QUESTIONS AND BIBLE ANSWERS
1. How can I be sure I have joined the right
church?
By simply joining the Lord
Jesus Christ and becoming one with Him in spirit. “Come, and let us join
ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.”
Jeremiah 50:5. “He that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.” 1 Corinthians
6:17. We have no scriptural injunction to formally join any church. But Jesus
said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my
burden is light.” Matthew 11:29-30. In other words, Jesus invites us to join
Him. He wants to be our good Shepherd – the One who makes us to lie down in
green pastures, leads us beside still waters, restores our souls, and leads us
in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake (Psalm 23). “Tell me, O thou whom
my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at
noon.” Song of Solomon 1:7. When we yoke
up with Jesus He will connect us with others who are also joined to Him in one
spirit. He will lead us to His feeding ground and connect us with His flock.
He says, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in he shall be saved, and
shall go in and [then on] out, and find pasture.” John 10:9.
2. Who will take me into the church?
“And the Lord added to the
church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:47.
3. How can I know I’m saved?
“He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in
himself.” 1 John 5:10. “Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us,
because he hath given us of his Spirit.” 1 John 4:13. “And it is the Spirit
that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.” 1 John 5:6. “The Spirit
itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Romans
8:16. “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the
brethren.” 1 John 3:14. “Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts
by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” Romans 5:5.
4. What is the
mode of entrance into the church, or body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23)?
“For through him we both [Jews and Gentiles] have
access by one Spirit unto the Father.” Ephesians 2:18. “For by
one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews
or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to
drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. … But now
hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath
pleased him.” 1 Corinthians 12:13, 14, 18. Therefore, “I need to join no earth-begotten
thing, the church that Jesus built is all I see; and God Himself has truly set
me in, and that’s surely good enough for me.” – Excerpt from a song written by
D. S. Warner.
5. On what
membership roll will my name be recorded?
“… Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.”
Luke 10:20. “And I [Paul] entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women
which labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my
fellow-laborers, whose names are in the book of life.” Philippians 4:3.
“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general
assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and
to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.” Hebrews
12:22-23. “And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth,
neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written
in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21:27.
6. How can I be
sure who my fellow members are and who I should fellowship?
“If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of
his.” Romans 8:9. “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a
corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. … Wherefore by their fruits ye shall
know them.” Matthew 7:18, 20. “I (Christ) am the vine, ye are the
branches.” John 15:5. “And if the root be holy, so are the branches.” Romans
11:16. “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen
him, neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth
righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is
of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the
Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. … In
this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever
doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.”
1 John 3:6-8, 10. “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and
declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. … if
we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
1 John 1:5, 7. “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh
to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh
to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in
God.” John 3:20-21. “Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous
and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.”
Malachi 3:18.
7. What if I
don’t always see eye to eye with some of my fellow members in Christ?
“I [Paul] therefore, the prisoner
of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are
called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing
one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in
the bond of peace. … Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of
the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the
stature of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:1-3, 13. “There is one
body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling.”
Ephesians 4:4. “But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou
not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. … For the
kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in
the Holy Ghost. For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to
God, and approved of men. Let us therefore follow after the things which
make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” Romans 14:15,
17-19.
8. How can I know I’m going
the right way?
“Thomas saith unto him,
Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith
unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the
Father, but by me.” John 14:5-6.
9. What will it
cost me to take this way?
“And he said to them all,
If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross
daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23.
“And whosoever doth
not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. … So likewise,
whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my
disciple.” Luke 14:27, 33.
10. Will there be many traveling with me if I
take this way?
“Then
said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to
enter in, and shall not be able.” Luke 13:23-24.
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and
broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto
life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13-14.
“For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew
22:14. The ones who “are chosen” are those who “strive to enter in at the
strait gate” by denying themselves, taking up their cross daily, and following
and obeying Jesus in every aspect of their lives. The reason most folk are not
chosen is because, not understanding the great value of it, they never become
willing to do this. Therefore, they are unable to enter in. But Jesus is still
inviting “whosoever will” to deny themselves, take up the cross, follow Him,
and be among the chosen. And to all who do, He says, “Fear not, little flock;
for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32.
11. Is it worth
it to follow Jesus in the “narrow” way with His “little flock?”
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in
a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth
and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of
heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had
found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”
Matthew 13:44-46.
“Then Peter began to say
unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee. And Jesus answered and
said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren,
or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake,
and the gospel's, But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses,
and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with
persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.” Mark 10:28-30.
Only One Narrow
Way!
Only one narrow way, “I am the way,” Only one open door, “I am the door,”
Only one Shepherd
kind, to heal the sick and blind;
Only one reeking
cross for souls that are lost.
Oh, see His crimson
blood, flowing for all: Behold thy patient Friend drinking life’s gall;
Only one rest
complete, low at His lovely feet,
Only one fountain
free, ‘tis flowing for thee.
Only one mind and
mouth, all speak the same; Only one church of God, kept in His name;
Only one gentle hand
to lead the little band,
Only one holy
plane, one Heaven to gain.
“And an highway shall be there,
and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the
unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men,
though fools, shall not err therein.” Isaiah 35:8.
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.
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