joe370:
Let me add one thing. I earnestly believe that all churches comprise the Mystical Body of Christ to which Jesus Christ is the Savior. However, that was not part of God’s original plan, according to the bible; the Mystical Body of Christ was suppose to be comprised of just one church, according to the holy bible - right?
I do not believe that all “
churches” comprise the “
mystical Body of Christ,” to which Christ Himself is the Savior. But that the “
church” (singular) which Christ said He Himself would “
build” (Matt. 16:18), and has been building since Pentecost (to this very hour), also called the “
body of Christ” (Rom. 12:5; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18), is indeed one, holy, eternally redeemed, sanctified church. Christ is not called the Savior of “
churches,” but the Savior of "
the body, which is the “
church,” of which He is the Head (Eph. 5:23). And since it is said that He is “
Savior” of the “
body” (as the Scriptures say) then ALL members of this “
body” (which is “
the church”) are indeed eternally
SAVED. The “
church” Christ Himself is presently building, through the work of Holy Spirit, is comprised of ALL and ONLY the “
saved” down to this present generation (how one is “
saved” must be the subject of another thread - and there’s been many already).
Though there is “
the church,” the true mystical “
body of Christ,” to which He, Christ Himself, is its Savior (in the true, personal sense of the word), Scripture also recognizes “
churches.” These being local assemblies comprised of both believers and unbelievers, saved and unsaved; and in some cases no believers at all, hence, totally apostate.
From the beginning there were “
churches.” Jesus Himself addressed seven of them in Asia Minor through the Spirit (Rev. 2:7; 11; 17; 29; 3:16; 13; 22). There were
churches throughout the areas of Syria and Cilicia (Acts 15:41),
churches in the region of Galatia (1 Cor. 16:1; Gal. 1:2),
churches of Asia (1 Cor. 16:19),
churches of Macedonia (2 Cor. 8:1),
churches of Judea (Gal. 1:22), etc. You get the idea. Though there is only ONE “
church” which Christ Himself is building, to which He IS her Savior (since it’s comprised only of the saved), there has been from the beginning many “
churches” recognized by Christ and the Apostles as revealed in the Scriptures.
The “
church” Christ is presently building, and of which He IS the Savior, is not described as an earthly institution but rather a heaven-bound congregation (Jn. 14:6) of which she is already a citizen (Phil. 3:20-21, NASB). In Scripture, the
church/body/bride of Christ is fundamentally and spiritually different than the “
churches.”
According to history, after the union of church and state, there arose five great centers of Christianity: Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem and Alexandria, headed by five so-called “
Patriarchs” (Bishops), all of equal authority and having full control over his own Province. But after the division of the Roman Empire into East and West (a.d. 395), the “Patriarchs” of Antioch, Jerusalem & Alexandria gradually came to acknowledge the leadership of Constantinople; and this began the struggle for the Leadership of all “Christendom” between the Bishop of Rome (West) and the Bishop of Constantinople (East). The Council of Chalcedon, however, gave the of Bishop of Constantinople equal prerogatives with the Bishop of Rome. But with the fall of the Western Empire the Bishop of Rome gradually became the commanding figure in the West. Pope Nicolas I (858-867) was the first Pope to wear a crown and to promote his claim of Universal Authority and used to great effect the “Pseusdo-Isidorian Decretals,” a literary forgery which made the “Papacy” appear to be something complete and unchangeable since the beginning.
Nicolas undertook to interfere in the affairs of the “Eastern Church.” He excommunicated Photius (Patriarch of Constantinople) who in turn excommunicated him. The division between East and West followed (869), and completed in 1054. Up until then all Ecumenical Councils were held near or in Constantinople, and in the Greek language. The Council of Constantinople was the last Ecumenical Council. From that time forward the “Greek church” and “Western church” had their own Councils, and the chasm deepened with the western dogma of “Papal Infallibility.” The West took the moniker “
Catholic” (claiming for itself
catholicity), and the East took the moniker “
Orthodox” (claiming for itself
orthodoxy), each excluding the other. Hence,
the beginning of "The Catholic Church" and the “Orthodox Church” as we know them now (“Protestantism” was western only and its roots were theological not political).
So, in short form, this is how the history of the “
churches” evolved with men (obviously God allowed it).
Meanwhile Christ was still building His “
church” (His body to which He Himself is the true Head and true Savior), calling it out from both Jews and Gentiles,
individually, through personal faith in Him alone - even to this very hour. “
Churches” will continue to go their direction (even complete apostasy, according to the Scriptures). But for now Christ Himself still continues to build His
church (singular) until she is to be taken up to be with Him (1 Thess. 4:15-18). From the beginning the true church has been uniquely heaven-bound.
LOL…
If you insist to say that this is unrelated to the thread then simply PM me and let me know. 
