Attend a church of GOD'S CHOICE!
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24
We have all heard the phrase "Attend the church of your choice". This sounds nice but is absolutely wrong! All men are sinners and therefore are subject to making the wrong choices regarding anything - especially when it comes to finding the church we should attend!
Many Christians make decisions based on preferences, not convictions. Some prefer churches for different reasons: young pastors, older pastors, youth programs, nice buildings, etc.
For some, where they go to church will be decided by where their family goes, or which church is closest to their homes! - NONE OF THESE THINGS SHOULD BE WHAT DETERMINES WHERE YOU GO TO CHURCH!
The decision of where you and your family go to church is very important and should not be taken lightly! Simply attending the "church of your choice" will not do. We should attend a church of God's choice! Where is a church of God's choice? Glad you asked!
I. It is a church where all the modern versions of the Bible are rejected and the Authorized King James 1611 Bible alone is accepted as the infallible, inerrant, and preserved words of God's inspired scriptures!
All the modern versions come from faulty Greek texts from Alexandria, Egypt, which are tampered with by unsaved scholars (Westcott, and Hort)! They are the works of men deceptively led by Satan and the lust for the dollar!
The King James Bible was produced through superior manuscripts from Antioch, Syria, and by superior translators whom the Holy Spirit guided as instruments of preservation for God's inspired words.
"The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever." Psalms 12:6,7
Any church which handles the words of God so loosely as to refer to them as "mistranslations" should never be attended. Any church which would recommend you to "read the Bible of your choice" is not worthy of your attendance! What kind of a day is it when Christians will not even deny themselves when choosing a Bible? They even prefer Bibles for different reasons! The church of God's choice realizes God gave the scriptures by inspiration and has perfectly preserved those scriptures in the King James Bible!
"Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." Proverbs 30:5,6
II. It is a church which openly declares the gospel of Jesus Christ and is active about warning the unsaved of rejecting this message!
A real New Testament local church is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. A real New Testament local church will not be waiting for sinners to come to church services in order to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ; they will be obeying Luke 14:23 which says "And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." A church which is not actively trying to warn and win souls by publicly preaching and witnessing from door to door (Acts 20:20) is not obeying the command of the LORD! The purpose of the New Testament local church is to take the gospel outside of the church building walls! Many churches only declare the gospel during their church "services", but the church of God's choice desires to obey the scriptures!
III. It is a church where they emphasize Sound Doctrine, while exposing and standing against heresy and the cults of today!
God is a spirit and must be worshipped in spirit in and in truth (John. 4:24)! The truth is the word of God (John. 17:17)! Some churches worship any way they feel and never consult with the scriptures to see if they are pleasing and obeying God! Some ministries never see the need to expose and correct those who corrupt the gospel of Jesus Christ and pervert the right ways of the LORD (Acts 13:10)! Should a church be busy about exposing and correcting error?
"Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers." Titus 1:9
"As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,
Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do." I Timothy 1:3,4
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Galatians 1:8,9
God hates every false way and so will His church (Psalm 119:104, 128)! With all the false religions, cults, and heresies being "pushed" today, God wants His soldiers to stand against them!
IV. It is a church where they financially support missionaries for the purpose of carrying the gospel of Jesus Christ to the uttermost part of the earth!
How is it that many churches do not support even one missionary and still claim to be New Testament local churches? The church of God's choice will have the last commandments of Christ, as their first priority!
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matthew 28:19,20
"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8
V. It is a church which preaches and teaches the Bible literally and seeks to submit to it as the final authority in all matters of faith and practice!
God's churches would never claim that the Holy Spirit gave them an interpretation of the scriptures other than the literal interpretation. The Holy Spirit has commanded that we read, believe, study, memorize, teach, and preach the scriptures. He has never commanded us to interpret one verse of scripture! Interpretations belong to God (Genesis 40:8)! No prophecy of the scripture should ever be privately interpreted by anyone (2 Peter 1:20). When someone claims the Bible means something other than what it says-
"God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged." Romans 3:4
Because man is a sinner, he may choose a church which doesn't teach the Bible literally and uses tradition as an authority for doctrine! The church of God's choice has but one final authority, and it is the Holy scriptures!
VI. It is a church which stresses the separation of it's members and calls sin by its name!
Although many do not like to hear preaching against sin, the church of God's choice will rebuke sin from the pulpit because God commands it.
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." II Timothy 4:2
VII. It is a church where the way of salvation is declared as being by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ alone!
If you have never been truly saved, then recognize these facts:
1. You have committed sin against God! - Romans 3:10, 23
2. You must be born again! - John 3:3
3. Your only hope of going to heaven is to trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior! - Romans 6:23; John 3:16-18; 14:6; Acts 16:31
"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." I Timothy 1:15
"And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work." Romans 11:6
Everyone should attend a church of God's choice, and we believe Trinity Baptist Church is such a church! Let this be an invitation to you and your family to come and visit us!
Ye must be born again!
Pastor Dilbert Terry