THE CHANGEABLE CHURCH; THE UNCHANGEABLE GOSPEL Ch 4 of The Church and the Gospel

Before beginning this section, it is important to know the meaning of the two words church and gospel. According to Webster, they are defined as follows:

Church:

1. a building set apart for public worship
2. ecclesiastical government of a religious group
3. a religious service
4. a congregation

Gospel:

1. good news
2. teachings of Jesus and His apostles
3. absolute truth
4. doctrines, rules, commandments

From these definitions, it is easy to see how the church can undergo changes in (1) location and facilities, (2) type of government instigated (3) policies and procedures accepted, and (4) numbers and types of members. Whereas the gospel is not so flexible. If the good news, teachings, truth, doctrines, rules and commandments are from God, they are eternal and [38] unchangeable. The church can vote to accept or reject any or all of the gospel, but that doesn’t change the fact that the eternal gospel itself cannot change. A church can be composed of men holding Priesthood authority, but they are ineffective unless they are in obedience to the gospel’s rules and standards.

The following diagram shows that the Church is a body of offices and officers:

1 CORINTHIANS 12

The Gospel, on the other hand, is a set of laws, standards, doctrines, ethics, ordinances, and commandments that God had provided as guidelines to be studied and obeyed.