God knows that we today are confused with so many churches and religions. All intend to be the church of God and some benevolent ones even defend the idea that all churches lead to God. The Apostle James gave us tips in order to know the rightful religion. He writes "Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world" − James 1:27. If we talk about church characterize visiting orphans and widows in their trouble, and then I believe most churches can qualify. Most churches instruct to have sympathy or feel affection for others. In view of the fact that Jesus bade "love your neighbor as your self" then the true church teaches compassion to everyone.
Going forth to the second character which James wrote "keep oneself unspotted from the world" by this we can identify the church of God. God´s church prevent from the defilement of the world. It avoids the corruption which is now obtained by the world. We must examine thoroughly the character to understand the points and to recognize the church of God. Again character is very important to know this church which is of God.
1. Spiritual Defilement
God´s church keep itself spiritually undefiled from the world. God says "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:17-18. As a member of God´s family we must separate from idols.
We are workmanship of God and all things of this world in fact the universe. We are all created by God and that we must only worship and serve Him. He alone is worthy to be praise and adore. In Jeremiah 10:5 God speak about idols He says "They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good". We must be separated of them because they cannot do well unto us. They cannot provide what we need in our life neither give us eternal life. They cannot speak, hear, and walk, so why worship them? It´s pointless or useless to worship an idol that´s why God forbid us to be separate on them. We ought to worship God who created the heaven and earth. The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens. Idols are unclean thing and God advice that we must not touch the unclean thing by that He will receive us. We must not worship idols instead we must worship God. And He adds that He will acknowledge us as His sons and daughters if we not touch unclean things. 2 Corinthians 6:17-18. Is it a great privilege to us to be called the sons and daughters of God?
"And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." 2 Corinthians 6:15-16. Apostle Paul wants that we must know God and idols are different. God who is the Creator, Provider and the Source of life is different from idols. We must only acknowledge God as our creator. Let us glorify Him who made the heaven and the earth. All our gratification must present all to Him and to Him alone.
Idols are unclean thing and God advise us that we must separate from them (v. 17). "For ye are the temple of the living God" If we permit idols dwell in our temple then God will not dwell on us. We must separate from idols and let God dwell in us. In order to be spiritually undefiled we must separate from idols and have reverence to our Great God. Let us be conscious that God´s church teaches spiritual purification which is separating from false God. Revelation 21:27 "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." There´s no such thing as filthy in heaven. Is your church teaches that you must refuse to go along with idols or oppose false god?
2. Physical Defilement
God´s church keep itself undefiled from the world physically. In the epistle of Paul to the Corinthians Paul illustrates that our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20. Our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost. This is not ours but God brought it with a price which is His blood in the cross of Calvary. Therefore we must glorify God through conscientiousness on our body. Remember that our body is of God we have to take care of it and by doing that we are glorifying our Creator.
"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17. We are the temple of God and in us the Spirit of God dwell. Since our body is the temple of God then we must take care of it. Paul address "If any man defiles the temple, God will destroy him". We should pay attention to our body because this is the will of God. We should not pollute or defile our body. God wants us that we are not physically corrupt so that He will dwell in us. God intends not to destroy our body but He expects that we are healthy by taking good care of it. We should not defile or corrupt our body because God bought it. God is the owner of our body and He intends that we care for it so that He will dwell in us.
"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31. Let us glorify God by taking care of His temple which is our body. Whether we eat or drink we must do all to the glory of God. We must do the glorification so that He will be pleased.
Now the question is how to know that we are not physically defile? Remember that our body is Gods temple therefore we should not touch the unclean thing. We should touch not the unclean thing in order that we are not physically defile. Whether we eat or drink we should not lay a hand on unclean things. We should not eat or drink unclean things so that our body is pure. We must not eat unclean food. Now what are the unclean things/ food that can defile our body? The word of God tells us to know the unclean things that can defile our body. In Leviticus 11 and Deuteronomy 14 whole chapters, God instruct us what are the beast which we shall eat and inform the signs which food we can eat. "Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing." Deuteronomy 14:3. This is the will of God that we must not eat any unclean that is not fitted to be called food, because it will pollute us. It is harmful to us. It can injure our physical body. It will hurt and damage our system.
God named several beasts that are allowed to be consumed and beasts that are not allowed to be consumed. "These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, The hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer, and the wild goat, and the pygarg, and the wild ox, and the chamois. And every beast that parteth the hoof, and cleaveth the cleft into two claws, and cheweth the cud among the beasts, that ye shall eat. Nevertheless these ye shall not eat of them that chew the cud, or of them that divide the cloven hoof; as the camel, and the hare, and the coney: for they chew the cud, but divide not the hoof; therefore they are unclean unto you. And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcass. These ye shall eat of all that are in the waters: all that have fins and scales shall ye eat: And whatsoever hath not fins and scales ye may not eat; it is unclean unto you. Of all clean birds ye shall eat. But these are they of which ye shall not eat: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray, And the glede, and the kite, and the vulture after his kind, And every raven after his kind, And the owl, and the night hawk, and the cuckow, and the hawk after his kind, The little owl, and the great owl, and the swan, And the pelican, and the gier eagle, and the cormorant, And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. And every creeping thing that flieth is unclean unto you: they shall not be eaten. But of all clean fowls ye may eat." Deuteronomy 14:4-20.
The beast that God declare that is unclean is still unclean. It is not applicable that unclean thing will make clean. "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one." Job 14:4. No one can make unclean thing clean. There´s no unclean thing that is clean. God says "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips."Psalms 89:34. God will not violate the law which He founded. He will not break His covenant nor change the thing that He speaketh. Most of churches today teach that all animals were cleansed through the blood of Jesus. This kind of doctrine is a lie. Jesus descends from heaven and made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Philippians 2:6-8.
The death of Jesus of the cross symbolizing salvation of the sinners. Jesus represents a lamb and He is the final offering which can take away our sin. The offering was made by Christ are for all sinners which we humankind. It´s not for animals but for us who commit sin. Do you think animals have understanding which we human possess? Do they have intelligence to know sin? Imagine how wonderful this world be having animals possess intelligence of humanity. What an astonishing scene to see an animal that worshipping God in church. What a magnificent animal that can know what is good and evil that can distinguish what is right and wrong or beast who obey and kept the commandments of God. Isn´t wonderful? I don´t think that Christ came to save the animals also. There´s no such thing written in the Scriptures that Christ came to save animals. In fact we can witness that animals has no understanding, I mean they have no intelligence which we human possess. Show me some animals that can read or tell me what class of animal that can read the Holy Scripture. Animals have no understanding. They can´t say to themselves that ‘I believe in Christ and He died for me´. Take heed that you´ll not be deceive by false prophet, teacher, and false christ. True church teaches not this kind of doctrine that Christ blood cleans also the animals. Christ say "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:17-19. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 7:21. And He adds "For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matthew 24:24.
God´s church teaches and urges His people that they must be physically undefiled by not eating unclean beast which most people serve it as their food. All churches claim to be the true church but remember the character of the true church is pure. A church that teaches that we must not eat the unclean thing which is written in the book of Leviticus and Deuteronomy can qualify to be called God´s church. Unclean beasts are unclean things .And God advice that we must not eat nor touch them so that we are not corrupted. We should not eat unclean food so that we can glorify God. Let us glorify God by keeping His temple pure which we are. Is your church teaches that you must avoid to eat unclean food which is written in the Holy Scripture?
3. Moral Defilement
Gods Church keeps itself morally undefiled from the world. We are talking here the Moral Law which is the Ten Commandments of God. This Fundamental Law which was originated by God given to Moses at Mount Sinai. The Ten Commandments of God that was inscribed in the tablet of stones was present to humanity, so that we can use it in our daily lives. The Laws and Statutes of God have a purpose; to make known that we are sinners or we have sinned against Him and to receive more blessings in our personal lives. The Commandments of God must be followed by His people. God present it to teach us morally and teach us to keep it.
"The 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:3-17)"
1. "Thou shall have no other gods before me." (v 3)
2. "Do not make an image for yourself. Do not worship anything that looks like something that is in the sky or on the earth or in the water under earth. Do not bend down to them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God. I bring the sins of the fathers on the children, grandchildren and the great grandchildren of those who hate Me. I show love and kindness o thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments." (v 4-6)
3. "You must not take the name of God in vain, for the Lord will not consider him innocent who takes his name in vain." (v 7)
4. "Always make the Sabbath day a special day. Work hard for six days and do all the necessary wok. But the seventh day is a day for rest which the Lord your God has given to you. On that day, you must not do any work. Neither will your children work, nor your servants, nor your animals, nor people from other places that live with you. The Lord made the heavens and the earth in six days and on the seventh he rested. Therefore, the Lord your God set aside the Sabbath day and made it holy." (v 8-11) 5. "Honor your father and mother. Then you will have a long life. Also, your life will be good and happy in the country that God is giving to you." (v 12)
6. "Thou shall not kill." (v 13)
7. "Thou shall not commit adultery." (v 14)
8. "Thou shall not steal." (v 15)
9. "Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor." (v 16)
10. "Thou shall not covet." (v 17)
The true church teaches of keeping the Ten Commandments of God (see Exodus 20). 1 Timothy 6:14 "that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ". The Commandments of God must be kept without any spot it means not only one but all His commandments. All His Laws and Statutes must be followed. We must follow his laws so that we can´t err against Him. If we break one His laws then we commit sin (1 John 3:4, James 2:10). Now the question is; is your church has a doctrine or teaching of keeping the 10 commandments of God? If yes then I´m glad that you are in the true church, If not then find the true church which kept the commandments of God while you can.
Some denominations teach that the 10 commandments were abolished by Christ. In Mathew 5:17 Christ said that He come to this world not to destroy the law but to fulfill. He follows the commandments and He said in John 14:15 "If you love me, keep my commandments" If we are coheir with Christ then we must follow all his commandments. If we are in the true church, then that church is surely teaching the 10 commandsments.
Conclusion
The character of a pure church is keeps oneself unspotted from the world which means it is Spiritually, Physically and Morally undefiled. The duty of each sincere individual is, through the conscientious study of the Word of God, to find this church that grasp the religion of God. We must seek this pure church in order for us to have salvation. The true church is of God and If He has a church, Satan as well.There is only one and pure church of God, and the rest is a counterfeit that Satan´s scheme. Remember that character is very important to know this church. I hope that you and I will get together in Heaven with our Great God Jesus Christ so please seek His Church.
Is your church Spiritually, Physically and Morally undefiled?
The answer is yours alone.
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