Is It Worth The Risk?

by

Gregg A. Parker

Preface

The following is written for your sincere consideration. If you truly have an open heart that is desirous of knowing and observing the Truth as revealed by the Holy Scriptures, I’m hoping this will give you some food for thought. We all have a tendency, if we are not careful, to approach the Scriptures to prove what we already believe…let us work diligently toward approaching the Scriptures to let them dictate what we should believe; even if it contradicts something we formerly thought to be so. God, nor His Son, will ever mislead us; but we are all too able and sometimes too willing to mislead ourselves.

Jeremiah 10:23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

Proverbs 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

Two thousand years ago, Christ came to the Earth and established His church.

Through His own teaching and through the teachings of His disciples to whom He had given the Holy Spirit, He established this church in its completeness. Just as the Father had warned us in the Old Law…

De 12:32 -What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it,

…the Christ made it clear that what He established was complete and thorough and was not to be “amended” in any way.

John 12:48-50 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

Rev 22:18-19: For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

So the Christ established His church, the way He wanted it and told us not to change anything about it, yet today we look around and see hundreds if not thousands of different variations of Christian churches doing different things. Let us make some observations.

--------------------------------------------

·How come many churches name themselves after other men (Lutherans, Baptists, etc), or concepts (Methodists, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, etc) even though Paul, the inspired Apostle of the Christ, addressed this practice head-on to the Corinthian brethren.

I Corinthians 1:10-15 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment….. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

Bottom Line: It is Christ’s church. We should call ourselves by no other name.

*

·How come churches build kitchens and provide meals, even though Paul addressed this practice head-on as well to the Corinthian brethren.

I Corinthians 11:20-22 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? ordespise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not)

Bottom Line – The house of God is meant for worship; not for sharing common meals or any other activities such as bingo, coffee, etc.

*

·How come many churches today have Youth Ministers, Cardinals, Reverends (used only as an adjective in scripture), Directors of “this and that”, etc…When the only roles or positions mentioned in scripture for the New Testament church are: Preacher/Teacher/Evangelist (used interchangeably),Elder/Bishop/Overseer/ Pastor (used interchangeably), Deacon, and Saints.

Bottom Line – Who are we as “people” to create our own titles for use in the Lord’s church, instead of adhering to the ones He has ordained?

*

·How come many churches today say you need to be baptized into “their” church, when the scriptures reveal that the Lord adds you automatically to “the” church when you are baptized

Acts 2:37- 47 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost…..And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls….. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Bottom Line-Let us “never” place restrictions on entering the church that the Lord has not authorized. To do so is to attempt to place ourselves above the Lord.

*

·How come many churches today use entertainment (i.e. concerts, trips to theme parks, pancake suppers, etc) to get people to come to their church, when the Christ and His Apostles simply taught the truth, and then welcomed those who accepted it and prayed for those who didn’t.

Bottom Line – The Christ nor the Apostles felt any need to entertain people to attract them to or keep them in the church. If the truth of the Gospel doesn’t “catch” and “keep” them, their heart is not one that is acceptable unto God.

Matthew 15:7-8 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

*

·How come so many churches today use the Bible “plus” additional doctrines/creeds written by men (i.e. Methodist Discipline, Baptist Manual,Westminster Confession of Faith, etc), even though the Christ Himself warns against such practices…

Matt 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Just as the Father also warned us….

De 12:32 –What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt notadd thereto, nor diminish from it.

Bottom Line: To use any doctrine other than the Bible is an insult to God and is entrusting your soul to men, instead of to the One who created you.

*

How come so many churches have women Preachers, Elders, etc., when the explicit teachings of Paul, taught that they must remain silent in the worship assembly and not be placed in positions over any man of the congregation?

I Cor 14: 34-35 Let your women keep silent in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

I Tim 2:11-15 Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.  But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.  For Adam was first formed, then Eve.  And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety.

***********************************

There are many things which can be found in churches around our country today, which are not found in scripture. The preceding is just a listing of a few.

When adding or omitting things to the Lord’s church, we need to ask ourselves…..

Is It Worth The Risk Of Losing Our Soul?

***********************************