One of the many misconceptions of nonmembers is that we, INC members hate people who are Catholics, protestants and so on because they have different beliefs with us.
They see our ministers in television, radio and in personal debunking their beliefs, but the question is, is this the very proof the
WE HATE THEM?Honest answer.
NO.Why?
Because it is very NORMAL not to agree with other beliefs which is for us, were wrong beliefs. Coming to the point that we debate and argue with them concerning our beliefs, but that is not a very big reason for us to hate them as individuals. What we are against is about their false beliefs, which violates god's commandments and make them attain not salvation but curses from god that is why before there will be regrets, we are educating them the TRUTH which are written in the bible.
We are not selfish that we keep that truth to ourselves, that's the reason why we are continually inviting nonmembers to KNOW the CHURCH DOCTRINES. And if they think that what we believe is wrong then we can do nothing about it, atleast we had the chance to introduce them to the church so that when judgment day comes, they will not blame us for not inviting them to the church... Every member of the church does have the duty to spread the words of god by inviting them, not by means of preaching, and if they accept it or not its not our problem...
About debates and argumentsIt is not normal for religions with different beliefs to agree each other, if that will be the case then there should only be ONE CHURCH worldwide, no sects, no denominations, no cults, no other independent churches. The only reason why christian churches multiplied because of DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS of the bible, it is also the reason why the Church of Christ in the 1st century, the church which Christ built, had fallen to apostasy.
If you see a catholic agrees with a protestant out of biblical concern, its normal. But if you see a catholic agrees with a protestant concerning her/his beliefs, then there is a problem.
That's also the same with the Iglesia ni Cristo members, Catholics and Protestants. You can see us ARGUE with our beliefs, but the purpose of that is not to promote hatred and so on, but we do is that we are fixing and solving biblical matters whom someone will benefit for the sake of the truth.
On ministers debunking other religionMinisters in the INC do not attack Catholics and Protestants personally, and the word "attack" is not the best word to describe what are ministers do in television, radio and in worship services, their objective is not to hurt the feelings of other people but to CORRECT THEIR ERRONEOUS BELIEFS by comparing it to what was written in the bible, only the bible, because:
"Since you were a child you have known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make you wise. And that wisdom leads to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults, and for teaching how to live right. Using the Scriptures, the person who serves God will be capable, having all that is needed to do every good work." II Tim. 3: 15-17
Apostle Paul recommended to expose their wrong doings instead, and that's whats ministers are doing, not with the intention of hurting their feelings but showing the reality that what they believe are wrong:
"Take no part in and have no fellowship with the fruitless deeds and enterprises of darkness, but instead [let your lives be so in contrast as to] expose and reprove and convict them." Eph. 5:11
Non INC members are already destined to hell?This is also one of the many misconceptions of non members to the INC, or i can also say that this is one of the many "attacks" on the church, they accuse the INC of having a belief that all non INC members will be automatically be in hell which make us judgmental, as what they say.
I want to make this clear, WE DO NOT HAVE THAT KIND OF BELIEF, what we believe is that Christ will save his church, the Church of Christ, because he is the savior of the church:
For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Ephesians 5:23
Christ is the head of the church, he is also the savior of the church, it doesnt say he is the savior of all people in the world with different beliefs. This is the proof that the church is NEEDED for SALVATION, not all people in this world are candidates for salvation, the proof is that there are those who will attain salvation and those who will be punished:
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned." John 5:28-29
It will be unfair to those people who are good if God will save all including those people who done bad. Examples of this is in the time of Noah, we know that God destroyed mankind and saved only 8 people including Noah in the great flood because of wickedness among people. The same happened when Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, only Lot and his two daughters were saved. The same with the ancient Israel, selected to be God's nation, they are chosen not because they are many:
“The Lord did not set his love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples.” Deut. 7:7
What does these all mean? Does these mean God is unfair that he did not saved all people but chose what he liked? You know, God is not unfair, in fact, he wanted everyone to be saved:
"God wants everyone to be saved and to fully understand the truth." I tim. 2:4
In the verse above it is said that GOD WANTS or in other words, GOD WISHES everyone to be saved, it did not say, GOD WILL SAVE EVERYONE please let us always remember that. And how can God save all people if they had sinned and did not follow his commandments?
""Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!" Deut. 30:19
It is in our choice and in our works if we will be saved by God or not. Those who had sinned will receive the second death, which will be in the lake of fire, this teaching is not an invention of Manalos' or ministers in the church as what nonmembers alleged, these are written in the bible:
"When people sin, they earn what sin pays—death. But God gives his people a free gift—eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23
"And Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death." Rev. 20:14
How will we be saved? How will we attain the promised salvation? Can we receive it just by believing and not with works? Christ tells us how:
“I am the door; ANYONE WHO COMES INTO THE ‘FOLD’ THROUGH ME SHALL BE SAFE.” John 10:9
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
We should enter Christ for us to be saved by him, he being the savior of the body, and he who purchased the church by his blood:
“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood” Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation
How important is it when Christ purchased the church by his blood?
"In Christ we are set free by the blood of his death, and so we have forgiveness of sins..." Eph. 1:7
“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” Romans 5:9
If we enter Christ's church, there will be forgiveness of sins. Again, this is the very proof that the CHURCH is indeed NEEDED for SALVATION, and if anyone had heard this good news but did not believe, here is what the bible says:
"When that Man of Evil comes, it will be the work of Satan. He will come with great power, and he will do all kinds of false miracles, signs, and wonders. The Man of Evil will use every kind of evil to fool those who are lost.
They are lost because they refused to love the truth and be saved. So God will send them something powerful that leads them away from the truth and causes them to believe a lie. They will all be condemned because they did not believe the truth and because they enjoyed doing evil." II Thess. 2:9-12
What will happen to those who are not INC member prior to 1914 and those who are not reached with the evangelical works of the church?The most asked question of nonmembers, finally, i can now answer this.
Ill make this clear once again, we believe that we are the ones who will be saved by Christ because we are members of his church. We do not believe that while we will be saved, ALL nonmembers will be AUTOMATICALLY be in hell, including those who are not reached by the gospel, and those who lived before 1914, this is just a misunderstanding of INC doctrines.
Now, there is a commandment written in the bible that the gospel will be preached around the world AS A WITNESS to all people, and then the end will come:
"And this good news of the kingdom (the Gospel) will be preached throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then will come the end." Matt. 24:14
The Iglesia ni Cristo, Church of Christ is now in 100 countries and territories and continually spreading around the world. The verse said that the gospel will be preached AS A TESTIMONY TO ALL THE NATIONS, it did not say the gospel will be preached throughout the world and ALL PEOPLE will accept it automatically. So, it is not surprising if there are people who heard about the teachings in the Iglesia ni Cristo but did not accepted and believed.
Lets continue...What will happen to those who lived before 1914?
"For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law." Romans 2:12
Those who lived with the law and have sinned (time of the 1st Century Church of Christ and the time reestablishment of Church of Christ in 1914 up to present) will be judged by the law, but those who lived without the law and have sinned (time when apostasy of the 1st Century Church of Christ began up to the reestablishment in 1914 or those who lived and have sinned before 1914) will be judged without the law.
Lets understand this well, let us continue reading Romans 2: 13-16 here is what stated:"For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus."
It is not important that you just know the teachings, what's important is you follow it. Like whats in the verses, even if the gentiles do not have the law, their conscience and their hearts will be their law, meaning, they will be judged by God based on what their heart and conscience dictates. For example, if killing is not prohibited in the bible, you should still not to kill someone because you know it is wrong.
The fate of those who lived before 1914 and those who are not reached with the evangelical works of the church are the same, it is God who will judge them:
"God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." I Cor. 5:13
So, this teaching, that Christ's church will be saved by him is not an invention of the Manalos or by the ministers in the church, because it is Christ who said that he is way and the life, he is the savior of the church and anyone who is apart from him can do NOTHING:
"I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5
It is indeed important not just to become an Iglesia ni Cristo member but should also follow and obey the church's doctrines and teachings.
And even you are not an INC member it is not a reason for us to HATE YOU, in fact, we have many friends who are Catholics, protestants, muslims, and so on. It is not true that we believe ALL PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT INC MEMBER WILL BE
AUTOMATICALLY BE IN HELL because there is still time, a chance to know the truth, the TRUE GOSPEL which are all written in the bible.