Our Church Evidence of the First Church

The continued existence of true churches today bears witness to their origin in the first church in Jerusalem under the Lord Jesus Christ and to the truth of the New Testament. Jesus Christ declared, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). This promise requires that His church would not cease, but continue from its beginning in the days of Christ’s earthly ministry. The church that began at Jerusalem did not end, but has remained through time in true churches that hold to the same faith and practice delivered at the first.

Scripture also teaches the ongoing presence of the church: “Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” (Ephesians 3:21). The words “throughout all ages” show a continual existence from the first church until now, without a break. These churches did not appear without cause, but came from those before them, tracing back to the church established by Christ Himself. As it is written, “The things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). This shows a clear passing on from one to another through generations.

The church is also called “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15), which means the truth has been kept, defended, and upheld in these churches. Their continued existence provides strong evidence that the first church was real and that the New Testament is true, because what exists now must have come from that beginning which Christ Himself established and has faithfully preserved. Our church meeting here in Westport is in the line of those true churches, here because of the sustaining and keeping power of the Lord since the first church.