Excuse me if this seems like a stupid question, but I am a little conflicted on the subject. I was raised a Lutheran but there are just so many denominations, most claiming to be the correct one. How do I know which one is the true Church of our Lord Jesus Christ?
True denominations don't claim to be the only true one. True denominations claim that only the denominations who believe in Jesus as God and some other beliefs are the real ones. I'm pentecostal so I attend the Assembly of God for example, if you're lutheran you may wanna try a baptist or a presbyterian church. God bless you!
At the end of the day, there is no true church. It's about finding one that's best for you. I would say any church that claims to be a true church should be avoided.
Well growing up Lutheran perhaps you would remember the term Sola Scriptura. The principle being that the scriptures are the only infallible source of truth for the Christian. All creeds and traditions are subject to the correction and support of the scriptures. Some institutions(LDS, RCC, JW, etc) say that you can trust them because they themselves are the infallible source of truth founded by Christ. However only scripture is God breathed. Understand the truth by earnestly comprehending God’s Word. Not with your own interpretation or with “whatever works for you”, but with the clear testimony of the Bible.
I would heavily agree with this. Scripture really is the only infallible resource to learn about God. Any man-made institution is subject to sin and therefore ultimately must be heavily questioned and accepted with a pinch of salt. Really there are several denominations that do a great job presenting major doctrine the right way. Major doctrine (Jesus is fully God and fully man, the resurrection, death on the cross, etc...) is the doctrine that defines Christianity and must be believed in order for a person to really be a Christian. Then the minor doctrine (baptism, elders/deacons, Lord's Supper, etc...) are what separates the denominations. These minor doctrines aren't necessary for salvation in Christ but are important. Really each person should look at the Bible and research these points of minor doctrine, come up with their own conclusions that are backed by the Word, and then choose a denomination from that. I'm Baptist because I agree with the Baptist statement of faith and how they practice minor doctrine. But Presbyterian, Lutheran, Methodist, and others all have the right major doctrine, making them all fine as well.
That's like your opinion. How do they promote porn addiction? The majority of non-Reformed/Calvinist churches no longer even preach the Gospel anymore. They're just into preaching psychology and are entertainment churches. I'm biased towards Calvinist ones because they have not compromised the Gospel and are not completely emasculated like the majority of American Christian churches. I see that you're from the UK. Sorry to hear that, you guys don't have a country anymore.
Firstly I have no idea what you're talking about because we do have a country and secondly why even bring this kind of thing to this thread? This has nothing to do with what the OP is asking! It plays a part in it because it encourages self-hatred through the teachings of total depravity and limited atonement. It makes out God to be angry and have a great hatred of certain people. One thing that drives porn addiction is self-hatred and Calvinism encourages that.
So you believe that there are people who gonna go To heaven and others are alteady doomed to go To hell?
I love some of their sermons. But it more like work is greater than Grâce. Also they don't believe in the work of the holy spirit( miracles, speaking on tongues...)
Yeah but you put your doctrine above the gospel, I don't say that you are heretics or what ( I love the honesty of Paul Washer and the kindness of Jonh Piper), but yoi called all the others heretics. You guyz Can be wrong too. Even Paul and Peter had différences.
Do they believe in God, the Father; Jesus Christ, God's only Son, fully God and fully man; and the Holy Spirit, who is also God? Do they preach Christ crucified and raised from the dead? Do they believe in forgiveness, and practice love? Let these be your litmus test. If they do not believe in the Trinity, by either saying the Holy Spirit isn't a person but a force, or that Jesus is anything other than fully God and fully man, then they do not have the full picture of God. If they cannot believe Jesus was 100% dead and 100% resurrected, then it is not of God. And if you do not see them living what they know, then they have not understood what they have read and what they have heard. Really, you will know they are Christian by their love. It is true not all churches agree on theology or practice, but they are all the body of Christ. Jesus prayed that we would be one, as he and God are one, and we must pray the same. We need to recognise that we are all of the same body, directed by the same Head, that is Jesus, and filled with the same Holy Spirit. What is amazing, though, is how in spite of our disunity God uses us to bring his dominion in the world. That, as our bodies have many parts and many organs that work for common cause, so too does the body of Christ. Churches can have different ideas about semantics or if we should baptise infants or adults, but those differences mean we can serve difference communities, reach more diverse people. Some churches are hands, others are feet. Some are stomachs and ruminate on ideas and others breathe life into the body. They all have the same head. Jesus.
The scriptures, including the Gospel, were never intended to be used in isolation. The true Church is the one founded by Jesus Christ.
Christian reformed here - the Dutch heirs of the OG Calvinist, Calvin himself: uh, I believe in all those things. The CRC as a whole has challenges with them because it is easy to doubt when you have never seen or experienced it. I have seen that many baptist or pentecostal churches or individuals who hold some Calvinist beliefs are sometimes missing some of the history and lessons that go with them. They can sometimes hold onto erroneous and dangerous views of others, the same elitism that led to Apartheid (and Apartheid=bad). Churches that have mulled over Calvinist thinking for centuries understand the kindness of God, and know the idea of the Elect, or the Doctrine of Choice, to be very different from what you describe.
Who needs a church as a building? Most churches are corrupt and a part of the Whore of Babylon. This year is God's judgment upon these churches! Woe to those, who have the Blood of the Lamb on their hands instead of being washed by It! Jesus intended small home churches, not enterprises. You don't even necessarily need such congregations. Jesus did not call his first disciples to found church organisations. He did not get baptized by a pastor. Seek God's Will first.
There is no such thing as 'the one true church', only 'the one true God'. People nowadays tend to put doctryne and ceremony before Jesus, that's why we have so many denominations. Of course nothing is absolute, there are exceptions, but sadly, exceptions they are. Everyone's path is different, and Jesus works with each of us differently.
Yup that true. Big or emall church, as long as Jésus is preacher as lord and savior, as long as the gospel and holiness is preached more than "self-hapiness" sermon. I'm good with that.
