Table of Contents

1. Is God responsible for religious confusion?

1 Corinthians 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.


2. Does more than one true faith exist?

Ephesians 4:4-5 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism,


3. Christ's body of believers on earth is called what?

Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.


4. When souls were baptized, they were added to what?

Acts 2:41,47 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.


5. The house of God, which is the church of the living God, is what?

1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.


As we begin this lesson, notice should be given to three specific characteristics of God's church in its early days.

1. A respect for God's law (Acts 24:14; 1 John 3:22).

2. The presence of the gift of prophecy (Acts 11:27, 28).

3. Recognition of a world-wide mission (Matthew 28:19; Colossians 1:23).



6. How long would Christ be with His people?

Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

We will now trace the history of God's people as it was foretold in prophecy.


7. What great wonder appeared in heaven?

Revelation 12:1 And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars:

"Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?" Song of Solomon 6:10.


8. God has likened the daughter of Zion (His people, Isaiah 51:16) to what?

Jeremiah 6:2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.

In the Bible, the church is often symbolically represented as a woman.

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Ephesians 5:25-27.


9. Paul wished to present the church as what kind of woman?

2 Corinthians 11:2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.


10. What other wonder appeared in heaven?

Revelation 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads


11. Who is the dragon?

Revelation 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.


12. The woman brought forth a man child who was to do what?

Revelation 12:5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne

This child, who would one day rule the nations "with a rod of iron," was Jesus (See Revelation 19:15).


13. The dragon stood before the woman, intending to do what?

Revelation 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

Matthew 2:13-16 tells the story of how Satan tried to kill Jesus as a baby.


14. After Jesus went back to heaven (see Revelation 12:5), what did Satan then do to the church?

Revelation 12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.


15. Where did the true church then have to flee?

Revelation 12:14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.


16. How long was the church in the wilderness?

Revelation 12:6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

The 1260 years of papal supremacy extended from 538 to 1798 (see The Man Who Claimed to Change God's Law). Due to the corruption of the Roman church and its persecution against dissenters, the true church was forced to go into seclusion during this time. Although not recognized by the world, Christ's faithful followers, among the rocks of the mountains, maintained their loyalty to the truth. Foremost among those who resisted Rome's attacks were the Waldenses of the southern European Alps, who for hundreds of years preserved the pure Scriptures and honored the true Sabbath.

The church, however, was not to remain in obscurity for ever. Just as surely as it went into the wilderness, it would come out. Christ's church, the pillar and ground of the truth, had a mission which was to last even unto the end of the world. Therefore we must look for that church to visibly appear again after 1798 in order to complete its work.

But among the hundreds of religious organizations in existence today, how are we to recognize and identify the true church? Fortunately, we are not left to guess. The word of God has supplied a clear description.


17. When the church emerged from the wilderness, Satan went to make war with whom?

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.


A remnant is "Something left over....A leftover piece of fabric, as one remaining after the rest of the bolt has been sold....A small, remaining group of people." The American Heritage Dictionary. The "remnant of her seed" is therefore that which is left of Christ's true church after the 1260-year period and the general apostasy.


18. The first identifying mark of the remnant when they appear after 1798 is that they keep what?

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.


19. Should we look for them to be keeping all ten of the commandments, including the one about the Sabbath?

James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.


20. What will they do with God's commandments besides just doing them?

Matthew 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.


21. The second identifying mark of the remnant is that they have what?

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.


22. The testimony of Jesus is what?

Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.


23. Who, in the angel's words to John, have the testimony of Jesus?

Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.


24. Who are John's brethren?

Revelation 22:9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.

Since the prophets are the ones who have it, the testimony of Jesus, or spirit of prophecy, is actually the spiritual gift of prophecy. The existence of this gift, along with the keeping of all the commandments of God, are the two Biblical identifying marks of Christ's church in the last days.


25. What did Jesus say the church would do, and then the end would come?

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.


26. How does Revelation describe the fulfillment of that prophecy?

Revelation 14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,

Symbolically represented as angels flying in the midst of heaven, God's remnant people will be seen carrying the gospel to all the world. Thus the characteristics we noted of the church in its early days are presented in Revelation as those which are to identify it in the last days.

In the Light of God's Word....(Please respond YES or NO)

I understand that the subject of the church is of major importance in the book of Revelation.

I understand that there can only be one true faith.

I understand that the true church is identified by its observance of all ten of the commandments, and by its possession of the gift of prophecy.

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