Calling oneself a Christian while refusing to recognize the one true body of Christ is, arguably, a self-mischaracterization. Jesus rebuked those who diligently studied the Scriptures yet failed to come to Him, even though the Scriptures testified about Him (John 5:39-40). The same principle applies to His body: to reject or disregard the true body of Christ as the means of coming to Him is to fall into the very error that Jesus condemned.
Being brought into this one body is an essential part of what it means to be a Christian. Even Paul, though initially rejected by many believers, was received by some—such as Barnabas and Ananias—through the grace Christ gave them to accept him. Baptism into the existing body, followed by the laying on of hands, provided for this essential incorporation into Christ’s Church.
Throughout history, major events such as the Reformation in Europe and the American War of Independence led many to set this aside. Yet Christianity, in truth, does not exist apart from integration into the one body of Christ.
