Who are following Jesus' and the Apostles' teachings today...? (page 2)

justhuman

Good question!!!

1.Perhaps you should look the ones that have the Apostolic line for the last 2000 years and they can PROOVE IT all the way.

2.The Church that the Holy Spirit it is STILL active, with Prophets, Saints and miracles.

3.The ones that have put together the Bible that you are holding, and they have kept the teachings of Christ for the last 2000 years

4.The ones that speak and know the deep meanings of the language that the Bible and specially the New Testament (Greek Scriptures) was written...

Gill

Probably none. These so called christian denominations are all 'Paulists'. Paul was a bloke who never even met the orginal Jesus character. He just got sun stroke one day and thought he had.

Pubsinger

One thing that has impacted on my view of this subject is the "Corporate Salvation" issue.

The WT, whilst paying lipservice to "individual relationship with God", has through it's "Faithful Slave" teaching, lead people to view the organisation as an "Ark". You have to recognise that the organisation is God's exclusive channel and be "in" or "on board" to be saved or stand a chance of being saved. No other group offers any hope of God's approval and personal salvation.

I no longer believe the above.

However the flipside of "Corporate Salvation" is "Corporate Condemnation"

I'd define this as the belief that if you choose the wrong group and mistakenly identify it as "God's Channel" and look to it for spiritual direction, far from being safe in/on an "Ark" you are actually on a sinking ship, doomed to go down. Or if a group or denomination seems to be generally ok but has some "disqualifying interpretation or doctrine" then God will automatically reject it as worthless along with any who "sail on her"

I no longer believe that either.

I truly believe that all that matters is a personal belief/faith/relationship with God

Therefore God as a "friend" is truly interested in "me" as opposed to whether I've backed the right horse, joined the right club or wear the right badge.

This being the case, I believe that many JWs are "saved" as well as a much larger number from other groups (simply because numerically they far outweigh JWs)

I also believe that many "smug" people may not be but it's not for me to judge.

In otherwords looking for a group may not be helpful because a denominational badge does not guarantee uniformity across a city never mind a country, continent or the globe.

Statements like "I once went to a Baptist church and they were mad/rude/unfriendly/un-Christian/unscriptural/ so I'll never step foot in one again and they definitely can't be the "True Religion" become nonsensical.

lv4fer

I don't think any one religion has it all right. I really don't think it matters what one you belong to or if you belong to one at all. I go to a Non-Denominational Christian church. I go when I feel like it. I think if you believe in Jesus Christ and accept him as your Savior you are saved. That is all that matters. Whether or not you go to the Lutheran Church or the Baptist one I really don't think it matters. It is all about a personal relationship with your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Justahuman24

Thank you guys for your responses!

1) I thought Jonah was an Israelite? If not, where was he from?

2) Well, yeah. There were people who were not Israelites but were blessed by God. Very true and I'm sure there are people who are not Christians who will be saved and are blessed by God.

3) justahuman - who are those who are doing all those things? You think I'd be asking if I knew who they were? If it were that simple who the tru Christians are, I think people wouldn't be so divided.

justahuman - but super nonetheless

acadian

Not many that's for sure... I am not a Christian, I personally do not profess any religion.
However, I do have a profound faith in God, as I understand God. My faith and understanding of God are derived in large measure from the
words and deeds of Jesus, which are credibly attributed to him, as well as
from personal experience. I have achieved benevolent results from applying,
however haltingly, the principles Jesus preached and follow his
example. My faith isn't necessarily logical, except in the sense that it
passes the ultimate test of logic, a test I learned from Jesus, to wit:
Does it work? Does it bear fruit? My faith in God and in the wisdom of Jesus works so well it has become
imbedded in my psyche. That doesn't mean my beliefs can't change,
rather it means my faith in God is steadfast. I may not be a Christian, but I am a disciple in and of Jesus the Christ.
And it's to his Kingdom and his God the creator of the Heaven and earth
I follow as supreme Authority over ALL creation. And I don't blame Jesus for flaws I perceive in Christianity. Jesus said, His follower's will be no part of the world, they will be in it, but not of it. Most people don't know what that means, unfortunately. Acadian

Apostate Kate

Individuals and groups of individuals;

Matthew 25:34-40

We follow by doing. We "preach" by feeding the hungry and sheltering the homeless in the name of Jesus Christ.

Who are following Jesus' and the Apostles' teachings today...?