Expert: Marvin Howard - 4/6/2009

Question
In your profile and in many of your answers you speak of a Church that predates Catholicism. What Church would that be? I have heard the 'church of God' make that claim, but in reality it was started in the 1800's. I have also heard UPC and other pentacostal sects claim that, but with a much more recent start... As for your 'refuting' the body and blood of Christ, in the languages used at the time, there were many phrases to denote a figurative speech, although not usually added in English. In the case of the Lords supper there was no such phrase in Greek used.
Thank you for your time. May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Seth

Answer
Hi!

Seth, the church of Cephas (Peter) that is catholicism has no recorded beginning before 1st Corinthians 1:12, where it is repudiated for dividing the body. The churches of Christ (from which those who followed Cephas are said to split) existed before this; from the day of Pentecost (Romans 16:16).

I know, it will be claimed we were founded by Stone and the Campbell's in the 1800's. This is not so. We find our name in use in Europe as far back as 1000, and we have practices confirmed before the council of Nicea. All the Campbell's and Stone did was do what people did in the first century to be Christians rather than relying on later inventions of man. In fact, they were not even the first in America to do this; that would be James O'Kelly in 1793. This dovetails perfectly with the prophecy in Revelation 12:6, after the pope declared himself to have the job of Christ in 533; "Lord of the Church."

I do not refute the body and blood of Christ; I defend them by refuting the falsehood that is catholicism and protestantism with the Word of God.

If you have read past answers, you have probably seen these resources, but so that you will have them handy, I will give them again.

http://preacherman1962.multiply.com/journal/item/4
http://www.geocities.com/preacherman_1962/ChurchHistory.html

Seth, please examine all of the resources contained in these. I pray you will approach it in the spirit of truth seeking rather than trying to deny it without having full knowledge.

In His Service,
Marvin Howard