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Is it God’s Will that We Join or Become a Member of
the True Church of God in the Bible? |
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 owadays, we often hear preachers say that the church and religion are no longer important because, what matters, according to them, is relationship with our Lord Jesus Christ. And via this relationship with Christ, man would become worthy in the sight of God. They also claim that the church could not save a man.
If you are a keen student of the Bible, you would readily discern that such are claims and beliefs of impertinent people, those who have a very obscure understanding of the Bible. Of course, the church per se could not really save a man. But why is the church necessary? In the first place, is it needed or not?
If we will only exercise logic and common sense, we will not be misled. By using our common sense, let us see for ourselves if the church is needed. Common sense tells me that if it is not important, then, our Lord Jesus should not have established it! If the church is not needed, it would appear that our Lord Jesus Christ does not exercise common sense. Why build a church when it is not needed after all? It is just like installing a post, or a pillar that did not reach up to the roof. Of what use is that pillar if that is the case? If it is unnecessary you better discard it, otherwise, your head might just bump into it. If you insist in having it there, that is a proof of your lack of common sense.
But let us find out from the Bible if a man has any need for the church. And if the church is needed, should we make ourselves a part of that church? What do the Born Again pastors mean when they said that the church could not save a man? Actually, that is how they entice people from joining their “fellowship,” or “crusade,” or “ministry”. If we are going to ask the Bible about the importance of the church, which was established by Christ during the first century AD, the Bible will answer us truthfully. Do we have to join the church, or do we just have to ignore it? Is there a truth to the common belief that so long as a man prays fervently and he is not doing anything wrong to his fellowmen, regardless of your religious affiliation, he would still be saved? Is it in accordance to the will of God? This is what
Deuteronomy 12:5 says--
“But unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, thither thou shalt come.”
Where are we supposed to go, according to the Lord God? The Bible says that--
“unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose…”
Who shall choose the place? God, of course! Did He give any specific directive? Did God give His consent that we can go anywhere? No! There is no sense if you will just go anywhere. It would appear that you are the god because, despite His directive, you still go where you want to go.
If your son tells you that he will go wherever he wants to because he is already 10 years old, will you give him your consent? Actually, even if your son or daughter is already in his/her age of reason, you still would not let your children go wherever they want to because you love them. But greater is the love of God to all of us that is why He would not permit us to be just anywhere. Being a God of justice, He will not allow you to go anywhere you want. What the Bible says is clear--
“unto the place which the LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, thither thou shalt come.”
Let me give you an example. For a time, Adam and Eve served God. They were not bad in the beginning. And while they were in service to God, they were kept safe in a place chosen by god, and that was the Garden of Eden. Gen. 2:8, 15 says--
“And the LORD God planted a garden eastward of Eden ... And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden ...”
Did you see where God intended man to live? Spiritually, physically, and biologically speaking, God wanted man to live where plants grow abundantly. For the man of God to be healthy, Adam was put in a place chosen by God. He did not place him in an environment that would be hostile to him like the Sahara desert. And neither did He place him in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Adam was meant to be taken care of by God in the Garden of Eden. There was a specific place that God assigned for Adam – the garden. And there, he could freely eat the fruits of the plants except the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
In other words, during the duration of Adam’s service to the Lord, he stayed in the place where God wanted him to be. But when Adam and Eve transgressed, they were sent out of the Garden of Eden.Genesis 3:23 says--
“Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden ...”
This means that the Garden of Eden is a place of obedience. If you disobey, you will be thrown out. And it is after God has thrown you out that you can go wherever you want to. You can now be a vagabond like Cain. You can now go wherever you please because you refuse to be taken care of by God. You see, God has an administration over man, and Adam and Eve used to be under God’s direct administration when they were still in the Garden of Eden. But after their transgression, they were sent away. It is very important that we realize this. This truth could also be reflected in the “Pasyon” of the Catholics:
“Sapagka’t pastor kang tunay
Nitong mundong kabilugan
Ang obehang sino pa man
Kung di masok sa bakuran
Hindi mo masasakupan.
(Because you’re the real pastor)
(Of this world)
(And whosoever refuses)
(To enter your domain)
(Will be outside your administration)
Therefore, there is a specified place of dominion. So, who was the god who taught you that you can be wherever you want to be? Definitely, he is not the God of the Bible. He is just the god invented by greedy pastors who crave for your money. They are bringing people anywhere. See if they are not really craving for your money. One pastor said, “Yes, you can go to any other church. You can listen to their sermons, you can pray with them, and worship with them. But your tithes must be given to your mother church!” Do these pastors look after the welfare of their flock? They let their flock “graze” anywhere, but they make sure that their money goes to them. It’s pretty obvious that they are only after the money. But, were the true ministers of God interested only in his members’ money? II Corinthians 12:14says--
“Behold the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you:”
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Bible
Finding
the True Religion
