Do you belong to "the [true] Church" (1 Tim 3:15)?, if so, how do you prove it?
This is the theme for this Thread.
For instance, I personally, would begin with the scriptures (KJB) and attempt to identify the true church from clear descriptions given about it, and see whether that which I belonged to was a match for what was written in biblical description.
As another example, here is how another person went about it -
Library Of Sermons 21 – The Search For The True Church – Pocket Book – Joe Crews – Amazing Facts (PDF)
What are the clear identifying marks of the true church as they are found in scripture?
1. Does the church have ministers who can forgive sins in the name of Jesus (John 20:21-23)?
2. Does the church have a healing rite for the dying that forgives the sins of the person who is dying (James 5:14-15)?
3. Does the church meet daily for the breaking of the bread ( Matthew 6:11, Acts 2:42-46)?
4. Does the church teach that you must physically eat the flesh of Jesus and drink His blood to have life in you (John 6:53)?
5. Does the church history date back to the time of the Apostles (Acts 1:20-26)?
6. Does the church teach that individuals can suffer for the sake of the church, because Christ’s sufferings were lacking (Colossians 1:24)?
7. Does the church teach that salvation isn't a sure thing (Matthew 10:22, 2 Peter 2:20)?
8. Does the church teach that prayers in heaven go through heavenly intercessors before reaching God (Revelation 5:8, Revelation 8:3)?
9. Does the church teach that saints in heaven are alive and can appear to humans? (Mark 9:4-5, Matthew 27:52-53)
10. Does the church teach that one must physically suffer to keep from losing one’s salvation (1 Corinthians 9:27, 1 Peter 2:19-21)?
11. Does the Church preach Christian unity, or division (1 Corinthians 1:10-13)?
12. Are the church's decisions ratified in heaven as well as on earth (Matthew 18:18)?
13. Is the Mother of Jesus considered to be the most blessed Woman, and do they call her blessed (Luke 1:42-48)?
14. Does the church teach that the church itself (rather than the Bible) is the pillar and bulwark of truth? (1 Timothy 3:15)
15. Does the church teach that the whore of Babylon is a "great city" where Jesus Christ was crucified? (Revelation 11:8 and Revelation 17:18).
16. Does the Church teach that celibacy is a good thing? (Matthew 9:12, Luke 18:29-30, 1 Corinthians 7: 25-27, 1 Corinthians 7:32-38, Revelation 14:3-5).
17. Does the Church teach that life begins at conception? (Deuteronomy 30:19, Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:13, Luke 1:43-44,Luke 23: 2).
18. Does the Church teach that contraception is intrinsically evil? (Genesis 1:28, Psalm 127:3-5, Genesis 38:8-10).
19. Does the Church teach that divorce and remarriage is adulterous? (Matthew 5:3, Mark 10:11-12, Luke 16:18)
20. Does the Church teach that good works are a very necessary component of our faith? (Matthew 25:31-46, James 2:26, Colossians 1:10, Matthew 7:21, Revelation 20:12-13, Romans 2:6.
21. Does the Church teach that Jesus Christ established his earthly Kingdom on earth before He was crucified? (Matthew 3:2, Matthew 16:19).
22. Does the Church teach sexual sins are transgressions that will keep one from gaining entry into heaven, or do they now say that they are no longer sinful? (Romans 1:24-32, 1 Timothy 1:9-10, Ephesians 5:19-21, Colossians 3:5).
My two cents worth....Mary