THE NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH
                
                THE CHURCH WAS BEGUN BY JESUS
      
      The coming of Jesus centered around the redemption of man.
He stated His purpose in coming in these words, "For the Son of
man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke
19:10).  I cannot give all the reasons why there must be the
shedding of blood in order for sins to be forgiven ("...and
without shedding of blood is no remission" Hebrews 9:22), but the
Bible teaches this emphatically.  The blood of the animals in the
Old Testament law were simply an indication of things God had in
mind when Christ brought the New Testament.  The writer of
Hebrews says that the old law contained "a shadow of good things
to come" (Heb. 10:1).  Obviously the blood of animals could not
atone for sins ("For it is not possible that the blood of bulls
and of goats should take away sins" (Hebrews 10:4).  So God sent
His son in order that His blood could bring about full
redemption.  Jesus said that His blood was "shed for many for the
remission of sins" (Matthew 26:28).  He died and "...washed us
from our sins in His own blood" (Revelation 1:5).
     However some have failed to see that part of the plan for
the salvation of the world concerned the church.  He came to save
us, but in coming to save us He promised to establish the church.
"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this
rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not
prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18).  After His blood was shed
and He had ascended into heaven, the apostles began to proclaim
forgiveness of sins in His name.  Those who had crucified Him,
later believed on Him and asked what they should do in order to
right with God.  They were told, "Then Peter said unto them,
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins..." (Acts 2:38).  That very day
3,000 believers repented and were baptized (Acts 2:41).  The next
day others did the same thing and were forgiven---and every day
after that others did the same thing.  Now note carefully the
words of God, "The Lord added to the church daily, those that
were being saved" (Acts 2:47).  The church, you see, was made up
of all those who were saved.  The church was NOT the Savior---the
church WAS the saved!  It is the church which is purchased by the
blood of Jesus (Acts 20:28).
                   
                   GOD PROPHESIED SOME WOULD DEPART
      
      In order that men might be able to understand what God saw
would develop, He foretold and warned His disciples that men
would seek to change the church.  Note these words, "Now the
Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith..." (1 Timothy 4:1).  "For the time will
come when they will not endure sound doctrine..." (2 Timothy 4:3)
All one has to do to see this is to look at the religious
division there is in the "Christian world".  Agnostics say, "You
can believe anything and be a Christian," and then conclude that
if this is true, "You can believe NOTHING and be a Christian.
Think of all that has happened in our world with men using the
name of Jesus to sanction it.  Men have "stolen" from sincere
people and built empires.  Men have given all of their
possessions to a man claiming to be a prophet and died, poisoned
at his directions.  Men have used the name of Jesus to gain
popularity and fame---while their lives made mockery of Jesus.
What is a person to do?
                      
                      HOW CAN I FIND TRUTH
     
     It never was the will of Jesus that the church change
at all.  Paul established the church in Galatia and wrote, "But
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto
you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed" (Galatians 1:8).  The church was such that even an
apostle (note Paul said though WE) could not later come into that
region and change the gospel as preached.  Furthermore not even
an angel could change it.  Yet men did!!!  How do we find truth?
Exactly the way you are pursuing it!  Forget what some church
claims, forget what some religious leader claims, and simply GO
BACK TO THE BIBLE.  Find out how the church was then, and then
know THAT IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE NOW. Examine the practices of
the early church and if something was not their practice, then 
it should not be ours!  Christ is the one who has all authority 
in heaven and in earth (Matt.16:18).  No man, no men, no apostles, 
no angels and no church has that authority!  Read the Bible.  
Love its precepts and you can find His will.