The Truth about the Truth. Christians who are loyal to their church don't want to hear The Truth. They want to hear what they already believe is truth even if it isn't. And every week they get to hear some preacher tell them what they like to hear.
To
organized religion it seems right to incorporate a Church name, have an
earthly headquarters, put up building, hire a preacher, and go into
business, but what seems right may not be right. ~ Proverbs 14:12
Churchianity says if you are not a member of our "one and only true church," you have no hope of salvation. Jesus says in Mark 9:38-41..."if they are not against us, they are on our side." Was Cornelius a member of any church? Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation (or denomination) whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him."
~ Acts 10:34-35
It's been said confession is good for the soul. So I confess... I
once was a smug Christian. I belonged to the "one and only true church." I
was "saved", and everybody that did not worship like me was going to an
ever-burning hell to be tortured for all eternity. What a warped view I
was taught by preachers about my Heavenly Father's love, mercy, and
forgiveness. Praise the LORD, He rescued me from Churchianity.
God is not confined to Temples, Church buildings, or earthly organizations. He chose the human
heart as His dwelling place. As it is written: "Do you not know that you
are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?" ~ 1 Corinthians
3:16
Christians
have nothing to be smug about. We are not righteous (or saved) people
telling other people they need to "get saved" and join the right Church, rather we are one beggar
telling another beggar where to find bread. God
is not impressed by Church names, eloquent speeches, or religious
clothing. He responds to trust and obedience. Sometimes, the ones who
assume they are entitled to blessing
are the very ones who miss it.
As Paul wrote in Philippians 2:11-13... Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
It's a 24/7 job minding our own business. As it is written,
"Who are you to judge another’s servant? To his own master he stands or
falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him
stand".
~ Romans 14:4. What
others do with the gift of salvation is their business. No Church
organization has a franchise on God, or a monopoly on the truth. The
Church that Jesus built is not an earthly organization, it's a Body of
Believers who are seeking first the Kingdom of God.
If truth only comes from the pulpit, why study the Bible? Seeking Truth is central to Christianity because it is equated with Jesus Christ, who is described as "the way, the truth, and the life." Understanding and living by HIS truth is essential for salvation, as it frees people from sin and deception. For
Christians, truth serves as a moral compass, guides relationships, and
provides spiritual discernment and security, ultimately shaping one's
worldview and daily life.
What American Christians don't understand about Christians in various denominations and Believers in foreign countries could fill a football stadium. The gap in understanding within American
Christianity, points to vast differences in practices, beliefs, and
challenges faced by diverse denominations (like Orthodox, Catholic,
Protestant) and fellow Believers globally, where Christianity often
looks and functions very differently, from persecuted minorities in some
Muslim-majority nations to vibrant, distinct expressions in places like
Latin America or Africa, showcasing a spectrum from individualism to
deep communal faith often unseen by many U.S. Christians who believe their denomination has a franchise on God and a monopoly on Truth.
The Levitical, Apostolic, and Christian ministries are not competing offices, but are ministries of revelation and maturation, each serving the unveiling of Christ’s completed work until His life is fully expressed in sons. As it is written: For it was fitting for Him (Jesus), for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
Read Ephesians 4, it explains God's plan to bring unity out of religious confusion.
It
seems Christians are the easiest people for Satan to fool. He was able
to persuade a third of the angels to rebel against God, so we should not
be to hard on babes in Christ who cling to traditions of man. It is
very difficult for immature Christians to understand the difference
between Churchianity and Christianity. Satan is not stupid, he
counterfeits the word of God and always makes
disobedience seem like harmless fun. God always gives us a choice. We can choose to believe the Truth of the Bible, or we can choose the lies of the Adversary.
Organized religion builds cathedrals and temples of stone. Jesus teaches that His Temple is made of living stones. ~ 1 Peter 2:4-6.
The Church that Jesus built is not an earthly organization, it's a Body
of Believers who are seeking first the Kingdom of Heaven. True
Christian assembly is with Believers, not institutions. Believers are
individuals, searching for God by revelation, perseverance, and
personal conviction. They worship in spirit and in truth, not in
Articles of Faith, dogmatic ritual, or by unction from a hireling
clergy.
Steve Harvey said it best, "church is nothing but a building. THE CHURCH
is the activity that goes on inside and outside of that building."
Christians will never understand, or agree on, Bible doctrines 100% correctly until
the return of Christ, but we can try our best to live a life of
overcoming. God does not expect, or demand, perfection. He only wants
His children to be grateful and obedient. We
are judged by our works, (obedience)
not our church membership. As it is written: And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
~ Revelation 20:12
Spirit Filled Believers of Jesus Christ are The Church. The Name on the Meeting House Does Not Matter.
Christianity is not a religion, it's the government of God. The Body of Christ (the true church) is unified with judicial order and accountability to Yahweh, and each other. Organized religion has set itself up outside the judicial order of God creating man-made doctrines, creeds, and their own religious holidays.
The founding of the modern day Churches of Christ was an attempt to unify Christian sects under one banner. In 1809 Thomas Campbell (1763-1854), a Presbyterian minister, wrote the foundational document calling for Christian unity with the famous slogan, "Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent."
Thomas Campbell's, and his son, Alexander's (1788–1866) reform efforts evolved into the formation of the Disciples of Christ and the Churches of Christ. In 1832, their movement merged with the Kentucky-based "Christians" led by Barton W. Stone (1772–1844), also a former Presbyterian minister. Stone became famous for leading the massive, highly emotional Cane Ridge Revival in 1801. He and his followers rejected creeds, choosing simply to call themselves "Christians."
If
you want to haggle over the names of churches, the exact phrase "Church
of Christ" (singular) isn't found in any version of Bible translations,
but
the plural "churches of Christ" appears only once in Romans 16:16. Church of God appears eight times. There is no Catholic church, no Baptist church, no SDA, no LDS, no JW, etc. named in the Bible. As it is written: The general assembly of God and church of the
first-born are registered in heaven (not a corporation registered on
earth) ~ Hebrews 12:23.
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Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
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To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
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Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God.
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But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.
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What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you.
- For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
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Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:
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For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it.
The Church in the wilderness predates all denominations. Acts 7:38 Stephen describes Moses as being with the "church in the wilderness" (or congregation/assembly).
You are cordially invited to join Renew Your Strength Bible Study Group
The purpose of this post is to get people to think about what they believe and why they believe it, not debate who's right or wrong.
To
learn the revealed truth of God we must know and understand the true
meaning of the words God inspired to be written. Use Strong's
Concordance to check the original word before it was translated. Do your own research, make up your own mind, rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you.
