It's my opinion that the goal of every bible student is to correctly interpret scripture and arrive at truth, God's truth. For the past 2000 years, especially from the Reformation forward, honest hearted men have studied scripture prayerfully and those men haven't been able to arrive at a total consensus of what the bible teaches in different areas of theology. Literally thousands of Christian sects have been birthed because of the lack of consistency throughout scripture.
Now comes oneness pentecostalism, a very recent arrival in the long line of sects of Christendom, with it's different and unique doctrines mimicking the pattern set by the thousands of sects preceding it. As with these other sects preceeding them, such as Jehovah Witness, Church of Christ, Mormons, Seventh-Day Adventist, they claim exclusitivity within Christianity. They claim that they're the restored gospel, the restored Church and reject the Christians preceeding them.
The Church of Jesus Christ is much larger than oneness pentecostalism. Oneness pentecostalism isn't the restored Church of Jesus Christ. Oneness pentecostals aren't the sole Christians on earth.
Simply self-labeling yourself as 'Apostolic' will not negate those facts.
THERE IS ONLY ONE CHURCH
The Church Is that Body of Believers Born into the Kingdom of God
Scriptural References:
“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:4-5).
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free” (I Corinthians 12:13).
There are literally hundreds of church organization and denominations in existence today, but there is only one Church.
The Church is one as far as place, area, or distance is concerned. The Church is one as far as race and nationality are concerned. The Church is one as far as time is concerned. Members of the Church today are members of the same Church as the apostles.
The Apostolic Church was born on the Day of Pentecost, but it is also the Apostolic Church which waits to be raptured when Jesus comes.
Men became a part of the Apostolic Church through obedience to the Apostolic Gospel which Peter and others preached. Men become a part of the Apostolic Church today through obedience to the Apostolic Gospel. God's plan of salvation has never changed. He commands men of all ages to accept His finished work of Redemption. He set the pattern through His death, burial, and resurrection. Man's acceptance of His redemptive work comes only through repentance, baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost.
We need to stop seeing the church in Acts as in a “baby stage,” and start seeing it as the model upon which to base our belief and practice. Only when we return to New Testament patterns, principles and practice, will we experience true New Testament power.
Really good!
Acts 2:38 and the Godhead are central to the restoration. Having said that it seems to me the "apostolics" stopped short of the New Testament foundations and practices.
We are NOT any where or way close being the church. When the Catholic church fathers as they are called. Went astray from the very start as Paul wrote, they went out from us but was not of us. When the teaching that only one man was to go start a work (assembly) and that he was to be taken care of over any other person in that congregation is where the down fall of the church as it is called started. Then has went down ever since. The so-called thd., phd.,dod or any other tiales are given to them is in no wise should be taken as if they can understand Yahushua's will. The Oneness have left the true teachings of Yah. The Apostles ONLY taught from the O. T. they could NOT have taught from the N. T. it was not wrote as yet. When Paul told saints how the Berea congregation studied the word and prove all that he had taught them. What name do you think they would have found in the O. T. scriptures. Names meant and still does. The names that we read in the bible we have with the (iah) on the end of them as Jeremiah, should be Jeremyah, Nehemiah as Nehemyah all that have the YAH are stating they have the name of the GOD of the Israelite connected to it. The meaning of a name which has the YAH is stating some thing about YAH most of the time it is yaw and stated yaw-hoo or yah-hoo. The point I am trying to make is the name YAH is the name of the GOD of Israel. The name Jesus is NOT. The tithe was abolished at the cross along with the priesthood. We are all spiritual priest and Yahushua is the ONLY high priest we have NOT any Pope. Paul and all the Apostles taught there is ONLY ONE commandment "to love your brother a your self". When we are to take care of the pastor over any other brother in need we have respect of person and that is a sin[ I rather use the true term , of disobedience to the Royal commandment of love your brother according to James. All the commandments hag on this one!! We can not love Yahushua our Father if we do not love each brother the same We need to put each brother on the same level in all their needs. Not putting one above another. Go back and read the O. T. and learn for that is all the N. T assemblies had to read and teach from. Call your self whatever but know for a truth you can not go just because you state you have his name and do not and just because you state you have spoke in tongues. Go back and see why Yah put the children of Israel in captivity for seventy years. They where called by his name was they not? it did them no good to have his name when living in disobedience (sin). We are taught to just obey the pastor and pay a tithe and you will make it. SORRY friend it did not save the Jews of the O. T. and will not save you!! Will write more if don't get kik off.
After being absent from the forum for so long, it is refreshing to see folks beginning to actually question the health and status of the church today!
It is also nice to see some may familiar faces. LOLOL
Brother Yates, welcome to the fray - you are a most welcome addition.
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It makes no difference whether you study in the holy language, or in Arabic, or Aramaic [or in Greek or even in English]; it matters only whether it is done with understanding. - Moshe Maimonides.
Last edited by A.W. Bowman; 04-02-2013 at 04:22 PM.
After being absent from the forum for so long, it is refreshing to see folks actually beginning to actually question the health and status of the church today!
It is also nice to see some may familiar faces. LOLOL
Brother Yates, welcome to the fray - you are a most welcome addition.
Welcome back, Elder.
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If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8 KJV
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 KJV
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It makes no difference whether you study in the holy language, or in Arabic, or Aramaic [or in Greek or even in English]; it matters only whether it is done with understanding. - Moshe Maimonides.