| What Must I Do to Be Saved? To answer, we can begin with the following passages:
book of Acts has many examples of conversion for our learning. Is Baptism Necessary for Salvation? The scriptures teach that baptism is necessary:
How Does One Worship God in Spirit and in Truth? (John 4:24) The New Testament teaches this is done on the first day of the week by:
By What Authority Do You Do These Things? The scriptures teach that we must do all in the name of (by the authority of) the Lord Jesus...(Col. 3:17). This being true, where is the authority for many faiths when the Bible tells us there is one faith (Eph. 4:5)? Where is the authority for many churches (bodies) when the scriptures say there is only one church (body) (Eph. 4:4; Col. 1:18)? Where is the authority for man to build a church when Christ said He would build the church (Mt. 16:18)? By what authority does man kind follow the creed books of men and not the Word of God (Gal.1: 6-9, Rev. 22:18-19)? Are you following the authority of men or the authority of God? Are Denominations of the Lord or of Men? Denominations Lord's Church Many churches One church-Eph. 4:4 Founded by men Founded by Jesus-Mt. 16:18 Human heads Christ is the head-Col.1:18 Human creeds Bible only creed-II Tim. 3:16-17 Wear human names Name of Christian-Acts 11:26 Teach many gospels One gospel-Gal. 1:6-9 What is scriptural baptism? We learn in Acts 2 in order to be saved we must be baptized for the remission of sins. What did this baptism consist of? It required water (Acts 8:36). It also called for much water(Jn.3:23). New Testament baptism was a burial (Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12). It was a going down into the water and a coming up out of the water (Acts 8:38-39). Sprinkling and pouring for baptism was never used in the New Testament, but came into being by the doctrines of men (Mt. 15:9). Have you been scripturally baptized? Who is a Christian? The term Christian is being used very loosely in the religious world of today. A Christian is not one who is merely a good person, or any religious person, or one who follows the Old Testament law. A Christian is one who has:
What is a denomination? The word "denomination" suggests a fraction or part of the whole and promotes division as the denominations of men preach and practice conflicting doctrines (Mt. 15:8-9). Jesus prayed for unity not division (Jn. 17:20-21). The church Christ built (Mt. 16:18-19) was established in A.D. 33 in the city of Jerusalem (Acts 2) and existed hundreds of years before the denominations of men came into being. Denominations exist today because of man's disregard for Christ's authority. They are of man and not of God. The church of Christ is not a denomination and is opposed to such. Are the kingdom and the church the same? When Jesus promised to build his church he used the word church and kingdom interchangeably, meaning the one and the same (Mt. 16:18-19). Jesus said except a man be born of the water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (Jn. 3:5). Likewise on the day of Pentecost, those whom the Lord added to the church had to be born of water and of the spirit (Acts 2:47). The scriptures teach the kingdom and the church are the same. To be saved one must be in the kingdom which is the church. Are you? When did Jesus establish His church? Jesus said in Mt. 16:18, "I will build my church and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it," and in Mk. 9:1 "That the kingdom (church) would come before some of them died, and it would come with power." He identifies that power as the Holy Ghost in Acts 1:9. The Holy Ghost came in Acts 2:1-4, guided by the apostles in all truth (Jn. 16:13) as they preached the gospel. The audience convicted of their sins, and asking what they should do, was told to "repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." About 3000 were baptized and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved (Acts 2:37-47). The scriptures teach the church of Christ began on the first Pentecost after the resurrection of Christ. Does instrumental music in worship please God? The New Testament teaches we are to: Speak in song (Eph. 5:19) Teach in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Col. 3:16) Admonish one another by singing (Col. 3:16) Sing with the spirit (1 Cor. 14:15) Sing with the understanding (I Cor 14:15) Sing praise unto God (Heb. 2:12) Sing and make melody in your heart (Eph. 5:19) The only music authorized by God in worship of the first century church was vocal music. Instrumental music was added by man hundreds of years later. Does substitution in worship please God? Man has not been satisfied with God's commands from the very beginning. Cain and Abel were told to offer sacrifices unto the Lord (Gen. 4), and God even told them what that sacrifice should be (Heb. 11:4). Cain was not satisfied with God's commands and substituted for his offering. God rejected Cain's sacrifice and told him he had sinned. Many religious people today are still trying to substitute their ways and opinions for God's way and the result is still sin. Are you one of them? What is true worship? There are three elements of true worship which must exist for it to be acceptable to God. 1. Right object--God (Jn. 4:23-24) An act of homage or reverence--(Lk. 4:8) 2. Right attitude--In Spirit (Jn. 4:23-24) One's desires and affections fixed on God (Mt. 22:37) 3. Right way--In Truth (Jn. 4:23-24) By God's instuctions, not by commands and doctrines of men (Mt. 15:8-9) What does the Bible teach about faith? The Bible teaches faith is necessary to please God (Heb. 11:6), and faith comes by hearing the word of God (Rom. 10:17). That is why Jesus said to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature (Mk. 16:15-16). Believing the gospel of Christ also involves believing everything Christ said including repentance (Lk. 13:3), confession (Mt. 10:32), and baptism (Mk. 16:16). When one refuses to believe what Jesus said to do to be saved, they do not really believe in Him. Jesus promised salvation to those who obey him (Heb. 5:9), but not to those who obey the commandments of men (Mt. 15:8-9). Who will you obey? Is "faith only" a teaching of men or God? When the apostle Peter preached the gospel to his audience, they were convicted of their sins and asked "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter, being inspired by the Holy Spirit, told them to "repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin..." (Acts 2:37-38). Although they were believers, they still had to repent and be baptized (immersed) to have remission of their past sins. We see then "faith only" is a doctrine of men and not of God. Read James 2: 14-26. What is the work of the church? The church that Jesus built (Mt. 16:18) is a divine institution and it has a divine mission (Mt. 28:18-20). The work of the Lord's church is not political, nor social, but altogether spiritual in its design (I Tim. 3:15). The concern of the Lord's church is not the entertainment of people but the saving of souls (Lk. 19:10). Col. 3:17 says that whatever we do in word or deed, we must do all in the name of or by the authority of Christ. Christ has only authorized His church to preach the gospel (I Thes. 1:8), help needy saints (Acts 11:27-30), and edify its members in the faith (Eph. 4:16). |
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