Iglesia Ni Cristo - Is it really the Church of Christ???

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JMJ

Recently a member of Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC), handed out pamphlets at an SSPX chapel.  While the Catholic Church is in a crisis on numerous levels, it remains today the Church of Christ.

As for the INC, there were a number of claims under the heading of "What We Believe and Why".  These are summed up as "the Iglesia Ni Cristo" upholds the pristine teachings of the Bible.

This will make our job of determining the veracity of their claims as to being the Church of Christ much simpler. 

Why?

Because if their belief can be found at fault in one aspect of the truths found in the Bible, then obviously their religion is not the Church of Christ.

I believe that the key is their rejection of the Divinity of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here's what they believe on the topic:

The Lord Jesus Christ
The Iglesia ni Cristo believes that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 3:17), is the one and only Savior given by God (Acts 13:23). Christ is the sole mediator between God and men (I Timothy 2:5) and the only way to God (John 14:6).
But we do not subscribe to the belief that Christ is God-Man. He is man in nature according to His own testimony (John 8:40) and the teachings of His Apostles (I Timothy 2:5; Matthew 1:18).
The attributes of a human being were found in Christ. He hungered (Matthew 4:2), thirsted (John 19:28), became weary or tired (John 4:6), slept (Matthew 8:24), and died (Matthew 27:50; I Corinthians 15:3). However, Christ as distinct from all men, is the only one who did not sin (I Peter 2:21-22; Hebrews 4:15).
He has been exalted by God and given a name above all other names, that at the name of Christ every knee should bow, those in heaven, and those on earth (Philippians 2:9-11). He has been placed by God far above all principality, power, might and dominion, and every name that is named, and all things have been put under His feet (Ephesians 1:21-22). Christ will eventually subject all His power and authority to the true God (I Corinthians 15:27-28). He had in so many instances introduced Himself as the Son of God but never did He appropriate the title “God?nor “God the Son?for Himself because He is not God but man.

So, did Our Lord Jesus Christ ever claim or be acclaimed to be God in the Bible???

Looking at the "Textual Concordance of the Holy Scriptures" by Thomas David Williams, we find a number of references under the section "Christ is True God". Here is a sample of citations:

1. John i. 1-3, 10,
2. John viii. 57,58
3. John viii. 25
4. John x. 30-33
5. John xx. 28, 29
6. Acts iii. 14, 15
7. Acts x. 36
8. Coll. ii. 9.
9. 2. Peter i. 1.

Obviously, just from looking at these scriptures it is obvious that Our Lord Jesus Christ is proclaimed to be God.

Thus we can conclude that the claim of Iglesia Ni Cristo to being the Church of Christ is false.

As a Catholic, I state with St. Thomas:

28 Thomas answered, and said to him: My Lord, and my God.
29 Jesus saith to him: Because thou hast seen me, Thomas, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed.

Would that others who have not seen, would believe.

P^3