Is One Church as Good as Another?

By David Baker

TEXT: Eph. 3:20-21

INTRODUCTION:

A. THE POPULAR CONSENSUS.

B. RESULT: HUNDREDS OF DENOMINATIONS.

1. Confusion( 1 Cor. 14:33 ).

2. Infidelity( John 17:21 ).

C. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE TEACH?

I. MAN'S WAY VS. GOD'S WAY.

A. MAN'S WISDOM DEFIES GOD'S WISDOM( 1 Cor. 1:22-23 ).

B. MAN COMES OUT ON THE SHORT END( 1 Cor. 1:20; 3:19 ).

C. MAN'S WAY IS UNRELIABLE( Prov. 14:12 ).

D. HE SHOULD RELY ON A GREATER WISDOM( Isa. 55:8-9 ).

E. LET US THEN DISCARD OUR OWN IDEAS, AND APPROACH GOD'S

WORD SEEKING HIS WISDOM.

II. MAN HAS ALWAYS HAD AN EXCUSE FOR THE DIVISION THAT HE SPAWNS.

A. THE AMERICAN "FREEDOM FALLACY:"

FREEDOM OF RELIGION MAKES ALL RELIGION RIGHT.

1. Not so!, not any more than freedom of the press makes all divergent views correct.

2. God gives the right to believe what ever we want, but only the truth will save( John 8:31-32 ).

TRUTH, by definition, is EXCLUSIVE.

3. If a man chooses to believe error, he may, but he will not be saved

( 2 Thess. 2;10-12 ).

B. "CAN'T ALL SEE THE BIBLE ALIKE."

1. Let's see( Acts 2:38; Mark 16:16 ).

2. Not a question of interpretation, but of authority!

3. Is God the author of confusion?( 1 Cor. 14:33 ).

4. Paul said we could understand as he did( Eph. 3:3-4 ).

5. Does God ask the impossible( 1 Cor. 1:10 ).

C. FLAGRANT MISUSE OF PASSAGES( John 15; 1 Cor. 12; John 10:16 ).

III. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

A. CHRIST PROMISED TO BUILD ONLY ONE( Matt. 16:18 ).

B. ONLY ONE ESTABLISHED( Acts 2:41, 44, 47 ).

C. THE CHURCH IS CHRIST'S BRIDE( 2 Cor. 1:1-2 ). HOW MANY WIVES?

D. THE CHURCH IS HIS BODY( Col. 1:18; Eph. 4:4; 1 Cor. 12:12 ).

IV. WHY ALL OF THE RELIGIOUS DIVISION?

A. NOT BECAUSE ALL FOLLOW THE BIBLE( 1 Cor. 14:33 ).

B. BECAUSE ALL DON'T FOLLOW THE BIBLE( 4:6 ).

C. WHY DO YOU SUPPOSE THAT IS?( 3:1-3 ).

D. PRIDE IS THE CHIEF OFFENDER( Gal. 1:10 ).

V. HOW MAY WE KNOW WHICH CHURCH IS RIGHT?

A. THE LORD'S CHURCH ACCEPTS JESUS AS FOUNDER AND HEAD ( Matt. 16:18; Col. 1:18 ).

B. THE RIGHT CHURCH FOLLOWS CHRIST'S TEACHING( John 8:31 ).

C. THE RIGHT CHURCH WILL NEITHER ACCEPT THAT WHICH IS FALSE

AND SINFUL, NOR HARBOR THOSE WHO DO( 2 John 9-11 ).

CONCLUSION:

A. JESUS PRAYED FOR ONE CHURCH( John 17:20-21 ).

B. PAUL DEMANDED IT IN HIS NAME( 1 Cor. 1:10 ).

C. WON'T YOU BECOME A PART OF IT?