Bible Question: i was sda many years, never got into it. when i had third accident almost died, i wanted give my life to jesus. i wen back to sda but found trouble with e g white, the sda prophet. what is the true church? can i have my own church in my heart? how do i find good church? please hlp |
Bible Answer: Dear lenpaul - First, I incline to share your concern and misgiving about the teachings of Ellen White and the SDA and encourage you to seek until you find a local church that teaches the word of God in its fullness and purity. ..... The biblical answer to your question of whether you can have "your own church in your heart" is simply no, you cannot. "I am the vine and you are the branches," Jesus said. ..... The New Testament always speaks of the church as a body of believers, a group, a community, but never as an individual. We as individual believers are members of Christ's body, the church. We individually can't BE "the church"; we who are regenerate believers are MEMBERS of the church. ..... The word "church" itself comes from the Greek ecclesia which is defined as an assembly, or "the called out ones." In Romans 16:5 Paul makes it easy to draw the clear inference that the church is not an individual, not a building, but a body of believers. Ephesians 1:22,23 calls the church the body of Christ, who is its head. Throughout the New Testament the church is never defined as a particular denomination or building -- and certainly not as any individual -- but as all those who have received salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Read 1 Cor. 12:13. ..... You may find some help in your search for a local church from this web resource: http://www.gotquestions.org/looking-church.html. I pray that God will lead you in your quest. ...... Two brief parting notes. Study your Bible diligently and daily. If you are a regenerate believer, pray the same way: diligently and daily. --Hank |