What church would Christ attend?

Although the title’s question is hypothetical, our Lord is present when His followers gather to worship Him (Matt. 18:20). Moreover, we know that Christ dwells within the hearts of the faithful (Eph. 3:17). Knowing these things, the Scriptures provide enough information for us to answer the question.

If Jesus were to walk the face of this earth, where would He go to worship on Sunday? The answer can be found in Eph. 2:19, which describes God’s people as being part of a household. Christians belong to the family of God. When someone goes away on a trip and comes back, which family will he spend time with? That might seem like a silly question, but it will help us understand which church Jesus would worship with. Logically, He would spend time with His family and thus worship with His church.

Jesus said He was going to build His church (Matt. 16:18). This happened when He died on the cross and purchased the church with His own blood (Acts 20:28). When someone is covered by His blood and becomes a Christian, the Lord adds them to His body – the church (Acts 2:38, 41, 47; Rev. 1:5). This is why Christ calls them His own special people (I Pet. 2:9).

If Jesus returned to earth, would He assemble with the church that He is the head of (Col. 1:18) or some manmade religious organization? The answer might seem obvious. But would Christ show His love by visiting every denomination? This is an interesting question.

This should cause us to ponder a few things. I expect that Christ would visit every religious sect. He would not visit to worship though – He would visit to correct and admonish, telling them they need to abide only in His doctrine (II John 9) and that there is only one gospel (Gal. 1:6-9). Consider Revelation chapters two and three – the deeds of every congregation were recognized, but they were not all praised.

Let us return to the original question; which church would Christ attend? It would be His. We should not expect Christ to choose to worship with us if we designed worship for our own preferences rather than for His (John 4:24). Furthermore, why would anyone think that Christ would gather where He is not recognized as the head? Paul called the faithful who gathered in certain cities as churches of Christ (Rom. 16:16) because they belong to Christ.

Would Christ be pleased and willing to worship at any place that called themselves a church that is Christ?  Not at all. Again, He may go there to rebuke and admonish them to repent, just as He did with the seven churches of Asia in Revelation chapters two and three. Five of those churches were told to repent or else their candlestick would be removed. Jesus could say these churches belong to Him!

Let me make this perfectly clear – Jesus is not coming back to live on the earth again. But He is coming back, and everyone will be judged (II Cor. 5:10). It will be at a time when not expected (II Pet. 3:9-10). It is therefore important to be found faithful. If Christ would not be found worshipping at a manmade church, why would He be pleased to find you at one?

People who claim it does not matter which church we go to should look to the Scriptures and see how Jesus addressed His church. Remember, there will be many in the last day who will think they are going to be received into heaven but will instead hear the Lord say, “I don’t know you” (Matt. 7:21-23). Which church will you belong to?

                                                                                              Chuck

Let’s think this through

I do not know how many times over the past month I have heard people say, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” I like this statement, and it is thought provoking. From a Christian standpoint though, the opposite is also true. We could say “It is insane to do things differently and expect the same result.” Allow me to explain.

God’s people have been given a teaching that is unchanging (Rom. 6:17). This means we cannot add to it or take away from it (Gal. 1:6-9). Those who abide in the gospel are walking by faith (Rom. 10:17).  Now here is the clincher – without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb. 11:6). Therefore, it is insane to do things differently than what God has authorized and still expect the same results as those who follow His word.

Everyone needs to understand that a person “doing things for God” is not automatically approved by God. If God does not approve of these things, then who are they truly being done for? If you insist that God approves of something (or if you think He should approve of it) and are unwilling to confirm this in His word, then you are really doing it for yourself. The Bible is filled with examples of this behavior Consider Cain (Gen. 4), Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10) and those Jesus called out (Matt. 15:7-9).

Read on to understand why some vainly do things differently than God’s word describe and yet expect the same outcomes as those who faithfully follow His word.
 

Is it the thought that counts?

If God does not care how we serve Him, then why give the gospel? Why warn of punishment for those who do not obey His word or abide in it (II Thess. 1:8; II John 9)? If all that counted was the thought, John 4:24 would have been written to say, “God is Spirit, they that worship Him, must worship Him in spirit.” But we all know it continues on to say, “and in truth.”

Do the differences matter?

Our Lord commands that we sing (Eph. 5:19). Someone says, “We sing and play instruments in worship – it’s the same!” This is not the same – God’s word did not mention instruments. Our Lord commands that we belong to the church Christ built (Matt. 16:18; Acts 2:47; 20:28; Rom. 16:16). Someone says, “We belong to a denomination – it’s the same!” This is not the same – Jesus founded His church, not the denomination. Our Lord commands we have authority for everything we do (Col. 3:17; II Tim. 3:16-17). Someone says, “We don’t have Biblical support for everything we do, but it is still the same!” No it’s not – without God’s word, you are establishing your own religion.

Should we focus on God’s love and not His wrath?

Most people are annoyed when someone tells us what should or should not bother us. Imagine how God feels when people insist that certain behaviors should not upset Him even though His word teaches on these subjects! God’s love and wrath co-exist. We know this because God loves everyone and does want anyone to perish (John 3:16; II Pet. 3:9). Does that mean love overlooks sin? Of course not, which is why many will be lost (Matt. 7:13-14).  For some reason, those who are in religious error always think the lost are somehow different from them. In reality, they themselves are lost.

Let us be rational thinks and not insane – if we do things differently than are described in God’s word, we should not expect the same outcomes as those who abide in His word.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Chuck

What grace is not

If you teach someone that 2+2=4, you should not have to also teach everything that 2+2 does not equal (2+2≠5, 2+2≠3, etc.). If someone was raised to believe that 2+2=5 though, you would have to teach both what 2+2 does equal (4) and also what it does not equal (5).

This is a common challenge when trying to teach what God’s word actually says. You might think that whenever someone teaches what the Bible says, they would not have to also teach what the Bible does not say. Sadly though, many people think the Bible teaches certain things that it does not. In this article, we will teach what grace is. But we also have to point out what grace is not. Why? Many religious teachers spread confusion by making claims about grace that are NOT Biblical.

The Biblical meaning of grace

The simple definition of grace is “a gift”. Paul stated that we are saved by grace through faith and not of works (Eph. 2:8-9). This shows that we can never earn our salvation – it is a gift from God and thus something that we do not deserve. If we did deserve it, it would not be a gift thus would not be considered grace. Specifically, God’s gift to us was the sending of Jesus Christ and providing a plan of salvation that leads to heaven (Eph. 2:1-7). 

Despite the Bible’s clear teaching, religious teachers have muddied the waters. Here are some things that grace is NOT:

Grace is not a license to sin

The brethren at Rome were told God’s grace was great due to the amount of sinfulness in the world (Rom. 5:20). Paul did not want them to get the wrong idea though, so he posed a question: “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” (Rom. 6:1). In essence, Paul asks if the brethren should sin more to make God’s gift even more necessary. He strongly answered his own question: “Certainly not!” (verse 2). The point of Christ dying on the cross and giving His life as a gift for us was so that we would no long live under sin (Rom. 6:2). Willfully turning to sin is a rejection of this gift. Therefore, grace is not a license to sin!

Grace is not God overlooking sin

For some reason, people want to believe that “the grace of God” means He sees Christ’s blood when we sin rather than seeing us commit the actual error.  This makes no sense. Mankind was in sin, so the Father sent His Son (Rom. 5:8) to help us find forgiveness (Eph. 1:7). Does this mean God will overlook sins after someone becomes a Christian? In the Bible, Christians who sinned were told that God saw their wrongdoing (I Cor. 5:2; I Cor. 1:11; Rev. 2:4, 14; 3:1, 15-16). They were never told these sins were overlooked.

Grace is not obtained without conditions

Many religious people today are confused about grace because they believe it is unconditional. They say that if there are conditions on grace, it would no longer be a gift. What about the conditions Jesus gave: “Unless you believe I am He you will die in your sins” (John 8:24)? Also consider this condition about repentance: “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish,” (Luke 13:3). And this condition about baptism: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). To not abide in the doctrine of Christ is to miss heaven (II John 9). Keep in mind what we read earlier – we are saved by grace through faith. This faith must be active, not dead (James 2:26). Grace is the Lord’s part, and faith is our part. Our faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17).

                                                                                         Chuck

Can you be a Christian and go to any church?

I am certain that most religious people believe Christians can go to any church they choose. What does the Bible, God’s preserved word, say? In a literal sense, anyone can do anything THEY want. Let’s rephrase the question to better seek the will of God: Can one be a faithful Christian and go to any church they want?

There are many questions that need to be answered. When we find the answers to these questions, then we will have found the answer to our original question.

1. What does the Bible teach about becoming a Christian? (Rom. 10:17; John 8:24; Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 2:38; 22:16)

2. If a “church” does not teach what the Bible clearly states for question #1, then why would a Christian want to assemble with that “church”? (II John 9-10; I John 4:1)

3. Has the Lord specified which church a Christian must be of? (Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28; Eph. 1:22-23; 4:4; Rom. 16:16).

4. If the answer to question #3 is no, then would it really matter which church one was a member of? (Rom. 4:15)

5. However, if the Lord is being specific, then does this not answer the question given in the title? (Acts 2:47).

Allow me to be direct as we conclude this article. Jesus adds those who obey the gospel to His church, not some man-made organization. Becoming a Christian and picking any “church” you want is NOT authorized by the Lord. To make sure you are pleasing the Lord, study to show yourself approved (II Tim. 2:15). If you need further help identifying a church that is faithful to the Lord, do not hesitate to let us know.    

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Chuck

Consequences of standing for nothing

Recently I heard a lyric to a song on the radio that goes, “If you stand for nothing, you will fall for everything.” This line immediately made me think of what the apostle Paul told the brethren at Ephesus: “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive,” (Eph. 4:14).

Nobody in their right mind wants to be deceived, especially regarding Biblical teaching. The sad reality is that many people are being deceived though, and we need to everything we can to stop it. How can we prevent it from happening? And how can we determine if we are being deceived? The Lord has provided many aids, but we will just focus on the ones Paul mentioned in Ephesians.

First: Grow up

The first thing the apostle told the saints was to “be not children”. God’s people need to grow up, meaning they need to increase their faith (II Pet. 3:18). Even though Christians are always God’s children, this text it is talking about maturity. Those who never get grounded in Him will remain a “babe” in the faith and will struggle to discern good and evil (Heb. 5:13-14). The goal of every convert ought to be to desire the spiritual milk as a babe and then progress to the spiritual meat as soon as possible (Heb. 5:12).

Second: Do not believe everything you hear

The Ephesians’ church was told to not be carried away with every wind of doctrine. It is one thing to be trusting, but we should not take this too far. God’s people are commanded to test the spirits to see whether they are of God (I John 4:1). Our faith should not change or become unstable every time we hear someone make a claim – we are supposed to be rooted in the doctrine of Christ (II John 9). Many teachings sound Biblical but lack scriptural support. Phrases like “baptism is an outward sign of an inward grace” or “cleanliness is next to godliness” and “accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and you will be saved” might sound like the doctrine of Christ, but they are not.

Third: Remember that religious teachers are just men

Paul also instructed the Ephesians’ brethren to not to be tossed about by the trickery and cunning craftiness of men. Many people elevate the words of religious teachers and even follow them blindly. Those who claim to be teachers of God’s word must be held to that standards it contains (I Pet. 4:11). The mere fact that Paul told these brethren to not fall for their teachings is proof that the claims of religious teachers should be verified with God’s word and challenged when wrong. Even the apostle Peter was rebuked for his sinful behavior (Gal. 2:11). False teachers will desire to be elevated, but it can only happen if we allow it.

Forth: Know that you can have victory

The mere fact that these brethren were given instructions about what they should not allow is evidence these things can be prevented. As Jesus pointed out, we can know the truth, and the truth will set us free (John 8:32). We must use this truth! If someone is teaching error, we can correct them (Acts 18:26-28). If this person does not change what they teach, we can walk away from him (Matt. 10:14). Remember, we can resist even the devil himself (James 4:7).  Let us all heed these words and not be children who are carried about with every wind of doctrine.

                                                                                      Chuck