The right Church to go to?

[GodWithUs]

Hi everyone,

It's been a long time since I've posted. First of all, thank you for everyones kindness, especially to those people who have answered my questions, prayed for me and helped me to get closer to God. God Bless you all.


So my question is, how do you know you are attending the right Chruch? or what should one look for in a Church?

 

[GodWithUs]

Please let me know if something's not right with my question, or, anything at all? Thanks in advance.

 

[Boanerges]

Hi everyone,

It's been a long time since I've posted. First of all, thank you for everyones kindness, especially to those people who have answered my questions, prayed for me and helped me to get closer to God. God Bless you all.


So my question is, how do you know you are attending the right Chruch? or what should one look for in a Church?

Just my view on this:
That question could have so many different answers. Let's concentrate on the basics of a honest to goodness Christian Church:

1. They must believe the Bible is the Word of God. If not head for the door.
2. They must preach, teach and live their lives according to the Word.
3. A Spirit filled Church is preferred as they generally teach more of the whole counsel of God's Word and tend to move in more of His power and anointing.
4. Look for a church with a real heart for the lost and a zeal for evangelism. Where God's Spirit is moving His heart for the lost is always expressed.
5. Look for a church were the folks really seem to care for each other.
6. The most important thing of all- pray. Ask the Holy Spirit to lead to to the place God would have you learn, grow and serve.
7. Remember that God may put you in different places for times and seasons to help you grow and develop. This is not true for everyone but I find that as folks grow and mature they tend to move to deeper waters. Some are strictly for your benefit and some are not for you at all. Some places He puts you to learn and others to serve. Some places may be both.
Many blessings in Jesus Name,
your brother Larry.

 

[palms25]

To add to your question. How do i know what religeon to follow? am i follwing the right one? why does God make it so hard to choose? They all seem so right in some ways and so wrong in others!!!

 

[SpiritLedEd]

I've heard it said many times that all religions lead to God. That's a fallacy. One thing the world's non-Christian religions all have in common is that their followers persecute Christians to one degree or another. Even hard-line Jews have been known to persecute Christians in Israel. All other religions (Judaism excepted) preach that believers must earn the deity's (or deities') favor. Christianity shows us that we already have God's favor (see 1 Jn 3:1) and realizing that should make the choice easy.

SLE

 

[palms25]

Indeed that is my truth too that we all have Gods favour and we always will. FOr God is love. But it is hard to find a religeion that espouses this truth. Many have an understanding of God that is jelous, wrathful, petty, needy, and two faced. This is not love this is not God. I nam not a christian but i am seeker of truth. There is much i have taken from christianity including the idea that God is love, but a lot of other teachings i have encountered in chrisitianity contradict this truth.
perhaps it is time for a new understanding of God. perhaps it is time to get to get back to the notion of a loving God. perhaps it is time to start seeing the unity between the religions and not the division, this may be the way to heal the world.

 

[jean]

No church is perfect as it's a place for humanity! I have attended churches which were very Spirit filled and I was truly blessed but then God moved me on and I'm now in a church where I can be a blessing (hopefully!) and share what I have learned on my journey.

There is a lot of confusion it seems, because God is a God of love but He is also a God of justice, so God is not a 'soft touch'. We can't mould Him into our image but we must be moulded into His, by the power of His Holy Spirit.

It's what has been called a 'personal encounter' or relationship but to be enjoyed and shared with the body (the whole church) of Christ.

 

[palms25]

hello jean,
Ihave heard it many times that God is love but he is also justice. This interests me for two reasons:
Firstly the need to add "but he is aslo justice" which implies that justice is not love. But for me justice is love. Justice is the putting right of past wrongs. Justice is about healing the hurt and mending the wounds. So justice for me is all about love.
Secondly the statement "but he is also justice" implies to me that the writer likens justice to punishment. Now punishment is not love. This may explain why the confusion arises.
now God is love so God is justice. God clearly is not punishment. hope this helps
God bless

 

[SpiritLedEd]

Secondly the statement "but he is also justice" implies to me that the writer likens justice to punishment. Now punishment is not love. This may explain why the confusion arises.

The time is coming when the world as we know it will be transformed into a new earth where unrighteousness can't exist; it will be reserved for the righteous. The unrighteous,those who chose to live apart from God will, because of their choices, be doomed to eternal punishment. God is perfect in the most absolute sense of the word. Sin (unrighteousness) is imperfection and He cannot allow it in the Kingdom. Its an oil-and-water thing; the two cannot commingle.

Suggested reading: 2 Pt 3; Rev 21; 1 Thess 5:1-11;Mt 25:31-46.

SLE

 

[palms25]

Indeed the time is comming when the earth will be transformed. This will occer when the hearts of mankind evolve to a new and better understanding of God. That can happen tomorrow it is all up to us!!
we can continue with our old understandings and our old cultural beliefs or we can decide to take a new and better understanding of God.
This new understanding of God will be that God is love. We will choose love over hate, we will choose justice over punishment we will choose a grander version of who we are.
Then our world will be transformed. Lets make it sooner rather than later!
God bless

 

[Boanerges]

have heard it many times that God is love but he is also justice. This interests me for two reasons: Firstly the need to add "but he is aslo justice" which implies that justice is not love. But for me justice is love. Justice is the putting right of past wrongs. Justice is about healing the hurt and mending the wounds. So justice for me is all about love. Secondly the statement "but he is also justice" implies to me that the writer likens justice to punishment. Now punishment is not love. This may explain why the confusion arises. now God is love so God is justice. God clearly is not punishment. hope this helps God bless

There are no contradictions in the Word of God but only those who do not understand it's heart and intent.
God is also Holy and no sin stands in the presence of a Holy God without judgment.
God is Love and being Love sent His most precious Son to die for our sin. The real question is whether we choose to avail ourselves of this gift. Those who are found in Christ are judged in Christ. Those who are found outside of Christ are judged according to the Law and are guilty under that same Law.
No man can please God in his own strength but God has made a way for all those who would come. Those who would come love God and want to be with Him, these are given the very righteousness of Christ in which to stand. Those who would not come wish to serve their own flesh and/or some demonic imitation of the Lord. This will get them only sorrow.

 

[SpiritLedEd]

Indeed the time is comming when the earth will be transformed. This will occer when the hearts of mankind evolve to a new and better understanding of God. That can happen tomorrow it is all up to us!!
we can continue with our old understandings and our old cultural beliefs or we can decide to take a new and better understanding of God.

Are you saying that the transformation you envision can occur or that it will occur? Also, what do you see as God's role in it?

SLE

 

[palms25]

Are you saying that the transformation you envision can occur or that it will occur? Also, what do you see as God's role in it?

SLE

I believe it will occur. In fact i believe it is already occuring. THe seeds of harmony are being put in place already. I can give personal account of groups who are comming together from diverse places, not to convince others of thier truth but to expand their own truth. FOr the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
THe questioh what is Gods role in all this? seems to contain an assumption that somehow God is seperate from the process. But God is very much apart of the process, God is very much a part of the whole creative process. It is this understanding that God is a part and not apart that exemplifies the oneness and unity that is God

 

[palms25]

There are no contradictions in the Word of God but only those who do not understand it's heart and intent.
God is also Holy and no sin stands in the presence of a Holy God without judgment.
God is Love and being Love sent His most precious Son to die for our sin. The real question is whether we choose to avail ourselves of this gift. Those who are found in Christ are judged in Christ. Those who are found outside of Christ are judged according to the Law and are guilty under that same Law.
No man can please God in his own strength but God has made a way for all those who would come. Those who would come love God and want to be with Him, these are given the very righteousness of Christ in which to stand. Those who would not come wish to serve their own flesh and/or some demonic imitation of the Lord. This will get them only sorrow.

you say there are no contradictions concerning God and indeed you may be right but there are many what i call divine dichotomies that reqiuire us to meditate deeply. ie God is one and God is all God is here and God is there, God is male God is female God is without gender, iGod is up and down left and right.etc etc these beautifull dichtomies lead us to a better understanding of the greatneess of God
where i meet contradictions however is where i stop and question what is true. ie God is love and God is hate??
God says dont kill and then does the killing himslef??? GOd is love and God punishes????
these are real contradictions and dont seem to hold up to meditative contemplation.
So we have to hold to a truth. God is love is my truth that I hold dear. This forces me to reject notions of a punishing vengefull jelous vain God. Instead it leads me to an understandning of a loving God and it is this understanding of God that i beleive will heal the world
GOd bless

 

[Michali]

you say there are no contradictions concerning God and indeed you may be right but there are many what i call divine dichotomies that reqiuire us to meditate deeply. ie God is one and God is all God is here and God is there, God is male God is female God is without gender, iGod is up and down left and right.etc etc these beautifull dichtomies lead us to a better understanding of the greatneess of God
where i meet contradictions however is where i stop and question what is true. ie God is love and God is hate??
God says dont kill and then does the killing himslef??? GOd is love and God punishes????
these are real contradictions and dont seem to hold up to meditative contemplation.
So we have to hold to a truth. God is love is my truth that I hold dear. This forces me to reject notions of a punishing vengefull jelous vain God. Instead it leads me to an understandning of a loving God and it is this understanding of God that i beleive will heal the world
GOd bless

God is love and because of His love, He has given every person the ability to freely choose. With this freedom, a person may choose to follow truth or to follow a lie, but God shows us the truth in His Word, the Bible. Men who made "their truth" a world that is flat,for example, did NOT ever change the real truth by believing this. The truth is the truth and there cannot possibly be contradictory "truths". God is love and He is just. Justice is love, as you stated that you also believe. So, what does justice mean? Here is the definition:

jus·tice noun \ˈjəs-təs\
Definition of JUSTICE

1
a : the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments
b : judge
c : the administration of law; especially : the establishment or determination of rights according to the rules of law or equity
2
a : the quality of being just, impartial, or fair
b (1) : the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action (2) : conformity to this principle or ideal : righteousness
c : the quality of conforming to law
3
: conformity to truth, fact, or reason : correctness

God loves us and has established commands which are made out of love for our good and the good of others. God has given us the truth and He has shown us the way to live. We must recognize that we, as every person, are sinful. We are not able, in our own strength, to live up to God's law. He cannot be near sin, because He is perfect. If you were to think of one sin that is the most despicable thing you could imagine; then think of how God, who is perfect, must be sickened by sin. Think of how incomprehensible it is for us as humans, who are sinners, to understand just how disgusting our sin is to God, who cannot even be near to sin because He is utterly perfect. And because He is love, He made a way for us to escape judgement. He wants to give all men life, but we each must personally choose. Do you choose God's love and forgiveness, through the sacrifice of Jesus, that covers our sin and pays our debt; or do you choose eternal separation from love (God) and eternal judgement? It truly is our choice to accept the truth of God's love. The only way to accept all He wants to give us is by accepting His gift that He gave by dying in our place, to cover our sin and make us completely clean before a most Holy God. Please accept His gift that costs us nothing, but cost Him the very life of His beloved son, Jesus, the Christ. John 14:6, Romans 10:9, Romans 6:23, John 3:19, John 5:24

Much love to you!