True and false church
1 the history of the church
2 the apostasy of the church
3 true and false christians
4 faith vs. religiousness
5 the pinnacle of apostasy
6 call to all christians
7 back to the truth
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1 the history of the church
Jesus Christ says:
"For where two or three gather
in my name, there am I with them."
The Bible: Matthew chapter 18, verse 20
Most people associate the terms "God" or "Jesus" with various traditional churches and prayer houses. Many people associate "faith" with religion or with attending a so-called "church service." Some people, when asked about God, first think of the painful events of past times that are connected to the inglorious history of the church. However, very few people are aware that there are sometimes considerable differences between the Bible, the Word of God, and the teachings and traditions of many churches. In addition, the institution of "church" as most people know it did not exist in the early days of Christianity.
Church in the original understanding is neither a special holy place nor a building with a cross on the tower. The term "church" describes the community of people who believe in Jesus Christ. The Acts of the Apostles in the Bible tells us in great detail about the life of the first Christians. Day after day the believers served each other as well as the poor and sick among the people through all kinds of good deeds. It was primarily Christians who founded hospitals as well as women's and orphanages to take care of people in need. All medical sanitation and emergency services that save numerous lives every day also have a Christian origin, as do most of the aid organizations that are active worldwide to help people in need (see : Christian community).
Their love and loyalty to God, service to people and the proclamation of the gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ were the most important pillars of Christianity from the beginning. It was only in the fourth century AD that the Christian faith was declared the state religion as a result of a political act, after initially many years of bloody persecution. As a result, the teachings of Scripture became mixed with various pagan traditions and worldviews and became increasingly distorted by ecclesiastical dogmas.
Simple gatherings were replaced by ritualized ceremonies, magnificent church buildings and secular hierarchies. In this way the church became the institution that exists today in most countries of the world, and saving faith became more and more a dead religion. The Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, who was also Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, had a significant influence on this development, although he remained a pagan idol worshiper until the end of his life....
2 the apostasy of the church
Jesus Christ says:
"Be on the watch for false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside they are cruel wolves. By their fruits you will get knowledge of them."
The Bible: Matthew chap. 7, verses 15-16
From the very beginning, Jesus and his apostles warned people about deceivers who would misuse the name of God and the gospel's message of salvation for their selfish interests. The Catholic Church in particular represents a variety of teachings and traditions that do not agree with the Bible. These include, among others:
Catholic catechism as an authoritative text
Worship of angels
worship of dead saints, especially Mary
(mother of Jesus)
Ascension of Mary
Celibacy (prohibition of marriage
for bishops and monks)
Adoration of the Host
the priestly service for persons
ordained by the Church
Doctrine of the Seven Sacraments
canonization of dead people
Worship of images and relics
"holy water"
Pope as God's representative on earth
infallibility of the pope
Veneration of the Pope as "Holy Father"
Doctrine of Purgatory
Ecumenical movement e.g.
In addition, the Pope places his authority above God and his Word, thereby declaring the Catholic Church to be the only and true path to salvation instead of Jesus. While Jesus calls all people to love their neighbors and even their enemies, the Roman Catholic Church - similar to Islam - has committed wars and crimes "in the name of God" on behalf of the popes, thereby bringing God and the Christian faith into disrepute. The aim behind it was solely to consolidate the rule of the papacy, to which thousands of people fell victim throughout history (see Crusades, indulgence sales, Inquisition, burning of witches, etc.). The papacy did not shy away from murder or torture to enforce its unchristian intentions and to combat its enemies, which included anyone who dared to oppose the Church's demands. The victims of the papacy also included many devout Christians who remained faithful to God's Word and firmly rejected the unbiblical dogmas and practices of Catholicism. In addition to the Catholic Church, various well-known reformers such as Martin Luther, Ullrich Zwingli and Johannes Calvin were also guilty of persecuting and murdering both believers and non-believers....
While Jesus exemplified an attitude of humility, goodness and frugality to people, the actions of the papacy demonstrate unbridled greed for wealth and power. Added to this are the terrible abuse scandals within the Vatican, which are occasionally reported on radio and television. The horrific atrocities committed by the Catholic Church and other spiritual figures under the guise of faith have contributed significantly to the fact that many people today have a poor image of God and a wrong understanding of faith....
3 true and false christians
Jesus Christ says:
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord', shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven."
The Bible: Matthew chap. 7, verse 21
There are many people who justify their Christianity by their creed, their church membership or by the fact of being baptized and confirmed. The New Testament defines how one recognizes a true Christian: It is not just the confession of Jesus that is crucial. It also doesn't matter whether you belong to a particular religious community. Baptism is also not relevant in this context. Rather, he is a true Christian who shows it through his actions in accordance with God's commandments in a pure and selfless spirit. However, a faith that ignores God's commandments and cannot demonstrate good works remains dead and therefore useless. The Bible warns that such faith cannot save anyone (see: What does faith mean?).
Unlike humans, God cannot be deceived. God knows the heart and true motives of every person and therefore knows exactly who loves Him sincerely and who serves Him only for appearances. The countless crimes of the Catholic Church under the rule of the papacy until the late Middle Ages highlight this fundamental difference clearly.
God reminds us that He will repay each person according to his deeds and that He will not allow misuse of His holy name to go unpunished. This means that all those who claim to be Christians while willfully disobeying God's commandments and doing evil in His name will be condemned for their actions and end up in eternal damnation....
4 faith vs. religiousness
God, the Lord says:
"This people come near to Me with their mouths, and give honour to Me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."
The Bible: Isaiah chap. 29, verse 13
There are many people who call themselves "believers" when in reality they are not believers but religious. While these two terms are often equated, there are significant differences between them, which will be explained in more detail below:
For religious people, faith is usually a tradition consisting essentially of religious rituals, with no personal relationship to God. This includes, among other things, reciting finished prayers and formulas, wearing religious symbols (e.g. crosses), sporadic church visits (usually for solemn occasions or cultural events) and regular payment of financial contributions to the church.
For religious people, God is more or less a marginal issue and hardly plays a role in everyday life. Most religious people also show little interest in God's Word. Others have extensive knowledge of the Bible without believing in what is written. Religious people spend most of their lives in worldly activities that have nothing to do with God. Despite what their religious behavior may seem, religious people neither know God nor want to submit to His will. Instead, they often just cherry-pick the things from His Word that are consistent with their own beliefs and values. At the same time, they ignore everything that doesn't fit into their world view or ideas about life. Religious people rarely speak openly about God. Instead, they often hide their beliefs from others. For those around them, the difference to non-believers is hardly noticeable. Therefore, the faith of religious people remains superficial, empty and weak....
Believers, on the other hand, love and serve God with all their hearts. For them, God comes first. Accordingly, their entire life is focused on God and His Word. Believers never do anything independently of God, but always ask for His will and are ready to submit everything else to Him. This also applies to your own wishes and plans. Believers regularly study God's Word, think about it and apply it in their everyday lives. They neither take anything away from God's Word nor add anything on their own initiative, but believe and heed everything God says. The ultimate goal of believers is to know God, their Creator and Father, and Jesus Christ, their Lord and Savior, ever better and to deepen their relationship with them day by day. Believers do not live for themselves, but for God. In doing so, they strive for what serves the well-being of their fellow human beings. Praying and giving thanks is part of their way of life. Furthermore, it is a joy for believers to tell others about God and praise His name.
5 the pinnacle of apostasy
"For the time will come when they will not take the true teaching; but, moved by their desires, they will get for themselves a great number of teachers for the pleasure of hearing them (…)."
The Bible: 2nd Timothy chap. 4, verse 3
Scripture predicts that in the last days, before Jesus returns to judge humanity, more and more churches will turn away from the Word of God and instead conform to the ungodly spirit of the times. Instead of calling people to a godly life, as it is their mission, they will submit to the moral norms of society and thus lose their role model function (see marriage for all, queer pastors, etc.). The Evangelical Lutheran church has been a pioneer in this regard for years. As a result, only what is permitted and what people want to hear will be preached. This in turn will cause many people to stray from the path of truth and miss the goal of faith. In the end, there will be only a few who hold on to the genuine message of the Gospel and - despite increasing persecution - proclaim it to people so that everyone who accepts it will be saved.
6 call to all christians
God, the Lord says:
"Come out of her, my people (...)."
The Bible: revelation chap. 18, verse 4
The reigning pope and leader of the Catholic Church, Francis, says he strives for the unity of all world religions. In this context, Francis claims that all people are "children of God", regardless of what religion they belong to. However, the Bible explicitly teaches that a person only becomes a child of God through faith in Jesus Christ and that faith in Jesus alone can give eternal life and save one from eternal damnation (see: God and Religions).
Furthermore, the Pope also wants to unite all churches under themselves as head within the framework of a so-called "ecumenism". This plan is gaining increasing support in church circles worldwide. The strongest supporters include the Evangelical Lutheran Church as well as many charismatic and Pentecostal free churches.
The various reformatory movements since 1517 have uncovered many false teachings and customs of Catholicism, which the Catholic Church still adheres to today. At the same time, the Bible was once again placed at the center of faith and proclamation. While the Pope's plans are seen by some as an important step toward church unity, in reality they pose a grave danger by undoing the gains of the Reformation. Furthermore, in this way one empowers the Pope while at the same time recognizing the unbiblical practices and dogmas of Catholicism as correct. Instead of seeking union with the Catholic Church, Holy Scripture calls on every believer to distance themselves from this anti-Christian system and to base their faith solely on Jesus and the Bible.
7 back to the truth
Jesus Christ says:
"You are the light of the world (...). Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
The Bible: Matthew chap. 5, verses 14-16
Jesus taught his followers to show people the way to God through truth and love. Anyone can use the Bible to find out what God's will is. The teachings and commandments of Jesus, which have been handed down to us in the New Testament, serve as a standard and guide for our lives. At the same time, God's Word helps us to distinguish whether a person or a church actually acts in the spirit of God or not. Instead of judging God based on the works and teachings of a church, the works and teachings of the church must be judged based on the Bible. For much of what is proclaimed in many church houses both then and now does not come from the Word of God and therefore does not have God's approval, even if it appears to some outwardly.
Although the papacy, through violence and oppression, has long succeeded in depriving people of the pure and wholesome truth of the Bible, thanks to God's grace and many courageous Christians, it has been preserved to this day and can be found by anyone who seeks it with a sincere heart. Every person is personally called to examine their life in the light of Holy Scripture. This is the only way to ensure that we stay on the right path and attain the goal of the promise - eternal life.
Jesus Christ says:
"Sacrify them in the truth.
Your word is truth."
The Bible: John chap. 17, verse 17