I have this feeling I should obey this

[newwaytobehuman]

If you are born again, you are a member of the true church. God puts us into Christ, not a denomination. Before I knew enough to be programmed by denominationalism, I went to any church that I could. I was in the Navy and I did not have the luxury of picking and choosing. I went to Japan, Hawaii, Singapore, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and all around Australia. I found that Christians have far more in common than they have differences.

Don't fall for the religious arrogance of those who claim to be the only real church, as a Southern Baptist told me once. Find a church that has Lord Jesus as its centre. If it is alive in Christ, you will be blessed.

God bless you Aussie Pete. You talk much sense

 

[Aussie Pete]

God bless you Aussie Pete. You talk much sense

It's taken the Lord 50 years to bring me to where I am. I'd better live another 50, because I'm far from perfect still. I regularly pray for wisdom. I've learned the hard way that God's ways are infinitely better than mine.

 

[newwaytobehuman]

It's taken the Lord 50 years to bring me to where I am. I'd better live another 50, because I'm far from perfect still. I regularly pray for wisdom. I've learned the hard way that God's ways are infinitely better than mine.

never worry about not being perfect. Jesus has all of time and eternity to work on us and perfect us. He will complete what He started. This is His promise to us!

 

[newwaytobehuman]

We are already accepted in the beloved . Made righteous in Him. We rest in that. Knowing He will cleanse us of all faults and present is spotless before His presence

 

[Aussie Pete]

never worry about not being perfect. Jesus has all of time and eternity to work on us and perfect us. He will complete what He started. This is His promise to us!

Absolutely! One of my favourite verses is "He will perfect that which concerns you". A friend gave me that several years ago. I was going through a rough patch. It's blessed me ever since.

 

[mikeforjesus]

Because of feeling weak and people judging and not caring to help support truth and justice making it seem you can not know truth to tell people who are judging others and my own feeling of defeat in my relationship with God I think I should accept we only know salvation is in the church which I think is orthodox and catholic or orthodox or catholic but one may be right in its doctrines so you should learn it to see what is most right to know what you will be judged on or to decide what is most right that you have to follow to learn from that but I think it could be none of them are true as I believed which seems true according to bible so if person does not follow christ it would be his fault as he may be rejecting the inspiration of bible which is true and does not teach church but if he is worried like me if one feels one can not totally know if bible alone is sufficient though it seems so it would still be his fault for not following truth to follow church. Because I do not see people united in one gospel I think it is better to follow that but it may be true so if people reject christ at all in anyway it is their fault.

 

[mikeforjesus]

I will not follow the church despite the wrongness of those who judge others who believe differently to them and the lack of support judging other believers as not good I have a duty as with parable of the talents because I believe bible so if I remain that way I would not help others and if I am that way forever I may not be saved if I don’t eventually repent if I am shown truth Jesus said I will manifest myself to those who do my commandments

 

[mikeforjesus]

Really I don't know if one is supposed to have full confirmation of full truth not just some who seek God fully but as I do not know I want it though I think maybe God wants people who trust Him without faith it is impossible to please God.

They should trust Him that if there is any truth He would show that for sure for those who diligently seek Him but some could say that just means God will convince you to join a church they think it is right to join and have correct views but I don’t know so I think I should join church I think though there could be salvation outside the church so it is one fault not to accept and if one is worried he can join a church.

I decided I will be orthodox going to catholic church to see if its views are right confessing to them then I can join if it is right. I would prefer not to follow church but all I see among many other christians is unless one thinks their way to reject others and I see many of the devout ones do not really have confidence to know the way to eternal life to know exactly what they need to be doing they make it like you can’t know if you will make it to heaven saying most will go to hell that it is a journey you do not know its path before to finish.

You are supposed to have it now if you are obeying Christ you are supposed to know you have the oil and what you need to be doing to fully be in Christ though you could lose it later.

It is other protestants though who taught you can have assurance if you are sincere there would be ongoing fruit and those in churches say they agree but in actuality they do not believe they can know they are following as they believe they must obey their guides who can change whatever a person needs to do at anytime.

But I think it is best I follow church to do things if they tell me to do things that are practical not hindering my walking with christ and I seek God to hear His voice to know His will.

I saw a christian movie which lady was counseling one as jesus said ask and you will receive seek and you will find and I thought I could know I am following christ if I seek christ and hear from Him but I will seek to do that while I am following church.

I would not like to follow church but it seems it would be more helpful if I did as other christians keep making it like most are going to hell and they can not have assurance to know the way.

I just thought I should follow church as I expected to know truth for sure before the end and it seems antichrist is already here and it seems better to join church incase if you don't have opportunity later or if by following church it can strengthen faith in it or just to have assurance if you can't find assurance otherwise

 

[Albion]

Mike, there are many reasons to be part of a congregation. See what the New Testament says on that account.

There are numerous references in the Bible to the fellowship, the sacraments, the instruction, and of the fact that the early Christians knew the importance of all of this, even moreso than most churchgoers today do (to say nothing of the believers who deliberately avoid our churches).

 

[mikeforjesus]

I agree I did believe attending church is important but I thought it would be hard to find a devout one I could still look I could go to both. I have many Christian books I want to read I bought but incase I don’t read it or spend time with God if I feel He may not be there though I have not tried really but it didn’t come natural I thought to join Orthodox Church

 

[Albion]

The thing is...there are backsliding congregations and individual Christians, just as there are the bad apples in any organization that's populated by human beings. But that's no reason to write off all churches.

You are apparently a person who is interested enough to do some research before deciding on a course of action. I applaud that.

So now apply that drive to finding the right congregation for you. Study the different churches' beliefs and get some information on the ones that are available to you where you live. Then visit the most promising of them. I assume that you will be, or already have, made a visit to an Orthodox parish's worship services. Make that your start on a more comprehensive search.

 

[mikeforjesus]

Thankyou for your care and guidance I have visited orthodox churches I already know what they believe I have not visited others as many seem to have beliefs I don’t share as much to emphasise baptism and communion as grace giving and I am not sure if they do fellowship and welcome strangers. I don’t think I need to worry if they dont emphasise my beliefs maybe they can consider its importance but I don’t know if I will find a church which seeks to fellowship and seek to disciple others

 

[Albion]

Okay, and thank you for the kind words. Of course I wouldn't want to dissuade you from a church if you've made a firm decision. I had the idea that you were still thinking it over.

 

[mikeforjesus]

Thankyou I do hope to look but I have not started as I have been discouraged but I hope to do so to try to visit other churches and see if there is any churches that I find are helpful

 

[mikeforjesus]

I decided I should not let others discouragement stop me from my commitment to trusting the gospel that all who believe and are repenting now can be saved that that is already the path of salvation that you don’t need more special guidance to do it as St. John said you have annointing and need not that anyone teach you I believe all Christians have it even without participating in ordinances and I should trust the justice and fairness of God as many can not know the truth and do not have chance even as they could be threatened with death and not know what is true and we know God is just He would not judge one who can not know

I just wanted other Jews to be saved and for revival in other nations and I thought they were not accepting because they didn’t feel a need to search as they may not like to be told by others what to believe if they do not seem an authority to be able to say what is true so I thought if I join church I could bring that about for them to search

 

[mikeforjesus]

I think to be sure as I have not explored the Catholic Church I should be Orthodox and go to Catholic Church to learn what they believe to see if it is true as I may not be able to benefit from confession if I am not part of a church to have its sacraments to join it but if I don’t learn that it is true and know for sure the difference of orthodoxy I won’t accept divisions I won’t accept any as true I would just want to be Christian but sacraments may not work if I intend that so I should not if I don’t know for sure the difference of orthodoxy it may be it is not true and all Christians are accepted but I can not know so one should join church one is saved if he ever intends to join church to call on God even if he didn’t get opportunity if he needs opportunity God will make sure he gets it

 

[mikeforjesus]

I decided the call is so important the need that I should not have anything to do with compromised Christianity I believe now it is right to trust it can’t be true because God is just that He would not reject someone who never knew what one needs to believe even if he didn’t search before if he seeks then and church would require that you need to have believed what they say is true and church is also unjust judging unbaptised babies to a mild hell

if anyone is worried he could join church

 

[SANTOSO]

I think I should join the Orthodox Church and accept it may be the only true church or it could not be but said out of politics recently to make people believe in the church because if others convert to the Catholic Church while there is politics of them not accepting others they may think others are not saved

But it could be the only true church and I seek to be convinced by joining if God can confirm it is the only true church or if it can convince Catholic is too just to feel the presence of God and maybe I will see proofs otherwise I just have to assume it could be only true church. I could also visit the Catholic Church to be convinced of it

It could be there is salvation outside but we have to assume you need the church and it is for me to know more fully

Beloved one,
The New Testament word for "church" is ekklesia [ejkklhsiva], which means "the called out ones."

Church is not a building. It is not a denomination. Church are people whom the Lord have called to salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Beloved one, we are called out to seek God through the gospel of Jesus Christ, His Son.

Seek the gospel of Jesus Christ, is the power of salvation to those who believe.

To God the Father be thanksgiving through Christ. Amen

 

[mikeforjesus]

All believers are church as Jesus said those who believe in Him He gave the right to be children of God the bible says whoever calls on the Lord will be saved if only those are saved who absolutely know the truth that would not be fair if not all can find it but the gospel says He gave right for all to be children of God for all who believe in His name which is that all can be justified if they believed to repent to turn away from all sin to follow Him now His words show if one is truly alive in Him fully surrendered to be following Him.

 

[SANTOSO]

All believers are church as Jesus said those who believe in Him He gave the right to be children of God the bible says whoever calls on the Lord will be saved if only those are saved who absolutely know the truth that would not be fair if not all can find it but the gospel says He gave right for all to be children of God for all who believe in His name which is that all can be justified if they believed to repent to turn away from all sin to follow Him now His words show if one is truly alive in Him fully surrendered to be following Him

Beloved one, this is what we have heard:
“For this people's heart is waxed gross,
And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed;
Lest at any time they should see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And should understand with their heart,
And should be CONVERTED, and I should heal them.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13:15‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Beloved one, from what we heard our Lord have said, — what should be converted?

The first parentheses, He started with the heart, then said about the eye and the ear. In the second parentheses, He started talking about eye, ear, and ended talking about the heart and said about being converted?

Beloved one, our Lord is not talking about heart, eye, and ear separately but as one, that is, the heart.

So what should be converted is the heart. So what should be healed ? Also, the heart.

So as to have a real, genuine conversion, the ear of the heart must NOT BE DULL OF HEARING and the eye of the heart must NOT CLOSE, that the eye of the heart may see and the ear of the heart may hear.

How then the ear of our hearts should hear and the eye of our hearts should see ? This is what we have heard our Lord said:

“that seeing they may see, and not PERCEIVE ; and hearing they may hear, and not UNDERSTAND; lest at any time they should be CONVERTED, and their sins should be forgiven them.”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:12‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So the eye of our hearts should see PERCEIVE and the ear of our hearts should hear to UNDERSTAND, and our hearts should understanding, that our hearts APPLY this understanding.
But with what we should be CONVERTED?

So before Mark 4:12, our Lord said :

“And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know THE MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in PARABLES:”
‭‭Mark‬ ‭4:11‬ ‭KJV‬‬

So with THE MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, the eye of our hearts should PERCEIVE and the ear of our hearts should UNDERSTAND, and our hearts apply this understanding, and our sins should be forgiven them, and our hearts should be healed as our Lord have said.