Looking for a church
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Aimiel
Well-known member
I wonder if Jesus will find faith in this earth when He returns. It's getting so you can't even find a Christian who has faith enough to believe that there is a single church (anywhere) that is worthy of his attendance. Sounds like self-righteousness getting in the way of good sense.
BChristianK
New member
Servent101,
What is the one, most important thing you are looking for in a church fellowship?
Grace and Peace
What is the one, most important thing you are looking for in a church fellowship?
Grace and Peace
I commend you for desiring fellowship and recognizing the importance of church.
Run, do not walk, to the nearest evangelical Church that knows and loves God passionately, preaches and teaches the Word of God, loves one another, reaches the lost, etc. When you find it, let the rest of us know where it is
If you are looking for a church with your beliefs, find a sect, a dead/liberal/nominal church. You may be comfortable there, but there will not be abundant nor eternal life for the taking.
God came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. You should ensure your vertical relationship with God is valid and real, before you work on your horizontal relationships with His people. Who do you say Jesus Christ is? Where did you get those ideas? Have you considered what He said about Himself?
We need a divine invasion: revival in the Church and spiritual awakening in the world. We must arise and be the army and family of God, not a dying institution.
Run, do not walk, to the nearest evangelical Church that knows and loves God passionately, preaches and teaches the Word of God, loves one another, reaches the lost, etc. When you find it, let the rest of us know where it is
If you are looking for a church with your beliefs, find a sect, a dead/liberal/nominal church. You may be comfortable there, but there will not be abundant nor eternal life for the taking.
God came to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. You should ensure your vertical relationship with God is valid and real, before you work on your horizontal relationships with His people. Who do you say Jesus Christ is? Where did you get those ideas? Have you considered what He said about Himself?
We need a divine invasion: revival in the Church and spiritual awakening in the world. We must arise and be the army and family of God, not a dying institution.
keypurr
Well-known member
One should not compromise his beliefs just to sit in a church with people who have no clue who God is. They sit there week after week saying the same thing over and over and it means nothing to them. The churches are at a standstill because of their traditions. They say follow me and you will get to heaven. I say follow God, read his word, pray for understanding to build your faith. Then, if you can, find his church. I find his church in it's people, not it's building. Many churches contain sincere people seeking truth. I have often thought if Luther would be a Lutheran today. The that church stopped growing when he died. Why, because they started to quote him, and live by his interpertations and not God's. As time moves on more Bible truth appear, yet the traditional churches look back instead of forward.
Te revival of the church that godrulz is looking for is taking place, yet he does not see it. Look to the people that make up HIS church. They think differently that of the "Old Time Religion"
Te revival of the church that godrulz is looking for is taking place, yet he does not see it. Look to the people that make up HIS church. They think differently that of the "Old Time Religion"
Aimiel
Well-known member
If you forget the past, you're doomed to repeat it. You have to study Church history to understand why they made the mistakes they did, learn from their blood, sweat and tears, and try (only by participation, not by being an 'armchair Christian') to make His Church into what He designed it to be: one without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.
There are many healthy, great churches in the world. If you are looking for a perfect church while you are imperfect, you will be disillusioned. The imperfection of the church is not an excuse to forsake fellowshipping with one another. I am part of a solid, growing church. The Spirit of God is there. I am not running around immaturely seeking where the action is.
Aimiel
Well-known member
If you find a perfect church, don't join it, you'd just mess it up. The church that Jesus is coming back for is not a building, but they attend servcies in those buildings, out of obedience, though. The ONLY way to improve a church is to join one, and then pray that God's Will might be done. I've seen it. Been there, done that and love every minute of it.
keypurr
Well-known member
Why are you so defensive of your churches? Do they teach the whole truth as you see it? Do they follow the teachings of Christ? I know I am not perfect, but I don't put on a robe a tell people it is OK not to follow God's rules either.
I believe in a commandment keeping church. That means church services on Saturday. The adventist are the only ones in this area to do so and I cannot condone some of their doctrins. If I am wrong, God will deal with me. I seek perfection through him, not a church. Do you worship a church, or God?
I believe in a commandment keeping church. That means church services on Saturday. The adventist are the only ones in this area to do so and I cannot condone some of their doctrins. If I am wrong, God will deal with me. I seek perfection through him, not a church. Do you worship a church, or God?
Most Sabbath keeping churches have contra or extrabiblical teaching. Whether you worship on Saturday, Sunday, or treat every day the same (Pauline teaching), we are to fellowship with believers. This is not putting the church above God, but fitting into His intention for believers and plan for world evangelization. There was a transition from the OT Sabbath to meeting on the Lord's Day (resurrection). There is a can of worms for another thread.
My wife and I have had a real time finding a church. As someone in a chat room said - if you are expecting to find a church or denomination that 100% agrees with everything you want, be prepared to be discouraged. Also, itchy ears can cause anyone to stumble into a cult or an off-the-wall organization don't you think?
keypurr
Well-known member
Aimiel, I think you and I share some of the same ideas. However my road is differant than yours. I too worship The Spirit of The Lord, Who dwells in temples not made with hands. I just don't find him the churches. Only because the churches have turned their backs to God's laws. They teach Jesus as died and risen, but they do not teach and do his commandments. Walk as he walked, talk as he talked. Teach what HE taught.
Do not think that I hold no value to the churches. They do a lot of things right. They do a lot of good. Without the church, scripture would not be available. I know all this. But that is not enough. Truth must be taught.
Do not think that I hold no value to the churches. They do a lot of things right. They do a lot of good. Without the church, scripture would not be available. I know all this. But that is not enough. Truth must be taught.
Below is a list of some cults...if you know anything about them then you know something about cults. Some include Roman Catholicism in the list as well.
Christian Science
Church of Christ
Islam
Jehovah's Witnesses
Mormonism
New Age Movement
Oneness Pentecostal
Open Theism
Seventh Day Adventism
Shepherd's Chapel
Universalism
etal.
Christian Science
Church of Christ
Islam
Jehovah's Witnesses
Mormonism
New Age Movement
Oneness Pentecostal
Open Theism
Seventh Day Adventism
Shepherd's Chapel
Universalism
etal.
We should define 'cult'. Technically it refers to a body of beliefs (including Christianity). In apologetics, it is a group that deviates significantly (essentials) from biblical, historical, orthodox Christianity.
The above list is subjective depending on the author and their perspective.
There are many 'Church of Christ' groups. Some are evangelical, while others are heretical.
Christian Science is a 'christian' cult that is out to lunch (started by Mary Baker Eddy).
Islam is a world religion, not a cult proper (usually North American groups for popular definition).
JWs and Mormons are the largest and fastest growing 'christian' cults and false.
New Age movement is an unorganized world view/philosophy with many variations of belief. It is possible to attend nominal churches and be a New Ager.
"Oneness Pentecostals" are unorthodox due to their rejection of the Trinity. They strongly affirm the Deity of Christ, but see Jesus stepping into offices or modes (Father, Son, Spirit) rather than personal distinctions within the Godhead. It is possible to be a modalist and a Christian. There are a variety of 'oneness' groups. The United Pentecostal Church does contribute to the evangelical, conservative Society for Pentecostal Studies and are considered evangelical.
Open Theism is a philosophical view held by some Baptists (Dr. Gregory Boyd) and other evangelicals teaching at conservative seminaries. They do not deny the essentials of the faith, but do deny Calvinism (usually) and wrestle with peripheral issues like the relationship of God's sovereignty to man's free will. This does not make them a cult any more than Calvinists or Arminians are cults. Whether one believes in exhaustive foreknowledge of future contingencies or an open future is not a salvific issue.
Universalism is a wrong doctine of salvation and eschatology. You may be thinking of Unitarianism, a cult.
SDA have split into 2 streams (as has the WWCofG- Herbert Armstrong). One part is evangelical (with some wrong teachings and practices), while the other part is heretical.
Moonies are another cult.
Shepherd's Chapel is not a significant group. It does have wrong doctrines on many points.
Catholicism is one of the main branches of Christianity (+ Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical). They have core truths such as the Trinity and Deity of Christ, but add many extra/contrabiblical ideas. It is theoretically possible to be a Catholic Christian, but many are nominal and trust the Church rather than Christ for salvation.
Aimiel
Well-known member
There aren't any perfect churches, or perfect Christians.
"...a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law."
It is not by belonging to this church or that, or even having enough sense to stay away from this whole denomination or that 'group;' The Lord knows how to find us, and deliver us from whatever we're imprisoned by.
Diametrically opposed beliefs are not all true.
Hinduism is either true of false.
Islam is either true of false.
Mormonism/JWs are either true of false.
They are not all equally true or valid.
Christianity contains redemptive, salvific truth. Other religions have behavioral truth, but lack a knowledge of the true God and Gospel.
What exactly is my religion? Do you even know what denomination I belong to our all my beliefs? I am a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation is in a person, not an organization or church.
I distinguish between world religions and cults. Objectively, the above groups have significant aberrant teachings that put them outside of biblical, historical, orthodox Christianity. One must have a minimum of essential truth. The Deity of Christ, the oneness of God (vs many gods), the Bible as the Word of God, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, etc. are essential to salvation.
Either Jesus is God or He is Michael the Archangel (JW). There is another gospel (Paul curses the false teachers) and another worthless counterfeit Jesus (Gal. 1:6-10l 2 Cor. 11:4). Scripture warns about false teachers who will be lost and drag others with them.
There are hundreds of millions of genuine believers within Christianity who attend hundreds of different denominations, besides my own. Christianity is the only true religion, but my version of it is not the only one (with everyone else being a cult).
There is much tolerance on the numerous divisive, peripheral issues. We have spiritual unity with diversity, not cultic uniformity.
If labeling false religions as cultic is intolerant, your quibble is with Jesus, Paul, and the Word. We need to proclaim and defend the faith once for all entrusted to the saints (Jude 4). False religion leads people away from God. You might like Unitarianism or Bahai. They are tolerant of all religions.
Your accusation was not well thought out, was it now?
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