According To The Scriptures:
EXAMINING CHURCH DOCTRINES
"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 Cor. 13:5).
"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." (John 12:48)
I believe that a believer is not condemned. Jesus agrees!
"He that believeth on him is not condemned" (John 3:18).
Some church doctrines teach that a believer is condemned until or unless baptized. If you can read this from God's Word, please let me read that Scripture.
I believe that a believer has everlasting life. Jesus agrees!
"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath [present tense] everlasting life" (John 6:47).
Most religious groups teach that a believer can sin and be lost. I believe that it is impossible for a believer to be lost. Jesus agrees!
"And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish" (John 10:28).
I believe that Jesus instituted (built) His church on earth during His personal ministry. Jesus agrees!
"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:18).
"And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church" (Matt. 18:17).
It would have been impossible to "tell it unto the church" if the church did not exist at that time.
All denominations say that the church began on Pentecost in Acts 2:1-47. Actually, there is not one word in Acts chapter 2 about the church beginning at that time. The church was "added to" in Acts 2:41-47:
"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls... And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."
You cannot add to something that does not exist any more than you can come back from some place you have never been! Obviously, the church was already in existence in order for it to be "added to".
Many denominations teach that sprinkling or pouring is baptism.
I believe that baptism is by immersion only. Jesus agrees!
"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water" (Matt. 3:16).
"And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip..." (Acts 8:38-39).
"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death...For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection" (Rom. 6:4-5).
"Buried with him in baptism..." (Col. 2:13).
If sprinkling for water baptism can be found in the Scriptures (KJV), please let me read it.
I believe that believers are justified by the blood at the point of faith. God's Word agrees!
"Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Rom. 5:9).
Denominations teach that a believer reaches the blood at the point of baptism. If you can read that from the Bible (KJV), please let me read it.
I believe that believers living at the time of the first resurrection will never die. Jesus agrees!
"And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?" (John 11:26).
This was spoken to the saints at Corinth (I Cor. 1:2):
"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed" (I Cor. 15:51).
This was spoken to the church at Thessalonica (I Thess. 1:1):
"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (I Thess. 4:17).
I believe that there is a tribulation coming. Jesus agrees!
"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time..." (Matt. 24:21).
I believe that, immediately after the tribulation, the sign of the Son of Man shall appear in heaven. Jesus agrees!
"Immediately after the tribulation...then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and...they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory" (Matt. 24:29-30).
Those who teach that the tribulation happened in A.D. 70 should be asked this question: "Did the sign of the Son of man appear?" (Scripture please.)
I am thankful that every doctrine taught in the church where I am a member is plainly taught in the Scriptures. When I am judged by the Word, the chapter and verse can be given. Can your church doctrines be found -- chapter and verse?
I can find my church doctrines clearly recorded in the Bible. Can you find yours? This is a very serious matter. The Bible says:
"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 Cor. 13:5)
"He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day" (John 12:48).
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21).
Jesus then warns us that some charismatic churches will miss heaven.
"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity" Matt. 7:22-23).
Sins and iniquities separate between us and God (Isa. 59:2). Sin is anything that we willingly do that transgresses God's law. Iniquity is to be doing a religious work that is not Scriptural. "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matt. 7:23). Most of the people that Jesus witnessed to one-on-one were religious people, but they were lost. The last message to the churches is that they will not be caught up, but they will be spued out (Rev. 3:16). We want to be sure that we have the very truth.
Some say we are to remember the sabbath day to keep it holy. I cannot read that statement in the New Testament. If you can, please let me read that Scripture.
"In the end of the sabbath..." (Matt. 28:1).
"And when the sabbath was past..." (Mark 16:1).
"For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth" (Rom. 10:4).
"But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them" (Gal. 3:11-12).
"But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years" (Gal. 4:9-10).
I believe that God only allows men to pastor churches. God's Word agrees!
"This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop [pastor or overseer] then must be blameless, the husband of one wife..." (I Tim. 3:1-2).
We have groups today that have women who are called and call themselves "reverend" (read Psa. 111:9) or "pastors". But God never used a woman as a priest in the Old Testament. All of the 12 patriarchs were men. All of the 12 disciples were men. All missionaries sent by the churches were men (Acts 13:2). The Scriptures tell women not to usurp authority over the man (I Tim. 2:12). The Thyatira church let a woman teach and the Bible called her a "Jezebel" (Rev. 2:20).
REMEMBER:
"...ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32).
