Is there one true Church?

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Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#81
Feb 7, 2015
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#81
Demi777 said:
Always brother challenge ahead :D
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OK, let's make sure we are on the same page. Do you understand "The Rapture" to be a "snatching away" of Christians sometime (I don't care about all the pre or post hoopla) before Jesus comes at the end of our time?
 
Demi777

Demi777

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#82
Oct 13, 2014
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#82
Willie-T said:
OK, let's make sure we are on the same page. Do you understand "The Rapture" to be a "snatching away" of Christians sometime (I don't care about all the pre or post hoopla) before Jesus comes at the end of our time?
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Yes and noone knows when it will be only the father knows. Were on the same page
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#83
Feb 7, 2015
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#83
Ok. As I understand the thoughts on this, it is your impression that one day, all of a sudden, a portion of the Christians walking around (at least the "good ones," LOL) are going to suddenly disappear from our Earth, and be taken up to Jesus in the sky.

Is that about right? Does anything else happen that I missed? Or did I assume too much happens at that time?
 
Demi777

Demi777

Senior Member
#84
Oct 13, 2014
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#84
Willie-T said:
Ok. As I understand the thoughts on this, it is your impression that one day, all of a sudden, a portion of the Christians walking around (at least the "good ones," LOL) are going to suddenly disappear from our Earth, and be taken up to Jesus in the sky.

Is that about right? Does anything else happen that I missed? Or did I assume too much happens at that time?
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Well not disappear.. meet up in the sky...go on?
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#85
Feb 7, 2015
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#85
Demi777 said:
Well not disappear.. meet up in the sky...go on?
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Well, all the good Hollywood movies have poor schmucks like me standing there looking at piles of empty clothes. (But that is neither here, nor there... I will accept that I will be able to look skyward and see big mobs of people up there if that is how you envision it.) The point is that Jesus comes to collect some chosen people, and they leave Earth go meet Him in the sky. Right?
 
iwant2serve

iwant2serve

Senior Member
#86
Apr 12, 2009
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#86
Per the OP

There is only one church which is the one Jesus will return for. However there is no one denomination that can call themselves the true church and place everyone one else in false believers. , which many of them do. the Bible is clear on who the church is and who they are not. The church are the people who have believed the Bible way all others are not so no one can really say who is part of the Body and who is not for the most part.
 
S

sparkman

Guest
#87
#87
sparkman said:
Cults will tell you they are the "one true church". I belonged to one such organization for a decade as a young Christian. Such organizations allow members to have very few opinions about things, and define doctrine absolutely. In the church I belonged to, the founder of the organization basically spoke for God under a doctrine called "government of God". Disputing any doctrine seriously meant disfellowshipment.

Regarding denominations, evangelical churches, which include a wide variety of churches, hold the same core doctrines and are united on those.

Here's a list of those: the deity of Christ, the Triune nature of God (Trinity), substitutionary atonement, authority and inerrancy/infallibility of Scripture, virgin birth, original sin, justification by faith alone, the bodily resurrection of Christ and believers, and the coming judgment of the righteous and unrighteous.

My local fellowship belongs to an association (EFCA) but not a denomination. I like the idea of an association more than a denomination. The association churches work together in terms of evangelism, missions, and educational facilities, but the association does not control the local church fellowship, unless heresy is being taught, then they would be expelled. In addition, the local churches work collaboratively with other churches who do not belong to the association, and do not judge other fellowships on non-essential issues.

The above issues, though, are things we would hold with a tight fist, unwilling to yield on them whatsoever. Other things, like speaking in tongues, etcetera, are not essentials and we don't judge other churches on those things.

Regarding why denominations are not mentioned in the Bible, until the Reformation, the Roman Catholic Church and Greek Orthodox Church dominated the scene. Most denominations are a result of the Reformation. The RC Church controlled Christian doctrine for many years.

See attached chart.
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Another comment..associations have an advantage in that a number of smaller church fellowships can bargain with insurance companies to receive group insurance, so there are advantages in associations.

Regarding the definition of church, though, the visible church is composed of all those who profess Christianity and the invisible church is composed of all those who are actually redeemed by Christ. Some tares and goats are in the visible church, and no tares and goats are in the invisible church. Denominational or associational affiliation isn't the issue with regards to being a member of the invisible church...being saved through placing one's faith in Jesus Christ and his sacrifice is.
 
Demi777

Demi777

Senior Member
#88
Oct 13, 2014
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#88
Willie-T said:
Well, all the good Hollywood movies have poor schmucks like me standing there looking at piles of empty clothes. (But that is neither here, nor there... I will accept that I will be able to look skyward and see big mobs of people up there if that is how you envision it.) The point is that Jesus comes to collect some chosen people, and they leave Earth go meet Him in the sky. Right?
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uh huh...bring it to the point please you are making me nervous
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#89
Feb 7, 2015
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#89
Since you aren't replying, Demi, I'll assume you have gone to eat supper. We can do this some other time.
 
Grace777x70

Grace777x70

Banned
#91
Nov 22, 2015
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#91
Willie-T said:
Ok. As I understand the thoughts on this, it is your impression that one day, all of a sudden, a portion of the Christians walking around (at least the "good ones," LOL) are going to suddenly disappear from our Earth, and be taken up to Jesus in the sky.

Is that about right? Does anything else happen that I missed? Or did I assume too much happens at that time?
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The good ones?....oh you mean the ones that have done all 147 commandments of Jesus that you posted before..:rolleyes:
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#92
Feb 7, 2015
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#92
Demi777 said:
uh huh...bring it to the point please you are making me nervous
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No, I won't do that. "Flash thinking" is how we get into situations like thinking there is a "Rapture." You know the value of sin (47 degrees) is 0.7313537, but it took you some time to make sure you understood the basics first, before you could say you know that. Right? Same thing here, if we just blindly accept some theory a guy came up with a few hundred years ago, we may well be basing an idea on incomplete thinking.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#93
Feb 7, 2015
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#93
So, knowing that I have no intention of rushing through this, do you still want to continue?
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#96
Feb 7, 2015
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#96
Demi777 said:
Just go on even if I gotta get off for a few Il be back
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No, what I want to convey won't fly if you come back and say... "Wait, seven posts back, I didn't agree with, so nothing you posted beyond that makes sense to me."

I honestly don't feel like wasting that kind of time. I like to know that we either agree as each exchange is posted, or we don't, and can straighten that part out before we continue. So we may as well just drop this now.
 
Demi777

Demi777

Senior Member
#97
Oct 13, 2014
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#97
Willie-T said:
No, what I want to convey won't fly if you come back and say... "Wait, seven posts back, I didn't agree with, so nothing you posted beyond that makes sense to me."

I honestly don't feel like wasting that kind of time. I like to know that we either agree as each exchange is posted, or we don't, and can straighten that part out before we continue. So we may as well just drop this now.
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Well so far I am agreeing with you on the rapture. If you wanna drop it go ahead.
 
V

valiant

Senior Member
#98
Mar 22, 2015
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#98
Willie-T said:
No, what I want to convey won't fly if you come back and say... "Wait, seven posts back, I didn't agree with, so nothing you posted beyond that makes sense to me."

I honestly don't feel like wasting that kind of time. I like to know that we either agree as each exchange is posted, or we don't, and can straighten that part out before we continue. So we may as well just drop this now.
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as the rapture will occur at Christ's coming at the end of time, those remaining will be too busy facing judgment to notice the rapture.
 
Willie-T

Willie-T

Banned
#99
Feb 7, 2015
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#99
valiant said:
as the rapture will occur at Christ's coming at the end of time, those remaining will be too busy facing judgment to notice the rapture.
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You understand that, and I understand that. But I was trying to efficiently guide a 16 year-old girl who has been taught that anything but the KJV is a New Age book, into a clearer understanding of the actual words written in the Bible.
 
Demi777

Demi777

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#100
Oct 13, 2014
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#100
Willie-T said:
You understand that, and I understand that. But I was trying to efficiently guide a 16 year-old girl who has been taught that anything but the KJV is a New Age book, into a clearer understanding of the actual words written in the Bible.
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Naw i didnt say that I just didnt agree with that translation.. plus the NIV isnt a good bible Ive read a article about it
The NIV Exposed

:p Please dont put words into my mouth..lol ive used newer translations on here aswell but i just perfer the KJV i
 
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