NU169273@vm1.nodak.edu (05/13/91)
ARE YOU IN THE RIGHT CHURCH?
============================
SINCE THERE IS a considerable difference between various
churches, all cannot be right. The only way one can
determine definitely whether or not a particular church is
right is to test it by the Bible, the Word of God, and the
principles it sets forth.
Here are some questions based on the teachings of the
Bible by which any sincere person might examine the church
in which he is interested. If he wants to be true to God,
he will have nothing to do with a church which does not pass
the test! "Prove all things; hold fast that which is
good." (I Thessalonians 5:21)
The Preaching
-------------
Is the preaching based upon the Bible and entirely
centered in it? (Isaiah 8:20) Is the Bible recognized and
relied upon as the Word of God? (II Timothy 3:16, 17) Are
questions answered by a searching the Scriptures?
(Acts 17:11)
Is the Lord Jesus Christ the central the theme of all the
preaching? (Acts 4:12) Is He set forth as the One who
suffered, shed His blood, and died for our sins?
(Romans 3:25, II Corinthians 5:21, I Peter 2:24) Is His
bodily resurrection clearly set forth? (Luke 24;
Acts 2:31, 32; Romans 4:25; I Corinthians 15:3, 4) Is He
presented as the ever-living Savior who is able to save to
the uttermost? (Hebrews 7:25) Is His visible, imminent
return declared? (Acts 1:11; Philippians 3:20;
I Thessalonians 1:10; 4:16; II Timothy 4:8; Hebrews 9:28)
Is warning given concerning the wrath of God, impending
judgement and the pains of hell? (John 3:36; Ephesians 5:6;
Hebrews 9:27; Luke 16:19-31; Revelation 20:15)
Salvation and Christian Living
------------------------------
Is the way of salvation made clear? Is salvation given
the same emphasis that it is given in the New Testament?
(Luke 19:10; I Timothy 1:15; John 3:17; Acts 4:12;
Romans 1:16; 10:1; Hebrews 2:3) Are people being saved
through the ministry of your church? Were you saved through
its ministry?
Is emphasis place upon the importance of personally
receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? (John 1:12)
Is a clear distinction made between the saved and lost?
(Matthew 7:13; I Corinthians 1:18; II Corinthians 4:3, 4;
Luke 19:10) Is assurance of salvation taught, and do those
who profess to be Christians have this assurance?
(Romans 8:16, II Corinthians 13:5, I John 5:13)
Is the necessity for repentance and turning from sin
repeatly set forth? (Acts 17:30; Revelation 3:19) Is there
continuing emphasis on the importance of holy living for
God's people? (II Corinthians 7:1; I Peter 1:15, 16;
II Peter 3:11) Is the secret of freedom from the power of
sin set forth? (Romans 6:1-13)
Bible Study and Prayer
----------------------
Does the ministry of your church feed you on the Word of
God? (Matthew 4:4) Are you inspired to search the
Scriptures? Is adequate opportunity given for a systematic
study of the Bible for yourself? (Joshua 1:8;
Jeremiah 15:16; II Timothy 3:15; I Peter 2:2)
Are there regular gatherings for united prayer with free
participation by all? (Acts 4:24; 12:12; 21:5;
I Thessalonians 5:17) Do the assemblings of the church
afford opportunities for spiritual worship and for
fellowship in the things of the Lord?
The People
----------
Do the pastor, church officers, and Sunday school teachers
live godly lives which are free from questionable habits and
practices? (Acts 6:3; I Timothy 3:1-13) Can the pastor be
depended upon to give real help to those in spiritual
difficulty, leading them to peace, deliverance, and blessing
in the Lord Jesus Christ? Under his ministry do people
either turn from sinful ways or else reject his preaching?
(Jeremiah 23:21, 22)
In continuing the association with your church, is it
necessary for you to be unequally yoked together with
unbelievers (the unconverted), thus disobeying God's clear
command to the contrary? (II Corinthians 6:14-17:1) Are
those who make up the church for the most part living for
the Lord? Can you discuss spiritual things with them? Do
they have a clear testimony by word of mouth for the Lord
Jesus Christ? (Romans 10:9, 10: Matthew 10:32, 33) Do they
have a burden and concern that other people come to know the
Lord Jesus Christ? Can you rely on them to be praying for
you when you are in need? (Galations 6:2; Ephesians 6:18)
What Will You Do?
-----------------
Does your church pass the test? Be honest with yourself
and be honest with God. "We ought to obey God rather than
men." (Acts 5:29) If your church does not pass the test
and you intend to remain in it, how do you plan to give
account to God for your disobedience to His Word?
"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate,
saith the Lord" (II Corinthians 6:17) "So then every one
of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:12)
K. Paulson
222 Stockbridge Hall
N. D. S. U.
Fargo, ND 58105gt6321c@prism.gatech.edu (gt6321c CRIMM,LANCE CARY) (05/18/91)
In article <May.13.03.54.43.1991.13211@athos.rutgers.edu> you write: > > ARE YOU IN THE RIGHT CHURCH? > ============================ >K. Paulson Well, you are certainly correct;however, no church or denomination on this sinful planet earth will ever attain all of God's commands. You must learn wisdom and look at the inner hearts of the members. We will always continue to strive for these goals, but realize that it won't happen on earth, only in Heaven with Christ. I suggest you test your church by whether or not they pursue all of these goals and commands, not attain them which is impossible. Lance -- CRIMM,LANCE CARY Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332 uucp: ...!{decvax,hplabs,ncar,purdue,rutgers}!gatech!prism!gt6321c Internet: gt6321c@prism.gatech.edu
iadt1kr@prism.gatech.edu (J. Kenneth Riviere (JoKeR)) (05/22/91)
In article <May.13.03.54.43.1991.13211@athos.rutgers.edu> NU169273@vm1.nodak.edu writes: > ARE YOU IN THE RIGHT CHURCH? > ============================ > >SINCE THERE IS a considerable difference between various >churches, all cannot be right. [Details deleted. The provisions most relevant here are that pastor, officers and teachers are free from questionable habits and practices, and that the church rejects being unequally yoked with unbelievers (the unconverted). --clh] >K. Paulson I guess I've misunderstood what a chuch is for. If unbelievers are unwelcome then I'm baffled as to how those who don't know Christ are to learn about Him. If only people who lead sin-free lives are acceptable as leaders, then how can the churches function without leaders since none of us are without sin? I thought that church congregations (which are themselves part of the universal church, the "body of Christ") were a place for people to worship God, however imperfectly, and to learn about God and how to live as God would have us live. If congregations which fall short of the ideal presented by Paulson's postings are not acceptable to God, then what are they? "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matt. 18, v.21) Yet it would seem that Paulson is telling us that this is only true if we are gathered in His name *and* we have a perfect church. I expect that this comment can be expected to generate a shower of responses supporting Paulson's affirmations of proper behavior for churches, much as my previous comments about "This Present Darkness" got little response outside of enthusiastic endorsements for the advantages of excommunication. However, I find little commonality this legalistic approach to leading a Christian life. Certainly, keeping God foremost in our minds is an admirable goal, and we should live as Jesus teaches us to live, but by our very nature we are fallible creatures and fall short of the glory of God. If our good lives were the means of our salvation then what is the meaning of Grace? When discussing some of these points with a retired pastor of my acquaintence he recounted a story of which this type of legalistic argument reminded him. He had been counselling a pastor of a large church. This pastor was having doubts about the work he was doing in the large Baptist church of which he was pastor. At one point the counselled pastor declared to my acquaintence his frustration at the way his congregation hated sin! "There's no love of God in them, but my, do they hate sin!" There are so many Christians who seem so intent on following rules for leading good lives and on eliminating sources of temptation that they seem to forget to love others. "Faith, hope, love abide, ... but the greatest of these is love. Make love your aim." (I Cor. ch. 13, v.13 - ch. 14, v. 1) This is longer than I had intended, but I find it so frustrating to see Christians who want, not just to seek the Lord and His will for themselves, but to judge others and to declare their own superiority over others, whether those others are non-believers or are Christians who have different views as to what it means to live as a Christian. I rejoice in all who have accepted Christ as their savior. Why do so many Christians feel compelled to condemn those with whom they disagree? -- J. Kenneth Riviere (JoKeR) Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia, 30332 uucp: ...!{allegra,amd,hplabs,seismo,ut-ngp}!gatech!prism!iadt1kr ARPA: iadt1kr@prism.gatech.edu
rohwerwd@netcom.COM (W. David Rohwer) (05/23/91)
In article <May.13.03.54.43.1991.13211@athos.rutgers.edu> NU169273@vm1.nodak.edu writes: > > ARE YOU IN THE RIGHT CHURCH? > ============================ > > >SINCE THERE IS a considerable difference between various >churches, all cannot be right. The statement above is wrong. Each church is correct, based upon their interpretation of the Bible. Although, I do believe that Fundamentalist, Conservative and Catholic Christians are wrong in their view of Christianity, I still believe that they can interpret the Bible in any way that they please and still be Christians. >The only way one can determine definitely whether or not a particular >church is right is to test it by the Bible, the Word of God, and the >principles it sets forth. > The statement above is wrong. There are many ways to determine whether a church is right for you. The following are the criteria that I use in choosing a church. 1) The church believes that there could be errors in the Bible. (The church is liberal, not fundamentalist or conservative.) 2) The church allows women to be pastors and leaders. (Equality of the genders.) 3) The church allows each individual to interpret the Bible in his or her own way. 4) The church has a good Sunday service. 5) The church has a good single's group. > Here are some questions based on the teachings of the >Bible by which any sincere person might examine the church >in which he is interested. If he wants to be true to God, >he will have nothing to do with a church which does not pass >the test! Jeez, you are wrong once again. What has gotten into you? >"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (I Thessalonians 5:21) > I've done that in terms of the Bible. >The Preaching >------------- >Is the Bible recognized and relied upon as the Word of God? >(II Timothy 3:16, 17) The Bible is not the Word of God. It contains errors and at least one statement that says it is from Man and not God. As a consequence, the Bible is only part God's Word and part Man's Word. The following is from a proof that I wrote that proved the the Bible is only part God's Word and part Man's Word. ********************************************************************* (Step 14 in proof) This verse establishes that there is at least one statement in Scripture that says that this statement is from Man and not God. 1 Co 7:12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. FOOTNOTE: The "I" in the previous verse is Paul ********************************************************************* >What Will You Do? >----------------- I will disregard K. Paulson's test and use my own criteria. Liberal Protestant, ++W. David Rohwer -- W. David Rohwer Internet: rohwerwd@netcom.COM
davidbu@loowit.wr.tek.com (David E. Buxton) (05/26/91)
A couple of things that come to mind with regards to the 'right' church:
A church that disposes of, or disparages the OT is not for me.
"To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this
word, it is because there is no light in them." -- Isa 8:20 (NKJ)
A church that gets carried away with dispensations where the 'rules' of
salvation keep changing from erra to erra is not for me:
Do not add to or diminish from the Commandments of the Lord your God.
(Deut. 4:2; 12:32)
"He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God
of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He. "-- Deu
32:4 (NKJ)
All his commandments are sure . . . . They stand fast for ever and ever.
(Ps. 111:7,8)
"Your word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens." (Ps.
119:89)
"Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old that You have founded
them forever." -- Psa 119:152 (NKJ)
Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be forever: nothing can be added to it,
nor anything taken from it. (Eccl. 3:14)
" . . . . He will magnify the law, and make it honorable." (Isa. 42:21)
He (an earthly power) shall THINK to change times and laws (God's).
(Dan. 7:25)
"He stood and measured the earth; He looked and startled the nations. And
the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills bowed. His
ways are everlasting." -- Hab 3:6 (NKJ)
"I the Lord your God do not change. . . ." (Malachi 3:6)
17 - "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets;
I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 - "I tell you
the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter,
not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law
until everything is accomplished. 19 - "Anyone who breaks one of the
least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be
called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and
teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20 - "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of
the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter
the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:17-20)
"It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear, than for the least
stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law." (Luke 16:17)
"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness," -- 2 Tim 3:16 (NKJ)
God remains the same and your years will never end. (Heb. 1:12)
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Heb. 13:8)
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down
from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of
turning." -- James 1:17 (NKJ)
I write no new commandment unto you. It is simply the Old Commandment
that you had from the beginning. The New Commandment is a new
understanding of the Old Commandment. (1 John 2:7,8)
"And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment
to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one
another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This
is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you
should walk in it." -- 2 John 1:5,6 (NKJ)
I want a church where Jesus is the central theme.
Also a church where the law of God is kept in the right perspective - to
serve Him because we love Him:
Love your enemies. (Matt. 5;43-48)
If ye know these things, happy are you if you do them. (John 13:17)
"If you love me keep my commandments." (John 14:15)
He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves me. He
who loves Me loves my Father. I will love him and manifest myself to
him. (John 14:21)
If a man love me, he will obey my teachings. (John 14:23)
"If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love; even as I have
kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. (John 15:10)
Thats enough for now.
Dave (David E. Buxton)