The American evangelist Billy Sunday once said, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” The only church that Jesus founded is a spiritual one. Men and women may do their best to form fellowship units within the body of Christ, but our true spiritual unity comes from ABOVE, not by pulling ourselves up by our own denominational bootstraps.
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The One True Church
The American evangelist Billy Sunday once said, “Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile.” The only church that Jesus founded is a spiritual one. Men and women may do their best to form fellowship units within the body of Christ, but our true spiritual unity comes from ABOVE, not by pulling ourselves up by our own denominational bootstraps.
It’s a new day, the sun is rising,
How many times should I forgive someone? Peter had the same question.
A soldier may wield great power in terms of weapons and training. Yet, he cannot use that power unless given authority by a commander. A rocket has great power to hurtle an object across space. Yet, it won’t move an inch without the authority given from the control tower. The same is true of spiritual power. A person must have both the inherent power and ability, AS WELL AS the authority to use that power. Let’s see how two Greek words exousia [authority] and dunamis [power] are used together in the New Testament. This will help us understand the power and authority that we have in Christ today.
There are many opinions about who Jesus Christ is. Of course, most people say they base their opinion on the Bible. If they do, it should be clear that he was raised from the dead and is seated at the Father’s right hand as Lord of all. Peter and the apostles spent at least a year with Jesus before he died and was raised. They also saw him in his resurrected spiritual body for forty days before he ascended. Then they preached to others about their risen Lord. Let’s see some of the things recorded in the Book of Acts where Peter, Paul, and others preached about Jesus.
What is the most loved Christian hymn of all time? A beautiful heart declaration by an old slaver and sea captain.
Christ is at the Father’s right hand. We have more than “his works” as the foundation of our lives. We have his very existence as God’s ONLY-BEGOTTEN SON who is now raised and seated in the heavens FOR US. He is the ACTUAL HEAD of the spiritual body that we are members of. We belong to him as much as we do to each other. Paul warned people of not falling prey to Bible teachers who would minimize who and what Christ is for us today.
Today a friend asked me a good question. “Gene, do you believe that humans that do not have Jesus as Lord will suffer eternally in flames?” That is a common belief among some Christians.
It REALLY IS a wonderful life in Christ. The thing that turned things around for George Bailey was when Mary and the kids prayed for him–as well as many others who loved and appreciated him. That’s a key to our “wonderful life.” It is FULL of wonders. The Book of Acts shows God working in the life of the early church believers. The Biblical Greek word for “wonders” [teras] is used nine times in Acts.