IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914

IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914 The history of Felix Manalo The history of his church The doctrines of the INC-1914

OUTLINE OF OUR LESSON • THE HISTORY OF FELIX MANALO • THE HISTORY OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914 • THE TEACHINGS OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914 • APPENDIX • REFERENCES

KNOW WHAT THEY TEACH • (1) The INC-1914 was established by God himself. • (2) This new movement began in 1914 in the Philippines. • (3) Felix Manalo its head, its first “executive minister.” • (4) The original church of Christ apostatized. • (5) Felix Manalo is the “savior” in these last days. • (6) Felix Manalo is the “last messenger.”

KNOW WHAT THEY TEACH • (7) Felix Manalo is the “ravenous bird from the east” and the “far country” is the Philippines. • (8) Felix Manalo the “fifth angel rising from the east” and the “east” is the Philippines. • (9) Felix Manalo is Jacob, and the INC-1914 is Israel. • (10) The Philippines is the “isles of the sea.” • (11) Salvation is only in the INC-1914. • (12) The year 1914 is the “ends of the earth.”

KNOW WHAT THE TEACH • (13) The INC-1914 is the people from “afar off.” • (14) The INC-1914 is the “other fold” of Christ. • (15) Christ was only a man and not God. • (16) Christ was only made as Lord by God. • (17) Christ worshipped not because He was God. • (18) The Holy Spirit is not God. • (19) The doctrine of the Trinity is false. • (20) Those who believe that Jesus is both God and man are the “antichrists.” • (21) The doctrine of “soul-sleeping.”

I. THE HISTORY OF THEIR FOUNDER • Place of birth: Calzada, Tipas, Taguig, Rizal. • Date of birth: Mayo 10, 1886. • Firstborn son of Bonifacia Manalo and Mariano Ysagun, both devout Catholics. He had a sister named Praxedes. • Mariano Ysagun was a farmer and shrimp fisherman. So the family was dirt-poor. • In 1896, the year of the Philippine Revolution, Mariano Ysagun, Felix Manalo’s father, died. • His mother Bonifacia Manalo remarried, this time to Clemente Monzo, a widower. • Reference: Donald Platt, Counterfeit?, p. 86. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Y._Manalo

The origins of Felix Manalo • Bonifacia and Clemente Monzo had two children. • Two months before the birth of their second child, Clemente Monzo died. • To support the family, Aling Bonifacia found employment as a weaver of bamboo mats. • On the other hand, Felix moved from one job to another, as a barber, photographer, goldsmith, and hat maker. • Reference: Donald Platt, Counterfeit?, p. 86. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Y._Manalo

Felix found a Bible • Felix had an uncle, a certain Mariano Borja, a priest of the Catholic church, serving the parish of Sampaloc, Manila. • In 1900, in the parish home of his uncle, he found a Bible. Felix’s later biographers wrote that Felix had been warned by his uncle about that book, but Felix got more curious. Reading it opened his eyes. He began to entertain some questions about the church of his birth. • Reference: Donald Platt, Counterfeit?, p. 86. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Y._Manalo

Joined the “colorum” group and the Methodist Episcopal church • His religious journey brought him into contact with the “colorum” groups in Banahaw, Catholic sects that preyed on the untrained minds of searchers who wanted something new. He left the group when he discovered that the voice of some spirit speaking from the inner sanctums of the cave, mesmerizing its devotees, was actually that of the “colorum” leader. • In 1902, he heard the debate between an American Protestant missionary and a Catholic priest. Two years later, he joined the Methodist Episcopal, studied Bible in their school, and became a Methodist preacher. • Reference: Donald Platt, Counterfeit?, p. 86. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Y._Manalo

His quarrel with a priest • His mother was dying and, being a good son, he went back to their home in Taguig to spend the last days with her. • He saw the priest giving his mother the “extreme unction.” Being a Protestant pastor, and knowing from his studies at the Bible school that Catholic rites and practices were of no effect to the living or the dead, he opposed it. He and the priest had a hot discussion, an argument that led to nowhere. • In order to teach the young pastor a lesson, the priest did not allow the remains of Bonifacia Monzo to be buried at the Catholic cemetery in Taguig. So, Felix had his mother interred in an Aglipayan cemetery in the village of Kabaong, near Pateros, Rizal. • Reference: Donald Platt, Counterfeit?, p. 86.

His change of surname, his membership with the Presbyterian Church and with the Church of Christ. • He now sought to honor his mother’s memory by changing his surname to Manalo. Felix’s biographers downplayed the criticism that Felix had his name changed because “Manalo” was much well-known than “Ysagun.” • This time he again had a change of churches, from Methodist to Presbyterian. This sect had much improved facilities and a much bigger Bible school, the Ellinwood. • Manalo either was a restless soul looking for the right church or an opportunist looking for great gains— for again he changed churches; he now joined the Church of Christ. Indigenously American, this church operated the “Christian Mission” and a Bible college. • References: Donald Platt, Counterfeit?, pp. 86-87. • http://www.pipeline.com/~selfsoft/coc1933/coc1933.htm

His experience with the Church of Christ • Leslie Wolfe wrote a letter to a certain brother Laspinas in answer to the latter’s questions about Felix Manalo, affirming the following: • (1) That Felix was indeed one of their students at their school. • (2) That Felix was their supported preacher, preaching for the Church of Christ at Singalong, Manila. • (3) That Felix had married one of their students named Tomasa Sereneo. • (4) That Felix had been accused of domestic violence and was disciplined by the church for beating his wife. They had his support cut off when Felix refused to meet with them. As a result, Felix left the Church of Christ. • (5) Brother Wolfe said that Felix had also fathered another child with another woman, according to court records. • http://www.pipeline.com/~selfsoft/coc1933/coc1933.htm

His experience with the Seventh-Day Adventist • In 1912, he attended a Bible lecture conducted by L. V. Finster, Adventist missionary. Before the year ended, Felix switched membership to the SDA. • By this time Felix was already a widower. He now courted an Adventist lass named Honorata de Guzman. For reasons that were not explained, Felix eloped with the woman. Being a widower, he did not need to, for he was free to remarry. They married on May 9, 1913. He brought her to his church in Malolos, Bulacan. • The Adventist church did not take too kindly to this action by their local worker. They put Felix under discipline for the elopement and for another infraction they called “moral indiscretion.” That was the last straw for Felix. He severed his ties with the SDA. • Reference: Donald Platt, Counterfeit?, p. 87. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Manalo

II. HISTORY OF IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914The first group founded by Felix Manalo • Without a church and without support, Felix went back to his hat making business. This time he mingled with a group of skeptics, agnostics, and atheists. He however did not stay long with the group because of their deliberate misuse of the Scriptures. • In November 1913, he secluded himself for two days and three nights in the room of a certain Eusebio Sunga in Pasay, who generously provided them lodging. From that experience, he came out a changed man. He now thought he had found the true church and that he had a mission: To strive to end disunity among Christians. • With his wife in tow, he boarded a banca across the Pasig River. In Sitio, Punta, Sta. Ana, Manila, he sought the people he had known during his preaching days. The place was the compound of Atlantic Gulf & Pacific. • Reference: Donald Platt, Counterfeit?, p. 87. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Manalo

The group was registered on July 27, 1914 • At the AG&P compound, Felix had some success, immersing his first 12 disciples. This group became the “Iglesia ni Kristo.” Note that the designation of their church is a strict Tagalog translation of the “Church of Christ,” the church that had first supported Felix as their evangelist. And to put an end to criticisms that his church is a “colorum” group, he had it registered with the government, with the sole purpose of preaching the gospel. • Reference: Donald Platt, Counterfeit?, p. 87. • The first paragraph of their “Articles of Incorporation” says: “Que los fundadores de esta asosacion son: Felix Manalo, domiciliado en Taguig, Rizal, I.F.; Pedro Inocencio, Atanacio Morte, Felicisimo R. de Leon…” • In English: “The founders of this association are: Felix Manalo, residing in Taguig, Rizal, P.I.; Pedro Inocencio, Atanacio Morte, Felicisimo R. de Leon…”

Cases of immorality • In 1916, their number had increased. They started expanding outside Manila. By 1922, they had new congregations in the provinces of Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Bulacan. • That year too (1922) Felix was accused of immorality. Many members left his church while others chose to confront him of his sins. The most serious of these challenges to his authority was the “Ora Rebellion,” led by Teofilo Ora and another prominent INC leader named Basilio Santiago. This resulted to the loss of his churches in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan. • Reference: Donald Platt, Counterfeit?, p. 87

Felix’s trip to the U.S. • PACIFIC SCHOOL OF RELIGION. Felix Manalo must have realized that although he had the Tagalog charismatic firepower, the great facility in the dialect, he, knowledge-wise, still lacked the power to convince his detractors of the reasonableness of his cause. He had already registered his church. He had already learned Bible at the Methodist school, at the Presbyterian Church’s Ellinwood facilities, and at the Church of Christ’s Bible college. Those were not enough. So we heard him making that trip to America, specifically to the Pacific School of Religion in sunny California in the year 1919. • Well, if he did study Bible science in that US theological college, his name would have appeared in the roster of students. It did not(Joseph Giaime, “Ni Iglesia Ni Cristo,” Too Many Religious Sects?, 1980), p. 9).

The doctrine of the “Sugo” (1922) • In 1922, after the Ora Rebellion, Manalo started proclaiming himself as the “Sugo” (messenger) whom God sent in these last days to preach His righteousness, beginning with the Filipinos. • Reference: Donald Platt, Counterfeit?, p. 87. • Their reasoning runs like this: • (1) What is the true church? It is the church that has a “Sugo,” the man to whom God alone revealed His will in these last days. • (2) The “Sugo” is he who fulfills the prophecies about the ravenous bird from a far country (Isaiah 46:11) and the fifth angel who rises from the east (Revelation 7:2-3). That ravenous bird and that fifth angel is Felix Manalo.

The doctrine of the “Sugo” (1922) • (3) The four other angels are the leaders of America, Great Britain, France and Italy. • (4) The hurting of the earth is the First World War. • (5) The east and the far country is the Philippines. • (6) The servants of God are the Filipinos. • (7) The sealing is the preaching of the gospel and the reemergence of the new church. • (8) Any church that has no “Sugo” is not the Church of Christ. Since the “Sugo” is God’s last messenger, he too is the man whom men must accept for the saving and sanctification of their souls. “Tanggapin natin siya sa ikababanal at ikaliligtas ng ating kaluluwa”(PASUGO, Enero 1954, p. 28; PASUGO, Sept. 1967, p. 43).

The doctrine of the “Sugo” (1922) • So both the Old and New Testaments are Felix’s credentials for messengership. Now for the proof that the east is indeed the Philippines, you go to Philippine history book. • Felix’s messengership is proclaimed—not in the Bible!— but in his magazine called the Pasugo (Isang Pagbubunyag, p. 184). Why is this very important teaching of the INC-1914 written only in the Pasugo and not in the Bible? Well, the Bible had already been written and can no longer be revised to include Felix’s name (Ibid.). Fantastic reasoning, isn’t it?

Felix’s last days • In 1953, Felix chose his son Erano (his fifth child by Honorata de Guzman, his third son after Dominador and Salvador) to take over his place as executive minister of the INC-1914. • Ten years later, on April 12, 1963, Felix died, apparently of cancer. Erano Manalo, who had been waiting in the wings, took over as head of the church that his father had founded. • References: Joseph Giaime, “Ni Iglesia Ni Cristo,” Too Many Religious Sects?, p. 9. • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Manalo • Note: This year, 2009, saw the demise of Erano Manalo. Eduardo his son is now the present head of the INC-1914.

III. TEACHINGS OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914 • 1. WHO FOUNDED THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914? • According to the INC, God did! Well, what is the truth? • “In 1914, a young Filipino by the name of Felix Manalo, 28, married, began preaching the Church of Christ in a place called the Sitio of Punta in the district of Sta. Ana in the city of Manila, Philippines. This event, which marked the beginning of a new religious movement in the history of what is known as the Christian world, occurred concurrently with the outbreak of the First World War in Europe on July 27, 1914” (PASUGO, July-Aug., 1979, p. 14). (Underscoring ours).

MANALO FOUNDED THE INC-1914 • The first paragraph of their “Articles of Incorporation” says: • “Que los fundadores de esta asosacion son: Felix Manalo, domiciliado en Taguig, Rizal, I.F.; Pedro Inocencio, Atanacio Morte, Felicisimo R. de Leon…” • In English:“That the founders of this association are Felix Manalo, resident of Taguig, Rizal, P.I.; Pedro Inocencio, Atanacio Morte, Felicisimo R. de Leon…” • “Established in 1914 by Bishop Felix Manalo,”says the Encyclopedia of the Philippines (Vol. xix, pp. 96-98).

THE TRUE CHURCH HAS JESUS AS ITS FOUNDER • MATTHEW 16:18, • “And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it”(ASV). • “Upon this rock.” The construction custom in Judea, which too supplied the Lord with themes to use in his teaching (Matt. 7:24-27), is the building of a house or edifice on a rock, as a solid foundation providing security from inundations, tempests, storms and other vagaries of nature. The word for rock here is “Petra,” feminine, not Peter or “Petros,” which is masculine.

THE TRUE CHURCH HAS JESUS AS ITS FOUNDER • The rock refers to the truth that Peter just confessed: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Everything that Christ is—His deity, His divine sonship, His messiahship—is one great foundation on which to erect a divine institution that could stand amidst the flames of persecution and other trials. • “I will build my church.” Christ says I will build my own church (“assembly, gathering”). The term is applied to Christians as being “called out” from the world, a body of men and women devoted to a certain Master, a society of people united in a goal to serve God and worship Him in a place.

THE CHURCH IS THE HOUSE THAT GOD BUILT • PSALM 127:1, “Except Jehovah build the house, They labor in vain that build it: Except Jehovah keep the city, The watchman waketh but in vain”(ASV). • 1 TIM. 3:15, “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth…”(ASV). • Note: The theme of Psalm 127 is that human endeavor succeeds only with divine blessing. If we apply the word “house” to the church, the principle still holds true. Any church-building effort that does not have God’s sanction is an empty enterprise. Also, any church that God did not build is not His, and they who promote it are just wasting their efforts.

THE PLANT THE FATHER HAS NOT PLANTED SHALL BE ROOTED UP • MATTHEW 15:13. “But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up” (ASV). • ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν πασα φυτεια ην ουκ εφυτευσεν ο πατηρ μου ο ουρανιος εκριζωθησεται (Wescott-Hort). • Literal translation: “And he answering said: Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not shall be uprooted.” • “…Jesus compares the Pharisees to plants in a garden that were not planted by the owner of it, and declares that they shall be rooted up. They were teaching without divine authority or approbation; and what he had said was intended not to please them, but to root them up” (J. W. McGarvey, Commentary on Matthew and Mark). Note: The principle also applies to church planting and church teaching without God’s sanction. Sects and cults exist without His authority; they too shall be rooted up.

TEACHINGS OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914 • 2. THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO BEGAN IN 1914, AT PUNTA, STA. ANA, MANILA. • “This movement began in 1914”(Encyclopedia of the Philippines, vol. xix, pp. 96-98). • Their PASUGO says: • “In 1914, a young Filipino by the name of Felix Manalo, 28, married, began preaching the Church of Christ in a place called Sitio of Punta in the district of Sta. Ana in the city of Manila, Philippines. This event, which marked the beginning of a new religious movement in the history of what is known as the Christian world, occurred concurrently with the outbreak of the First World War in Europe on July 27, 1914”(PASUGO, July-Aug., 1979, pp. 14, 50). (Underscoring ours).

THE TRUE CHURCH WAS PROPHESIED TO BE ESTABLISHED IN JERUSALEM IN THE LAST DAYS! • ISAIAH 2:2-3, “And it shall come to pass in the latter days, that the mountain of Jehovah's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. 3 And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem”(ASV). • IN THE LATTER DAYS (OR LAST DAYS) • JEHOVAH’S HOUSE SHALL BE BUILT (cf. 1 TIM. 3:15) • ALL NATIONS SHALL FLOW INTO IT • HE WILL TEACH US HIS WAYS • OUT OF ZION COMES THE LAW; JEHOVAH’S WORD FROM JERUSALEM

THE TRUE CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED IN JERUSALEM ON PENTECOST DAY (ACTS 2)! • Day of Pentecost—50th day from the day Jesus was resurrected from the dead (ACTS 2:1). • They waited in the upper chamber of a house in the city of Jerusalem (ACTS 1:12-14). • They were filled and guided by the Spirit (ACTS 2:2-4). • They preached the word of the Lord and the law of salvation (ACTS 2:37-38). • Those who were saved were added to their number (ACTS 2:47). • Those baptized were added to the one body (1 COR. 12:13; COL. 1:18; EPH. 5:23). • They were the first church of Jesus (ACTS 8:1). • When did this happen? 33 AD, based on our history.

TEACHINGS OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914 • 3. FELIX MANALO THE HEAD OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914. • “The present head of this church is Bishop Felix Manalo…”(Encyclopedia of the Philippines, vol. xix, pp. 96-98). • In 1953, Felix Manalo and his ministers appointed Erano his son to be the head of the INC-1914, the position Erano assumed when Felix died in 1963. This year 2009, after Erano’s death, his son Eduardo Manalo took over the helm of the church that his grandfather had founded. • “Because there were no precursors to the registered church, external sources and critics of the Iglesia ni Cristo refer to him as the founder of the Iglesia ni Cristo and describe him as such.” • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Manalo • The heads of the INC-1914 are all Manalos: Felix, Erano, Eduardo.

CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF HIS CHURCH! • EPHESIANS 5:23, “For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the church, being himself the saviour of the body” (ASV). • ‘οτι ανηρ εστιν κεφαλη της γυναικος ‘ως και ‘ο χριστος κεφαλη της εκκλησιας αυτος σωτηρ του σωματος (Wescott-Hort). • Literal translation: “Because a man is the head of the woman, as also Christ [is] the head of the church, [being] himself [the] saviour of the body.”

CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF HIS CHURCH! • EPHESIANS 1:22-23, “ And he put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all”(ASV). • και παντα ‘υπεταξεν ‘υπο τους ποδας αυτου και αυτον εδωκεν κεφαλην ‘υπερ παντα τη εκκλησια 23 ‘ητις εστιν το σωμα αυτου το πληρωμα του τα παντα εν πασιν πληρουμενου (Wescott-Hort). • Literal translation: “And all things [he] subjected under the feet of him, and gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is the body of him, the fullness of him filling all things with all things.”

CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF HIS CHURCH! • 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” (ASV). • και αυτος εστιν ‘η κεφαλη του σωματος της εκκλησιας ‘ος εστιν [η] αρχη πρωτοτοκος εκ των νεκρων ‘ινα γενηται εν πασιν αυτος πρωτευων (Wescott-Hort). • Literal translation): “And he is the head of the body, of the church: who is [the] beginning, the firstborn from out of the dead, in order that in all things he may be holding the first place.” • The κεφαλη,kephale, head, metaphorically speaking, is one who does the executive duty of administering the system, the organization, providing authority or direction (cf. Vine’s, 202, see “Head”). Paul says Christ is THE head; definite article appears both in Greek and in English.

TEACHINGS OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914 • 4. THEY SAY THE ORIGINAL CHURCH TOTALLY APOSTATIZED. • Their PASUGO says: • “The church of Christ shall not be spared. Others shall be killed and many disciples shall be drawn away to follow false teachings. The fulfillment of this prophetic warning by Christ and Paul resulted in the complete disappearance of the church of Christ, that is, there remained no faithful members”(PASUGO, May-June 1981, p. 4; Nov.-Dec., 1980, p. 5).

THE GATES OF HADES SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST THE CHURCH • MATTHEW 16:18, “And I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (ASV). • καγω δε σοι λεγω οτι συ ει πετρος και επι ταυτη τη πετρα οικοδομησω μου την εκκλησιαν και πυλαι ‘αδου ου κατισχυσουσιν αυτης (Wescott-Hort). • Literal translation: “And also to you I say, that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build the church of me, and [the] gates of Hades will not prevail against it.”

THE GATES OF HADES SHALL NOT PREVAIL AGAINST THE CHURCH • “Hades was the name of the abode of the dead. Its gate symbolized its power because the military forces of an ancient city always sallied forth from its gates” (J. W. McGarvey, Four-Fold Gospel). • “Death shall neither destroy the organic church which is in the world, nor the members thereof which go down into the grave (I Thess. 4:15; I Cor. 15:54–56)” (Ibid.). • “Will not prevail against it,” ου κατισχυσουσιν αυτης, ou katischusousin autes. The verb κατισχυσουσιν is future indicative active of katischu’o, “to overpower, to have strength against, to gain mastery over” (Rogers & Rogers, 37). Death has no power over the church, so says the owner and builder of it.

IT IS A KINGDOM THAT IS ETERNAL, SHALL STAND FOREVER • DANIEL 2:44, “And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” • “Shall never be destroyed,” meaning “it shall be indestructible.” • “Of the increase of Christ's government and peace there shall be no end. The Lord shall reign, not only to the end of time, but when time and days shall be no more. As far as events have gone, the fulfilling this prophetic vision has been most exact and undeniable” (Matthew Henry Concise Commentary).

CHRISTIANS TRANSLATED INTO THAT KINGDOM • COLOSSIANS 1:13, “Who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love”(ASV). • “Delivered,” ερρυσατο,errusato, is aorist indicative middle, meaning “to rescue, to deliver” (Rogers & Rogers, 460). “Deliverance” is a theological term for salvation. The indicative middle speaks of Father’s direct involvement in man’s salvation: “He himself delivered us.” • “Transferred,” μετεστησεν,metestesen, is aorist indicative active, meaning “to remove from one place to another, to transfer” (Rogers & Rogers, ibid.). This verb implies that the kingdom was existing back then.

IT IS A KINGDOM THAT IS UNMOVABLE, UNSHAKEABLE • HEBREWS 12:28, “Wherefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us have grace”(ASV). • The kingdom is characterized to be “unshakeable,” ασαλευτον, asaleuton, “not able to be shaken, unshakeable” (Rogers & Rogers, 549); “cannot be moved, permanent, unchanging, never to pass away” (Barnes’ Notes on the NT). • “Receiving,” παραλαμβανοντες,paralamba’nontes, is present active participle the infinitive of which means “to receive” (Rogers & Rogers, 549). The present tense speaks of an on-going action of receiving the kingdom.

SOME, NOT ALL, WOULD FALL AWAY FROM THE FAITH! • 1 TIMOTHY 4:1, “But the Spirit saith expressly, that in later times some shall fall away from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons”(ASV). • το δε πνευμα ρητως λεγει οτι εν υστεροις καιροις αποστησονται τινες της πιστεως προσεχοντες πνευμασιν πλανοις και διδασκαλιαις δαιμονιων (Wescott-Hort). • Literal translation: “Now the Spirit in words says that in the later times some will depart from the faith, attending to misleading spirits and teachings of demons.” • “Some,” τινες, TINES, means “anyone, anything, someone, something, many a one, many a thing” (BAGD, 819). τινες also means “several” but it does not mean all (Ibid., 820).

TEACHINGS OF THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914 • 5. FELIX MANALO IS THE SAVIOUR IN THESE LAST DAYS. • Their PASUGO says: “Tanggapin natin siya [Felix Manalo] sa ikababanal at ikaliligtas ng ating kaluluwa”(PASUGO, Enero, 1954, p. 28). • In English:“Let us accept him [Felix Manalo] for the sanctification and the salvation of our souls”(PASUGO, Enero, 1954, p. 28). • “We are duty-bound to have faith in him whom God sent. The sending of God’s messenger is an act of God, His work, and must therefore be believed”(PASUGO, May, 1976, p. 3).

NOT FELIX MANALO, BUT CHRIST, IS SAVIOUR! • BY ONE ABSOLUTE DECLARATION, GOD SAID HE IS THE ONLY SAVIOUR. • ISAIAH 43:11, “I, even I, am Jehovah; and besides me there is no saviour”(ASV). • When God says there is no other saviour, this means there is no more room for anyone, not even for Felix! • BY PROPHECY, GOD APPOINTED JESUS TO BE MAN’S SAVIOUR. • MATTHEW 1:21, “And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shalt call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins”(ASV). • ACTS 3:20, “And that he may send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus”(ASV). • God had not appointed Felix Manalo to save man; Manalo just appointed himself!

CHRIST BECAME A MAN TO BE MAN’S SAVIOUR! • BY ONE GREAT MIRACLE, GOD SENT HIS SON TO BE BORN AS A MAN, IN PREPARATION FOR HIS MINISTRY OF SAVING MAN. • ISAIAH 9:6, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”(ASV). • ISAIAH 7:14, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel”(ASV). • MATTHEW 1:23, “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us”(ASV). • HEBREWS 10:5-6, “Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me; 6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure”(ASV).

CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED TO BE MAN’S SAVIOUR! • BY HIS CRUCIFIXION, JESUS BECAME MAN’S SAVIOUR. • 1 PETER 2:24, “Who himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, in order that, being dead to sins, we may live to righteousness: by whose stripes ye have been healed”(Darby’s Translation). • EPHESIANS 1:7, “In whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace”(ASV). • PHILIPPIANS 2:5-8, “Who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross” (ASV). • For Manalo to be man’s saviour, he needed to be crucified and to shed his blood, too! Yes, we know Felix died—of ulcer, cancer, whatever—but he never died for man’s sins!

NO SALVATION IN ANY OTHER NAME! • ACTS 4:12, “And in none other is there salvation: for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, wherein we must be saved” (ASV). • και ουκ εστιν εν αλλω ουδενι η σωτηρια ουδε γαρ ονομα εστιν ετερον υπο τον ουρανον το δεδομενον εν ανθρωποις εν ω δει σωθηναι ημας (Wescott-Hort). • Literal translation: “And there is not in other not any salvation: for neither name is there under the heaven having been given among men by which it behooves us to be saved.” • το δεδομενον, to dedomenon, “having been given,” a perfect passive participle, showing an action done in the past with continuous abiding results in the present. • εν ‘ω δει σωθηναι ημας, en ho dei sothenai hemas, “by which it behooves us to be saved.” The sense of the text is that “Jesus is the only source and ground of salvation available for mankind!” (Rogers & Rogers, 236).

JESUS DIED ONCE TO SAVE, AND LIVES FOREVERMORE TO INTERCEDE! • HEBREWS 7:25, “Wherefore also he is able to save to the uttermost them that draw near unto God through him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them”(ASV). • Jesus is able, δυναται, dunatai, “he is able.” Manalo isn’t. • Jesus is able to save, σωζειν, sodzein., “to save, to deliver.” His death, which the devil thought was his apparent weakness, was His power to deliver His people from sin. • Jesus is able to save the uttermost, παντελες, panteles, “to the entire, unto completeness.” The word can have the sense of “for all time,” or “fully and completely” (Rogers & Rogers, 531). Jesus offers full salvation.

JESUS DIED ONCE TO SAVE, AND LIVES FOREVERMORE TO INTERCEDE! • He is able to save those who draw near. The participle here is τους προσερχομενους, tous proserchomenous, “the ones approaching,” present middle deponent whose infinitive means “to draw near, to come” (Rogers & Rogers, 542). Present speaks of continual activity. • He saves those who draw near to God through Him. δι αυτου τω θεω, di autou to theo, “to God through Him.” Dia genitive speaks of agency. Coming to God by other mediators won’t save. • He lives to intercede for those whom He has saved. He died once, now he is alive forevermore, mediating for us in heaven, interceding for us in our prayers!

JESUS’ BLOOD KEEPS SAVING MAN FROM ALL SIN! • 1 JOHN 1:7, “But if we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin”(Darby). • εαν δε εν τω φωτι περιπατωμεν ως αυτος εστιν εν τω φωτι κοινωνιαν εχομεν μετ αλληλων και το αιμα ιησου του υιου αυτου καθαριζει ημας απο πασης αμαρτιας (Wescott-Hort). • Literal translation: “But if in the light we walk as he is in the light, fellowship we have with each other and the blood of Jesus the Son of Him cleanses us from all sin” • “Cleanses,” καθαριζει,katharidzei, present indicative active. “God does more than forgive; He erases the stain of sin. Present suggests it is a continuous process” (Rogers & Rogers, 592).

JESUS IS SAVIOUR OF THE ELECT! • 2 TIM. 2:10, “For this cause I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which [is] in Christ Jesus with eternal glory”(Darby). • δια τουτο παντα υπομενω δια τους εκλεκτους ινα και αυτοι σωτηριας τυχωσιν της εν χριστω ιησου μετα δοξης αιωνιου (Wescott-Hort). • Literal translation: “Therefore all things I endure on account of the chosen ones, in order that also they salvation may obtain in Christ Jesus with glory eternal.” • εν χριστω,in Christo, “in Christ,” is dative of place and has the locative sense, which means that the source of salvation is in no one else but Christ!

IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914

IGLESIA NI CRISTO-1914

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