What we are going to do here is observe a number of issues often misquoted of the Church and the Salvation Message of the Gospel. Then we shall answer these issues according to doctrine. The dialog in this document has been written simplistic in nature, so that all visitors might understand the issues which will be presented and answered herein. Blessings to you all in Christ Jesus. Please read on.
Myths often believed about the Church
Many people believe that as long as they attend a church and are a good and moral person they will go to Heaven. Well, that is not the way it is explained in the Holy Bible. First, the Word of God teaches us our righteousness (or goodness in human works) is as filthy rags in the sight of God when these are presented as a claim of salvation.
1Cor:6:11: And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Rv:7:14: And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.So to say that any church and any moral way of living will give you salvation and merit favor in Gods eyes is to fool yourself. No, the devil or some other person is fooling you. There are prerequisites of grace and faith that are given in the word of God for salvation to be give to you. There is Repentence, Baptism in the name of Jesus Messieh and Receiving the Promise of the Holy Spirit which is the seal of God upon your soul. These are the prerequisites of grace/faith salvation. You must believe (Mark 16:16). One must then live a life of sanctification and holiness.
SHALL" receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
There are many schisms of the original Christian Church in the world. These have all departed from the model oft he Church yu read about in the book of Acts. These have separated themselves from this first Jewish Church identity, because, frankly, they do not believe that Church and its practices are necessary today. So, they have modernized the Church right out of the Bible until you cannot find a lot of things Churches do in the Bible. Good people join these modern churches thinking they are doing a good thing. When in fact they have done a bad thing! You must find the Church of the Bible, that is where you belong and where your soul can be saved. Let me say this, the true church of God walks not in the traditions and doctrines of man, but according to the holy Scriptures in the New Testament. The True Church of God believes, accepts, and lives according to the WHOLE New Testament, not just one or two verses in it. You can go to the priest and do confessions, you can accept the Lord as your person Saviour because some man told you that would save you: but you better check what the word of God says. It does not contain a confession booth and it does not contain a verse for you to accept the Lord as your personal Saviour. So what do we do? What we do to have saving Biblical faith and know we are saved? Very simple, follow the Apostles in Acts 2:38 for we know those who did were added to the Church. Then find an Apostolic Church and be faithful in your Christian service and membership. Begin to live by the Word of God and obey the ENTIRE word of God. Stand by faith on the grace you received in ACTS 2:38 adn do not allow any man to remove that foundation. Make the decision right now. By faith come home.
The truth about the Church (Bride of Christ).
The Church was born Jewish, in a Jewish city, and on a Jewish feast day. Its first members were 120 Jewish men and women from all the 12 tribes of Israel. The Church has for its founder a Jew, Jesus of Nazareth, seed of David, Prince of Jerusalem, Messieh-King of Israel, and our great God and Saviour, ...Jesus! This is the olive tree of Romans 11 into which Gentiles were converted and added. The Church is not a Gentile bride, never was Gentile to be such. The Church is the Israel of God. By Israel we mean those who came into the Kingdom of God, under the rule and reign of Jesus Messieh, son of David. For, where ever the throne of David is, that is the Israel of God. The Church is the Israel of God and that is why it is called the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom never was David's, it belong to God (1Chr 28:5) and he allowed David and his seed to sit upon the throne of it until he came himself and sat upon it (Psalms 132:11).
Now that we have established that the Church is Jewish and not Gentile, it is necessary to tell you that water baptism is not a work of man, it is was anciently called convert mikveh by the Jews. Gentiles and non-practicing Jews who wanted to come under the covenant of Abraham and to also be a God-Fearer and obseve the Law, underwent baptism-mikveh. The waters of this mikveh-baptism were called "waters of separation." It was here at this spot, and by faith, a person separated themselves from all their Gentileism, which included gods, idols, pagan practices and customs, and even their Gentile birth. A person who emmersed themselves in these waters was burying this old person to rise a new person, a Jew-by-choice and counted to be a seed of Abraham from thence forth. This baptism-mikveh was transferred to the New Testament Church and represents all the former doctrines, except the convert is not made to observe the Law but the New Covenant. When you read about the Church in your New Testament, keep in mind you are reading about a Jewish Church and it being spread throughout the world in many Gentile lands. Now let us observe the signs are those who are of the True Church.
The New Testament Messianic Church as an institution began on the Day of Pentecost. But the church actually began within the hearts of many devout Jews from the 12 tribes of the nation of Israel. These looked for the Messieh, the son of David, the Redeemer and Deliverer to come and save Israel. They did not follow the Pharisees or the Saducees who controlled the Temple compound. These went to the Temple to seek God, but not to be members of the religous sects and parties that fought each other for control of the Temple, the High Priesthood, and the national conscience. These prayed daily and live righteously. These were the children of Abraham who desired the Kingdom of God to come. These believed the Law and the Prophets and used Psalms for worship and encouragement. From this group of Jews the Church was born and established. These are called the Elect, the Holy nation, the peculoar people, and the Royal Priesthood. These are the true seed of Abraham who do the deeds and works of Abraham. The first Church, from the day of Pentecost onward is also called the faith of Jesus. By "faith of Jesus" we mean the Jewish religion of Jesus. Contrary to be opinion of man, Jesus did start, institute, and found a Jewish religion. The Kingdom of God which is the rule of the Davidic throne over all the earth is Jewish. It will never be Gentile. Converts to this Jewish religion are Jews by religious conversion the same as a Gentle is a Jew by religious conversion to any other Jewish religion. It is important to understand that the Church today is equal to the Old Testament Israel in every aspect. First, the Church is the wife of God by the New Covenant. The Church is the mother of all who are born again of the new birth of water and Spirit. The Church is the only religious expression of God upon the earth. The Church is the only source of salvation. The Ministry of the Church is the only authorized representations of God upon the earth today. The Church cannot be destroyed and will remain for all eternity. The Church is the greatest thing on earth today. Only those in this Church will be saved. You must be added to its number just as soon as possible without delay. The Church is cleansed and sanctified by the righteous blood of Jesus, the head and husbandman. The Church has been born again of the Spirit of Jesus Messieh (the Holy Spirit). She is a new "creation" in Messieh. She is the King's queen! All that was prophecied by the Old Testament Prophets and in the Law by types and shadows, WAS FULFILLED IN AND BY JESUS MESSIEH. THROUGH HIS BIRTH AS A KING FROM HIS QUEEN MOTHER, HIS LIFE, HIS MINISTRY, HIS DEATH, HIS RESURRECTION, AND His GLORIFICATION, we have hope of eternal life. All true Christians believe these things. If you are reading this and you do not believe these things, then do so today and come into the true Kingdom of God. Let Jesus rule, reign, and abide in and over your heart today.
The following is a list of biblical qualifications for one to truly be numbered as part of the Church body:(1) One must beleive there is a God and that God wants to reward them openly
(2) One must hear the Gospel of salvation preached and upon the pricking of the heart, come before an altar of God and Humble his or her self before the Lord . The next spiritual battleground is repentance of all your sins. You must be willing to repent and put all your sins under the blood of Jesus, and not just the convienient ones. You cannot hold any sin out of baptism or your baptism is not valid. By confessing sins and faults to God, the desire of the sinner is to purge themselves and to seek Divine mercy. Usually, such prayers start off with a person confessing he/she is a sinner and in need of the Grace given unto all men by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. This is not just a "say I believe statement led by some man." This must come from the heart. You must have a will to want to change and be transformed by the confession of your faith and the working of the Holy Ghost which WILL be given if you obey the word of God as it is written in Acts 2:38.
Matthew:28:19: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
They obeyed that command on the day of Pentecost. When Peter stood up before the multitude of those who had just heard the Apostles numbered with the 120 Gallileans in the upper room prophecy in their own native tongues. The people were pricked in their hearts as to what Peter had told them. He reminded them that it was they who had killed the Lord and they felt convicted immediatly and asked "What must we do". Then Peter answered the Question of Baptism and the name to be baptised under by saying:
Acts:4:12: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
(3) The third and final requirement to be a saint or true Bride of Christ is to have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is a Physical experience which is manifested in a speaking of an unknown tongue by the receiver of the Holy Ghost. This is also one of the most argued points of Scripture among denominations and other Bible Scolars in the entire world. But let me say this. The word of God says ye must be born again of the WATER and the SPIRIT:
Mk:16:17: And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues.
The word BELIEVE in both Scriptures to confirm who would be known by their faith, and who would be saved. He said the following to tie it together:
believeth (or believes) and is baptized, and the believers speaking with new Tongues. The arguement as to the requirement of baptism as it pertains to Water and Spirit (as commanded by Jesus in John 3:5) can be answered by the above points of Scripture. You must receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost to have the seal of God upon your soul. It is not a point of arguement, it is a commandment of God, a requirement. God has always made provisions in his dealings of Grace with men throughout the age of mankind. He commands it and we (by free choice) either accept it as truth, or deny it and suffer the consequences on the last day. The controversy of this point of Scripture shall end for each man or woman on his or her last day. We shall all see who is right then.
In closing let me point out a few scriptures on the Bride of Christ:
Rv:18:23: And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
A final message of grace to all who would have an ear to hear the truth and believe. The all 12 Apostles stood on the day of Pentecost and witnessed the salvation of 3,120 Jews from all the 12 tribes of Israel. These were added to the Church we are told in Acts 2. If you desire to be added to the original and only Church of Jesus Messieh, then follow the preaching of the Apostle Peter in Acts 2:38 and receive the only salvation that is by grace through faith. Convert and come into the Jewish Church of the Apostolic faith. Let the Holy Spirit graft you into the true olive tree, the Judaism of Jesus Messieh.
If you choose the Jewish Messieh and his salvation by grace through faith, your salvation will not be by works of man, but by his mercy he will save you. You can know you are saved today and have no doubt you will go to heaven. The Word of God, the Holy Bible, is your only rule of faith. Do not follow the doctrines and traditions of men. They will teach you it is ok to live in sin and still claim you are saved. They will tell you, you are saved when you are not. Be saved the Bible way, the Apostolic way, the only way: by grace through faith as found in Acts 2:38.
Make the right choice for your soul. Don't deceive your self into thinking that your good deeds or morals will save you. Yu must be born again to be saved (John 3:1-5). Good people do get saved, and moral people get saved: but it is not by their righteousness, it is by the love of God (John 3:16).
I beseech you right now to believe by faith, to repent by faith, to be baptised by faith, and to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit by faith. If you do it today, you will receive the grace of love, the grace of forgivenenss, the grace of the remission of sins and the grace of the gift of eternal life.
The way has been set before you. Choose you this day whom you will serve. I pray it is the Lord Jesus Messieh, Prince of Jerusalem, seed of David, King of Israel, and our great God and Saviour.