The world at large de-emphasizes the importance of the church and, indeed, it sometimes appears to be the case that the church has been eliminated from the minds of men. This is to be expected from those who make no claim to religious belief, but even among those who claim to be seeking after God’s will, there are many who regard the church as being of little importance.

There is a very significant movement in modern Japan called the “No-church Movement.” This means simply that many thousands of people who were formerly Buddhists and Shintoists have come in more recent years to realize the tremendous appeal of the person of Jesus Christ. Many of them have accepted Him in a personal way and would call themselves Christians. While they have a great » Continue reading “How Important Is The Church?”

There is a commonly held belief in the religious world that the Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth to set up or establish His kingdom, but because He was rejected by the Jews, He postponed His kingdom and set up the church instead. Those who hold to this view believe that Jesus will set up His kingdom on earth when He returns the second time.

This concept relegates the church to the role of a stop-gap arrangement, a kind of after-thought conceived by Christ to provide something to fill the gap between His return to the Father and His return to the earth. It is also believed that the prophets said nothing about the church since they saw only the first coming of the Christ and His yet to come, earthly kingdom. » Continue reading “Was The Church Predicted By The Prophets?”

There are different ideas about when the church began. There are those who speak of it as beginning in the Old Testament period, though such a view is a misunderstanding of what the church is. Others believe that it began with the ministry of John the Baptist. Still others believe that the Lord’s kingdom has not yet been established. With such different answers to our question it is no wonder people are confused.

The correct answer is rather easily determined, if one notices the tense of the verbs used in reference to the church. Throughout the Old Testament all references to the Lord’s kingdom are future. Notice just a couple of them: » Continue reading “When Did The Church Begin?”

In talking with people about salvation one soon realizes that most people believe that things will eventually work out and that he/she will get to heaven. People feel that God is a God of love and that He simply will not see any person lost in Hell.

The Bible is crystal clear on this matter. The Lord Jesus Christ clearly warned, “Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it” (Matt 7:13-14 NAS).

It is true that Jesus often spoke of God’s love for people, and He also perfectly manifested the love of God in His relationship with people. » Continue reading “Will All People Eventually Be Saved?”

When Paul made his defense before King Agrippa, he tried to persuade the king to become a Christian. “The Agrippa said to Paul, ‘Do you think that is such a short time you can persuade me to be a Christian?’ Paul replied, ‘I would to God, that whether with little or with much, not you only, but also all that hear me this day, might become such as I am, except these bonds’” (Acts 26:28-29).

There are really many good reasons for being a Christian. Rational people seek for reasons when challenged to do something and for this reason we are happy to present a number of excellent reasons given in the Scriptures for being a Christian. » Continue reading “Why Be A Christian?”