Photo credit to Felix Manalo movie
A Catholic RESPONSE TO INC’s arguments regarding apostasy and Manalo as “the last messenger”.
Here is an INC article with my responses:
Why We Call Him “The Last Messenger”
Source: HERE
Brother Felix Y. Manalo is known and recognized by members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo as the messenger of God in these last days. His specific mission is to preach about the way to salvation which resulted to the re-establishment of the Church founded by the Lord Jesus Christ in the first century. The first-century Church Of Christ was apostatized after the death of the apostles. Because his preaching function corresponds with God’s last work of salvation, the work which extends to the Day of Judgment, we call him “The Last Messenger” of God.
My RESPONSE:
INC is basically a “restorational” church which means it was founded on the belief that the very church founded by Christ was apostatised. INC CLAIM that it happened after the death of the apostles. Apostasy of Christ’s church is however CONTRARY to God’s promise. As it is NOT the focus of this response we only will just touch it briefly.
Here are few verses that make the claim of apostasy collapse.
From the Old Testament here is a prophecy concerning Christ and his kingdom/Church:
Isaiah 9:7 KJV
[7] Of the INCREASE of his government and peace there shall be NO END, upon the throne of David, and upon his KINGDOM, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even FOR EVER. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
Christ Kingdom/church will INCREASE AND IT HAS NO END is PLAIN AND Simple. This is echoed in Luke 1:32-33, and many more verses.
Luke 1:32-33 KJV
[32] He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: [33] And he shall reign over the house of Jacob FOR EVER; and of his kingdom there SHALL BE NO END.”
This is what Jesus said of his kingdom/church:
Matthew 16:18 KJV
[18] 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.”
The above verses are suffice to belie the theory of apostasy.
INC article says:
The story of man’s salvation conforms well to the chronological events in the history of God’s election of people who will serve Him and to the commissioning of messengers who will fulfill certain tasks in accordance with His will and design. Apostle Paul tells us that God desires all men to be saved and to know the truth (1 Tim 2:4). Such is made possible through the preaching of the truth to people by God’s messengers who are to reconcile man with the Creator (2 Cor 5:18-20). The epistle to the Hebrews tells us that God spoke to people in different dispensations of time, in different ways, and through the messengers who were commissioned to perform specific tasks:
In the past God spoke to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us through his Son. He is the one through whom God created the universe, the one whom God has chosen to possess all things at the end (Heb 1:1-2 TEV).
My RESPONSE:
We ARE INDEED in the last days and under the Christian Era or dispensation. We are save through Christ and he is with us as we were made part of his body-the Church. We can IDENTIFY all those FALSE MESSENGERS/prophets as they ALL ACCUSE the Bride of Christ or the Catholic Church of being adulterer or a whore. After that they would introduce their VERY OWN CHURCH they founded to REPLACE the TRUE BRIDE of Christ.
INC’s article says:
The three dispensations of time are: (1) the era of the patriarchs (from the time of Creation to the birth of Moses); (2) the era of the prophets or of ancient Israel (from the birth of Moses to the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ); and (3) the Christian era (from the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ up to the Day of Judgment). For each of these three periods, God sent messengers to deliver His message and give man the chance to be reconciled to Him.
My RESPONSE:
ALL those TRUE messengers in each dispensation WERE ALL PART of the PEOPLE OR NATION of God and NEVER a nonmember. This is ALSO TRUE in the Christian dispensation, NO ONE CAN BE A MESSENGER OF GOD if he is not part or member of the church. Manalo established his OWN church opposing the church founded by Christ. Moreover, it would appear that he IS NOT even a MEMBER TO HIS VERY OWN CHURCH as he was NOT BAPTISED as an INC.
In the Christian dispensation, baptism is commanded as necessary for salvation as one is initiated into THE BODY OF CHRIST.
1 Corinthians 12:13 KJV
[13] For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
INC article continues:
Salvation in the Christian era
The Book of Revelation presents the chronology of God’s work of salvation throughout the Christian dispensation. The first work is that led by the Lamb as Apostle John was given to see in a vision:
Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion! And with him were one hundred forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins; these follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been redeemed from humankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb (Rev 14:1, 4 NRSV).
The first fruits of this work were the Jewish converts from the twelve tribes of Israel who followed the Lamb—the Lord Jesus (John 1:29). They were the first Christians or those who joined the Church established by the Lord Jesus Christ in Jerusalem in the first century. They were embraced by the redemption through the blood of Christ (Jas 1:18, 1; Acts 20:28 Lamsa).
MY RESPONSE:
INC evidently try to add their own opinions to the Bible to make a story fit to their liking. While it’s true that Jesus went to the Jews he was NOT FOLLOWED by 144,000 Virgin men. There are no evidence that there were Christian Jews even after the first century. For Catholics, this is a figurative of the New Israel’s (which is the Catholic Church) priests who came from all over the world. They are not literally “first” in time, rather are of importance. Moreover, The fact that Jesus identified himself with the Church being its head,(Col 1:18-19) founder, (Matthew 16:18) cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20) and being the husband to the wife, thus Jesus and the Church is ONE
Ephesians 5:29-31 KJV
[29] For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: [30] For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. [31] For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.”
We can then say that the WORKS of salvation of Jesus Christ is TROUGH the Church and THIS CONTINUES to this day until Christ return.
INC’s article says:
Following this is the work of the first angel or messenger in the person of Apostle Paul who was called to the apostleship of Christ on the former’s way to Damascus. The Book of Revelation records the prophecy fulfilled in the Apostle Paul in this manner:
Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation and tribe and language and people. He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water” (Rev 14:6-7 NRSV).
My RESPONSE:
INC totally disregarded the other apostles and only mentions St. Paul as an ” Angel” or a messenger. They are evidently trying to twist the Scripture to add a story to it. St. Paul COULD NOT BE this “angel” for the following reasons:
1. While St. Paul did a lot of missionary works, he DID NOT preached to EVERY Nation.
2. St. Paul did not went to EVERY TRIBE.
3. St. Paul did not went to every nation.
4. St. Paul did not spoke each language.
5. St. Paul did not met every race of people.
This ” ANGEL” may in fact be the Church. The Church is “sent” by Christ TO ALL NATIONS hence can satisfy ALL 5 as I listed above.
Please read:
Matthew 28:18-19 KJV
[18] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. [19] Go ye therefore, and teach ALL NATIONS, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
INC article says:
Certainly, Apostle Paul was the one referred to in these verses. He was the one who preached the message stated in the prophecy (Acts 14:6-7, 14-15). According to the commissioning he received from the Lord, it was he who would primarily pave the way for the conversion of the Gentiles to the Church Of Christ, by delivering to them the Good News of salvation (Acts 17:22-31; Rom 15:16). This is the second work of salvation in the Christian era.”
MY RESPONSE:
INC is simply making up theories out of nowhere. Where did St. Paul claim that his is “THE SECOND WORK OF SALVATION”? While it’s true that St. Paul was instrumental in spreading the GOSPEL of Christ, he did NOT claim that his WORK is separate from the WORK of Christ.
Even St. Paul identified himself AS ONE with Christ being part of the Church or his body.
Let us read:
Galatians 2:20 KJV
[20] I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Romans 12:5 KJV
[5] So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
INC article says:
After this is the mission of the second angel or messenger that the Book of Revelation describes, thus:
Then another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Rev 14:8 NRSV).
Babylon is the dwelling place of devils (Rev 18:2). It is the name of the “harlot” who sits on many waters or is universally scattered over peoples, multitudes, and nations (Rev 17:5, 1, 15). It is a church that is very much different from the true Church that was described by Apostle Paul as a chaste virgin (2 Cor 11:2). Babylon—the “harlot”—is the Catholic Church, which is not founded on Christ but allegedly on Apostle Peter whom Catholic authorities claim as the first Pope. Thus, this Church is “fallen” because it does not have Christ, the biblical cornerstone, as its foundation (Eph 2:20; Matt 7:24-27; Luke 6:49). This is what the second angel was prophesied to declare.
As proven from historical documents, Martin Luther denounced the seat of papacy as a devil’s nest (World’s Great Events, vol. 4, p. 31). He vehemently opposed the Catholic Church for its adherence to unscriptural doctrines and was the greatest and most famous proponent of the Reformation. He called on the Catholic Church to reform from apostasy, though his mission was not to re-establish the Church Of Christ. Martin Luther is the fulfillment of the prophesied second angel or messenger in Revelation 14.”
My RESPONSE:
INC has these great imaginations, there read scriptures then fill in the blanks to make a LEGEND OF FELIX MANALO. They presented Martin Luther as “second Angel” mentioned in Revelation 14. Reading the verse however makes it plain that this is simply a LIE.
Here is the verse:
Revelation 14:8 KJV
[8] And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”
The Angel is PROCLAIMING that “BABYLON is FALLEN”. If the charge of INC that the Catholic Church is the Babylon or “harlot” why is it then that the Catholic Church is still here and STRONG?
Martin Luther’s charged of apostasy is NOT relevant together with His accusation against the church DOES NOT FIT with the message of the Angel in Revelation 14:8. In reality, the Angel proclaimed the DESTRUCTION of Babylon as its punishment from God. Moreover, Martin Luther although was not keen to start or establish his church, he as a matter of history founded a Church. The Catholic Church on the other hand REMAINS until the end of time. Why? Because it’s Christ who founded it, Christ is ITS CORNERSTONE, the apostles as its foundation (Ephesians 2:20) and Jesus as its head.
If Martin Luther is the Angel or messenger of God in Revelation 14:8 who criticised the Catholic Church of “unscriptural” doctrines and practices, why then he himself used to do the sign of the cross? Prayed to the Virgin Mary? Practiced and believe many catholic beliefs like the deity of Christ and the Trinity?
INC article says:
The third angel: last work of salvation
The third angel who was prophesied in Revelation 14 is Brother Felix Y. Manalo. In another prophecy, he is referred to as the angel or messenger who would come from the east (Rev 7:2-3). He is the third angel or messenger sent outside Israel following Apostle Paul (first angel) and Martin Luther (second angel) who were also sent by God in the Christian era. About his commissioning, the Book of Revelation says:
Then another angel, a third, followed them, crying with a loud voice, “Those who worship the beast and its image, and receive a mark on their foreheads or on their hands, they will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and they will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image and for anyone who receives the mark of its name” (Rev 14:9-11 NRSV).
The prophecy contained in the preceding verses was fulfilled in Brother Felix Y. Manalo whose mission was to warn that those who receive the mark on their foreheads and right hands will suffer God’s impending wrath on Judgment Day. This “mark on their foreheads” is the sign of the cross that Catholics make on their foreheads with their right hands. Brother Felix Y. Manalo emphatically preached against Catholicism and snatched people out of “Babylon” that they might not be condemned but be saved through Christ’s redemption intended for His Church. As prophesied, he was instrumental in the re-emergence of the Church Of Christ in 1914.”
My RESPONSE:
The LEGEND OF MANALO continues! MANALO’s objection to the SIGN of the cross is NOT ORIGINALLY from him, but from
Other cults. The teaching of Manalo that the SIGN of the CROSS as the Mark of the beast is UNBIBLICAL. Nowhere from the Bible says that, rather it’s from malicious and polluted mind of Manalo.
In fact, the contrary is TRUE. The SIGN of the cross is derived from the Bible.
From the Old Testament the sign of the cross was prefigured.
Ezekiel 9:4 KJV
[4] And the Lord said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.”
The word “sign” or “mark” in Hebrew is “Thau” and is equivalent to letter T in the form of a cross in Early Hebrew-Palaeolithic alphabet. Furthermore, the letter Thau or CROSS means ” TESTAMENT OR COVENANT. Thus, when we sign ourselves with a cross we proclaim the New Covenant of Christ as we invoke the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. This is the name in which we are baptise and save.
Here is what we believe and we are reminded when we sign ourselves with a cross:
1 Corinthians 1:17-18 KJV
[17] For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. [18] For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:23-24 KJV
[23] But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; [24] But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”
Of course WHEN INC SEES a crucifix or when someone makes the sign of the cross, they think of EVIL THINGS and NOT about the Ultimate LOVE OF GOD , which is the sacrifice of Jesus for the salvation of mankind.
INC article says:
The harvest: day of Judgment
To summarize, there are three groups of people specified by Apostle Peter to comprise the entire Church Of Christ, from the time of its founding by the Lord Jesus Christ in Jerusalem until His Second Coming or the end of the world. In the Acts of the Apostles, this is recorded:
Because God’s promise is to you and to your children, and even to all those in distant lands and times, to all whom the Lord our God will call (Acts 2:39 The Last Days Bible).
As prophesied, the three groups of people that would comprise the Church Of Christ are: (1) the Jewish converts to Christianity (the first fruits who followed Jesus) or those who joined the Church in Jerusalem; (2) the Gentile converts who were begotten through the preaching of Apostle Paul; and (3) the members of the Church Of Christ that re-emerged through the preaching function of Brother Felix Y. Manalo.
My RESPONSE:
Acts 2:39 does NOT speak of three groups. To understand it, we need to read some preceding texts:
Acts 2:17 KJV
[17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:”
Acts 2:18 KJV
[18] And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:
The above verses are the PROMISES written from the OT which ANYONE COULD RECEIVED through baptism.
Acts 2:38-39 KJV
[38] Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be BAPTIZED every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall RECEIVED the GIFT of the Holy Ghost. [39] For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”
VERSE 39 identified the “you” are St. Peter’s listeners who were FROM DIFFERENT PLACES, (see Acts 2:9-11). He then explained that their very own children COULD RECEIVED these promises and all people who are called by God through BAPTISM. Again, Manalo did not received this in the eyes of INC ministers. (He was not baptised). The three groups according to INC is ONLY imaginary.
INC article says:
The Bible teaches that after the work of the third angel comes the time of harvest or the end of the world (Rev 14:14-15; Matt 13:39). Therefore, the work of the third angel or messenger is the last work of salvation as it will extend to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ or the Day of Judgment. It is in this sense that we call Brother Felix Y. Manalo “The Last Messenger”.
My RESPONSE:
In that sense we call FELIX MANALO as usurper of what is proper of Christ and his Church. Jesus is the FINAL OR LAST MESSENGER.
Jesus said:
Matthew 28:18-20 KJVS
[18] And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. [19] Go ye therefore, and teach ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: [20] TEACHING them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am WITH YOU ALWAYS, even unto the END of the world. Amen.”
Christ and his body/church’s mission is for ALL NATIONS (that includes the Philippines) and UNTIL
Christ bodily return. To say that God used Felix Manalo for salvation SEPARATE from the WORK of Christ is clear indication of MANALO’s claim to be “christ” who offered salvation through him. “Third work of salvation” of Felix Manalo is not only UNSCRIPTURAL but CONTRARY to the Bible.
INC article says:
Though Brother Felix Y. Manalo was laid to rest after almost 50 years of shepherding the Church Of Christ, his divine work continues up to the present time through the Church Administration. His mission lives on until the day that our Lord Jesus Christ returns.”
MY RESPONSE:
The Catholic Church is THE ONLY CHURCH that exist from the time of Christ and the apostles were alive and still existing today. This is the SAME CHURCH in which Jesus said,” I WILL BE WITH YOU UNTIL THE END OF AGE.” How about the INC of Manalo? Evidently it’s ONLY a one of those COUNTERFEIT.