[The text below represents an edited transcript of this Tomorrow’s World whiteboard.]

Five Characteristics of the True Church

There are more than 45,000 Christian denominations teaching a host of various doctrines.

For many, the word “church” brings to mind towering cathedrals or small chapels. Others think of modern megachurches filled with thousands.

But what can we learn from the Bible about the Church Jesus established?

In this video, we’ll see five simple points the Bible reveals of how to identify the Church of God that Jesus began.

The true Church is a little flock

1. The Bible shows the Church Jesus established is a “little flock.”

In the New Testament, the Greek word translated as Church is ekklesia, which refers to being called out for an “assembly” or “gathering.” It was commonly used of citizens for a civic meeting (Acts 19:39) or of soldiers for battle.

And this term is applied to the assembly (or group) of people called out from the world to serve and obey God (John 6:44).

The nation of Israel, whom God called out of Egypt, is referred to as the “church in the wilderness” (Acts 7:38, KJV), or the “assembly of God’s people in the wilderness” (NLT).

Likewise, in the New Testament, the Church is described as an assembly of Christians, those who are spiritually called out of the world (John 15:19) to serve God and follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ (1 John 2:6).

The word is used to refer to the Church as a whole (Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:47, 8:3; Galatians 1:13), and also for individual congregations (Acts 11:26, Acts 13:1, Acts 14:23).

“Many are called, but few are chosen”

The Bible also reveals that this group would be small, scattered (John 16:32), and persecuted (Matthew 10:17; John 15:19).

Jesus said true Christianity is “difficult... and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

He said, “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14), and He actually described His followers as a “little flock” (Luke 12:32).

Interestingly, the Church that Jesus established would never be one of the large church denominations accepted by the masses.

Listen to this statement from Jesus in John 6:44.

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him… (John 6:44).

And then in verse 65 He said:

No one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father (John 6:65).

In other words, according to Jesus’ own words, true Christianity is not something we can simply choose for ourselves.

So the Bible shows the Church that Jesus established is a body of believers called out of the world by God the Father to come to Jesus Christ, and would be scattered, persecuted, and relatively small in number, labeled by Jesus as “little flock.”

The true Church is called the Church of God

2. The Bible shows the Church Jesus established is called the “Church of God.”

In His prayer recorded in John 17, speaking of His disciples, Jesus said, “I kept them in Your name” (John 17:12), and “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me” (John 17:11).

Disciples of Jesus Christ would be kept—or preserved—in the name of God the Father.

In fact, throughout the New Testament, the Church is called “the church of God,” “the churches of God,” and “the church of the living God.”

List of “Church of God” Bible Verses

Here is a list of scriptures you can look up for yourself:

• Acts 20:28
• 1 Corinthians 1:2
• 1 Corinthians 10:32
• 1 Corinthians 11:16
• 1 Corinthians 11:22
• 1 Corinthians 15:9
• 2 Corinthians 1:1
• Galatians 1:13
• 1 Thessalonians 2:14
• 2 Thessalonians 1:4
• 1 Timothy 3:5
• 1 Timothy 3:15

So we see the Church of God in the Bible is not named after a city, a person, a set of practices or doctrines, or by its form of government.

It is the Church of God—belonging to God and bearing His name.

That’s why point number two is: The Church Jesus established is called the Church of God.

The true Church keeps God’s commandments (Revelation 12:17)

3. The Bible shows the Church of God keeps the commandments, including God’s Sabbaths.

Revelation describes the Church as made up of those who “keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 12:17).

Jesus said:

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets… (Matthew 5:17).

And:

Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:19).

The Church of God that Jesus began teaches obedience to the Ten Commandments.

“Depart from Me… I never knew you!”

In fact, listen to how Jesus described the difference between His true followers and those who claim to follow Him but do not.

Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord,” shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7:21-23).

In other words, depart from Me, you who do not live in obedience to the law.

Obedience to God’s law includes the fourth commandment.

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy (Exodus 20:8, Deuteronomy 5:12).

In fact, the Bible also makes it clear that the weekly and annual Sabbaths are an identifying sign showing who and where God’s people are.

In Exodus 31, God told His people:

Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the Lord who sanctifies you [or sets you apart] (Exodus 31:13).

And in the book of Ezekiel, God said:

I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me... (Ezekiel 20:12)(cf. Ezekiel 20:20).

But we see this was not just an Old Testament teaching.

Keeping the Sabbath after Jesus’ death

Sabbath-keeping is recorded throughout the New Testament, and in the book of Acts we see it being kept decades after Jesus died, and being taught to Gentile churches that Paul was raising up.

Here is a list of Scriptures showing the first-century Church observed the Sabbath command:

• Acts 13:14-15
• Acts 13:42-44
• Acts 16:13
• Acts 17:2
• Acts 18:4
• Hebrews 4:4
• Hebrews 4:9-10

Additionally, we see in prophecies of the Millennium that the world will observe the Sabbath and holy days during that time (Zechariah 14:16-21; Isaiah 66:23).

So we see the Church of God keeps the commandments as well as the identifying sign between God and His people—the Sabbath and holy days.

The true Church teaches from the Bible

4. The Church of God’s teachings are based entirely on the Bible.

We see from scripture that the Church Jesus established recognized the inspired word of God—the Bible—as its authority on all doctrines and practices.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

Live by every word of God (Matthew 4:4)

Notice that it says all Scripture—the whole Bible—is God’s complete revelation to mankind.

The Apostle Paul was inspired to write that the Church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20).

Therefore, the writings of the apostles and prophets—not personal opinions, feelings, or traditions—must be the basis of doctrine and practice.

And Jude told the Church in the first century to:

Contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3).

As Paul told Timothy, the house of God is “the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).

So the Church of God keeps, defends, protects, and upholds the truth—without compromise—and bases its teachings entirely on the Bible.

God’s Church continues preaching the Gospel

5. The Bible shows the Church of God preaches the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to all the world.

In what is known now as “the Great Commission,” Jesus commanded His followers:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you... (Matthew 28:19-20).

Mark describes it this way:

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15).

And before He ascended, Jesus reminded His disciples of their responsibility to carry out this worldwide work, saying:

You shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8).

This is why Philip “preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12).

And why Paul in Ephesus “went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8).

The Gospel of the Kingdom

The core of the gospel message is the coming kingdom of God, which Jesus will establish when He returns, a government—a single, unified, worldwide government—overseeing all that is happening here on Earth.

Interestingly, Jesus said that prior to His second coming:

This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come (Matthew 24:14).

So we see not only will the Church of God that Jesus established exist until He returns, but it will be focused on preaching the full Gospel message—the same message Jesus preached—to the entire world.

“I will build My Church”

In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said:

I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

In other words, even until He returns, somewhere here on earth, we should always be able to find the true Church of God.

So how do you identify the Church Jesus began?

The true Church of God:

• Is a small group of people—a little flock
• Is called by God’s name: the Church of God
• Keeps the commandments, including God’s Sabbaths
• Has teachings and practices based entirely on the Bible
• And preaches the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to all the world

And just like the early Church gathered regularly for worship on the Sabbath and heeded the warning of:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching (Hebrews 10:25).

Even so, the true Church continues to gather together—for encouragement, learning, and staying spiritually strong—until Jesus Christ returns.

You can find that Church—when you know what to look for.

And if you enjoyed this video, check out our next video (The Gospel Jesus Preached Is Different Than What Most Have Been Taught). And be sure to subscribe or share with a friend you think it might help.

We make these videos to help you understand your world through the pages of the Bible.

Thanks for watching!