Church

Answer: In answering this question, it is important to understand that the word church in the New Testament means a group of people and not a building. To prove whether a particular church (group of people) is part of God's Church, one must determine whether they are following God's instructions.

Jesus said His sheep (followers—those who would be part of His Church) hear His voice and follow Him (John 10:27). As such, members of God's Church imitate Jesus' example (1 John 2:6; 1 Peter 2:21) of keeping the Ten Commandments (John 14:15, 21). Revelation 12:17 tells us that the dragon (a symbol for Satan) was angry with the woman (a symbol of the Church) and went to make war with the woman's descendants (Christians who will be living in the end time). The way these people are identified is by the fact that they keep the commandments of God.

While many people do not kill or steal, there are many more commandments and instructions from God in addition to not lying or stealing. More revealing is whether they keep the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) and the annual Holy Days (Days of Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Feast of Tabernacles, etc.), as did Jesus and the New Testament Church.

Of course, these are just a few of the doctrines and practices of God's Church. For a more complete explanation of how to identify God's Church, read our free booklet, The Church Jesus Built at http://www.ucg.org/booklets/CJ/.

Answer: Jesus Christ prophesied that there would be great religious diversity in those who claim to be Christian and represent Him. Matthew 24:4-5 says, "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying [that] I am the Christ; and shall deceive many" (KJV).

As for the existence of the Church that Jesus founded in A.D. 31 on the Day of Pentecost, Jesus Himself promised that this church would always exist. Specifically, He said, "I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). Therefore, God's Church does exist somewhere.

The Bible explains that this church will accurately reflect the teachings and message of Jesus Christ. It will be preaching His true gospel in the world (Matthew 28:19; 24:14). By comparing what the Bible says God's Church will be like with the churches we see around us, we can discover where God's Church is today. Because this is a foundational subject that deserves much time and attention, we suggest that you write for our free booklet, The Church Jesus Built, or read it online . This booklet addresses these important questions in much greater detail.

Answer: Your answer, "first-century Christian," is certainly accurate since we trace our origin to the Church that Jesus founded in the early first century. This means we worship on Saturdays and observe the biblical holidays as Jesus and the disciples did.

Because we have no association with any other religious organization or any denomination, the term "nondenominational Christian" could also be an answer to give to your friends. Your friends are probably most interested in knowing whether or not you belong to a Christian church, and the term "nondenominational" tells them that your church is not associated with one of the mainstream, large, well-known church organizations.

For more information about the United Church of God, read our free booklet This Is the United Church of God, which can be read or requested online at www.ucg.org/booklets/.