According to the apostle Paul “God is not the author of confusion” (I Corinthians 14;33). Yet, today, there are hundreds of sects of “Christianity” all claiming to follow Jesus Christ and most if not all have a variation upon that theme. Is this how God wants it? Is this a “true and undefiled religion” (James 1:27)?
Listen to this preacher, Michael Hatcher and see if his lesson answers those questions.
Near the close of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21–23).
This passage teaches a great fundamental Truth: the emptiness and presumptuousness of doing anything that is not authorized by the Lord. Every item that one might list as an ingredient of faithfulness to God and His Son is subsumed in this sweeping principle. If one has his heart set on doing “all in the name of the Lord” (Colossians 3:17), he will be faithful in all things.
It is not enough to like something. It is not enough that something attracts large crowds. It is not enough that a “big” congregation somewhere is doing this or that. It is not enough that some “great name” among us supports, endorses, or teaches it. All that matters is, does God authorize it?
To merely speak the Lord’s name over something we are doing is no sign of His acceptance or approval. The sons of Sceva quickly learned this to their own dismay and discomfort (Acts 19:14–16). The Lord’s statement conclusively shows that God requires more than mere faith and its confession, more than mere sincerity, more than human effort, and more than religious acts if one is to be saved. Unless one is engaged in behavior God has authorized (i.e., doing “the will of my Father”), one’s efforts are all in vain. That which God does not authorize, He does not recognize.
Faithful men restored the church in modern times on the premise of book, chapter, and verse—explicit or implicit—Scriptural authority for all that we do and say. My, how we constantly need to be reminded of this fact. So much preaching and practice among us nowadays has no more authority for it than John Calvin, the denominations in town, some popular psychologist or philosopher, “I don’t see anything wrong with it,” or “I like it”—or a combination thereof.
One is not faithful to God who is not faithful to Christ (John 15:23). One is not faithful to Christ who does not honor His doctrine (John 12:48). God has given His Son “all authority” (Mat. 28:18) and we must scrupulously submit to it. Those who try to “freelance” in religion, whether in the church or out, will arrive at the Judgment to hear the Lord ask, “Who are you? I don’t believe we’ve met and it’s too late to get acquainted now.”
Dub McClish, Texas, USA
The appointment that all men will keep regardless of their status in this world is to die. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement” (Hebrews 9:27). In fact, DNA research has recently uncovered 300 defective genes that will guarantee a breakdown of the DNA strand leading to death. As Richard Durbin, of Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute says, “…none of our genomes is perfect”. The God of heaven and the Bible sure knew what He was meaning when He said, “…by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).
The question is, are you ready for the judgement? Have you received or rejected the word of Christ? (John 12:48) Will you pass or fail the upcoming examination? (II Corinthians 13:5). Is Jesus going to welcome you into heaven as a servant with the words “Well done” or “Depart from Me” to Hell wicked one?(Matthew 25:21, 23; 7:23).
There is only one way in which to find out for you will only be welcomed into heaven if you have done the “will of [God] which is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). There is only one will of God and that is Jesus Christ’s word (John 14:6). There is only one that can save you, the Man, Christ Jesus (Acts 4:12). It is no use appealing to the doctrines and traditions of men such as Protestant churches, Roman Catholic church, Holiness movements, Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, Seventh Day Adventists cults and such like, for Jesus described such man-made ideology is “vain” (Matthew 15:9). Paul said such shenanigans are worthy of being labelled “accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9).
That can mean only one thing, you need to get with the programme and be “added” to the church (Acts 2:47). You don’t know how? Well, here’s a tip, check out the essential pattern Essential Pattern or click on the icons on the side of this post but make sure you hurry because you just don’t know when Jesus is going to return (Matthew 24:36). It might be tomorrow for all you know and if He returns and you have not obeyed His word by becoming a Christian then you will end up in Hell along with all these poor souls (cf Ezekiel 32:18-32; Mathew 7:13).
Your appointment day is going to come maybe sooner than later, so what are you waiting for? Now is good (II Corinthians 6:2).
Graham
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:
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?
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.
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).
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
The moral argument proves the existence of God
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
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
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
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:
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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