Are you chosen? A litmus test.

vsjb34 · Fierce Poodle Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 281

Do you love God's Word and all that it contains and believe it to be true and inerrant?

Are you concerned about your salvation?

Do you love God's people?

Do you now or do you long to actively participate in God's Church and what He is doing in the world?

Do you hunger and thirst after the truth and righteousness?

Do you love the God of the Holy Bible with all of your heart, soul and mind?

Do you believe in the literal and physical crucifixion, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ as told in the Gospels?

Do you believe The Lord Jesus Christ will come again to judge all and deliver the kingdom and all of creation into God's hands so that God may be all and all and reign supreme (Revelation)?

Have you repented of your sins, admitted that you are a sinner separated from God and that there is only one way that you can be reunited with Him and that is through the blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross who took upon Him our sins and gave to us His Righteousness. Do you believe this and have you accepted it and Jesus Christ as not only your Savior but also your Lord?

Has your belief translated into action. Are you obeying God's commandments in Scripture to the best of your ability and confessing all sin and repenting?

If you answered YES TO ALL these questions you are chosen. Praise God for it.

Fake · Tiger Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 862

Ron

Fake · Tiger Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 862

Ron, you seem to fail understanding of the message here.

You believe in Hell, I don't.
Since Hell don't exist in my world, I can't end up there.

Common sense, what the majority think is correct, there's no need for a God to reveal what common sense is.
Basic common sense is; Do not do unto others what you do not wish them to do unto you
If you follow that simple idea, there's no need for a divinity to tell you what's right and wrong.

Fake

Ron

Fake · Tiger Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 862

HeKkLeR · Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2003 8:38 pm Post subject:

I answered yes to each question, except the one about the church.

Who's church did you say? God's church? I dont know about God's church. I know about churches made, and established by men, but have no knowledge of God's church.

Fake, because you do not believe about something that you do not know about, does not mean it does not exist.

But you are granted that choice by God, and it is freely yours to make, and not ours to judge you on it. That is the Lord's burden.

Oh... Fake... I almost forgot.

vsjb34 · Fierce Poodle Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 281

All true churches are Gods because they are made up of Christians. The church is an assembly of Christians, be it in a house or other building. It is not an entity separate from the people who make it up. These people are God's people and that is why He is their ultimate leader and so it is His Church.

Ron · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 6:45 am Post subject:

Just a comment on the word church-

An often misused word in our language today, mainly refering to a structure where we meet.

Biblical definition from greek translation is "a calling out, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both)"

An exercise of using this word in its appropriate context is to change the phrase "the church" to "the saved", or "the redeemed". Lets look at a few passages doing this.

Act 5:11 And great fear came on all the church [the saved, the redeemed] and on as many as heard these things.

Act 8:1 And Saul was consenting to his death. And in that day there was a great persecution on the church [the saved, the redeemed] at Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Act 11:22 And the Word was heard in the ears of the church [the saved, the redeemed] in Jerusalem. And they sent out Barnabas, that he should go as far as Antioch

Now in translations, the same word is used in a context of the church local and the church universal. We have also grown to use this word to describe the building in which we meet. These are acceptable uses of the word but let us never forget the underlying root of the word. We are the church.

Nobby · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2003 10:58 am Post subject: A litmus test.

THE CHURCH?
I was going to ask this:
Are we talking about the building?
Or the Church?
As I see it the church is all Gods!
Where is the church?
I believe the church is with every born again christian!
We are the church & we belong to God!
My belief,
Nobby

vsjb34 · Fierce Poodle Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Posts: 281

You are right. But it is also an assembly of the "ekklesia" or "the called out ones". So we are the Church. What I meant by the question is are you active or are you going to be active in a local church?

I know many so-called Christians who never go to church. Hebrews 10:24 makes clear that this is a priority.

Not wanting to go to church means you see nothing in it and perhaps you are then spiritually dead because it is boring to you. The only reason you would be bored is because you have not seen the Truth. Do you see how all these things are connected?

HeKkLeR · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2003 12:02 pm Post subject: Re: Church.

gswisher · Rabid Pit Bull Joined: 04 Jun 2003 Posts: 421

I tend to agree with the idea that the churches are actually man-made organizations. A friend of mine was talking about the church he attends, and said something that was incredibly wise. The focus at this church now is for everyone to get involved in home groups so they can "become connected" to each other. His point was that being the church meant they WERE of necessity already connected. It's just like the church to try (by human means) to make something so, which God has already done. The church tries very hard at being the church--rather than just believing and flowing out from God's life. It's like someone else said. We cut the grass everyweek, not knowing God has installed astro-turf. Razz

Fake · Tiger Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 862

Ron · Posted: Fri Aug 22, 2003 10:27 pm Post subject:

The local church my family attends is the church of Christ, not an affiliation of the International Church of Christ. Rather a local assembly of Christians. This church strives to keep within the confines as set out in the New Testament church. Some of these are:

Not bound by any doctrine of man ie;
the Bible + the Methodist Discipline= Methodist
the Bible + Baptist Manual=Baptist
the Bible + Book of Morman= Mormanism

Organization of the church is based on Philippians 1:1 to include Elders, Deacons, Evangelists, Members

To be be a member of our church you must believe in Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. All those who are saved are members of the Lords church. (Acts 2:47)

There is no provision in the New Testament for any organizational arrangement larger than the local church.

Jesus Himself is the Head of the church, yet men today serve as heads of different denominations- popes, presidents, chief apostles, pastor generals. (Col 1:18 )

Likewise Jesus is the only lawgiver in the church, while denominations follow man-made creeds decided on in councils, synods, conventions, and groups of high ranking officials. (James 4:12)

The work of our church is fellowship, bible study, and community service.

It was after long research and study that I chose this church for my family to attend. I must say that I have been so spiritually rewarded with wisdom ans knowledge and growth in my walk with our loving God.
We worship together (Col 3:16), hear from God together (Acts 11:26), break bread together (Acts 20:7), pray together (Acts 12:5) and build one another up (1 Corinthians 14:26). It is something we all look forward to!