What Church Is The Right Church?

What Church is the Right Church?
copyright Millie Plastaras 7/5/2005

In these days and times, there are a myriad of churches to
attend. Each just a bit different from the one before.
There are many kinds of differences, the size of the church,
the congregation, the make up of the congregation,
the amount of services, but most of all the doctrine.

You can go in one church, and they say it is really important
to get into each verse, and understand what it has for you.
You can go to another church where they teach you, you
must learn the Bible precept upon precept. There are other
churches that say you need to learn the Bible line upon line,
precept upon precept. Then there are the churches who
teach no one but the pastors can interpret the scripture
correctly.

Some churches believe they have the corner on the truth,
and so do their members. No other church could possibly
be important to attend since they have the corner on the
market ... right?

Who is right and who is wrong.

People get very legalistic, defensive and unkind about
whether their church is right or wrong. I wonder how this
draws people to that church?

The Bible does not recognize any one visible Church on
earth as "the Church." The Church is the body of believers
which consists of all regenerated (born again) souls, each one
redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and transformed by
the renewing power of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 5:25
said Christ loved the church and gave himself for it.

The Christian Church comes from the Greek
Word Ecclesia meaning
"to call out from". Christians are
called out from the world system to be "in" Christ.

To the church of God which is at Corinth, in those who
are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints,
with all who in every place call upon the name of Jesus
Christ Our Lord, both theirs and ours
1 Corinthians 1:2

The visible church we see every Sunday is the place
where people's names are on church rolls, all earthly
denominations, and sects, good, bad and indifferent
are part of this visible church.

The invisible church is made up of those whose names
are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Revelation 21:27

There are some very basic things a church should believe.
It should start at the cross of Christ. All else is secondary.
The good news (gospel of Jesus Christ) is our great commission
to share with all the world. We miss the mark if we start
promoting a church before we promote the gospel of Christ.
John 3:16

A church should teach repentance
Acts 2:38 , Luke 13:3, all talk about the need to repent
to be saved. Without repentance there is no remission of sins.
And with sin in our heart it separates us from God. The only
thing that reconciles us with God, to change our sinful nature
is the blood of the lamb - Jesus Christ who died in our stead
on the cross, that we might find forgiveness of our sins.

A church must teach salvation. Jesus said to Nicodemus,
you must be born again. Being Born again means
we recognize we are sinners in need of salvation. That Jesus
recognized this, and came to earth expressly to die for our
sins. His blood cleanses our sin when we receive this gift
of salvation. He was the propitiation for our sins.

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption
that is in Christ Jesus.
Whom God has set forth to be a propitiation
(an atoning sacrifice) through faith in His blood, to
declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past
through the forbearance of God.
Romans 3:23-24

A church should encourage you to study God's word, and live
by it's holy concepts. To be a disciple of Christ, submitted
to His will.

To me, this is the starting point. If a church does not teach
this, they are missing the whole point. It is about Jesus
Christ, and Him crucified and risen the third day.

It is about our need for a Savior.

It is not about who has the greatest church, the biggest
congregation, the most fancy building, which preacher
has the greatest education or the greatest following, it
should be about Jesus Christ, and the cross.

If your church is pushing an agenda that departs from this,
if your pastor is promoting himself more than Christ,
if your church is talking more about prosperity than
about your walk in Christ,
if your church doesn't teach right out of the Bible,
if your church is more caught up in religious ceremony
than the salvation of souls, you need to find a new church
home.

There are many things to mislead us in this last day.
Even God's very elect will be drawn away. The Bible predicts
this. How will it happen? People will get their eyes off
the cross, and onto their own thoughts, their own agenda.
Every church fighting over doctrine, rather than preaching
the gospel.

One of the greatest dangers within the world today
in the Christian community and among churches
and their followers is people are not reading the
Bible for themselves. Many have never read it through.
They then, do not know what it teaches or not,
and can be easily mislead from it's central truth.

This is very serious. It can affect your soul, your
salvation, your walk with Christ, your words and
beliefs, if misguided can affect the souls you have
influence on. Nothing is more important than
sitting down, reading the Bible for yourself,
and seeing what it does teach, and allowing God
to speak to your heart, and lead you to His truth,
His will, and to teach you how to be a disciple
of Jesus Christ.

If every church out there today, would start talking
about salvation and the need for it, and how Jesus loves
them so much, just as they are, and longs to change them,
and save their souls, and comfort them and guide them,
the world would feel such hope.

The church is chasing people away by it's over religious
nature, its ceremonies, its rituals, it is irrelevant to this generation.
This generation wants straight talking people, who are
genuine, who say what they mean, mean what they say,
and that Christ shows in the people's lives. Not just lip
service, but a life style. This generation needs hope,
they need to feel loved, and accepted. They need to know
Jesus loves them and offers a way out, a transforming life
in Christ.

My friend ... take this serious. Your church is no better than mine,
your doctrine no wiser or stronger. Our God loves us both,
and we should be a body of Christ brought together in love,
preaching the gospel to the world. Not tearing each other
apart.

Are you going to be drawn away by the elements that
come to deceive your soul? The ones that keep you out
of the church, out of the word of God, away from repentance
before Jesus Christ?

Nothing else matters more. No decision is greater than
the one you make to be born again by the blood of the lamb.

Our hearts cry should be:

I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me;, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20

And, Christ's word is alive in me, for it is read by me, and planted
in my heart, allowing God to speak to me, that I may grow in Him,
be pleasing to Him, and know what the truth is according to the gospel
of Jesus Christ. That I may not be decieved by ungodly teaching,
but rooted in Christ, through His Holy Word, through Salvation through
his precious blood, and through following Him daily, seeking His will
above all else.

Don't neglect the most needful thing in your life. Your spiritual walk
with God. Don't take anyone else's word fully about God's word, read it
see if what they teach lines up with it. This is vital! The Bible says
in the last days many will be deceived, and even God's very elect will
be drawn away. I can fully assure you this is because they get drawn
away from the Bible and start believing the teachings of false men
who are charismatic in their teaching, and ungodly in their principles
and teachings. Don't be deceived! Be one of those who is steady and
strong in Christ, focused on Him. Let nothing come between your soul and
Christ.


remember
Only one life, will soon be past
Only what is done for Christ will last