Who is Right?

[marksman]

For me there are only two churches. They are His church" and "Our church." Jesus said "I will build MY church and the gates of hades will not prevail against it." He never said he would build our church.

I am not so interested in what a church says. I am more interested in what it does because what it does shows us what it believes. You can hide behind words but not actions.

Only in His church will you experience life in the Spirit because he is not interested in propping up our puny efforts in our church.

In our church we are invariable governed by the status quo which is controlled by a religious spirit which seeks to prevent change at all cost.

Our churches favourite saying is "but we have always done things this way."

 

[Born_Again]

That's where most of the denominational battles come from.... :huh: but let me just make this one point. If I got saved by confessing my sins [1 John1:9] [Romans 10:9,10] and receiving Jesus as my Lord and savior ~ then I died an hour later, I am saved period!. Without having any knowledge of the Trinity, water baptism or understanding the tenets of faith....I am saved!

Yes, Ma'am! Some denoms make it overly complicated and sometimes I think it frightens potential followers of Christ away. It makes being saved overly complicated. Maybe a bit intimidating?

 

[Angelina]

Salvation is a free gift given to us from God by believing and accepting what Christ did for us on the cross, by faith.

 

[HammerStone]

I agree, from Paul's analogy of milk (I Corinthians 3:2), it seems evident that there are layers to our faith and understanding. At the crux of it, pun unintended, is indeed the cross and the work therein accomplished by Jesus. Romans 10:9 is pretty clear on this, I think, and a believer can be reasonably unaware of exactly how salvation functions in intricate detail and yet be saved.

My great-grandmother read her KJV with great devotion and understood things that I still do not understand about loving people and serving them. I know many more theological terms and definitions than she ever knew, but I guarantee you her heart was much closer to the Lord than my own while she was on the Earth, and is even closer now.

Where we run into issues is when these secondary issues become the point. In other words, the vehicle to our salvation becomes the focal point, and we either overtly or covertly make it a part of our requirements to see others saved. We start looking under the hood and digging into the motor, but forget that the motor is just a part of getting us to the destination, even though it's also a beautiful tool in its own right.

This is why in the creation of the board, I really tried to shy away from making this a place where we all retreat to our denominational corners. I am Baptist by church affiliation, but I count any denomination confessing what Angelina said as my brothers and sisters in Christ. That means I include Catholics, Orthodox, liberal church-goers, and even backwoods fundamentalists as my brethren. It's hard to remember this sometimes, but if we confess and believe, then I need to work outward from that point of mutual agreement. That doesn't mean we cannot exercise understanding and disagree, but it does mean that I should be very careful and charitable about whom I am disagreeing with.

 

[mjrhealth]

Even within denominations, you can get into the wrong church for you. Pray about it, God will place you where He desires. It is not about being comfortable, it is about being where God desires you to be.

And where does God desire all men to bei? In a relationship with His Son. I know of no "right" man made church only of the Church that Christ has Built in which all men who belive on Him are a part. His Church has no walls, no roof no windows, it is made up of people who walk after the spirit and it is not run by men, we have but one head and that is Christ.

in all his Love

 

[TopherNelson]

I am not judging anyone, but I recently came across a Jehovah's Witness. What about them? They thin Jesus is Michael!

 

[aspen]

I am not judging anyone, but I recently came across a Jehovah's Witness. What about them? They thin Jesus is Michael!

I think you can be wrong about doctrine and still be exercising faith in God. Doesn't mean that being wrong about doctrine is ok, but it can be corrected someday - an unredeemed heart cannot.

 

[Axehead]

I think you can be wrong about doctrine and still be exercising faith in God. Doesn't mean that being wrong about doctrine is ok, but it can be corrected someday - an unredeemed heart cannot.

The doctrine or teaching of Christ and the apostles is that Jesus Christ is God. If one does not know Him as God, they will not know Him as the One that has forgiven them of their sins and indwelt them by His Spirit. Thus their religion will be one of works and not grace. Their walk cannot be one of grace and working out their salvation by works will end in futility.

 

[aspen]

The doctrine or teaching of Christ and the apostles is that Jesus Christ is God. If one does not know Him as God, they will not know Him as the One that has forgiven them of their sins and indwelt them by His Spirit. Thus their religion will be one of works and not grace. Their walk cannot be one of grace and working out their salvation by works will end in futility.

Then I guess we are brothers and sisters of demons.

 

[Axehead]

Then I guess we are brothers and sisters of demons.

Not me.

Galatians 3:26
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

 

[aspen]

Not me.
Galatians 3:26
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Even the demons know that Jesus is God. There must something else that distinguish us as adopted children of God.

 

[Axehead]

Even the demons know that Jesus is God. There must something else that distinguish us as adopted children of God.

One thing they don't have that Christians do is the Spirit of God.

 

[aspen]

One thing they don't have that Christians do is the Spirit of God.

Agreed

 

[OzSpen]

With so many denominations, who is right? I now consider myself a former catholic and a born-again christian. I believe in Jesus and that he died for our sins so that we could go to heaven. I believe in Jesus my Lord, my God. I will give Jesus, live Jesus and love Jesus.

David

David,

I don't consider that we need to determine which denomination is correct. The issue is how to discern truth from error, righteousness from unrighteousness, and that is the responsibility of all Christians. In my part of the world I don't see a lot of people in the churches being equipped for this ministry of discernment.

John MacArthur begins his article, 'What is biblical discernment and why is it important?http://www.gty.org/resources/questions/QA138/what-is-biblical-discernment-and-why-is-it-important'

In its simplest definition, discernment is nothing more than the ability to decide between truth and error, right and wrong. Discernment is the process of making careful distinctions in our thinking about truth. In other words, the ability to think with discernment is synonymous with an ability to think biblically.

First Thessalonians 5:21-22(NASB) teaches that it is the responsibility of every Christian to be discerning: "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." The apostle John issues a similar warning when he says, "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1 NASB). According to the New Testament, discernment is not optional for the believer-it is required.

The key to living an uncompromising life lies in one's ability to exercise discernment in every area of his or her life. For example, failure to distinguish between truth and error leaves the Christian subject to all manner of false teaching. False teaching then leads to an unbiblical mindset, which results in unfruitful and disobedient living-a certain recipe for compromise.

Oz

 

[ATP]

With so many denominations, who is right? I now consider myself a former catholic and a born-again christian. I believe in Jesus and that he died for our sins so that we could go to heaven. I believe in Jesus my Lord, my God. I will give Jesus, live Jesus and love Jesus.

David

That is great news David. Blessings!

 

[aspen]

With so many denominations, who is right? I now consider myself a former catholic and a born-again christian. I believe in Jesus and that he died for our sins so that we could go to heaven. I believe in Jesus my Lord, my God. I will give Jesus, live Jesus and love Jesus.

David

I agree that it is great news that you have found a saving relationship with Jesus - too bad you felt like you had to leave a church which teaches everything you listed in your post, but what ever it takes....

 

[TopherNelson]

I don't like kissing the feet of a statue, that's why I left.

 

[DogLady19]

Then I guess we are brothers and sisters of demons.

Hmmm... how did you arrive at that conclusion?

I didn't read that at all from Axehead's post:
"The doctrine or teaching of Christ and the apostles is that Jesus Christ is God. If one does not know Him as God, they will not know Him as the One that has forgiven them of their sins and indwelt them by His Spirit. Thus their religion will be one of works and not grace. Their walk cannot be one of grace and working out their salvation by works will end in futility."

 

[DogLady19]

I don't like kissing the feet of a statue, that's why I left.

I don't blame you. God has a habit of destroying idols because they cause His bride to commit spiritual adultery (Isaiah 57).

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth." Exodus 20:4

 

[Born_Again]

Before I was Born Again in Christ, I used to say "I guess we'll all find out in the end who is right. Because at this point, until someone can come back from the dead, we will never know." But after I truly found Christ and listened to the Holy Spirit and saw Him working in my life, it became pretty clear who is right. Aside from the miracles I have seen in my life and in others it is obvious that one who is right is the one who follows His teachings and strives to be the embodiment of Christ on earth. Those who act out of love, mercy, and compassion.

I could go on but I'm pretty sure you get the picture.

BA