Foundational
question on the formation of the church
Did
Jesus Christ, who is the word of God made flesh come to earth to preach the
gospel of our Heavenly Father to the Jews or to the Gentiles?
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God. 1:14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among
us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from
the Father, full of grace and truth.
Was
his ministry during the three years of his life that are recorded in the bible,
ministering to the Jews or the Gentiles?
The
Jews of course.
Peter's
ministry was to the Jews; Paul's ministry was to the Gentiles.
In
fact, Paul was specifically chosen by Jesus, because he was the worst of the
worst of the persecutors of God's chosen people.
Acts 9: 1-19 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous
threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in
Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or
women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3
As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven
flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground
and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you
persecute me?”
5 “Who are you,
Lord?” Saul asked.
“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,”
he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into
the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men
traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not
see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the
ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by
the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he
was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus
there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told
him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask
for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and
place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,”
Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he
has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests
to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord
said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to
proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias
went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother
Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming
here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s
eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Jesus
knew that if he converted the worst of the worst and he was able to share his
testimony that others would be converted because of that testimony.
So
Peter was to preach and minister to the Jews as did Jesus and Paul to the
Gentiles (non-Jews).
Are
we, meaning you and I Jews or Gentiles?
Was
my lineage or genealogy once a Jewish person who was converted?
Are
my descendants Jewish?
I
will never know that. In my patriarchal blessing it says I am from the tribe of
Ephraim which is a descendant of Joseph who was of Jacob’s son who was a Jew.
So according to my blessing I am of Jewish heritage.
The
real truth of that will never be known, that is another subject of faith and
belief. If the central question of which is the one true church that Jesus
Christ founded while on this earth remains?
I
don't know if there is a specific answer.
As
I have written before.
The
church of Christ was preached individually, house by house to those who
believed in the name of Jesus.
You
and I could have been the Church of Christ.
If
I am from the tribe of Ephraim then I once was a Jew and Jesus came to preach
his message to the Jews as was Peter instructed to do likewise,
John 21:15-21 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon
Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my
lambs.”
16 Again Jesus
said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of
my sheep.”
17 The third
time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time,
“Do you love me?” He said,
“Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my
sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you,
when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when
you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you
and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus
said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then
he said to him, “Follow me!”
20 Peter turned
and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the
one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is
going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he
asked, “Lord, what about him?”
What
is the one true church of Jesus Christ?
Mormons
believe they are the one true church of Jesus Christ.
The
more I study this the more questions I have, also the less I seem to come to a
full and complete understanding.
As
with pretty much everything it comes down to what you believe, which is faith.
The
other question on what I believe is central is does it matter?
If
a church is going to claim it is the one true church and that all other
churches did not have their beginning with Christ, then I believe it is
important for there to be some sort of substantiation to the claim.
If
the claim is not made then no substantiation is necessary, but since a claim is
made, it shouldn’t come down to an issue of belief and faith, nor should it?
More
questions, less answers.
I
raise this issue only for a point of clarification.
I
am solid in my faith of Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior, redeemer. If I am
going to say I belong to the one true church of Jesus Christ, I desire to have
more than just faith if that is possible.
Praise
to you Lord Jesus Christ, please bless me this day. Amen.
Blind
leading the blind, ancients of old, who were the prophets and how were they
selected by our Lord and what purpose did they serve future topics for later
today.
Blind
leading the blind
Matthew 15:14 – Leave them they are blind guides. If a
blind man leads a blind man, both will walk into a pit.
We
have a responsibility to study, to question, to analyze. To probe. By doing so
it only strengthens our faith, through the process we become more knowledgeable,
better acquainted with our beliefs which in turn increases our faith.
We
shouldn’t depend on others to strengthen or increase our faith.
We
need to be leaders not followers. We don’t want to be led blindly.
In
John 9:25 – One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.
As
we become more familiar with the teaching of our father in heaven, our eyes
will be opened, our wisdom will increase and we will begin to see clearly. Look
out that you don’t just follow the word of someone else; test it as it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 – Test everything. If you have questions about
anything, pray about it, study and test.
Make
sure you are not being led by the blind as well.
Test
those who are instructing you, ask questions, make sure you fully understand, and
then can your convictions be solid. Don’t be satisfied until all your questions
are answered directly and to your satisfaction. Then your faith will continue
to grow because you dared to ask a question.
Prophets – one whose revelations
is divinely inspired. One who foretells the future.
We
have a modern day prophet in our church, also called the President of the
church.
What do the
scriptures tell us about prophets?
Jesus
said in Matthew 5:17, 18 – Do not think I have come to abolish the law
of the prophets, I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. I tell
you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, nor
the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the law until
everything is accomplished. Matthew
24:24 – For false Christ and false
prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the
elect – if that were possible. 1Corinthians
12:28 – And in the church, God has
appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers
of miracles, also these having gifts of healing etc.
Key verse
Hebrews 1:11 – In the past God spoke to our forefathers
through the prophets at many times and various ways, but in these last days he
has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed heir to all things and through
whom he made the universe.
That
is what I thought, I didn’t know if we needed modern day prophets now that
Jesus has come to earth to speak with us directly. It would seem that we would
not need prophets any more since their express purpose was to receive
revelation from God to pass on to the Israelites. They would receive revelation
and then prophesize to the kings what they had heard from God.
Since
Jesus came to earth, the need for prophets I believe has gone away.
Now any of us
can receive revelation from the Lord for our self and for our family.
2 Peter 1:20, 21
–
Above all you must understand that no
prophecy of scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For the
prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as
they were carried away by the Holy Spirit.
There
is a whole section on false prophets and false teacher in 2 Peter chapter 2.
False
Teachers and Their Destruction
2 But there were also false prophets among the
people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly
introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought
them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow
their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In
their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their
condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not
been sleeping.
4 For
if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell putting
them in chains of darkness to
be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when
he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of
righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of
Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what
is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a
righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless 8
(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented
in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if
this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold
the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment. 10 This is
especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise
authority.
Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse
on celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger
and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on
them from the Lord. 12 But these people blaspheme in matters they do
not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born
only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.
13 They
will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure
is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in
their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full of
adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts
in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straightway and
wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of
wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an
animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s
madness.
17 These
people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness
is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and,
by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are
just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them
freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves
to whatever has mastered them.” 20 If they have escaped the
corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are
again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they
were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to
have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn
their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of
them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is
washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”
He
begins by saying 1 – But there will
be false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among
you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the
sovereign Lord who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 – Many will follow their shameful
ways and will bring the truth in dispute. In their greed these teachers will
exploit you with stories they have made up. 10 – Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander
celestial beings. 12 – But these men
blaspheme in matters they don’t understand. 14 – With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning, they
seduce the unstable. We need to be very careful of false prophets and false
teachers.
That is why it
is so important to not just blindly believe but to question everything.
We
don’t want to be led astray and be left behind in the second coming of our Lord
Jesus Christ.
Choose
life, choose our Lord, follow righteousness and truth, obey the commandments,
read the scriptures over and over again.
I
love you Lord Jesus Christ. I am a faithful follower of Jesus Christ; I believe
in you and will obey.
Praise
to you Lord, savior and redeemer.
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