20
QUESTIONS
TO ASK BEFORE JOINING A CHURCH
(This
is an extract taken from James Melton's
"Handbook
of Heresies")
Before
joining a church, ask for a Statement of Faith
and check it carefully. If one is not available, at least speak to the
Pastor
personally and get answers to the following questions. This concerns
your
spiritual wellbeing. You have every right to ask questions. In
fact, a
genuine Bible-believing Pastor will appreciate you asking doctrinal
questions.
The
answer to every question inside the paper, should
be a definite "YES". If the answer is "NO" or "I'm not
sure", then keep looking because there are better churches to join.
A
"YES" answer to each question doesn't
guarantee that the church in question will be the best one for you, but
it does
help to guard yourself from many of the heresies in our midst.
***********************************
"For
the time will come when THEY WILL NOT
ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE; but after their own lusts shall they heap to
themselves teachers, HAVING ITCHING EARS." (2Timothy 4:3)
"STUDY
to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, RlGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD
OF
TRUTH. "
(2Timothy 2: 15)
20
QUESTIONS
1.
Do you believe God has preserved an infallible copy of His word for us
today?
2.
Do you believe the King James Bible is God's infallible word for the
English
speaking people?
3.
Do you believe that God is a Holy Trinity, consisting of Father, Son
and Holy
Spirit?
4.
Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, without
a man
being involved, and lived a sinless life, God manifest in the flesh?
5.
Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died and paid for our sins on
Calvary's cross through the shedding of His own sinless blood?
6.
Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ rose physically from the dead
for our
justification?
7.
Do you believe that the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, currently
sits at
the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest?
8.
Do you believe that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person who convicts the
world
of sin, righteousness and judgement.
9.
Do you believe that the Holy Spirit is the Supernatural Agent in
regeneration,
baptizing all believers into the body of Christ?
10.
Do you believe that the apostolic sign gifts of the Holy Spirit, such
as
speaking in tongues and the gift of healing, are not for today, since
they were
for the purpose of confirming the preached word of God to Israel in the
1st
Century?
11.
Do you believe that all men are born with a sin nature, and that
salvation
through Christ is needful for all?
12.
Do you believe in the eternal security of those who have received
Christ as
Saviour?
13.
Do you believe that the church is the bride of Christ, consisting of
all born
again believers?
14.
Do you believe in the autonomy of the local church?
15.
Do you agree that the majority of professing Christianity is in
apostasy and
that true Christians need to practice Biblical separation from such
people?
16.
Do you believe in the literal, physical, imminent Second Coming of the
Lord
Jesus Christ?
17.
Do you believe in a literal glorious heaven for the saved and in a
literal
burning hell for the lost?
18.
Do you believe that Satan is a literal living being who opposes God,
and who
will be condemned to eternal punishment in the Lake of fire?
19.
Do you believe in the literal word-for-word Genesis account of creation?
20.
Do you believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for the sins (past,
present and
future) of the whole world and not just those that get saved?
*************************************
DOCTRINES
OF DEVILS
Now,
the following is a list of 37 heresies which are found in many churches
and
following these is a list of a few of the religions and churches where
they
occur. Are any in the church where you go?
"Now
l beseech you, brethren, MARK THEM WHICH
CAUSE DIVISIONS AND OFFENCES CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE WHICH YE HAVE
LEARNED;
and avoid them. For they that are such
serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words
and
fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple." ( Romans 16:17-18 )
1.
Apostolic
signs and wonders
Needed
to confirm the preaching of the word to
the Jews (signs and wonders is a Jewish term in the Bible). God no
longer
honours them today.
2.
Baptism
of the Holy Ghost and Fire -
The teaching
that a person receives the Holy Ghost AFTER they've received Christ as
Saviour.
(Baptism with fire occurs when
the lost
are cast in to the Lake of
Fire.)
3.
Denial
of Eternal Security
-
Contrary to John 1:12, 1John 3:2, Rom
8:14, Gal 4:5, Eph 4:30, 2Cor
1:22, 1Pet 1:5, Heb 13:5, Matt
28:20 etc
4.
Unpardonable
Sin
- Only mentioned before Calvary when it was obvious that Jesus was
working
miracles by the power of the Holy Ghost. Today, there is no
unpardonable sin
except that of dying without ever believing in Jesus Christ as Saviour
5.
Women
Preachers -
This is contrary to 1Tim 2:11-12; 1Tim 3:2
6.
A-Millennialism
-
the denial of the coming 1000 year reign of Christ on earth
7.
Baptismal
Regeneration -
This states that babies can be cleansed from all sin by being baptised.
Not
found in the Bible.
8. Denial of the Sin Nature from Birth - The "all people born good" theory. This denies Ps51:5; 58:3; Rom3:10; 3:23; 5:12
9.
Lord's
Supper Required Weekly
- for obedience to maintain salvation
10.
Musical
Instruments Forbidden in Worship Contrary
to the Bible which is filled with musical instruments
11.
Salvation
through Works -
Contrary to Romans 11:6 and many
other
verses
12.
True
Church theory -
"Our Church is the only church". Found nowhere in the Bible. Those
who have received Christ alone by faith alone are members of His church.
13.
Annihilation
-
The belief that the wicked are destroyed with no eternal punishment.
Jesus
disagreed - Matt
25:41; Luke 16:24
14.
Denial
that Jesus Christ is God -
Contrary to the Bible - 1John 5:7; John 20:28, Isaiah
9:6; 1 Tim 3:16 and many
others
15.
Denial
the Holy Ghost is God -
Not in the Bible - 1 John 5:7; Acts 5:3-4 and many others.
16.
Denial
of a Literal Burning Hell
-
This disagrees with Jesus – Matt 5:22;
Mat 25:41 etc
17.
Denial
of the Literal Second Coming of Christ
Contrary to Titus 2:13; Acts1:11; Rev
1:7 etc
18.
Denial
of the Trinity -
Contrary to 1John 5:7; See Jesus
& the Holy Spirit is God
19.
Deity
of Man
-
A foolish belief that man can
become God. Unbelievably ridiculous!
20.
Denial
of the Blood Atonement -
Contrary to John 1:29; Heb 9:22: Acts
20:28
21.
Denial
of the Physical Resurrection of Christ -
Contrary to Luke 24:38-39; John 20:27
22.
Multiple
Authorities Used -
The denial of the King James Bible as the sole authority for faith
and doctrine. "Bringing to nought the word of God"
23.
Polytheism
-
The belief
in more than one God. Contrary to Gen1:1;
Mark 12:29
24.
Celibate
Priesthood -
The teaching that the Catholic priests must remain celibate. Not in
the Bible. Peter was a married man!
25.
Confession
-
Pagan
practice of the Roman Catholic church. Contrary to 1Tim 2:5. Sins are to be confessed to God,
faults
to man.
26.
Image
Worship -
Not in the Bible along with prayer wheels, prayer beads, crosses and
relics.
27.
Immaculate
Conception -
The belief that Mary was born sinless. Contrary to Rom3:23; Luke
2:22; Luke 1:47
28.
Infant
Baptism -
Not one instance in the New Testament.
29.
Mary
Worship
- contrary to 1Tim 2:5
30.
Mass
-
Not in the Bible
31.
Papacy
and the Priesthood
-
Not in the Bible
32.
Purgatory
- A place
of fire after death where sins are purged till ready for heaven.
33.
Sabbath
Keeping -
This is the belief that we should worship on Saturday. Not in the
Bible
34.
Soul
Sleep -
The belief
that when we die there is no punishment for the wicked
35.
Denial of the Virgin Birth
-
The denial that Jesus was
miraculously conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of a virgin without a
man
being involved, contrary to Matthew 1:18.
36.
Reincarnation
-
The is contrary to Heb 9:27
37.
British-Israel
Theory -
The belief that the Ten Tribes of Israel went to the British Isles
after being taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 BC, and that
the
Anglo-Saxon races are now heirs to the promises of Israel.
**********************************
Charismatic
Groups
- 1,2,3,4,5
World
Wide Church of God (Armstrongism) -
3,7,11,12,13,14,15,16,18,19,20,21,23, 33,37.
Harley Hitchcock
www.
AustralianBibleMinistries
.com
