When Jesus promised to build His church, He described it as the kingdom of heaven—where heaven’s will would be observed on earth; whatever the Lord deemed mandatory would be binding and wherever the Lord loosed would be liberty (Mt. 16:18, 19; cf. Mt. 6:10). Jesus is the head of the church, His body (Eph. 1:22, 23; 5:23; Col. 1:18). Thus, the church follows His leadership as He is seated at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms (Eph. 1:20, 21).
The New Testament has several warnings regarding deceptive teachers who do not serve the Lord Jesus, but rather lead people away to do their own will (Rom. 16:17, 18; 2 Cor. 11:3, 4; Gal. 1:6-9; 2:4; Eph. 4:4; 5:6; 2 Thess. 2:3; 1 Tim. 1:6, 19, 20; 2 Tim. 3:13; Jude 3, 4; Rev. 2:20-23; et al.). There are many false prophets (Mt. 7:15; 2 Pet. 2:1-3; 1 Jn. 4:1). Just as the young prophet was deceived by the lie of the old prophet into disobedience to the Lord resulting in death (1 Kgs. 13:11-26), so condemnation awaits others who believe lies instead of loving the truth (2 Thess. 3:10-12).
We must remember that it is not merely calling Jesus “Lord,” but actually doing the will of the Father who is in heaven that determines whether one will enter the kingdom of heaven; religious people who have done many wonderful works, but never did the will of the Father shall be surprised on the final day (Mt. 7:21-23). So, do not trust your eternal soul merely to what any person says without checking it out for yourself in the word of God. Instead of uncritically accepting anything a person who claims to speak for God utters, we must test everything and hold fast what is good (1 Thess. 5:21). The Scriptures have all the teaching we need to please God and go to heaven (2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 2 Pet. 1:3). We must abide in the truth, the doctrine of Christ (2 Jn. 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10).
The church is the unique bride of Christ for which He died and for which He will one day return to save (Eph. 5:23-27). What the church is, how it is organized, what its mission is, and how it worships and behaves are found within the pages of the last will and testament of Jesus Christ. Some may try to take some necessary beliefs, characteristics, and practices of the church and alter them by arguing they are not obligatory, loosing where God has bound (1 Cor. 11:17-34; 15:12; 2 Pet. 2:17-22; Rev. 2:6, 14, 15, 20). Others may go to a realm of liberty and give an imperative where the Lord has never given one, binding where God has loosed (Gal. 5:1-4; 1 Tim. 4:3; Col. 2:20-23). Remember, every individual in the Lord’s church professes that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God (Mt. 16:17; Rom. 10:9, 10; Heb. 3:1; 4:14); thus, He is king (Jn. 1:49; 1 Tim. 6:14, 15; cf. Psa. 89:27; Rev. 19:16). What He commands, we do because He has all authority in heaven and earth (Mt. 28:18). Where He has given liberty, we do not issue imperatives. The church is not a democracy where we vote to decide what the majority wants; it is a monarchy ruled from heaven, where the will of the King must be followed!
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