Any church you can "join" is NOT God's Church

Any church you can "join" is NOT God's Church
The Plain Truth
April, 1968

THE BIBLE ANSWERS Short Questions FROM OUR READERS
There are so many denominations, how does one recognize the
Church Jesus founded?
B. E., Canada

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    The Greek word "ecclesia" translated "Church" in English means "the called-out ones"! 

     On the other hand, in the WORLD the very first great event Jesus foretold would be a deceptive COUNTERFEIT Christianity.

     "Take heed," said Jesus, "that no man deceive you. For many shall come IN MY NAME, SAYING I AM CHRIST; and shall deceive many!" (Mat. 24:4-5.)

     Notice carefully! These deceivers would come in Christ's name, saying Jesus IS the Christ. They would be calling themselves "Christian," but would in fact be the devil's representatives. It was NOT THE FEW who were to be deceived by them -- but THE MANY! It was the FEW who were to become TRUE Christians! (Mat. 7:13-14.)

     That isn't what the world believes, is it? Probably that isn't what you have always heard, and come to assume.

     But it is WHAT JESUS CHRIST SAID! How deceived this world has become!

     Yes, MANY would come in Jesus' name, proclaiming that Jesus IS the Christ -- preaching about Christ to the world -- yet, actually DECEIVING THE WORLD! (Mat. 24:5.)

     Simply by preaching ABOUT the PERSON of Christ -- extolling is virtues, worshipping Him, yet DENYING HIS MESSAGE -- the GOSPEL OF HIS KINGDOM!

     What a CLEVER counterfeit! And most of those preaching in Christ's name are SINCERE -- sincerely WRONG, themselves DECEIVED!

     It is SATAN who has deceived them! Satan has deceived the WHOLE WORLD!! (Rev. 12:9) He is the author of this confusion (I Cor. 14:33).

     It is SATAN who has made himself the god of this world (II Cor. 4:4) -- and is thus worshipped as though he were God! This world DOESN'T KNOW THE TRUE GOD, strange as that may seem. This world believes that if one just "accepts Christ" -- just "makes a decision for Christ" -- just "worships Christ" -- that is all that is necessary for salvation!

     That's what MANY preach today! But what did JESUS CHRIST teach? Did He say it was possible to WORSHIP Him, and STILL BE UNSAVED? 

     Listen to His words: "In VAIN do they WORSHIP ME," said Christ, "teaching for doctrines the commandments of men ... making the word of God of none effect through your tradition" (Mark 7:7, 13).

     Hard to believe, isn't it? You've probably been so drugged, so poisoned, so deceived, by this world's deceptions -- SATAN'S COUNTERFEITS -- that even the words of Christ are difficult to believe! Well, GOD HELP YOU TO BELIEVE CHRIST! It is one thing to believe ON Christ -- that is, on His person. It is something altogether different to BELIEVE CHRIST -- to BELIEVE WHAT HE SAYS!

     Very few really understand what the true Church is. 

     Jesus purchased THE TRUE CHURCH by shedding His blood for it (Acts 20:28). The TRUE Church is not some politically organized denomination which one JOINS or becomes a member, of in order to be "saved." Jesus did not die for some one religious denomination or another -- called a church. 

     Joining a local church congregation does not put you into God's true Church! Any church you can "join" is NOT God's Church!

     You CAN'T JOIN the true Church; only God can PUT YOU INTO IT BY HIS SPIRIT (I Cor. 12:13). God alone can make you a member of His Church -- if you surrender your life to Him.

     God will give that Spirit only to those who are willing to "OBEY HIM"! (Acts 5:32.)

     When YOU receive God's Spirit -- which is the spirit of a sound, sane mind (II Tim. 1:6-7), you become at that moment a newly begotten member of the body of Christ -- which is the true Church of God!

     The receiving of God's Spirit and the MIND OF CHRIST (Phil. 2:5) upon REPENTANCE and BAPTISM PUTS YOU INTO, baptizes you into God's TRUE Church!

     "For by ONE SPIRIT are we all baptized into ONE BODY to (I Cor. 12:13).

     YOU can be part of God's true Church by earnestly repenting of your sins -- disobedience to GOD'S LAWS -- by asking God to cover your sins through the blood of Jesus Christ, by calling on God's true servants to baptize you, and by claiming God's promise of the gift of His Holy Spirit. In that way, and that way ONLY, does anyone enter into the true Church.

     Church attendance is not the most important thing! Church attendance does not, by itself, mean CHURCH MEMBERSHIP in God's sight! Some people view "church going" as an end in itself. But it most definitely IS NOT.

     God expressly forbids His people ever to join in with the worship of counterfeit church bodies -- no matter how "close" to the truth they might seem! Only the genuine worship of God with His TRUE Church is acceptable to Him!

     You need to thoroughly EXAMINE YOURSELF. You NEED TO BE SURE!

(Archived as Any church you can "join" is NOT God's Church at COG Booklets and Articles

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Jeremiah 15:10-21
10 Woe is me, my mother,
That you have borne me,
A man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth!

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Dirty whore holidays?

Dirty whore holidays?

The apostate Church can do whatever the dirty whore wants to do with her hollow days, as God certainly wants nothing to do with them. Such polluted Catholic holidays are whitewashed paganism that stink to high heaven! However, those who refuse to FORSAKE BABYLON will suffer the consequences for it, as they've been warned and are being warned.

Why I No Longer Celebrate Christmas

Christmas is About Giving - SAYS WHO?

Will God Curse Our Countries for Christmas?

The Plain Truth about Easter

Plea to Diehard Catholics & Protestants to Repent

Israel and Judah Must Get House in Order Before King Messiah Arrives

The Sabbath-keeping Church of God rejects idolatrous traditions of spiritually perverted men with their hollow days, and instead gladly keep the biblical Sabbath and festivals of the Lord that soon all the world will know and observe and celebrate.

Hostility Against "Jewish Holidays" to be History!

Truth goes through 3 stages.
- First it is ridiculed.
- Then it is violently opposed.
- Finally it is accepted as being self-evident.
Arthur Schopenhauer

Jeremiah 16:19

O LORD, my strength and my fortress, My refuge in the day of affliction, The Gentiles shall come to You From the ends of the earth and say, "Surely our fathers have inherited lies, Worthlessness and unprofitable things."

Do You Prefer TRADITION Over Truth?

Is The Plain Truth Too Strong?

The Plain Truth about Easter

The Plain Truth about Easter

Ezinearticles.com ^ | 03-08-07 | David Ben-Ariel

Like dumb sheep to the slaughter, most of mankind continues to blindly follow pagan traditions, rather than obey God's clear commands (Mark 7:7). Has it ever occurred to those stuffing their faces with Easter ham that Jesus would puke at the thought? Neither Jesus or Peter, James or John ever ate forbidden foods. They wouldn't feel too comfortable at plenty of people's dinner tables.

Arnold's Office Refuses to Comment (update)

Arnold's Office Refuses to Comment
by David Ben-Ariel

The European Observer reported:

"Europe's far right parties are considering forming a pan-European movement together."

Will Arnold Schwarzenegger, frustrated by failures to run for the highest office in the United States, return home to Europe and triumph in the elections as the "born leader" of the pan-European movement's party? Will the EU's strong man then vent his anger against the United States and wreak havoc on the world?

When I called Governor Schwarzenegger's office the first time to inquire "Has Governor Schwarzenegger ever considered running for president of the European Union or would he consider it?" (Presently only possible when Austria has the EU presidency but the winds of change are blowing). The fellow said he was pretty sure he wouldn't. When I asked, "Is that a yes or a no," he said he hadn't heard him say anything about it. That's not what I asked. I wanted a concrete yes or no answer. Not a guess.

He then put me through to Lee in the Press Office who graciously took note of my questions and said if she found out anything she'd give me a call. I called again to leave my email, rather than just my phone number. Still didn't hear anything after some time, so I just called and she said they had no comment.

When pressed as to does that means Mr. Schwarzenegger doesn't plan to run for European office, or doesn't want to discuss it, for whatever reasons, she simply said "We don't have any comment for your book." When I said what should I say when I write about Arnold's refusal to answer a simple question, she said say the "Press office declines to comment." WHY?

Now, according to The European Observer:

Socialists urge political embargo against far-right group -- "The new far-right group – calling itself "Identity, Tradition, Sovereignty" likely to be formally constituted next week- teams up a mixed bunch of anti-immigrant and xenophobic MEPs, with a leader who is awaiting a court verdict for questioning the Holocaust... Greens leader Monica Frassoni said the group's creation "is a sad reflection of the reality of today's Europe," but added that in practice, not much will change.

'The extreme right MEPs already sit in this house and the fact that they are organised in a political group will not give them more influence in the parliament. They will remain marginal.'"

Wishful thinking? Failure to face growing resentment over Muslim intimidation throughout Europe?

Nothing against Arnold Schwarzenegger personally, but my first thought and concern as an American born and raised here in our Promised Land, is why would we want a German (he was born in Austria, hence Germanic) in control of California on our strategic West Coast? Especially when, as Herbert W. Armstrong so correctly warned through the pages of The Plain Truth magazine and World Tomorrow broadcast (formerly headquartered in Pasadena, California), the Nazi movement only went underground and began to lay the foundation for their return. Germany's Fourth Reich (taking ugly shape and beastly form in the fascist EU) was to be funded by German industrialists throughout the world who were to seek key positions to enable them to abuse their authority to further Germany's grand design. Something to seriously think about as it increasingly appears mission accomplished.

How many German plants in America are serving the interests of Germany's budding Fourth Reich? It's not only German factories and German businesses in America proving “that basic thoroughness of the orderly German” (Johannes Gross), since the secret Nazis had predetermined such a strategy, but bought and paid for American prostitutes in diverse and perverse positions of power who aid and abet them. They expose our country to danger and will leave us infected as a nuclear wasteland!

Now that Herr Schwarzenegger is in control of California, he undoubtedly craves the presidency of the United States, especially since he's convinced he was "born to rule" and has more than an admiration for historical dictators, swaying millions. If he is unable to claim that coveted prize, would he, in fierce frustration, return to Europe and go after its reigns and ride the EU bull with the Bavarian pope's blessings?

David Ben-Ariel is a Christian-Zionist writer and author of Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall. With a focus on the Middle East and Jerusalem, his analytical articles help others improve their understanding of that troubled region. Check out the Beyond Babylon blog.