INC is a protestant sect/denomination? Who said?

An anti-INC blog which is operated by the username Catholicdefender2000 called In defense of the church, make posts repeatedly about the Iglesia ni Cristo quoting the MEDIA, and not from any official INC sources that says the Church which is established by Christ or what we call Iglesia ni Cristo, Church of Christ is a protestant denomination or protestant sect.


Is this true?

Once and for all the fact is, NO. Why? Because it was a misconception of nonmembers to the INC which the anti-INC blogger continually spreads.

Why it is a false report?

Because the INC is never been a denomination and never been a sect.


Let us know what is a religious denomination:

"A religious denomination is a subgroup within a religion that operates under a common name, tradition, and identity.
The term describes various Christian denominations (for example, Eastern Orthodox, Anglicanism, and the many varieties of Protestantism). The term also describes the four branches of Judaism (Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist), and describes the two main branches of Islam (Sunni and Shia)."

Examples:
An example within Christianity is the Mennonite and the Church of the Brethren denominations. Both denominations are similar in their beliefs, yet they are unique because their traditions were influenced by different founders (Menno Simons and Alexander Mack respectively). Their division is administrative, and there is much communication and interaction between them. Since its founding, the Mennonite denomination has split into a number of smaller Mennonite denominations, due to geography, social and theological differences.
Another example is Lutheranism. When Martin Luther protested Catholic practices, he and his followers were persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church as heretics. This led to the formation of alternative communities of practice that became known as "Lutheran" or "Protestant". Over time, the various communities who considered themselves Lutheran identified with one another and through various definitions of "Lutheran" practices (five solas, priesthood of all believers) the conglomerations of churches formed concrete denominations based on a common school of thought related to these practices. Even today, there are major ideological differences between different denominations of Lutherans, although there may be significant overlap between their beliefs.
source: wikipedia

How about religious sect?

A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and principles. The term is occasionally used in a malicious way to suggest the broken-off group follows a more negative path than the original. The historical usage of the term "sect" in Christendom has had pejorative connotations, referring to a group or movement with heretical beliefs or practices that deviate from those of groups considered orthodox.

Example:
There are many groups outside the Roman Catholic Church which regard themselves as Catholic, such as the Community of the Lady of All Nations, the Palmarian Catholic Church, the Philippine Independent Church, the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church, the Free Catholic Church, the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, and others.

source: wikipedia

The Iglesia ni Cristo, Church of Christ that was preached by God's last messenger, Bro. Felix Manalo is neither a protestant denomination nor protestant sect. INC is not a subgroup within any religion and not a break away group, its doctrines and teachings are unique and is not similar with any other religion, what makes it unique is that it doesnt teaches unbiblical doctrines and practices which came from the Catholicism and Protestantism.

And now, for the sake of the truth, from an official pamphlet of the church:

"Independent. The Iglesia Ni Cristo is not a denomination or sect. It is not neither affiliated to any federation of religious bodies nor itself an assembly of smaller religious organizations. The Iglesia Ni Cristo is Christ’s one true church today..." Published and distributed in celebration of 95th year anniversary of the church

The Church that was established by Christ is ONLY ONE, he did not say "I will build churches", he said:

“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” Mat. 16:18

Christ said that he will build his church, the bible further states:

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." Eph. 4:4-6

The bible states that we are called in one hope of calling: ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM, ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL. Clearly, protestants are disqualified in being "Christ's true church" because they are composed of denominations and sects, each has different beliefs but the main belief is the same. The bible said:

ONE LORD and ONE GOD--> other protestants believe in trinity, others dont, others believe in Gods.

ONE BAPTISM--> other protestants believe in immersion, others dont, others believe in infant baptism and etc.

ONE FAITH--> very important of all, ONE FAITH, how can it be Christ's TRUE CHURCH if they are not united in their beliefs?

What about Catholicism? Is it qualified for being Christ's true Church? Let us consult the bible:

"that there should be no schism in the body, but [that] the members should have the same care for one another." 1 Corinthians 12:25

We all know the East-West schism or the split of Roman Catholic Church with the eastern churches, then it becomes a denomination (see above).

What does the bible mean that THERE SHOULD BE NO SCHISM IN THE BODY? what is the body?

"He is also head of the body, the church..." Col. 1:8

That means there should be no schism or division on Christ's church, so Catholicism and Protestantism is DISQUALIFIED in being the TRUE CHURCH OF CHRIST. The Iglesia ni Cristo in the other hand, is an independent church, which Christ's church should be. A website even described INC as a worldwide church of christ:

"Rylands Hall, Stretford has been bought by Iglesia ni Cristo the worldwide Church of Christ,..." source: placenorthwest.co.uk

______________________________

And now i ask, WHO SAID that the INC is a protestant denomination or sect? Who should be believed? The church or the false media reports?

If it is the media, so i should also believe whatever reports media says about the Catholic Church. Like believing Lucifer is enthroned in the Catholic Church:

"Satan worship is now rampant within the Catholic Church. High-ranking churchmen are accused of heinous crime against God. The smoke of Satan has entered the very sanctuary of St. Peter’s Cathedral in the Vatican. Mind-boggling though it may be, priests and bishops alike are known to have taken contract oaths to serve the devil, signed in their own blood!
These revelations about devil worship inside the Vatican and its subsidiaries have come not from hostile Protestant critics of Roman Catholicism, but from top-ranking Catholic prelates themselves..."

source: presscore.ca

Well, i dont say most reports of the media are FALSE, just some!^^