The Iglesia Ni Cristo is God's Chosen People in These Last Days

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE?

A Discussion of Isaiah 62:11-12

THE TEACHING THAT there is a select group given the right to worship God is so unpopular in today’s society in which all beliefs are accepted as being equal. In fact, any group claiming that they are the only true Church is automatically looked upon with disdain. But is this teaching of an elect group chosen by God against the Bible? Is it true, as many suppose that everyone has the right to worship God? Prophet Isaiah long ago declared the consequence of mankind’s sins:

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:2 NKJV)

As a result of sin, mankind’s inherent right to serve God was lost. No matter how much they called upon God, He will no longer accept their services. This became everyone’s dire situation because all people, with the exception of the Lord Jesus Christ, sinned:

“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12 NKJV)

“For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth’.” (I Peter 2:21-22 NKJV)

Who then can call upon God and be heard? King David stated in his psalms the following:

“Remember that the LORD has chosen the righteous for his own, and he hears me when I call to him” (Psalms 4:3 TEV).

This is the importance of the election from God. Only those chosen will be heard by Him. That is why for any organization or church to have the right to serve God, it must be chosen by Him. What people do not realize is that this has been God’s policy ever since ancient times.

GOD’S FIRST NATION

Those who truly believe that the Bible is God’s word will never deny that Israel was His first nation. Even though there were other nations and other religions during the time of Israel, but then only Israel was given the right to serve God:

“Who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises.” (Romans 9:4 NKJV)

In fact, during the time they were God’s nation, Israel alone had God:

“Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, ‘Indeed, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel...” (II Kings 5:15 NKJV)

Israel was given the right to serve God because of the covenant that God made with their ancestors:

“For you are a holy people to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth. The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 7:6-8 NKJV)

We should notice that the basis of God in choosing Israel was not their number or population, but their oath or covenant with God which He made with the ancestors of Israel. This oath was sworn to the patriarch Abraham:

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am Almighty God; walk before Me and be blameless.’

“No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.

“And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you (Gen 17:1, 5, 7).

God established a covenant with Abraham and his descendants that God will be their God and Israel will walk before Him and be blameless. But, did Israel fulfill their end of the covenant?

“...all Israel has transgressed Your law, and has departed so as not to obey Your voice; therefore the curse and the oath written in the Law of Moses the servant of God have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against Him (Dan 9:11 NKJV).

Israel broke the covenant, which was why God promised to make a new covenant:

“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.” (Jeremiah 31:31 NKJV)

THE FIRST-CENTURY CHURCH OF CHRIST

REPLACED ISRAEL AS GOD’S NATION

Because Israel broke the covenant with, God replaced them with the first-century Church of Christ as His nation:

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” (I Peter 2:9-10 NKJV)

According to Apostle Peter there “once were not a people but are now the people of God.” This makes us certain that Apostle Peter was not referring to Israel, but to God’s holy nation, His own special people in the New Testament times. This is the Church that the Lord Jesus Christ established in the first century:

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18 NKJV)

There is only one Church that the Lord Jesus Christ established. He said, “I will build My church.” He did not said, “I will build My churches.” This Church is called “Church of Christ”:

“Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings.” (Romans 16:16 NIV)

THE PROPHECY CONCERNING THE

FIRST-CENTURY CHURCH OF CHRIST

When Apostle Peter was addressing the members of the Church Of Christ in the first century, he told them the basis of their right to serve God:

“And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” (II Peter 1:19 NKJV)

The members of the Church Of Christ in the first century knew that they had the right to serve God because it was prophesied or written long ago that they would be given that right. Apostle Peter said, “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed.” This was the prophecy that God himself proclaimed through the prophets:

“Also your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands That I may be glorified.” (Isaiah 60:21 NKJV)

In this prophecy, God said, “The branch of My planting, The work of My hands That I may be glorified.” When our Lord Jesus Christ was fulfilling His mission of salvation, He proved that He and His disciples were the fulfillment of this prophecy:

“I am the true vine, and My father is the vinedresser.

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing (John 15:1, 5 NKJV).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the vine which was referred to in Isaiah’s prophecy as God’s planting. And the fulfillment of “the branch” of God’s planting are the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. To the disciples He said, “I am the true vine, you are the branches.” Were Christ’s disciples also chosen people? This is what the Lord Jesus Christ testified:

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (John 15:16 NKJV)

Like the ancient nation of Israel, Christ’s disciples also enjoy election or being God’s chosen people. Thus, they to have the privilege to call on to God and be heard by Him. To His disciples, Christ said, “whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” The equivalent of Christ as the vine and His disciples as the branches was given as a comparison by Apostle Paul:

“And He is the head of the body, the church...” (Colossians 1:18 NKJV)

The name of the Church built by Christ is the Church Of Christ:

“For just as the human body is one and yet has many parts, and all its parts, many as they are, constitute but one body, so it is with the Church of Christ.” (I Corinthians 12:12 New Testament in Modern English)

Are there other people enjoying God’s election during the time of the first-century Church of Christ? This is what the Lord Jesus Christ testified in John 15:5:

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (John 15:5-6 NIV)

The Lord Jesus is the vine and the members of the Church of Christ are His branches. He said, “apart from me you can do nothing.” And if those who did not remained as branch will be thrown away and burned, so much more those who did not became Christ’ branches. Apostle Paul also testified how evil it is to be apart of Christ’s one true Church:

“At that time you were apart from Christ. You were foreigners and did not belong to God's chosen people. You had no part in the covenants, which were based on God's promises to his people, and you lived in this world without hope and without God. But now, in union with Christ Jesus you, who used to be far away, have been brought near by the sacrificial death of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:12-13 TEV)

According to Apostle Paul, those apart from Christ, they “did not belong to God's chosen people,” no part on the covenant, and without hope and without God. Who are those Apostle Paul referring to as “apart from Christ”? Those who are not included to have been brought near by the sacrificial death of Christ. Apostle Paul explicitly tells us that Christ gave His life to the Church:

“Husbands, love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it.” (Ephesians 5:25 TEV)

The Church of Christ is the one purchased by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ:

“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28 Lamsa).”

Therefore, the Church of Christ in the first century had the right to serve God because it was planted or chosen by Him. It had the prophetic word made sure. In other words, it was the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. However, did the first-century Church of Christ remained as God’s nation or they also end up like the ancient nation of Israel?  

WHERE IS THE FIRST-CENTURY

CHURCH OF CHRIST?

Our Lord Jesus Christ pronounced through prophecy what would happen to the first-century Church:

“Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.  At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” (Matthew 24:9-11 NIV)

The Lord Jesus Christ warned His disciples that they “will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death.” He also warned His disciples that “At that time many will turn away from the faith” because “many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.”

Thus, where is the Church founded by Christ in the first century? An apostasy led by the false prophets overtook the Church. Many of its members were turned away from the true faith, and they followed doctrines of the devil:

“But the Spirit speaks expressly, that in latter times some shall APOSTATISE from the faith, giving their mind to deceiving spirits and teachings of demons speaking lies in hypocrisy, cauterised as to their own conscience, forbidding to marry, [bidding] to abstain from meats, which God has created for receiving with thanksgiving for them who are faithful and know the truth.” (1 Tim 4:1-3 Darby Bible)

GOD’S NATION FROM THE

ENDS OF THE EARTH

We have seen what happened to God’s first nation, the ancient nation of Israel, they did not remained faithful to God, thus they did not remained God’s nation. Israel was replaced by the first century Church of Christ as God’s nation, but the first-century Church of Christ end up like the ancient Israel, they did not remained faithful to God, and thus, they did not remained God’s nation.

Who is God’s nation after the first-century Church of Christ was apostatized? Is there a nation of God in these last days also confirmed by biblical prophecy?

“The LORD has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: ‘Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.'’ They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.” (Isaiah 62:11-12 NIV)

The prophecy mentioned a “Holy People.” Are they the ancient nation of Israel? No, for the “Holy People” mentioned are those the Lord “has proclaimed To the ends of the world.” As we have seen, the ancient nation of Israel did not remained as God’s holy people and replaced by the first-century Church of Christ. Are they the first-century Church of Christ? The first-century Church of Christ did not also remained as God’s holy people. Apostasy overtook the first-century Church.

The prophecy also mentioned that “Holy People” was “Redeemed of the Lord.” The Church of Christ is the one redeemed through the blood of Jesus Christ:

“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock, over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28 Lamsa).”

What makes us more certain that this is not the first-century Church of Christ is the fact that they were also called by the Isaiah’s prophecy as “daughter of Zion.” The first-century-Church is the one called in the New Testament as “Zion”:

“But you have come right up into Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the gathering of countless happy angels; and to the church, composed of all those registered in heaven; and to God who is Judge of all; and to the spirits of the redeemed in heaven, already made perfect; and to Jesus himself, who has brought us his wonderful new agreement; and to the sprinkled blood, which graciously forgives instead of crying out for vengeance as the blood of Abel did.” (Hebrews 12:22-24 LB)

The “Zion” referred to in this verse is the first-century Church of Christ. Take note that the “Holy People” referred to in Isaiah 62:11-12 is also called the “daughter of Zion.” The true Church is likened to a chaste virgin:

“For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” (II Corinthians 11:2 NKJV)

Thus, the “daughter of Zion” is not the first-century Church of Christ, but the Church of Christ that God proclaimed “to the ends of the earth”:

“The LORD has made proclamation to the ends of the earth: ‘Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your Savior comes! See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.'’ They will be called the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD; and you will be called Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted.” (Isaiah 62:11-12 NIV)

The period “ends of the earth,” otherwise known as the end times or last days, is different from the end of the world. The end of the world is the second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ on the Day of Judgment. The Scriptures states:

“And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3 KJV)

What was our Lord Jesus Christ’s answer to the question of the disciples?

“So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!” (Matt 24:33)

The "ends of the earth" is the period of time when the end of the world is near, at the very doors. What are the visible signs that the Day of Judgment is approaching? Our Lord Jesus Christ gave the sign of a major war, which was unlike any war in the past:

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” (Matthew 24:6 NKJV)

What our Lord Jesus Christ gave was not an ordinary sign, but the sign that the end of the world is near. That is why this is a war that would be heard. Who would hear about this war? What makes this war different from any other in the past? In a related prophecy, Prophet Isaiah spoke of a war that would be heard all over the earth involving all the armies of the world:

“Come near, you nations, to hear; And heed, you people! Let the earth hear, and all that is in it, The world and all things that come forth from it. For the indignation of the LORD is against all nations, and His fury against all their armies; He has utterly destroyed them, He has given them over to the slaughter.” (Isaiah 34:1-2 NKJV)

A war of this scale never occurred in the history of mankind until the First World War:

“The first terrible war, which involved the whole world and caused so much death and destruction, was World War I.” (World History in an Oriental Setting, p. 850)

The news about this war could not have spread all over the world until the fulfillment of another prophecy which would occur at a time when the world’s end is near:

“But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” (Daniel 12:4 NKJV)

Before the end of the world, knowledge would increase, enabling the news of this war to travel fast so that the whole world could hear about this war. This increase of knowledge was manifested in technology:

“The electric telegraph was the product of many minds in many lands, but it became a practical success in the hands of the American, Morse, in 1844. A submarine cable was laid between England and France in 1851 . . . telephone entered commerce with the American inventor, Bell, in 1876. The Italian, Marconi, succeeded with wireless telegraphy around 1896. Radio was invented shortly before the First World War.” (World History, vol. 2, p. 543)

The First World War was unique in many ways. It was the first war global in scope, and the news of this war was heard all over the world. When did the First World War begin?

“The first great campaign on the southeastern battle grounds of the Great War began on July 27, 1914, when the Austrian troops undertook their first invasion of Serbia” (The Story of the Great War from official Sources, p. 291)

When, on the other hand, was the Church Of Christ officially registered with the Philippine government? On July 27, 1914—concurrent with the outbreak of the First World War. The reemergence of the Church of Christ in the Philippines in 1914 is the fulfillment of biblical prophecies attesting to its election by God. The fulfillment of the prophesied “daughter of Zion” whom the Lord “proclaimed to the ends of the earth,” and called the “Holy People” and “the Redeemed of the Lord.”

 Thus, as the election or being God’s chosen people of the first-century Church of Christ was confirmed by biblical prophecy, the election or being God’s chosen people of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church of Christ) is also confirmed by biblical prophecies. This is the reason why we firmly believe that the Iglesia Ni Cristo (Church Of Christ) is God’s nation in these last days.