WHAT WAS THE FIRST ORIGINAL CHURCH? IS THE FIRST CHURCH, THE ORIGINAL CHURCH IS THE TRUE CHURCH?

Answer: The ability to draw a line in time to return to the past to the "first church" through "apostolic succession" is an argument used by a number of different churches to assert that their church is "the only true church." The Roman Catholic Church makes this claim. The Greek Orthodox Church makes this claim. Some Protestant denominations make this claim. Some of the "Christian" cults make this claim. How do we know which church is correct? The biblical answer is: it does not matter!

The first church, its growth, doctrines and practices were recorded for us in the New Testament. Jesus as well as His apostles, foretold that false teachers would arise, but it is visible in some New Testament epistles that these apostles had to fight against false teachers early on. Having a pedigree of apostolic succession or being able to find the roots of a church in the past, the "first church" is not something that is said nowhere in Scripture as a test for being the true church. But the Scriptures record repeated comparisons between what false teachers teach and what the first church taught. If a church is the "true church" or not is determined by comparing its teachings and practices with those of the New Testament church, as recorded in Scripture.
For example, in Acts 20: 17-38, the Apostle Paul has an opportunity to talk to church leaders in the large city of Ephesus one last time face to face. In this passage, he warns that false teachers will arise not only between them but also AMONG them (verses 29-30). Paul does not set forth the teaching that they should follow the "first" organized church as a safeguard for the truth, but he commends the safety of "God and to the word of His grace" (verse 32). For this reason, the truth could be determined by depending upon God and "the word of His grace" (ie, Scripture, see John 10:35).
This confidence in God's Word, rather than following certain "founding" individual, is seen again in Galatians 1: 8-9, where Paul says, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. So, as I forewarned you, now again I say to you. If anyone preaches any other gospel to you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. "Therefore, the basis for differentiating truth from falsehood is not based on WHO's teaching," we, or an angel from heaven, "but it is the same gospel that they have received: and this gospel is recorded in Scripture.

Another example of this dependence upon the Word of God is found in II Peter. In this epistle, the Apostle Peter is fighting against false teachers. In doing so, Peter begins by mentioning that we have "more sure word" to trust more than to hear the voice of God from heaven as they did at Jesus' transfiguration (II Peter 1: 16-21). This "more sure word" is the written Word of God. Peter tells them again to be mindful "of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Savior" (II Peter 3: 2). Both the words of the holy prophets and the commandments Jesus gave to the apostles are recorded in Scripture.
How do we determine whether a church is teaching correct doctrine or not? The only infallible standard that we have, according to Scripture, is the Bible (Isaiah 8:20; II Timothy 3: 15-17; Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; Isaiah 40: 8; I Peter 2:25; Galatians 1: 6-9). Tradition is part of any church, but this tradition must be compared with the Word of God, failing to go against what is true (Mark 7: 1-13). While it is true that the cults and sometimes orthodox churches twist the interpretation of Scripture to support their practices, Scripture, when taken in context and studied with faith, they are able to guide us to the truth.

The "first church" is the church that is recorded in the New Testament, especially in the Book of Acts and the Epistles of Paul. The New Testament church is the "original church" and "the true church". We know this because it is described, in great detail, in Scripture. The church, as recorded in the New Testament, is God's pattern and foundation for His church. On this basis, let us now examine the claim of the Roman Catholics that constitute the "first church". Nowhere in the New Testament we find the "one true church" doing any of the following: praying to Mary, praying to the saints, venerating Mary, submitting to a pope, having a select priesthood, baptizing an infant, observing the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper as sacraments, or passing on apostolic authority to successors of the apostles. All of these are core elements of the Roman Catholic faith. If most of the core elements of the Roman Catholic Church are not practiced by the New Testament Church (the first and only true church), how then can the Roman Catholic Church be the first church? New study Testament clearly reveal that the Roman Catholic Church is not the same church described in the New Testament.

The New Testament records the history of the church from approximately AD 30 to approximately 90 AD In the second, third and fourth centuries, history records several Roman Catholic doctrines and practices among early Christians. It is not logical that it was more likely that the early Christians understand what the Apostles truly meant? Yes, of course, but there is a problem. Christians of the second, third and fourth centuries were not really the first. Again, the New Testament records the doctrine and practice of the earliest Christians ... and the New Testament does not teach Roman Catholicism. What is the explanation for the church of the second, third and fourth centuries had begun to show signs of Roman Catholicism?
The answer is simple: the second church, third and fourth century (and beyond) did not have the complete New Testament. Churches had portions of the New Testament, but the New Testament (and the full Bible) was not commonly available until after the invention of printing in 1440 AD The early church did the best he could in passing on the teachings of the apostles through oral tradition and through extremely limited availability to the Word in written form. At the same time, it is easy to see how false doctrine could creep into a church that only had access to the Book of Galatians, for example. It is very interesting to note that "The Protestant Reformation" followed soon after the invention of printing and translation of the Bible into common languages ​​to people. Once people began to study the Bible for themselves, it became very clear how far the Roman Catholic Church had departed from the church described in the New Testament.
Scripture never mentions "which church came first" as the basis to determine the "true" church. What they teach is that one should use Scripture as the determining factor to know which church is preaching the truth and thus is true to the first church. It is especially important to compare Scripture with the teachings of a church in terms of core issues as the full deity and humanity of Christ, the atonement for sin through His blood on Calvary, salvation from sin by grace through faith and inerrancy of Scripture. The "first church" and "the true church" is recorded in the New Testament. This is the church that all other churches should follow, trying to match or exceed and be modeled.