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The Apostles failed? Paul failed? Billy Graham failed?
Acts 8
26Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." 27So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian[d]eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. 29The Spirit told Philip, "Go to that chariot and stay near it."
30Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. 31"How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture:
"He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before the shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth."[e] 34The eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" 35Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. 36As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water. Why shouldn't I be baptized?"[f] 38And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
The early Church did not fail , the Church failed when it organized .
Paul the Apostle forewarned this would happen
Acts 20
25"Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.[a] Be shepherds of the church of God,[b] which he bought with his own blood. 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
The early Church did not fail , the Church failed when it organized .
Paul the Apostle forewarned this would happen
Acts 20
25"Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.[a] Be shepherds of the church of God,[b] which he bought with his own blood. 29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Certainly, false prophets came in & deceived some. However, the true Church is still functioning. Many people around the world are being brought to salvation in Christ every day, every year. Those who preach & teach Jesus first, last, & always are leading them.
ETA: Paul did not say the Church would completely fail.
Certainly, false prophets came in & deceived some. However, the true Church is still functioning. Many people around the world are being brought to salvation in Christ every day, every year. Those who preach & teach Jesus first, last, & always are leading them.
ETA: Paul did not say the Church would completely fail.
This sounds like a failed church system to me
14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
And i do not believe for one minute it's talking about prosperity teaching churches.
I believe in the Church the body of Christ , i do not believe in the organized church system , nor do i have time for it whatsoever.
8"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
7"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
8"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
7"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
The 2 churches you refer to are not identifiable in this present age .
The deception is in believing because you adhere to church doctrine and it's traditions you are fulfilling what you have typed in bold in your post.
Nothing could be further from the truth(reality)
The 2 churches you refer to are not identifiable in this present age .
That's your opinion. I disagree.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pcamps
The deception is in believing because you adhere to church doctrine and it's traditions you are fulfilling what you have typed in bold in your post.
Nothing could be further from the truth(reality)
You assume I'm talking about church doctrine. Why?
You assume I'm talking about church doctrine. Why?
Why ? because i have not come across a christian yet who doesn't believe they are the true church because they believe right doctrines and usually enforce it on others , such as "We have to go to Church".
If i was ever contemplating going to a meeting and someone from that meeting said to me you have to go to church , their meeting place would be the last place i would go .
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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To the original question... while the New Testament doesn't explicitly say "Thou must be an attending member of a local congregation" it is implied that one should.
Hebrews 10:24-5 says
"Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking our own assembling together, as the practice of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the day drawing near"
Why ? because i have not come across a christian yet who doesn't believe they are the true church because they believe right doctrines and usually enforce it on others , such as "We have to go to Church".
If i was ever contemplating going to a meeting and someone from that meeting said to me you have to go to church , their meeting place would be the last place i would go .
Yes, I agree, and I am stuck here in the Bible belt with people who question other's faith/salvation because they are not in "their" church, it is a turn off to me also . . . and when I do start visiting churches . . . I hate being questioned by others as to why I am not there regularly . . . . why can't we go to a house of worship, and praise God . . . without all the b.s.
Yes, I agree, and I am stuck here in the Bible belt with people who question other's faith/salvation because they are not in "their" church, it is a turn off to me also . . . and when I do start visiting churches . . . I hate being questioned by others as to why I am not there regularly . . . . why can't we go to a house of worship, and praise God . . . without all the b.s.
Amen to that....I am also in the bible belt and people look at you like you have a third eye when you tell them you don't go to a building called a church on Sunday.
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