Which Church Is The Right Church?

       Which Church Is The Right Church?


 As I talk with people about the Lord or about the Bible, the question is often asked. "Which Church is the right Church?"

Many of you whom have been living for God for some time, have been asked this several times. May have been asked in a different way. "Who's church is right?" or "Who's right and who's wrong?"

These are questions that deserve an honest answer.

The Bible clearly tells us how tell which church is the right one. Jesus asked his disciples a question in Matthew 16:13.

            "When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?  And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. "

After Jesus asked them what are the people saying who He is, the question now becomes personal. He then asks them one of the most important questions about the doctrine of God.

" He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? "
"And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."
 I'm not sure if the disciples were not sure of the question or just didn't know who He
really was. But Peter with boldness declares that He is the Christ! Jesus told him that he  is blessed because it wasn't by human wisdom nor my his own ability that he received this revelation, but is what God that gave him the understanding.

As at this point, your trying to figure out where I'm going with this. All this was said up to this point to answer the question. "Which Church is the Right Church?"

The next statement that Jesus makes is very pro-founding.

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Upon this rock will I build my church? What is Jesus talking about? Upon this rock? A rock on the ground that was nearby? Or was Jesus referring to Peter, for the meaning of his name in the greek is "stone, rock (Πέτρος * Petros * pet'-ros *)"?

Over the years many doctrines and beliefs have been taught off this passage of Scripture. The Roman Catholic church has based from this the fact that the Apostle Peter was the first pope and that he had complete authority over the church. The same is now for the pope has complete authority over everything in the Catholic movement.

The "little rock, big rock" theory teaches that Peter was that rock.
They that try to support this theory say that the Greek text is a translation of Jesus' words, which were actually spoken in Aramaic. Aramaic only had one word for rock, kephas (which is why Peter is often called Cephas in the Bible). The word Kephas in Aramaic means "huge rock." The Aramaic word for "little stone" is "evna," and Peter was not called "Evna" or "Envas" or anything like that.  In Aramaic, Jesus said "You are Peter (Kephas) and upon this rock (kephas) I will build my Church."

Ladies and Gentlemen, to say that the Church, which " the gates of hell shall not prevail against" was built and founded off of a man, is totally ridiculous!

"...upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

Upon this rock, upon this (revelation) I will build my church!

The revelation that had been given to Peter, that Jesus is the Mighty God in the flesh!

"...Thou art the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One)"9

Isaiah 9:6
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,
The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 63:16
"...thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer;.."

The other disciples didnt have the full revelation like Peter did.

John 14:8-10
Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.




In Acts 4, Peter and John were arrested and stood before the rulers, elders, and scribes for teaching and preaching the name of Jesus Christ. Mainly because of the healing of the lame man the previous chapter.

As they stood in the midst of the rulers...

 Acts 4:8-12
                 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, If we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.  This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Peter knew exactly who that Rock was! He knew what Jesus meant.

The Apostle Paul puts it like this..

Ephesians 2:20-22
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

This affirms what Peter also wrote, quoting Isaiah 28:16....
1 Peter 2:5-6
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

So we go back to our question, "Which Church is the Right Church?"

Answer:

The Church that preaches the Mighty God in Christ.

Revelation 1:8
   I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

The Church that is based off of Christ and not off of man

Colossians 2:8-12
    Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Colossians 2:4-7
"....the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.
As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith,...."


The Church that is buried with Christ.

Romans 6:3-4
    Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Acts 2:38
   Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The Church that calls upon the name of Jesus Christ.

John 14:14
   If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

Conclusion:

The church that preaches that Jesus is the Christ, the same God of the Old Testament is Jesus.....is THE RIGHT CHURCH!

2 Corinthians 11:4
   For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

Hebrews 1:1-4
     God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.