There is an abundance of evidence that what is known as the religious system called Christianity is one composed of all kinds of belief concerning the gospel message. Though most of the groups claim to have the truth, the reigning thought is that all beliefs are valid and/or one belief is as good as any other one. When the Bible is examined for such teachings, it is found that they are false and at the extreme, the ideas are delusional. God did not give several ways to be saved, or make a provision for all kinds of groups claiming to be part of the body of Christ.

The Bible not only tells us what creates and constitutes the people of God, the assembly (church), it tells us the role of that group for the stability of society in general. That begins with a husband treating his wife properly. Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:25, Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; Then he wrote in verse 28, So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.  He concludes his writing on the husband an wife relationship in verse 33, Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.  That isn’t to say that other groups don’t follow those teachings. That isn’t the point of the lesson. The point is that God gives us everything needed to live a godly and holy life in his sight and the sight of men.

Titus tells us that the older men and women are to be sober minded; meaning of sound mind and to think prudently. The older men and women are to teach the younger ones how to be good citizens and to make good decisions in life. Again, that is not to say that other groups don’t follow the Bible on these and other matters of like kind. But a question must be asked after making a point. It is granted that following God’s teachings will make a better society, but what good will it do anyone if the ones doing so are not saved. Just as God tells us what kind of life he wants us to live, he has given the instructions for salvation and how his assembly of people was then and is created now.

Group after group have denied, and continue to deny the plain truth of the gospel message. Luke recorded the words of Paul in Acts 20:29-30, For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Not only did Paul warn about that which took place in the first century after the assembly (church) began on the day of Pentecost, it continues to this day as men teach false doctrine. From the efforts of men who refused to follow the truth of the Bible, all kinds of beliefs have sprung up across the world.

Those of whom Paul spoke were Jews who badgered the converts to Christ to follow the old law and practice Judaism. In Galatians, Paul wrote to the assembly at Galatia about the demands of the Jews on the converts to follow days, Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. (Galatians 4:10) In Colossians 2:16 Paul wrote, Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. Yet, the teachings of group after group make demands on the people that are contrary to the Bible.

But it doesn’t stop with those false teachings. The idea today among many groups is that those engaged in sinful behavior (homosexual conduct, both male and female) are welcome in the body because God loves everyone. He does, but there are conditions on that love. The condition to receive salvation, which is his love expressed in Christ, is to repent and stop the behavior. (Read II Corinthians 7:1) Paul wrote in I Corinthians 6:9-11 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,bn 10  Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.  Paul wrote the truth that anyone who practices such behavior couldn’t be saved and will not be saved unless they repent of such behavior and stop it. It further is true that those who teach that such conduct is acceptable are delusional and cannot be part of the saved, the body of Christ. The one true body will teach that truth and no other on that matter.

© -1-04-2010 DEC                

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