Article - What Path Should I Take? (part 3)
In part one and two of our series we learned that Christ/Christianity is the only path of life acceptable to God (Matthew 28:18; John 12:28; 14:6; Colossians 3:17). One might, then, ask, "Are all the hundreds of sects of Christianity different paths to the same ultimate destiny?" Answer: No more than were the religious sects under the Old Testament. For example, Jesus clearly stated to the woman at the well who was of the Samaritan sect, "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews" (John 4:22). With the same force and simplicity Jesus stated that He came to build only one church (not a sect or a sect of sects) -- His church (Matthew 16:18)! Paul made it clear that just as there is only one Holy Spirit, one hope of heaven, one Lord Jesus Christ, one Christian faith/body of truth, one acceptable baptism and one God the Father, so also there is only one body (Ephesians 4:4-6) -- the church of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23)! God demands true worshipers to worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Vain or empty/useless worship is caused when you teach as doctrines the commandments of men (Matthew 15:9). The apostle John emphatically says, "Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God" (2 John 1:9). Paul accurately predicted that there would be "departures" from the one true faith/church of the New Testament (1 Timothy 4:1-5). The first departure was Catholicism, then Protestantism. In fact, departures continue to multiply to this day. Paul pleads "that there be no divisions/denominations among you" (1 Corinthians 1:10). Let's get back to being Christians only and only a member of the true church of the Bible – the church of Christ!
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