Antipodean59's Blog

Restored New Testament Christianity

Archive for the tag “church”

14 Oct 2010

Ok, so you believe in Jesus, huh?

Many people throughout the past couple of thousand years have believed in Jesus Christ. In fact, many believed in Him before He was “born of a woman, born under the Law” (Galatians 4:4). Yes, that’s right, they believed the Law and the Prophets that not only spoke of His coming but that He would also abolish the Law of Moses and fulfil the Prophets’ prophecies of which one was to “make a new covenant” (cf Jeremiah 31:31ff; Matthew 5:17 and Colossian 2:14) and God’s people would have a “new name” (Isaiah 62:2; Acts 11:26; I Peter 4:16).

It is one thing to believe in someone and another thing to do as he says. This is precisely what Jesus was getting at in Luke 6:46 “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”

Contextually He addresses the religious hypocrites of His day:

  • The rich who live it up yet ignore the poor.
  • The religious who are respected by their fellow man but are guilty of believing in false teachers.
  • The seemingly pious men of love but are really bigots of the highest degree.
  • The outward generous looking who, in reality, are seeking a reward of some kind for that generosity.

Oh, they believe, alright, so long as it fits their definition of belief.

It is no different today. Let’s see, what about this list below, do you fit one or more of the following? Are you one who announces belief in Christ but yet your actions actually deny Him?

  • You might be one who says one can be a Christian without the need to attend church. Really? Jesus says: He would build his church (Matthew 16:18), Paul said Jesus purchased the church with the blood shed at Calvary (Acts 20:28).  So, the Saviour goes to such lengths for His followers only for you to say it is not necessary – think again.  The church; that is, those called out from the world aka disciples were “first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:26).

Why do you call Jesus your Master yet do not obey Him, for you cannot be a Christian unless you have been added to the church of Christ for Christian and the church are one and the same.

  • You might be one who says one can belong to a denomination such as the Methodist, Lutheran, Baptist etc and be recognised as a Christian. Really? How can this be when Jesus only promised to build His “church” [singular]. There is no mention of churches with names such as that which encompass today’s so-called “Christianity”. In fact, before 1500 AD the vast majority had not yet come into existence. Until after this date Henry the VIII had not stolen the Roman Catholic chattels and started the Church of England. Calvin had not written his theses of repudiation of corrupt Roman Catholic dogma, nor had Luther pinned his theses up on their door at Wittenberg.  John Wesley had not formulated his methodology of study that led to followers in what is called the Methodist Discipline nor had John Smyth gone into apostasy from the church of Christ to form what is now known as the Baptist Church and so on we could go. Even the Roman Catholic Church did not come into being until well after the Council of Nicea (c. 325 AD) despite their claim that Peter was the first Pope as per the nonsense they derive from Matthew 16:18. Besides all of this, Paul condemned sectarianism in I Corinthians 1:10-17; Galatians 1:6-9.

Why do you call Jesus your Master yet do not obey Him, for you cannot be a Christian and a member of a man-made denomination; the very idea is foreign to the New Testament. There is only one church of Christ provable because they follow only that which the New Testament authorises, for “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (I Peter 4:11).

  • You might be one who says your religious leader, who might be known as say “Pastor”, “Reverend”, “Pope” or whatever title your church has designated those to  lead you, will tell the truth on how and what I should do to be a Christian. Really? Jesus said that if you truly love Him you will keep his commands (John 14:15). Paul said it is up to you, as an individual, to determine the truth by “rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15). You, personally, will be judged at the end of time by this standard which is whether you have rejected or kept the word of Christ (John 12:48). You, not your advisor, must do a self examination to see if you are really in the faith (II Corinthians 13:5). Besides, how can you trust men or, as is fashionable in these post-modern times, women leaders to advise you correctly when they cannot even understand this basic teaching of Jesus: “be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ” (Matthew 23:8). Paul says women are to remain silent and not usurp authority given exclusively for men to lead (I Corinthians 14:34; I Timothy 2:12ff).

Why do you call Jesus your Master yet do not obey Him, for you cannot be a Christian on the advice of men; rather it is the “word implanted [which] is able to save your souls” (James 1:21). You see, your faith can only come about in an authentic way by hearing and applying that faith which God has given through Christ (Romans 10:17) precisely that which the church of Christ practices.

There is much more that one can point to in order to prove you are not a Christian such as whether you have submitted to the New Testament plan of salvation or whether your church is scripturally organised but I am sure you get the picture.

Here is a little tip: check out the search engine of this site and type in church of the Bible or what must I do to become a Christian or does God approve of denominations and then study the scriptures provided and see if these things are so.

Graham

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05 Oct 2010

God does so exist!


The moral argument proves the existence of God

  1. If God does not exist, then objective moral values do not exist.
  2. Objective moral values do exist

Therefore: God exists.

The moral argument is a stumbling block for the atheist/agnostic and as a result is either avoided or butchered by such.

God exists and has not only given objective morals but has spoken through men via the Bible (cf 2 Peter 1:21). God has declared that all men (generic) must repent or perish (cf Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 17:30).

If you are serious about wanting to go to heaven then go to the only church according to the Bible

You cannot go to heaven except you follow the way, the truth, the life according to Jesus Christ (cf John 14:6).

In other words, get off your backside or your hobby horse religion before it is too late, for it is a terrible thing to face the judgement that awaits you if you have not fallen into line with God’s plan of salvation (cf John 12:48; Hebrews 9:27; Hebrews 10:31).

Graham

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20 Sep 2010

Led By Sound Words

The young first century preacher, Timothy gained his knowledge of salvation from the Holy Scriptures through possession of faith in Christ Jesus (II Timothy 3:15).  He was following his mother and grandmother’s advice from childhood and in later years was under the apostle Paul’s instruction to follow that pattern of sound words (II Timothy 1:13) that when committed to is able to save one’s soul (James 1:21). Now, what was true for this young man is also true for you and me for according to Jesus these sound words will endure as truth until the end of the world (Matthew 28:20).

The Koine Greek [original language of the New Testament] word translated as “pattern” or “form” in II Timothy 1:13 is hupotupōsis. Strong’s dictionary definition says this is a compound word meaning typification after a sketch or to imitate a pattern. To illustrate one might use the strike of a type face onto a piece of paper and find the exact image of the type replicated on that piece of paper. Further to this the word translated “sound” in II Timothy 1:13 is hugiainō which Strong’s defines as something that is true or incorrupt.

Only from the word of God can one receive assurance that following such one can be saved (Acts 4:12). Except you follow the pattern of sound words through faith in Christ Jesus, remember your faith can only come about by hearing and applying Christ’s word (Romans 10:17), you will not inherit the kingdom of heaven as your eternal home. That means if you follow a man’s interpretation such as is presented by various denominations and cults claiming to be Christian, then you will not go to heaven – end of story. Why do I say this? Because denominational Christianity and cults are sectarian and are condemned in scripture (cf., I Corinthians 1:10ff; 4:6, Galatians 1:6-9).

Hear the apostle’s plea: “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (II Corinthians 13:5).  Paul is saying that your obligation is to make sure you are saved by self examination of proof; that is, not taking the word of confirmation from others such as the so-called pastor, preacher, father or minister etc. Further, he says that unless you are in Christ i.e. saved by being baptised in water according to the sound words found in these sample of verses: Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16; I Corinthians 12;13; Galatians 3:27; Titus 3;5; I Peter 3:21, then you are no more than a “reprobate” i.e. unapproved, worthless, rejected, castaway soul.

Come out from among them and be added to the only church Jesus built and paid for with His blood – church of Christ

Graham Walker

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17 Sep 2010

HAVING GOD ON OUR SIDE

Often we hear people talk about having God “on their side.” Certainly the idea is comforting and reassuring. However, does God look at Himself as being “on our side,” even if we are His faithful children? In one way He does, in the sense that He has promised to be with us in our lives as Christians (Matt. 28:20; Heb. 13:5-6). One of the richest blessings the Christian has is that of the abiding presence of God and His constant help.

There is another sense, however, in which it would be presumptuous to view God as being “on our side.” In the days just before the conquest of the city of Jericho, Joshua looked up and saw a man standing near him with a sword in his hand.

Obviously startled and momentarily unguarded, Joshua asked him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” The soldier answered, “No, but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come” (Joshua 5:13-14). The commander of God’s army was on God’s side. Whatever else that meeting did for Joshua, it certainly reminded him that God was not in his army, but that he was fighting for God’s cause.

It is possible for people to approach God with the idea of trying to force Him (or at best, to make Him appear) to be on their side of some issue or dispute. What begs to be understood, however, is that God is not there to line up with us on our side of some human cause; rather, we need to make His cause our cause. We might imagine Him to say, “I’m not joining your team–you need to join mine.”

The question to ask regarding any situation, dispute, doctrine, practice, organization, or personal agenda is not “Whose side is God on?” but rather, “Who is on the Lord’s side?” (Exodus 32:26).

Author unknown

Want to know how you can truly have God on your side? Go to www.timarucofc.org.nz

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13 Sep 2010

Hate Speech – Huh!


So, you say it is "hate speech", huh!

Against the backdrop of the ninth anniversary of what is commonly called “9/11” in the USA and the on and off again book burning of the Qur’an by Terry Jones, Gainesville, FL Dove World Outreach, much has been said about Mr Jones’ supposed hate speech. Even the editor of the Timaru Herald could not resist putting his two cents worth in by calling such an action as crossing the line “into hate speech” (10/9/2010). I guess the dear editor, like the rest of the western world, is perplexed as to the reason why such an individual would want to take such action even though Jones and the church he ministers to planted signs stating “Islam is of the Devil”. Perplexed because they cannot figure why Jones would be so Islamaphobic, the new buzz word sweeping the religiously ignorant. After all, Islam is a religion of peace according to both the current and the previous USA President’s opinion. Many pseudo-christians concur such as Roman Catholics, Anglicans, and Methodists etc who have made statements or whose rhetoric is laced with similar such thoughts. One only need view some of the pin heads on Fox News such as Bill O’Rielly, Glen Beck, Juan Williams, Bernie Goldberg, Ann Coulter et al issue the standard media release that Islam is a religion of peace and it is only the fundamental fanatics which are the non-peaceful nuts. Now that is supposed to be a conservative news and commentary media outlet which means the other outlets in the USA, UK, Europe, dear old aunty Television New Zealand and TV 3 are just unread liberal twits when they gush all over at what Rudyard Kipling called the “thuggee cult”. Oh, and just before you rip me to shreds regarding some terms and claims made here, let me point out that “pinhead” is a term frequently used by Bill O’Rielly, the most famous of Fox News commentators when pointing out someone who does not conform to standards set by him and Fox News owner the pseudo-christian Rupert Murdoch. I also realise that both the media and politicians are walking a nervous diplomatic tight rope not wanting to inflame the nuts that run the Islamic fanatics bent on jihad and fatwa’s but come on, give us a break, when you know something is wrong then at least have the fortitude and conviction to stand up and say so. I will give Terry Jones this; he at least is willing to speak his convictions. He may be wrong, Bible wise, [for the holy rollers i.e. Pentecostals of which he claims allegiance to dream of the day when Jesus will set up his kingdom on earth and sit ruling on a throne in modern day Jerusalem despite the fact that the kingdom is already here on earth as the church of Christ and He will come again in the clouds and not step foot on earth but destroy it with fire cf Colossians 1:13-18; I Thessalonians 4:16-17; II Peter 3:10-11], but he is no coward.

Now, let me be clear here, I believe Jones is misguided for even suggesting such an action as book burning but I can understand his frustration when he sees and hears many in the USA espousing a weak kneed approach to the ever growing Islamic invasion and its accompanying severely oppressive sharia law. Simply put, Islam is nothing more than a man made religion no older that 600 AD. Just like many cults that have found their way into acceptability it was as a result of the imaginations of a madman. It should have gone no further than the musings of one man except thugs and bullies could see an opportunity to seize power and corruption and when you map the course of this horrifically oppressive religion then one can see what I mean. The leaders of this scourge rule by fear and intimidation which is exactly what the Qur’an demands.

Mohammad was a man who could not read or write yet invented Islam and the Qur’an claiming supernatural inspiration as the source. His followers wrote down what he had memorized yet he himself was unsure whether it was from God or a jinn; that is, an evil spirit, hence the reason I say he was a madman.

Sir Norman Anderson, Cambridge, and University of Cairo, who is considered to be a renowned authority on Islamic studies, said, “Muhammad suffered in early life from fits…was prone to dreams… cruel and vindictive to his enemies: he would stoop to assassination; and he was undeniably sensual.”

May I suggest this behaviour is thus borne out in his speeches and epitomised in the following: Sura 4:93 “Slay them wherever you find them” and Sura 5:55 “O, true believers, take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends. They cannot be trusted. They are defiled – filth.” Yes, you read it right; this is the supposed peaceful Islamic creed.

Now that doesn’t sound like a religion of “peace” the term that is currently all the vogue in the liberal led media and among politicians who want us to believe it is.  Instead of calling the likes of Terry Jones a monger of hate speech, perhaps if they were to undertake a proper reading of the Qur’an it would reveal who the real hate mongers are. Compared with the New Testament and its message of love thy neighbour as you would yourself (Matthew 22:39) or love your enemies leaving vengeance for wrong doing to God (Romans 12:16-21), the Qur’an reads just as Terry Jones says, “of the Devil” with hundreds of passages inciting followers to rule and subjugate by the sword rather than by love. I reason that is why the sectarian forces of Islam such as the Sunnis, Taliban, and Al-Qaeda etc think the way they do because they take the Qur’an literally and follow their spiritual leader, Mohamed in all that he says to do. The rest of Islam can be likened to those who follow only because they fear for their lives if they do not at least mouth it. Certainly that is the case in hard line countries such as Iran and Afghanistan. The true meaning of Islam is “submission” for if you submit you will have peace otherwise you will be sure to face sharia and possibly death. Here is a sombre note directed at the liberal element in western society that feel we should not fear Islam, you ought to think again, especially if your liberal ways involve say homosexuality, adultery, drinking etc – your life will be taken from you under the oppressive sharia law.

Hate speech is such an emotive term that is often misapplied, usually by those who are offended by their opponents’ position to their way of life, whether it be political or moral. Such people have little regard for reason, for such opposition is rarely researched or studied in an objective sense. Personal opinion overrides sound hermeneutic reasoning. An example of this can be found regarding the Bible’s opposition to homosexuality. Those claiming such opposition is blatant hate speech when used by committed by Bible believers will often rush to print off Romans 1:26-27 or I Corinthians 6:9 that condemns homosexual behaviour as unnatural and a preventer of eternal life in heaven and then announce in the loudest possible terms that the author of such is an unloving, homophobic chauvinist and if anyone, today, including yours truly, dare use such to condemn homosexuality that person is equally full of hate speech. It does not rationally occur to such people that their ranting also implies God as being a hate speech proponent as well because the author of these two letters to the church of Christ in the first century was inspired by God the Holy Spirit (II Peter 1:21) [and yeah, I know, this title of entity grates on the nerve of the cultists such as JW’s but I care not for your perversion] in order that men may “believe in [Jesus] through their word” (John 17:20). And yes, some of those people supposedly want God to save them – ha! The non-believer at least have the excuse of ignorance [not that ignorance is going to save them in the end according to Acts 17:30-31; II Thessalonians 1:7-9] but those who claim the Bible is their way of life and godliness are nothing but pseudo-christians for in their stupidity, for they have zeal for God but not in accordance with true Bible knowledge (Romans 10:2).

The bottom line is this: those that stand up and announce Islam to be a false religion because it is based on the whims of a man and not on the logically, provable God of the Bible are not hate speech harbingers but are merely telling it as this God wants it exposed as (cf Ephesians 5:11).

Now, perhaps the atheistic, pseudo-christian denomination, agnostic et al run media and pseudo-christian politicians will understand that Islam is of the Devil after all – but, then again, I am not going to bank my money on that one.

Graham

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08 Sep 2010

Restoration

The principle of restoration is as old as the hills. Someone might restore a piece of antique furniture which is to say “bring back to former place or condition or use, re-establish” (Oxford Dictionary). You could say that as you looked upon that piece of furniture there would be no difference between the time of its origin and the present day. In order for the restoration to be completely authentic there must be an original plan, pattern or blueprint to guide and direct in the process. Don’t let the doubters convince you that it can’t be done; because it can. These doubters might say the materials or ingredients are not available today for true restoration meaning you need to use a suitable substitute. However, it would not be a true restoration if a substitution were implemented. For example, a 17th century table stripped of its dilapidated protective finish would not be truly restored by applying an epoxy resin for such a finish was not available to the original cabinet maker. All the old techniques and materials are available today albeit not readily available, but nothing is impossible for the truly conscientious. So it is for those seeking to restore the condition of the church belonging to Jesus Christ.

This leads me to think about how many people get to a stage in life or perhaps go through a stage in life whereby they want to discover God. They genuinely and sincerely want to find out what God wants them to do in life in order to be pleasing to Him. Now, before I continue, I am not talking about the god of the Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or the thousand or so gods that seem to exist in the minds of some. I am talking of the God of the Bible Who says He is unique in that He is one and only God in the sense of unity. This God is three individual identities that make up the “Godhead” (Romans 1:20). There is God the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3-4), God the Son Jesus Christ (John 20:28) and God the Father (John 1:1). To the cultist that cannot come to grips with this concept and therefore denies the above then all I can suggest is restudy, for sound hermeneutics proves conclusively the Genesis Elohim is one and the same as in John 1;1-3 and Colossians 1:13-20.

Oh, and you might like to consider this, God the Father is in heaven along with the Holy Spirit while Jesus whom Thomas referred to as “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28) was on earth in the presence of the disciples. Three separate beings in two separate places yet all referred to as God according to the references I have given. Something to think about, eh!

So what is one to aim for in order to please the God of the Bible? For it becomes apparent from reading the Bible from beginning to end that there are three distinct groups of people spoken of within its pages. Which group is it that one is to emulate if one is to please God?

The first group being the “fathers” referred to by scholars as the Patriarchs is found in Genesis 1 through Exodus 20 which tells how some heads of families such as Noah, Job, and Abraham had direct communication with God about what they should do in order to obey God (cf. Hebrews 1:1). Then came along Moses who was selected by God to receive the law written on tablets of stone that would exclusively govern the Hebrew race of people, according to Deuteronomy 5:2-3, toward a predetermined point in time at which God would send His Son Jesus Christ to be born in human form and walk and talk among men in order to sympathise with man’s plight and take their place to suffer the penalty of sin which was due them (Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 2:17-18). Such events culminated at the cross on Calvary’s hill thereby ushering in a new group of people called Christians (Acts 11:26).  It is this last group that man must belong to in order to execute the will of the Father in heaven (Matthew 7:21) and are to “listen” to Jesus (Mark 9:7) as God now gives instructions exclusively through Him and His apostles (Hebrews 1:2; John 16:13; cf Matthew 28:20 “even to the end of the age”), for the first two groups had laws that have since been abolished at the death of Jesus on the cross according to Ephesians 2:15, Colossians 2:14 and Hebrews 1:2. What characterises these people first called Christians at Antioch (Acts 11:26) is their obedience (Mathew 7:21) to the way they are saved, the way they are organised and the way they worship.  In fact these people were derogatorily known as “belonging to the Way” (Acts 9:2) in the first century. It is not long before one sees “the Way” as people who make up the ekklesia i.e. the called out aka the church. The church that Jesus said He would “build” (Matthew 16:18) and pay for with His blood (Acts 20:28). This church is made up of the saved that were “added” (Acts 2:41, 47). It is this church that must be restored if one is to enjoy the privilege of the heavenly home.

This church is identified by its characteristics in a not too dissimilar fashion that one identifies the origins of an antique piece of furniture or a classic motor vehicle. Either project of restoration requires study and research of designer, time and place of manufacture. The plan might be easily obtained forensically and matched to what is commonly known. For instance paint sample analysed will lead to the correct colour and composition in order to repaint to restoration standards. Remember to restore the vehicle means to follow the original pattern, but if one were to digress from that pattern and use, for example, paint from another model and year, then one would be merely reforming it; making an amendment but it would not be restored as it was first made in the beginning.

So, where do you go in order to research and study the design of this restored church? Let me say; only the Bible contains the pattern for the church, “for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Look at the time and place of the original church, i.e. first century, specifically the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 2). In Acts you will see what is required to be added to this church – repent and be baptised (Acts 2:38). So, if a church says all you need to do to be saved is to ask Jesus into your heart and pray a manmade prayer, you will know that is a substitution meaning it is not the restored church of the Bible.

Worship God consisting of “breaking of bread” i.e. communion of the Lord’s death upon the cross as instituted by Jesus in Matthew 26:26-29, “prayer”, “apostles’ teaching” on the first day of the week i.e. Sunday as Pentecost always, without exception occurred on the first day of the week as it was the 50th day after the Passover. So, if a church says that they worship God on Saturday as do the Adventists then you will know that is a substitution meaning it is not the restored church Jesus the designer, builder and owner would not be pleased with.

Look, if you are genuinely interested in the restored church of the Bible which exists in your community then go to www.timarucoc.org.nz and read an article or two, follow some links I have provided, do your research and get back to the restored church of the Bible. Take care that you give those man-made institutions a wide berth that is, of course, if you want to go home to heaven.

Graham

Accept no substitute

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25 Aug 2010

Emerging Church or Emerged Church?

I thought I would Google the world’s most popular church blogs the other day and what do you know, all I could find was fancy story tellers, some of whom would fit well in and around the wacky backy sniffing hippies of the 60’s and others sound like they are trying to sell you life insurance that behind the scenes contains more fish hooks than Captain Phil Harris’ fishing boat on Deadliest Catch.

Most all talk of this “emerging church” waffle which is strange, for when you define “emerging” one denotes that which is up and coming, rising, budding, promising etc. That is why I say strange because nothing could be further from the truth at least as far as the objective truth of the Bible is concerned. Rather than emerging, the true church has already emerged and has been around for nigh on 2000 years.

Now I am talking about the church; not some church conjured up in the minds of theologians or kings of the 16th Century onward such as Calvin’s reformed Roman Catholic, King Henry VIII’s Church of England, John and Charles Wesley’s Methodist, John Smyth’s Baptist, John Booth’s Salvation Army or the myriad of cults and holiness movements such as Assembly of God, New Life etc. No, I am talking of the church of Christ, you know, the church Jesus said He would build and die for (Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28). The church of singular nature that the apostles spoke of; that is, the church Jesus is head of and where one must be added if one is saved (Colossians 1:18; Acts 2:41, 47).

Now this does make the manner of this so-called emerging church which these thousands of bloggers speak of seem somewhat bewildering which really begs the question as to what and where be the real church of the Bible. So the question ought to be asked: Where is that church and can I find this church written in the Bible? After all, when Jesus severely rebuked the “father of lies” regarding his erroneous thoughts about Christ and His ministry, He said, each time, “It is written” (Matthew 4:1-11) which means the source of our inquiry must be written down.

So, unless it is written or bears:

  • The name given in the New Testament such as “churches of Christ” (Romans 16:16), “church of God” (I Corinthians 1:2), “the church” (Philemon 1:2), then it clearly is not the church belonging to Christ.
  • The worship protocol that the 1st Century church practiced such as worship each Lord’s Day i.e. Sunday (Revelation 1:10), preaching the word of God and partaking of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7), freewill giving as one has prospered (II Corinthians 9:7) [not Law of Moses derived “tithing”], acapella singing i.e. without musical instruments (Ephesians 5:19), prayer by holy men (I Corinthians 14:15, I Timothy 2:8), then it is not the church of the Saviour.
  • The organised leadership such as biblically qualified elders, deacons (I Timothy 3; Titus 1), preachers to proclaim the word of God (Romans 10:13-15; II Timothy 3:8-13), then it is not the church of Christ.
  • The salvation obligations clearly enunciated from Matthew to Revelation; namely hear God’s word so that you may believe (Romans 10:17), believe that word of God (Hebrews 11:6), repent of your sins which you are surely guilty of (Romans 3:23; Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus as Lord before witnesses (Matthew 10:32), be baptised for the remission of sins (John 3:3, 5; Acts 2:38; Titus 3:5; I Peter 3:21)[not pagan origin sprinkling, pouring of water commonly called christening], then it is not the church of the saved.

Don’t be fooled by the popular bloggosphere mob who waffle on like some new age hippie wannabes, or those smooth of speech out of some seminary for they do not lend authenticity to their claims of practicing Christians in the true sense of the noun. In fact you could call them emerging all right; emerging as another form of lie.

Check out the true church at www.timarucofc.org.nz but beware your sensitiveness may very well be wounded. Just remember, before you get all hot under the collar over what I have written here and rush to print, cascading me with subjective vitriol with phrases such as “how dare you judge me like that” or “where is the love and forbearance” –  fools despise wisdom and pride goes before destruction (Proverbs1:7; 16:18).

Graham

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