer his criticisms so please watch for the next article that we will be posting in this FB account. Thank you.

To our Catholic and Protestant friends, you may want to visit www.incmedia.orgfor more information.