what the church is....and isn't

A friend of mine had been posting for several weeks about what the Church is.  And what it isn't.  Sadly, his conclusion has been that the religious organization that we call 'the Church' today is nothing like what God requires of His People. I have agreed with him 100%.  He doen't come from a 'church of God' background, but he definitely comes from a 'holy spirit taught' background.  A little while ago he posed several questions that every single church-going person in the world ought to consider.  I'm posting them here.

So consider these scriptures:  Psalm 78:36-38;  Isaiah 29:13;  Matthew 15:8-9;  Mark 7:6-8;  Acts 2:42-47

Now think about these questions:  

What if… everything we’d been taught and think we know about “church” and worship is wrong?

What if… we have not been worshiping according to God’s standards but rather human traditions?

What if… we began to seek God’s truth in how to worship and what He wants instead of trying to justify our traditions with His Word?

What if… we weren’t supposed to meet a few times a week for worship in a special building but rather meet every day for worship and fellowship?

What if… there wasn’t supposed to be church buildings, Sunday school teachers, orders of worship, pastors, sermons, Sunday morning dress-up and performances, worship leaders, ministers of music, tithing, clergy salaries, grand baptism performances, abbreviated Lord’s Suppers, altar calls, or formal Christian education?

What if… we devoted ourselves to God’s Word, Christian fellowship and prayer?

What if… we sold our possessions and gave to anyone in need?

What if… God added to our numbers daily those who were being saved?

What if… we allowed Jesus through the instrument of the Holy Spirit to be the Head of the church and truly lead us in worship with our single focus on pleasing God?

What if… everyone really participated in worship as described in the Bible?

And the other side of the coin: 

What if… there weren’t 38,000 different religious denominations?

What if… our worship was only rules taught by men?

What if… our worship was not pleasing to God?

Think about it. How serious would these questions be if every single one of them is applicable to our Salvation?  

Maybe it is time we laid aside everything we have been taught about how we are to worship and really put our faces in the Word of God with enough sincerity to allow the Lord to lead us.

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It might make a BIG difference in your life!