Is One Church As Good As Another?
A. THE POPULAR CONSENSUS.
B. RESULT: HUNDREDS OF DENOMINATIONS.
1. Confusion( 1 Cor. 14:33 ).
2. Infidelity( John 17:21 ).
C. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH?
A. MAN'S WISDOM DEFIES GOD'S WISDOM( 1 Cor. 1:22-23 ).
B. MAN COMES OUT ON THE SHORT END( 1 Cor. 1:20; 3:19 ).
C. MAN'S WAY IS UNRELIABLE( Prov. 14:12 ).
D. HE SHOULD RELY ON A GREATER WISDOM( Isa. 55:8-9 ).
E. LET US THEN DISCARD OUR OWN IDEAS, AND APPROACH GOD'S
WORD SEEKING HIS WISDOM.
A. THE AMERICAN "FREEDOM FALLACY:"
FREEDOM OF RELIGION MAKES ALL RELIGION RIGHT.
1. Not so, not any more than freedom of the press
makes all divergent views correct.
2. God gives the right to believe what ever we want,
but only the truth will save( John 8:31-32 ).
TRUTH, by definition, is EXCLUSIVE.
3. If a man chooses to believe error, he may,
but he will not be saved( 2 Thess. 2;10-12 ).
B. "CAN'T ALL SEE THE BIBLE ALIKE."
1. Let's see( Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16 ).
2. Not a question of interpretation, but of authority!
3. Is God the author of confusion?( 1 Cor. 14:33 ).
4. Paul said we could understand as he did( Eph. 3:3-4 ).
5. Does God ask the impossible( 1 Cor. 1:10 ).
C. FLAGRANT MISUSE OF PASSAGES( John 15; 1 Cor. 12; John 10:16 ).
A. CHRIST PROMISED TO BUILD ONLY ONE( Matt. 16:18 ).
B. ONLY ONE ESTABLISHED( Acts 2:41, 44, 47 ).
C. THE CHURCH IS CHRIST'S BRIDE( 2 Cor. 1:1-2 ). HOW MANY WIVES?
D. THE CHURCH IS HIS BODY( Col. 1:18; Eph. 4:4; 1 Cor. 12:12 ).
A. NOT BECAUSE ALL FOLLOW THE BIBLE( 1 Cor. 14:33 ).
B. BECAUSE ALL DON'T FOLLOW THE BIBLE( 4:6 ).
C. WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE THAT IS?( 3:1-3 ).
D. PRIDE IS THE CHIEF OFFENDER( Gal. 1:10 ).
A. THE LORD'S CHURCH ACCEPTS JESUS AS FOUNDER AND HEAD
( Matt. 16:18; Col. 1:18 ).
B. THE RIGHT CHURCH FOLLOWS CHRIST'S TEACHING( John 8:31 ).
C. THE RIGHT CHURCH WILL NEITHER ACCEPT THAT WHICH IS FALSE
AND SINFUL, NOR HARBOR THOSE WHO DO( 2 John 9-11 ).
A. JESUS PRAYED FOR ONE CHURCH( John 17:20-21 ).
B. PAUL DEMANDED IT IN HIS NAME( 1 Cor. 1:10 ).
C. WON'T YOU BECOME A PART OF IT?