Lesson 5: Iglesia ni Cristo

[1]Mark was a Roman Catholic and had once been a priest, but left the priesthood. One day he was starting a new job. As a man was showing him how to do the job, Mark found out that he was a member of Igesia ni Cristo. Mark said, “I just hold to Jesus; He is my God.” The man said to him that Jesus was not God, and that his pastor could prove from the Bible that Jesus was only a mediator. They showed Mark many scriptures, and he was confused. They convinced him that Jesus is not God.

► Read Revelation 1 aloud together. Each student should write a paragraph that summarizes this scripture passage. What does this passage tell us about Christ? Each student should write a list of statements. As a group, discuss what you have written.

Origin and Influence

The name of this organization is translated “Church of Christ.” There are other organizations that use the same words in their name.

Iglesia ni Cristo was started in the Philippines in 1914 by Felix Manalo, a former Seventh-Day Adventist. At his death, his son became the leader, then a grandson after him.

Iglesia has nearly 7,000 congregations in 164 countries.[1] Most are in the Philippines. It is the largest professed Christian organization in the Philippines except for the Roman Catholic Church.

Iglesia ni Cristo works for community improvement. The cult is very involved in politics and tells its members who to vote for in elections. The church’s approval is sought by political leaders. Iglesia supported the Marcos regime in the Philippines.

Iglesia is a wealthy organization that emphasizes elaborate church buildings.[2] Iglesia built the largest indoor domed auditorium in the world. Though many of its members are poor, many of the leaders are professionals such as doctors or lawyers.

Iglesia owns radio stations. It publishes a monthly magazine, Pasugo: God's Message. The magazine constantly attacks Roman Catholics and evangelical churches.

Many of Iglesia’s converts are former Roman Catholics who already believed the Bible is true but did not have good knowledge of the Bible. Iglesia members show them Bible verses that convince them to give up the doctrines they had been taught.

Iglesia has congregations in major cities around the world. Most Iglesia converts outside of the Philippines are Filipinos who have immigrated to those countries.

► Why are most of the converts to Iglesia from the Roman Catholic Church?

Doctrine of the Church and the Atonement

The most important belief of Iglesia is that it is the true church, restored by Felix Manalo. This doctrine is so emphasized that Iglesia’s gospel seems to be comprised of the doctrine of their church and its origin.

Followers of Iglesia believe that Felix Manalo was God’s last special messenger. They believe Manalo is specifically mentioned several times in biblical prophecy, such as Isaiah 41:9-10, Isaiah 43:5-7, Isaiah 46:11, and Revelation 7:2-3.

Isaiah 41:9-10 is about the specially anointed servant of God. Christians believe that this passage refers to Jesus, the Messiah, but followers of Iglesia say that it refers to Felix Manalo. They say that the phrase “ends of the earth” means the last times of the earth. They believe Manalo fulfilled that prophecy because he registered his church on the same day that World War I began, which they call the beginning of the last times of the earth. The term ends of the earth in the Bible actually means a place that is geographically distant.

In Isaiah 46:11, God said that he would call for a bird of prey from a distant country of the East that would accomplish his purpose. Christian scholars have usually understood this verse to refer to God’s use of foreign powers to punish Israel, which is consistent with the symbol of a bird of prey. Iglesia believes that the ministry of Felix Manalo was predicted by that verse.

Followers of Iglesia believe that the Christian church became apostate soon after the death of the apostles. They believe that all churches except their own are apostate, and that Manalo restored the truth that was lost after the apostles died.

► How would you answer the claim of Iglesia, that Manalo fulfilled specific Bible prophecies? Look at the verses they use and consider their contexts.

Iglesia has a unique doctrine of the atonement. It is based on the Old Testament command that a person should not be punished for another person’s crime. The teachers of Iglesia say that Jesus did not die for the sins of others because that would have violated God’s law. But, because the Bible says that the church is the body of Christ, if a person joins the church he is not another person, but part of Christ. Therefore, Jesus was not dying for anyone else when he died for those who are in the church. This doctrine of the atonement makes their church absolutely necessary for salvation, because they are the only true church.

► Explain how Iglesia claims that Jesus died only for the members of their church.

Many of Iglesia’s hymns are about the church. Their belief that they are the only true church can be seen in this example from one of their songs entitled “One Truth, One Faith”:

One truth, one faith,
One Church, where we found grace
One hope inside
The one true Church of Christ.[3]

Other Beliefs and Practices

Leaders of Iglesia are very zealous to convert people to their religion. They urge their people to work at spreading the message of the church.

Men and women are seated on separate sides of the sanctuary during worship services. The door is locked at starting time.

Subjects emphasized in their hymns are the church, enduring the hardships of life, and prayers for forgiveness. They pray that God would help them to keep the commandments and become worthy of receiving forgiveness.

Leaders of Iglesia claim that the Bible is the source of their beliefs. Their usual style of teaching is to use many verses throughout the Bible that seem unrelated. They use a variety of versions of the Bible and may quote from six different versions in one sermon. They try to answer any question with scripture. Many of their members claim that they were persuaded to join by the cult’s use of scripture.

[4]Iglesia does not believe in the Trinity or in the deity of Christ or the Holy Spirit.

Members of Iglesia constantly attack the doctrine of the deity of Christ in their publications. They teach that Jesus was a special man but was not God. They say that if a person thinks that Christ is God, he really does not know Christ and is not saved.

They believe that at death the soul dies and will not continue to exist unless God resurrects and recreates the person. They do not believe in hell.

They do not believe that a person is saved by putting his trust in Christ after hearing the gospel preached or reading the Bible. They believe that salvation is a process. According to Iglesia ni Cristo, a person must join the church and keep the church’s requirements in order to be saved. However, they do not guarantee that a person is saved by church membership. They believe a person will lose his salvation if he does not live right. Because of these doctrines, many of their members are in fear that they are not saved.

► Why does Iglesia ni Cristo not offer immediate assurance of salvation?

Iglesia ni Cristo claims to be real Christianity. It claims that all other churches are false. But if a person understands and believes all of Iglesia’s doctrines, he does not believe the scriptural gospel and is not a Christian.

► Because Iglesia ni Cristo claims to believe the Bible, the Bible can be used to respond to their doctrines. Use the following doctrinal sections from the Handbook of Doctrine to respond to this cult.

(5) Jesus is God.

(7) The Holy Spirit is God.

(8) God is a Trinity.

(9) Salvation is only by the atonement of Christ.

(11) We receive salvation by faith.

(12) We can have personal assurance of salvation.

(13) The unsaved will suffer eternal punishment.

You may have noticed that the doctrines of Iglesia ni Cristo are very similar to the doctrines of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Their members live in fear that they are not yet saved.

It is important to emphasize basic gospel truth. Remember that you are talking to people who are depending on the doctrine that they will be saved by being in the right church. Emphasize the scriptures that teach personal assurance of salvation. Show them that unless they can put their trust in Christ for salvation, they can never know for sure that they are saved.

Miguel was a minister in Iglesia ni Cristo. As he became acquainted with many other pastors in the church, he was disappointed to find that they did not live by the standard of holy living that they preached. They preached to their people that they must live pure and righteous lives. It seemed to Miguel that the worse a preacher lived, the stronger he preached about righteous living. Miguel said that many of the pastors want to leave the organization but do not know how to do it. They are afraid of persecution. Miguel made the decision to leave the organization and hold to biblical doctrine.

► Now read Revelation 1 again. Each student should write a paragraph explaining the message this passage has for a follower of Iglesia ni Cristo. Several students can share what they wrote.

Remember to find an opportunity to present the gospel to someone from this religious group. Prepare to share with your classmates about the conversation you have had. Write your 2-page written report and turn it in to your class leader.