The Greatest "Shame" and "Glory" of Christianity
 

   There are over 700 "denominations", up to 33,000 for some scholars!... and it is the greatest "shame" and "glory" of Christianity:

    1- It is a "shame":
   Because they have different and contradictory believes and practices: One denomination says "Jesus is God", another says, "Jesus is not God"... one says the Spirit is God, another says, he is not... one says, Jesus is really present in the Eucharist, another says he is not... one says abortion is bad, another says it is good... and so on, 1,001 contradictions, and all believing they are the Church of Jesus Christ...

    2- But it is also a "glory":
   Because it is the fulfillment of the prophecies of Jesus, who 2,000 years ago said that there will come "many" false prophets, with "many" false churches, that will deceive "many", if possible, even the elect! (Matt.24:5,11,24)... Similar prophecies were made by Peter and Paul also 2,000 years ago (2Pet.2, 2Tim.3)...

    ... I pray that you and I are not one of those "many" that will be deceived.
    - Organization of the Church of Christ - Church of Christ, the Kingdom of God - Stages of the Church or Kingdom of God  

Images in the Bible

   But Jesus made another two prophecies, on his Church, that also will be fulfilled to the letter:

    1- "There will be only one flock, one shepherd" (Jn.10:16)... and so shall it be!.

    2- "And the gates of Hades (Hell) will not prevail against my Church" (Matt.16:18)... the gates of Hell, or the powers of the netherworld, will fight my Church, but my Church shall overcome, and triumph over them!...

    - Internal problems, like heresies or bad popes or bad priests, or like the Inquisition or Crusades, will not prevail against the Church.
    - External problems, like Communism or Paganism, or persecutions or slanders, shall be overcome.

    ... Nearly 2,000 years of Church history have elapsed. Kingdoms, empires, and governments have risen and fallen, yet the Church marches on. Despite persecution, moral laxity, heresies challenging it both from inside and from outside, the Church of Jesus Christ have prevailed, fulfilling Jesus' words, "the gates of Hell will not overcome it". It has experience dark moments, but even the darkness of the first Good Friday gave way to the brightness and splendor of the Resurrection and the empty tomb... so, the darkness moments of the Church, its Good Friday, will only be the announcement of the coming glorious Easter Sunday, when Jesus and his Church, the bridegroom and the bride, unite forever, with only one shepherd and one flock.

   It is the fulfillment of Gen.3:15 and Rev.12:

    The devil and its descendants will bite the heel of the Church, but the Church will crush the head of the serpent and of his offspring...
    15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers;  he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." (Gen.3:15)                   

    In Rev.12, at the end of the Bible, the "serpent" and the "woman" are still engaged in the perpetual battle prophesied in Gen.3:15... the "serpent" and its offspring, are Satan and his followers; the "woman", is either the Church, or the Virgin Mary, because all prophecies in the Bible related to Mary can be applied to the Church, and vice verse... the "offspring of the woman", says at the end of Rev.12, are "those who keep the commandments of God and hold the testimony of Jesus" (Rev.12:17).

    Right now, you and I are either a "child of God", or a "child of the devil" (1Jn.3:10), no matter if you are Jew, Christian, Muslim, Hindu... if you are in "sin", you are a child of the devil; if you are in the "grace of God", trusting in the Lord, and holding the testimony of Jesus, you are a child of God...

    If you are a "child of the devil" you are going to bite the Church of God and its offspring... if you are a "child of God" you are going to be bitten by the serpent and its offspring, but you are going to crush its head!... you will always end up being the victor, with the Blood of Jesus Christ!... This is the story of your life and of mine: Our history of salvation... Jesus loves you... let yourself be loved... he is waiting for you daily in the Eucharist (Jn.6:53, Matt.6:11).

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