Which Church Do I Choose?

Jarrod Jacobs 

            Have you noticed all the “church listings” in the newspaper? It’s pretty confusing, isn’t it? All these groups claim what they are doing is approved by God. Are all these churches right? Since these groups wear different names and teach conflicting doctrines, we know they cannot all be right. All of them cannot be right any more than 2 + 2 can equal anything but 4. If we took a poll and asked people their “feelings” about what 2 + 2 equals, it would not change the fact that 2 + 2 = 4! Therefore, which church is right? The answer is not determined by whether or not I like it, which church is the most “popular”, etc. The only way we can know which church is right is revealed in the Bible.

   The church approved of God is the one that adheres to Bible doctrine, not only in word, but in practice (I Pet. 4:11; I Thess. 1:3). It is the one that wears Christ’s name (Rom. 16:16) and worships God “in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24; Acts 2:42, 20:7; I Cor. 16:1-2). It is the one that promotes Christ and His word above everything (Rom. 1:16; Gal. 1:6-9; II Tim. 4:2; Col. 3:17). It preaches the Bible plan for salvation (Acts 2:36-38). With these things in mind, let me encourage all to put down the “church listings” and choose the church of God’s choice today (Acts 20:28; Matt. 16:18)!

Which Church Do I Choose?

Jarrod Jacobs

            Have you noticed the “church listings” in newspapers? It is pretty confusing, isn’t it? The groups listed claim that what they are doing is approved of God. In considering the listings, one might ask such questions as, “Are all these churches right?” or, “Are all these churches wrong?” or, “Can anyone ever know the truth?”

            Since these groups wear different names and teach conflicting doctrines many times, we know they all cannot be right. All of them cannot be right any more than 2+2 can equal anything other than 4! 2+2 = 4 and can only equal 4. If we took a poll and asked people their “feelings” about what 2+2 equals, it would not change the fact that it equals 4! Therefore, which church is right? This is not determined by what I like. Nor is it determined by which church is “popular” or “big”. It is not determined by which church has been in the area the longest. The way we can know which church is right is revealed in the Bible.

            The church approved of God is the one that adheres to Bible doctrine, not merely in word, but in practice (I Pet. 4:11; I Thess. 1:3). It is the one that wears Christ’s name (Rom. 16:16) and worships God “in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24; Acts 2:42, 20:7; I Cor. 16:1-2). It is the one that promotes Christ and His word above everything (Rom. 1:16; Gal. 1:6-9; II Tim. 4:2; Col. 3:17). It preaches the Bible plan for salvation (Acts 2:36-38). With these things in mind, let me encourage our dear readers to put down the “church listings” and pick up a Bible and choose the church of God’s choice (Acts 20:28; Matt. 16:18)!

Convenience-Store Religion

Jarrod Jacobs

            In far too many cases, we find religious groups willing to cater to the whims and wishes of men. How many times have we heard people say, “Choose the church of your choice”? The end result is a nation of people who think they can just “drop in” to any church they please, “get what they want” and hurry on back to their life with no fuss, no obligations, no guilt, no exhorting to do right, and no expectations. Is this the way God pictured His people? By no means!

            The Bible says, “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 4:24). There is no stronger word in the English language than the word “must”. What God expects of men is not an option! We “must” worship Him “in spirit and in truth.” How is this accomplished? Not by doing things to my satisfaction, but in worshipping God the way He directs (Acts 2:42, 20:7; Eph. 5:19; I Cor. 16:1-2; etc.). God has told us what He expects. We do not “pick and choose” what we like, but wholeheartedly obey all His word (Rev. 22:14; I Cor. 15:58).

            Cornelius told Peter, “Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God, to hear all that you have been commanded by God” (Acts 10:33). Do we have this attitude, or do we go “hither and yon” until we find a preacher and a church who teaches what we want to hear? (II Tim. 4:3-4) Friends, the religion of Christ is not a religion of convenience, but of conviction! Have you been convicted of your sins (Acts 2:37)? Are willing to change, and stand strong for the Lord in all things (Acts 2:38; I Cor. 15:58)? Few do this (Matt. 7:13-14). What will you do?

A few weeks ago, I published a work by brother Bill Crews. Here is another article he wrote some years ago. Let us read it and benefit from it.

“What Man Says Vs. What God Says”

Bill Crews

• Man says: “The important thing is whether or not one loves God, not the keeping of commandments.”
• God says: “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (I Jn. 5:3).
• Man says: “Thank God for the many churches so that man may find the one that is best suited for Him.”
• God says: “There is one body” (Eph. 4:4). “He is the head of the body, the church” (Col. 1:18).
• Man says: “Join the church of your choice, but join a church.”
• God says: “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47). “Every plant, (religious) which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up” (Matt. 15:13). “...and that there be no divisions among you” (I Cor. 1:10).
• Man says: “Each person should follow the way that seems right to them and that honesty and conscience direct.”
• God says: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12). “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jer. 10:23).
• Man says: “Faith only is a most wholesome doctrine and very full of comfort.” “Ye see that by faith only a man is justified.”
• God says: “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only” (Jas. 2:24). “For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love” (Gal. 5:6).
• Man says: “Baptism is not necessary to one’s salvation.”
• God says: “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mk. 16:16). “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).
• Man says: “Baptism is an ordinance that can be administered by sprinkling or pouring on of water as well as by immersion in water.”
• God says: “We are buried with him by baptism into death” (Rom. 6:4). “They came unto a certain water: .... 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 …” (Acts 8:36-39).

Did John Establish A Church?

Jarrod Jacobs

            There are people today who believe that John the Baptist established a church some time before Jesus Christ died. Is this true? Let us read the Bible and see the consequences if John established a church.

If John Established A Church, Then....

            1. John’s church is not the blood-bought body spoken of in the New Testament (Acts 20:28). Jesus died to purchase His church, not someone else’s.

            2. John’s church was not connected with the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2-5). In contrast, Christ’s church came into existence after the Holy Spirit fell on the twelve (Acts 1:4-8, 2:1-4, 41-47).

            3. John’s church is in competition with the one Christ said He “will build”. Yet, Paul said there is only ONE church (Eph. 1:22-23, 4:4).

            4. John’s church was founded upon something other than the confession Peter made in Matthew 16:16. The Lord’s church is based upon the confession of Christ as the Son of God (Matt. 16:18).

            5. Death prevailed against John’s church, for John was beheaded, buried, and his body stayed in the grave (Mk. 6:16, 27, 29). Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the other hand, was crucified, buried, but arose from the dead, never to die again (Acts 2:22-24, 13:34). Christ said death would NOT prevail against His church (Matt. 16:18)

            Friends, who are we going to believe? I wish to belong the church belonging to Christ (Rom. 16:16); the church purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28); the church of which Christ is the head (Col. 1:18); the church which is called His body (Col. 1:24). What about you?