That's a strange title don't
you think? Yes, it is. However, it's an important question and needs to be answered by all
that claim the name of Christ. I'm writing this with double intentions. One, to warn and
inform. And two, to educate to relocate. Im praying that you read with a total
reliance upon the Holy Spirit. Im praying that you trust the Spirit of God to show
you the truth presented here. We never have to be afraid of the truth because, "ye
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)
What is the True Church?
I have covered this in detail with previous articles. See house
to house for a full explanation. I will; however, review this important material. Pay
careful attention to this for it is a vital truth that is grossly overlooked, if not all
together hidden, from the majority of Christians. As with any important decision we make
as Christians, we must make them based on sound Biblical principles. We must take
the Bible seriously and authoritative. It must be the rule and rod for which our
lives are governed.
The enemy (satan) likes to create smoke-screens in our minds. But
we're "
not ignorant of his devices." (2 Corinthians 2:11) he is a
master at the art of deception and ruse. Remember "
for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light." And "Therefore it is no great thing
if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be
according to their works." (2 Corinthians 11:14,15) Beware and watch out!
One of the important things the Holy Spirit does is bring us to
truthif you have the Spirit. He also brings us, points us, and directs us to Jesus.
Wouldn't you say the most important thing in your Christian life is Jesus? I hope so. God
always brings back to Jesus; Jesus is the foundation of Christianity. We have to be 100%
for Jesus nothing less will do.
"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given
him a name which is above every name." (Philippians 2:9)
"Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is
none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts
4:12)
"For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him
Amen, unto the glory of God by us." (2 Corinthians 1:20)
"And they, continuing daily with one accord in the
temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and
singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord
added to the church daily such as should be saved." (Acts 2:46,47)
We must always remember that "we" means those that have
truly been born again and saved by Jesus Christ are THE CHURCH. This includes all those
living now on the earth (sometimes called the Church militant) and all those in glory
(called the Church triumphant). We are the Churchthe body of Christ. The
people comprise the Church not walls of a building. All those that are truly born again
and know the savior we make up the entity called Church. No building, creed, or
denomination can be the Church. Please get that into your understanding because this is
very important.
Old Testament passages that show we are His people and
Church
"For I know him, that he will command his children and his
household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment;
that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." (Genesis
18:19)
"Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law,
the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the
mountain of God, [even] to Horeb. And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame
of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire,
and the bush [was] not consumed. And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great
sight, why the bush is not burnt. And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God
called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here
[am] I. And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the
place whereon thou standest [is] holy ground. Moreover he said, I [am] the God of thy
father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his
face; for he was afraid to look upon God." (Exodus 3:1-6)
"Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of
thine arm they shall be [as] still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the
people pass over, [which] thou hast purchased." (Exodus 15:16)
"Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the
way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Beware of him, and obey his
voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name [is] in
him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an
enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go
before thee, and bring thee in unto the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites,
and the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut them off."
(Exodus 23:20-23)
"And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before
thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I
will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy." (Exodus 33:19)
"And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD [am] holy,
and have severed you from [other] people, that ye should be mine." (Leviticus
20:26)
"For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the
LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that
[are] upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you,
because ye were more in number than any people; for ye [were] the fewest of all people:
But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto
your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of
the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt." (Deuteronomy
7:6-8)
"For thou [art] an holy people unto the LORD thy God, and
the LORD hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that
[are] upon the earth." (Deuteronomy 14:2)
"But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath
sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him [to be] captain over
his people, because thou hast not kept [that] which the LORD commanded thee." (1
Samuel 13:14)
"Howbeit the LORD God of Israel chose me before all the
house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah [to be] the
ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father
he liked me to make [me] king over all Israel: And of all my sons, (for the LORD hath
given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom
of the LORD over Israel. And he said unto me, Solomon thy son, he shall build my house and
my courts: for I have chosen him [to be] my son, and I will be his father." (1
Chronicles 28:4-6)
"But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly
for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him." (Psalm 4:3)
"Blessed [is] the nation whose God [is] the LORD; [and]
the people [whom] he hath chosen for his own inheritance." (Psalm 33:12)
"I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto
David my servant, Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all
generations. Selah
Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy one, and saidst, I have
laid help upon [one that is] mighty; I have exalted [one] chosen out of the people."
(Psalm 89:3,4,19)
"Blessed [is] the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and
teachest him out of thy law; That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity,
until the pit be digged for the wicked. For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither
will he forsake his inheritance." (Psalm 94:12-14)
"The remnant shall return, [even] the remnant of Jacob,
unto the mighty God." (Isaiah 10:21)
"Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, [in whom]
my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the
Gentiles." (Isaiah 42:1)
"But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob,
and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called
[thee] by thy name; thou [art] mine
[Even] every one that is called by my name: for
I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him
Ye [are] my
witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe
me, and understand that I [am] he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there
be after me
The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls:
because I give waters in the wilderness, [and] rivers in the desert, to give drink to my
people, my chosen. This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my
praise." (Isaiah 43:1,7,10,20,21)
"And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of
Judah an inheritor of my mountains: and mine elect shall inherit it, and my servants shall
dwell there." (Isaiah 65:9)
"For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, [even] I, will
both search my sheep, and seek them out." (Ezekiel 34:11)
See also: Genesis 21:1-3; 17:1-4,5-9; 27:27-29; Exodus 2:1-3 (God
chose Moses) 12:1-13; 15:13.16 (God reserves for Himself a people) 31:2,3,6; 40:15 (chosen
priesthood fulfilled in Christ) Numbers 16:7; 17:5,8; Deuteronomy 4:37; 9:4-6; 10:15;
21:5; 26:18; 29:12-15; Judges 13:3,5,24,25 (chosen beforehand) 1 Samuel 2:24,25,28;
3:4,10; 2 Samuel 6:21; 7:8,10,12-16,23; 22:20; 1 Kings 8:53; 11:32; 14:8,13 (salvation
before adulthood or infancy) 19:18; 1 Chronicles 11:3; 15:2; 16:13; 17:7,21,22; 29:1; 2
Chronicles 6:6; 21:7; 29:11; 32:31; Ezra 1:3; 2:1 (Divine calling) Nehemiah 9:7; Esther
2:2,2 (type election of God) Psalms 22:9,10,30,31; 31:19,23; 33:15; 37:18,23,24; 47:4;
48:14; 65:4; 71:5,6, 74:2; 94:5,7-11; 105:6,26,42-45; 106:31; 135:4,12; 139:1-3 Proverbs
24:14,16; Ecclesiastes 2:10; 4:8; Isaiah (all of chapter 1 gives a call of God to come
back) 13:3; 14:1; 26:2,3; 28:5; 41:8,9; 42:16; 44:1,2,21; 45:4; 48:10,11,12,15;
49:1,5,6,7,15,16; 51:2; 55:5; 65:22; Jeremiah 1:15; 31:1,3; Ezekiel 9:4-6; 20:5; 28:25,26;
34:15,30,31; 36:24; 37:26; Daniel 1:3,9; Amos 7:14,15; Jonah 1:1; Habakkuk 3:13; Haggai
2:23; Zechariah 1:17; 2:12; 3:2; Malachi 3:16,17,18.
"And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion
on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet."
(2 Kings 13:23)
"And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders
that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a
captain to return to their bondage: but thou [art] a God ready to pardon, gracious and
merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not."
(Nehemiah 9:17)
"I have been young, and [now] am old; yet have I not seen
the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread
For the LORD loveth judgment, and
forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be
cut off." (Psalm 37:25,28)
See also: Exodus 9:20,26; 10:23; 11:7; 14:30,31; 40:15; Numbers
20:12 (this is punishment not condemnation there is a difference from condemnation as in
16:26,31,33) Deuteronomy 4:37; 9:4-6; 13:17; 26:18; 32:43; Judges 6:11,13,14; 1 Samuel
7:3; 9:16; 2 Samuel 14:14; 1 Kings 6:12,13; 8:32; 9:3; 14:8; 15:5 2 Kings 32:31; Ezra 9:9;
Nehemiah 1:5; 9:19; Esther 2:17; Job 36:7,10; Psalm 33:18,19; 37:17,18; 48:14; 49:15;
84:11,12; 85:8,9; 97:10; 105:24,42-45; 135:12; Ecclesiastes 2:4; Isaiah 19:25; 54:17;
55:31; Jeremiah 31:1; Zechariah 2:8,12; 10:6.
The New Testament
The Church started in a house, and then went house to house. Has
the advent of denominations changed the way the Church is perceived in the world? I think
it has greatly, and to the detriment as well. In the New Testament the word congregation
appears only once in Acts 13:43.
"Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the
Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded
them to continue in the grace of God."
It's the word soon-ag-o-gay', which means assembly, congregation,
or synagogue. The word assembly appears only five times. In Hebrew 12:23 it's the Greek
word pan-ay'-goo-ris, general assembly, a mass meeting. And in James 2:2 it is the Greek
word soon-ag-o-gay', assembly, congregation, or synagogue. In the James passage it's
interesting he uses this word seeing he is known for his Judaic overtones.
In the other three passages the word is the Greek word
ek-klay-see'-ah, called out ones, assembly, or the church. This is the common word found
in all the passages referring to the Church in the New Testament. This word appears 77
times, and in every place it's this word that is used. No other meaning is alluded to
other than Church. The first time we find the word Church is in Matthew 16:18.
"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."
Evidence of the validity of the house Church method.
"And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple,
and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of
heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the
church daily such as should be saved." (Acts 2:46,47)
"And when they were come, and had gathered the church
together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door
of faith unto the Gentiles." (Acts 14:27)
"Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not,
that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all, when ye
come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly
believe it. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's
supper." (1 Corinthians 11:17,18,20)
"Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat,
tarry one for another. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not
together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come." (1
Corinthians 11:33,34)
"If therefore the whole church be come together into one
place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or
unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? How is it then, brethren? when ye come
together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a
revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying." (1
Corinthians 14:23,26)
New Testament passages that show we are His people and
Church
"And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup,
and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and
on my left, is not mine to give, but [it shall be given to them] for whom it is prepared
of my Father." (Matthew 20:23)
"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world." (Matthew 25:34)
"I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but
that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel
against me." (John 13:18)
"Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And
the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." (Acts 2:47)
"But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have
reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to [the image of]
Baal." (Romans 11:4)
"Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by
Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will." (Ephesians
1:5)
"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him,
whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of
the world." (Revelation 13:8)
See also: Mark 14:21; Luke 12:31,32; John 1:48; 8:47; 10:27,29;
17:12,20; Acts 2:39; Romans 8:29; 11:2,5; Revelation 13:8 (not written from the
foundation) 17:8.
"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." (Matthew 16:18)
"So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many
be called, but few chosen
And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup,
and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and
on my left, is not mine to give, but [it shall be given to them] for whom it is prepared
of my Father." (Matthew 16:18,23)
"And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a
trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of
heaven to the other." (Matthew 24:31)
"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand,
Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of
the world." (Matthew 25:34)
"And they said unto him, We can. And Jesus said unto
them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am
baptized withal shall ye be baptized: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is
not mine to give; but [it shall be given to them] for whom it is prepared." (Mark
10:39,40)
"And when it was day, he called [unto him] his disciples:
and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles." (Luke 6:13)
"Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus
answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig
tree, I saw thee." (John 1:48)
"John answered and said, A man can receive nothing,
except it be given him from heaven." (John 3:27)
"All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him
that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out
And this is the Father's will which hath
sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up
again at the last day." (John 6:37,39)
"I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but
that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel
against me." (John 13:18)
"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and
ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should
remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you."
(John 15:16)
"Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me,
be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou
lovedst me before the foundation of the world." (John 17:24)
"And afterward they desired a king: and God gave unto
them Saul the son of Cis, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And
when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he
gave testimony, and said, I have found David the [son] of Jesse, a man after mine own
heart, which shall fulfil all my will
And when the Gentiles heard this, they were
glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life
believed." (Acts 13:21,22,48)
"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to
be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also
justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." (Romans 8:29,30)
"Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect.
For they [are] not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of
Abraham, [are they] all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. For this [is]
the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son
Therefore
hath he mercy on whom he will [have mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth."
(Romans 9:6,7,9,18)
"Who shall also confirm you unto the end, [that ye may
be] blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God [is] faithful, by whom ye were
called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord." (1 Corinthians
1:8,9)
"According as he hath chosen us in him before the
foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will." (Ephesians 1:4,5)
"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering."
(Colosians 3:12)
"Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God."
(1 Thessalonians 1:4)
"Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father,
through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus
Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. Blessed [be] the God and Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a
lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance
incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who
are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last
time." (1 Peter 1:2-5)
"To whom coming, [as unto] a living stone, disallowed
indeed of men, but chosen of God, [and] precious
But ye [are] a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises
of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (1 Peter
2:4,9)
"The [church that is] at Babylon, elected together with
[you], saluteth you; and [so doth] Marcus my son." (1 Peter 5:13)
"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make
your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall."
(2 Peter 1:10)
See also: Matthew Ch.1 (God choose Joseph/Mary) 3:9 (position or
birth really does not have anything to do with it, it's by election) 3:12; 4:18,19,20-22;
10:1,2; 11:10 (speaking of John the Baptist) 11:25-27; 12:18; 13:30; 16:17,25; 19:25,26;
20:1-7; 22:1-14; 24:22,24; 25:32,33,46; Mark 1:20; Luke 1:5,6,13 (John elected and chosen)
17,26,27; 4:25-27; 10:1,20,22; 12:5,31,32; 13:24; 15:4,11-24 (the true child od God will
come back if he sins) 16:19-31 (example of one chosen and one not) 17:27-29 (some chosen
some not) 18:7; 19:3 (the drawing of God on someone) 19:5; 20:35; 23:35,39-43 (example of
one chosen one not) John 3:33; 5:21; 6:44,45,64,65,70; 7:16,17; 10:3-5,14-16; 11:43-45
(example of calling, electing us to salvation) 51,52; 15:19; 17:10,11,12; 18:37; Acts 1:2;
2:25,39,47; 7:2,3; 9:3-6 (calling) 15,16; 10:41; 13:2,17,20; 15:14,17; 16:14; 18:10;
22:14; 26:16; 28:24; Romans 1:1,2; 8:28,33; 9:9-33; 11:5,7,28,29; 16:13; 1 Corinthians
1:2,24,26-30; 7:17; 2 Corinthians 10:18; Galatians 3:29; Colossians 3:15; 1 Thessalonians
5:24; 2 Thessalonians 1:11,14; 1 Timothy 5:21; 6:12; 2 Timothy 1:19; 2:10; Titus 1:1;
Hebrews 2:13; 1 Peter 1:15; 4:18; 5:10; 2 Peter 1:3; 2 John 1:1,13; Jude 1:1.
What the Church is not
Now that we have firmly established what the Church is let's move
on to what the Church is not. Remember we must uphold the Scriptures as the model for all
Christian practices. Again, it's obvious and does not take a lot of effort to see that the
institutional/denominations are not the pattern for Christians and Christian living. In
what follows you may discover some things about your denomination you thought were
Biblical but now are not. Once again, I pray that you would be led by the Spirit to
understand.
Let me ask you a question, where do you go to church? Thank about
that for a minute. Now go back up and read what the Bible says the Church is. Do you still
think the church you go to is The Church? We cannot argue with the Scriptures. There is
only one Church, and we are either in it or in something else. Brother, your crazy me
leave my church? No, you can't leave the Church if your born again, why? Because YOU ARE
THE CHURCH. Yes, you can and must leave a church if you're in a denomination, which is
unBiblical. I know it goes against everything you've been programmed to believe, but
it's better to obey God than man. God has His ChurchHis believers, His elect.
Some of these believers are still stuck in these denominations they just need to be shown
the door why? Because it's unBiblical. Again, the Church is not:
A building or denomination, an institution, a system, a program,
creeds or confessions, religion, manmade, membership in some denomination, entertainment,
false worship, filled with strangers, foreign men appointed pastors, TV ministries,
children's church, choirs, bells, candles, fraternities, clubs, a business, a religious
league, a service, an authoritarian regime, new love, freedom love, do what ever you want,
ministries with man's name on it, church boards, seeker sensitive, emergent style, purpose
driven style, come one come all, ministries, telethons, praiseathons, and et. al.! Get it?
I think you get the idea. Beware what you listen to, read, or join.
Yes, these days look so very bleak, but we cry with the prophet
Elijah,"And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the
children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy
prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it
away." (1 Kings 19:10) But we have hope for God says, "I have reserved to
myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal." (Romans
11:4)
Are we to leave?
Given the facts stated above about the True Church, and the facts
about the false church you have to ask yourself are you in or out? You have to weigh it
with what the True Church is, what the false church is, and what God's word His written
will for us says. Read, study, look around and open your eyes, look at what's going on.
How can you stay? Let me tell you a bit of what happened to us. Years and years ago when
the truth of God opened our eyes we saw what was happening, and the Spirit of God did so
move on us that id we were blind we still could have seen it. We left and a weight of
bondage was so lifted we felt born again again! We started home Church and have been ever
since. When people ask us "what church do you go to?" and we say, "We home
Church" you would think we had a disease. That's usually followed by "oh"
and that's how it ends. Sad isn't it?
Today many, many Christians are sensing something is not right in
"their" denominations. Many have already come out, and still many more need to
be awakened. So, our purpose is only to warn and encourage the true believers. Warning
those in their abusive controlled bondage denominations out to freedom in Christ! God must
have complete sovereignty over our lives; we must submit and obey Christ not
denominations. And to encourage those that have walked away, that they are doing the right
thing. To us there is a place of glory with Christ outside of denominations. You need to
leave if you see it. And dont make the mistake I did oncethinking I could
reform them. Forget it that wont work. Pick up pack up and move on.
As I have mentioned many times before in other articles, when we
use the word Church with an upper case C we mean the True Church of God. When we use the
word church with the lower case c we mean the false church system or denominations. The
IC/DC's (Institutional churches/Denominational churches) are man made, buildings of
bondage, filled with the world, polluted, dens of deception, hovels of heresy. Get out! So
are we to leave? Yes.
Two wrongs never make a right
Let's go over some of the problems in denominations you might not
be aware of. Again, remember denominations are man-made and sustained. Understand will be
difficult but it's necessary. When you leave you will be attacked, if they care at all,
for leaving. They may say, "your out of salvation, you're walking away from God, you
need to be under authority, or you'll fall into deception." Pay no attention because
cults do the same. God's true people are the tabernacle, His dwelling place, habitation,
the Church of God. "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing
his reproach." (Hebrews 13:13) and as Moses did, "Choosing rather to
suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a
season." (Hebrews 11:25)
You can't be devoted to God and a denomination; God does not want
that. You are members of Christ not "members" with them. Get in right
worshipworth-ship, meaning how much is God worth to you? Who told you to pay 10%
tithe, sing hymns from old saloon songs, give allegiance to your pastor, a denomination, a
building all expensive and for a show, to bring in the xmas tree, to mix with other
religions and especially the RCC? Ask yourself those questions. Ask yourself who told you?
Because the things you're practicing did not come from God or His word. Check it out for
yourself. You're being lied to and fed false doctrine. Your among unknowns and wolves in
sheep's clothing.
Ask yourself, What fellowship hath righteousness with
unrighteousness? What communion hath light with darkness? What part hath he that believeth
with an infidel? What agreement hath the temple of God with idols? The leaders, pastors,
ministers are become peddlers of God and his word. Conmen coercing you out money and using
God to do so. Deceivers, ministers of unrighteousness, devouring dogs, lustful wolves, and
spiritual pimps! Woe unto them! But we have to trust God, and hold fast to the Biblical
traditions that have been handed down to us.
So many Christians are deceived by a great number of things like
Christmas, Easter, Helloween, other holiday's, being bound by the law, and other such
nonsense. But in those things right in front of them they are blinded as wellbeing
deceived by their pastor, minister, and denomination. We need true men of God standing up
for God's truth. The problem is no one knows what truth is anymore because its all been
twisted and polluted. Much of it by your pet denomination and your pastor puppet! Jesus is
not "professional pastor." So, live for His kingdom, live for God, live because
Jesus is Lord! Galatians 4:22-31.
It has become "
the habitation of devils, and the
hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." The
place where anything goes. But, "Moses took the tabernacle, and pitched it without
the camp, afar off from the camp, and called it the Tabernacle of the congregation. And it
came to pass, that every one which sought the LORD went out unto the tabernacle of the
congregation, which was without the camp." (Exodus 33:7) Again God's place is in
us and it is spiritually discerned.
We look to another city (Rev.3:12) our mother is not the IC/DC's
but the covenant of freedom (Galatians 4:24-26). His sheep hear His voice they follow Him.
The Church is not the little building down the road with the bought and paid for pastor.
Brought in from someplace unknown, see Acts 7:48-50. God's men of truth are sometimes
alone in that truth. We're called, "
the church in the wilderness."
And "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God
dwelleth in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16) Get it?
It's the responsibility of all believers to shun the counterfeit
and to take hold of everything God intended. The Lord's remnant is to look to the heavenly
and away from anything that may be for self. It's Jesus and not you. But today it's
"all me and maybe some of Jesus." If you believe all that is written in the
Scriptures then we have all truth. Better act like it! Better have the attitude and
project authority based on knowing truth for no one else does! Get back to the Scriptures
and all that pertains to truth, revelation, and righteousness. Once again, Acts 7:38;
Revelation 21:3.
If someone builds an institution its only human nature that it
goes by a name usually the name of the man. Ministries named after the men that
"so-called" founded them i.e. Billy Graham Evangelical Association, Kenneth
Copeland Ministries, Jack Van Impe Ministries, John Hagee Ministries, or Billy Bob
Ministries, etc. Jesus said His church would be built on Him not on us or by us. Men
desire kingdom building for themselves Genesis 11:4. The Church does not need a name it
has one already its called Jesus'.
Remember, "And the nation to whom they shall be in
bondage will I judge, said God: and after that shall they come forth, and serve me in this
place." (Acts 7:7) See also Genesis 28:16,17; Hebrews 3:6; Matthew 7:14. Jesus
said, "But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the
temple." (Matthew 12:6) Spiritual things are only spiritually discerned. "Now
the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." This
is true freedom according to Jesus.
"By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by
kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned." (2 Corinthians 6:6)
The truth is that anything before Him is an idol. Even a
"christian" one (2 Corinthians 11:4). This is more misleading and more abhorrent
to God. What agreement is there between what is God's and what is man's? Again we're
ordered to leave and get away from man made traditions and cling to God.
But brother, what things? Inventions, traditions, regulations,
man made rules, methodology, substitutes, rites, observances, religious junk. Who told you
to leave your home each week and play worship or "service" with a bunch of
unknowns? This is not geared for fellowship or person to person, but pastor exhalation.
This is where there is an absence of "every joint supplieth, according to the
effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the
edifying of itself in love." With only a short time after the meeting shaking hands
at the door with the "minister" (Oh, what an honor let me bow down and worship!)
This is something foreign to New Testament fellowship. Activities are simply to keep the
members happy and in false compliance to the New Testament. We're one when we come
together for true New Testament fellowship and "doing" the work of ministry in
the body. Ecumenicalism is evil. (2 Corinthians 13:8)
"But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9)
Watch out for your souls. Denominations are teaching another
Jesus. Because Jesus' sheep hear His voice and as the sheep they merely follow the
Shepherd. The true sheep does not hear any other voice. They love the Scripture but fear
and reverence it; it does not entertain the remnant. "Hear the word of the LORD,
ye that tremble at his word
" (Isaiah 66:5) and "but to this man
will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my
word." (Isaiah 66:2)
Are you trembling at His word or laughing at it. Is the word
convicting you? Does the Bible bring you to your knees? Is the word changing you? Do you
jazz them up with cartoons and jokes to make fun of it? Brethren, things have gotten way
out of hand and are getting worse. Get ready for some awful times ahead!
"
Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed
themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?" (Ezekiel 34:2)
"Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the
shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding
the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my
flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them." (Ezekiel 34:10)
"And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy,
and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine." (Leviticus
20:26)
"Neither shall ye profane my holy name; but I will be
hallowed among the children of Israel: I am the LORD which hallow you."
(Leviticus 22:32)
But,"He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he
which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous
still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still." (Revelation 22:11)
"For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now
tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ."
(Philippians 3:18)
There is no fear of God before their eyes. They have become
house's of heresy, entertainment, and celebration celebrating around the golden calf
(money and false Jesus'). Spiritual whorehouses and palaces of pimps. Again, "
they
are the enemies of the cross of Christ." (Philippians 3:18)
And it's a numbers game really. The puppet pastor
"reports" to the hierarchy to tell them they had x amount of "new
members" or x amount of "baptisms" which for the denomination translates
into money, money, and more money so the "business can operate. "Sow your love
gift of $100 and God will bless you with $1000!" is the mantra of these wolves.
Because, "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with
their lips; but their heart is far from me." (Matthew 15:8)
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and
vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not
after Christ." (Colossians 2:8)
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits
whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."
(1 John 4:1)
"Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of
men, that turn from the truth. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are
defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is
defiled." (Titus 1: 14-15)
"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any
virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)
Everything is geared in the denominations today to self. The
music "praise and worship" with pomp and grandeur where the modern day pastor
(priest) whether he's titled "pastor" or "reverend" or whatever (which
is unBiblical) and is elevated in place of God? Or sitting in huge chairs behind the
pulpit (altar) "waiting to be introduced." Ever notice folks obey him without
question?
"Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of
thine iniquities, by the iniquity of thy traffick
" (Ezekiel 28:18)
"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants
to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience
unto righteousness?" (Romans 6:16)
Avoidance and separation is not wrong it's not being ignorant
either it is for our own safeguard guard your soul and spiritual well being. "He
that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without
walls." (Proverbs 25:28)
"For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ,
but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the
simple." (Romans 16:18)
"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves." (James 1:22)
But again the warning, "But evil men and seducers shall
wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." (2 Timothy 3:13)
Don't you remember what Amos said? "Behold, the days
come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread,
nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD." (Amos 8:11)
Brethren, it is here!
The soon one world government will be outlawing Bibles. But this
shouldn't be new to us, nor should we believe this to be some strange thing for the
True Church has always been and will always be hated and persecuted. What will you
do? The god of the world is deceiving and blinding many people. Ignorance and pride is
everywhere. Again, "Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ?"
(1 Corinthians 6:15-17) We're already members of the Churchthe body of Christ and
don't need to join or become a member of any denomination. Remember those lacking Biblical
knowledge will always require church membership in a denomination.
What if what you called "church" was not really Church
in the scriptural sense? What if the "institution" you attended faithfully and
support financially has nothing to do with the Lord at all? Think about that. "There
is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Why
won't you leave? Do you like to dress up? Like the attention? Like to be known as a
"big money giver" in your church? Do you like the pomp and ceremony? Like to
have a "Pastor" teach you? Like to have some man that has a "degree in
Bible" over you? Like to call your man a "Bishop"? Beloved, wake up! Look
and see that you're in deception and in a different form of Catholicism! Its called
Cathostant! (Part Catholic and part Protestant) A true mix!
"For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the
spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."
(Philippians 3:3)
What to do