Foundational question on the formation of the church

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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