Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!sdd.hp.com!mips!dimacs.rutgers.edu!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: rohwerwd@netcom.COM (W. David Rohwer) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Are You In The Right Church? Message-ID: Date: 23 May 91 01:05:36 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Netcom - San Jose, CA Lines: 87 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu In article NU169273@vm1.nodak.edu writes: > > ARE YOU IN THE RIGHT CHURCH? > ============================ > > >SINCE THERE IS a considerable difference between various >churches, all cannot be right. The statement above is wrong. Each church is correct, based upon their interpretation of the Bible. Although, I do believe that Fundamentalist, Conservative and Catholic Christians are wrong in their view of Christianity, I still believe that they can interpret the Bible in any way that they please and still be Christians. >The only way one can determine definitely whether or not a particular >church is right is to test it by the Bible, the Word of God, and the >principles it sets forth. > The statement above is wrong. There are many ways to determine whether a church is right for you. The following are the criteria that I use in choosing a church. 1) The church believes that there could be errors in the Bible. (The church is liberal, not fundamentalist or conservative.) 2) The church allows women to be pastors and leaders. (Equality of the genders.) 3) The church allows each individual to interpret the Bible in his or her own way. 4) The church has a good Sunday service. 5) The church has a good single's group. > Here are some questions based on the teachings of the >Bible by which any sincere person might examine the church >in which he is interested. If he wants to be true to God, >he will have nothing to do with a church which does not pass >the test! Jeez, you are wrong once again. What has gotten into you? >"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." (I Thessalonians 5:21) > I've done that in terms of the Bible. >The Preaching >------------- >Is the Bible recognized and relied upon as the Word of God? >(II Timothy 3:16, 17) The Bible is not the Word of God. It contains errors and at least one statement that says it is from Man and not God. As a consequence, the Bible is only part God's Word and part Man's Word. The following is from a proof that I wrote that proved the the Bible is only part God's Word and part Man's Word. ********************************************************************* (Step 14 in proof) This verse establishes that there is at least one statement in Scripture that says that this statement is from Man and not God. 1 Co 7:12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. FOOTNOTE: The "I" in the previous verse is Paul ********************************************************************* >What Will You Do? >----------------- I will disregard K. Paulson's test and use my own criteria. Liberal Protestant, ++W. David Rohwer -- W. David Rohwer Internet: rohwerwd@netcom.COM