Introduction
There are many Christian doctrines in the world today, which might lead us to reflect on salvation and the beliefs of various churches. God calls each of us to serve Him, and we believe that we are called to serve as “The Followers of Jesus Christ, the Beloved Son of God.” However, others may feel called to serve under different doctrines. We believe in a true church, which represents the bride of the Lord Jesus Christ. This true church is composed of genuine believers in the Trinity of God—God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit—who come from all nations and various congregations. They follow the teachings of the Lord Jesus, practice baptism in water in the name of God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), and God the Holy Spirit, and seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, they remain firm in their faith in the Trinity of God by reading and meditating on the Word of God and practicing the teachings of the Lord Jesus. Then the question arises: Does the church where we serve the Lord lead us to heaven? We will not attempt to answer which church is right or wrong since there is no perfect church on earth. Wherever we go, we will encounter issues regarding the way to heaven. Instead, in this blog, we encourage readers to genuinely reflect on what it means to be a true believer in the Lord Jesus, no matter which church they attend.
Does the Church We Attend Lead Us to Heaven?
In the world today, by number of members, there are a few mainstream Christian denominations. Within a country, you might find various mainstream denominations alongside those who identify as born-again believers. While they may all read the same Bible, they interpret its teachings according to their own beliefs and traditions. However, the Lord Jesus reminds us that we must be born again to enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Therefore, we should ask ourselves: Are we truly born again, and is our name written in the Book of Life of the Lamb of God, rather than in church membership?
As we explore various Christian beliefs and witness the diverse activities and traditions found in different churches, one might wonder: What is the real difference between attending one church versus another? Some churches may have more traditions and a richer history, while others may be modern and culturally relevant, leading to the question of which church is the “right” one. Additionally, some of us might find comfort in belonging to a specific church community and may believe that simply attending the church guarantees our salvation. But does the church we attend truly lead us to heaven?
The first commandments the Lord God Almighty gives us in Exodus 20:3-7 are:
Exodus 20:3 You shall have no other gods before Me. 4 You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My commandments. 7 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
Meditating on these fundamental faith commandments and looking to church traditions, we can notice that some traditional churches adorn their walls with images and icons, while others may refrain from using physical representations. Instead, the latter churches may use modern technology to project various images, icons, or even idols onto screens during preaching or teaching. Additionally, many churches set up Christmas trees during the holiday season, display Easter eggs and related imagery for Easter, and sometimes incorporate unsettling symbols during other celebrations.
As born-again believers, it is important to consider what the Lord thinks about these practices. One should question the difference between having images and icons painted or displayed on church walls versus storing images and idols on a computer. Moreover, we must ask ourselves what distinguishes icons and images within the church from the idols we may hold in our hearts. Another important consideration is whether attending a specific church matters when that church does not uphold or practice baptism in the Holy Spirit. To address all these questions, we must first understand what it truly means to be born again. We should earnestly seek again the teachings of the Lord, be born again, and ask for His guidance in choosing the church He wants us to attend. While we may not find a perfect church on this earth, the Lord will direct us to where He wants us to serve as long as we genuinely pray for His guidance.
Don’t Judge Others, You Must Be Born Again
For the followers of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, there is one fundamental law: the Lord Jesus Himself, the Son of God and the Son of Man (Matthew 5:17, Romans 8:2, Romans 10:4). We cannot uphold God’s law apart from His mercy and having faith in the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus—His death on the cross and His resurrection. In James 2:10-13, we find:
James 2:10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he becomes guilty of all. 11 For He that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if you do not commit adultery, but kill, you become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak you, and so do, as men that are to be judged by a law of liberty. 13 For judgment is without mercy to him that has shown no mercy: mercy glories against judgment.
The Lord saves people based on their hearts, not the church they attend; He prioritizes the condition of the heart. The key point is that we serve a merciful God and are saved by His grace and mercy when we have faith in the Trinity of God and the salvation work accomplished by the Son of God, the Lord Jesus, on the cross. Therefore, we should refrain from judging others and instead pray for them and for ourselves. In heaven, we will encounter many souls who were not part of the same church as we were on earth.
The Lord Jesus, in John 3:3-5, explains to Nicodemus what it means to be born again and how to enter the kingdom of God.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except anyone is born from above, he is not able to see the kingdom of God.
Comments John 3:3. “Except anyone is born from above, he is not able to see the kingdom of God.” What the beloved Son of God has talked about here relates to those born according to the will of the Father, those who will accept the beloved Son of God and have a chance to enter into the kingdom of God. “Born from above.” Born by the will of the Father to know the light and accept the beloved Son of God as their own personal Savior.
4 Nicodemus says to Him, How can a man be born being old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?
Comments John 3:4. In this verse, Nicodemus gives a question from a human mind’s point of view.
5 Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except anyone is born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Comments John 3:5. “Except anyone is born of water and of Spirit.” This verse clearly tells all humans that everyone should be baptized in water and seek the baptism in the Holy Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. But, we must also remember that the baptism in the Holy Spirit has two kinds: “the Holy Spirit going through” and “the Holy Spirit using” (dwelling in). “The Holy Spirit going through” occurs during water baptism, when the person feels the Holy Spirit, and we can call this the Holy Spirit checking the person’s heart. So, by “the Holy Spirit going through,” we mean as the Holy Spirit touching that person’s heart, and the person feels it as well. When the Holy Spirit chooses to use that heart for work, He will dwell in and use that heart; this is “the Holy Spirit using,” and it happens after the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues (see Comments John 1:33).
“He cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” The person must be baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son Jesus, and of the Holy Spirit, and believe in the Trinity of God to enter into the kingdom of God. Being “born from above” means being baptized in the water and the Holy Spirit. All true believers must be baptized in the water and in the Holy Spirit.
Some of us may think of ourselves as born-again believers and feel a sense of superiority simply because we belong to a specific denomination. This attitude can lead us to look down on those from other churches. However, the Bible teaches us that the way we judge others is the same way the Lord will judge us.
The Lord Jesus offers a wonderful teaching on judging others in Luke 18:9-14, where He tells us the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector.
Luke 18:9 And He spoke also to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised the others, this parable:
Comments Luke 18:9. Among all listeners, there will be some for whom this parable will speak straight, not just to their hearts but also rebuking their actions.
10 Two men went up into the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee, and the other a tax collector.
Comments Luke 18:10. These are two types of people, each completely opposite to the other, opposite in both work and heart in worshiping the Lord.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus by himself, God, I thank Thee, that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.
Comments Luke 18:11. Now we can notice in this verse that the one who considers themselves holy has put down another one whom he himself believes is a true sinner, and he has lifted himself to God, as he is the best of all, does good not only physically, but also by giving thanks to the Lord. But he has forgotten that the tax collector is also a child of God, and who are you to put the children down as not worthy? His mistake is here: he is not a judge; there is only one judge of all the universe, God the Father Himself, not humans who believe themselves to be holy.
12 I fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I get.
Comments Luke 18:12. Let all readers notice this: this man has believed in his good deeds. He is fasting two times a week, but has he made his fasts from the heart by worshiping the Lord with love and thankfulness? Or is this what this man’s intention is: he just wants to point out his actions and tell out to God, “See what I am doing; I deserve all rewards!”
13 But the tax collector, standing afar off, was not willing not even to lift up the eyes to heaven, but was striking his breast, saying, God, be merciful to me, the sinner!
Comments Luke 18:13. “But the tax collector, standing afar off …” Think of this sinner’s actions: he is a humble man, physically and spiritually. He believed himself not worthy to even look up to heaven, being humbler than most humble people could be. He also begged the Lord of life to be merciful to him; all humans should take him as an example.
“But was striking his breast, saying …” Striking his breast in this place is not a physical action, but he has rebuked his own soul to be humble to the Lord more than what he thought he could do, to make the Lord see that he is not worthy, but by being humble in this way, he has already shown the Lord how humble he is, recognized himself as a sinner, and all he wants from the Lord is mercy. All humans should learn from this verse: beg for mercy, but not beg for a favor, so that the Lord will do something for you for being humble.
14 I say to you, This man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone that exalts himself shall be humbled; but the one that humbles himself shall be exalted.
Comments Luke 18:14. “I say to you, This man …” When the Lord said about this man, “justified rather than the other,” at the same time, He did tell all readers plainly that the Lord has lifted this sinner to be righteous. So, what more could any human want to be? Be lifted by man or by God Himself; all should think about this.
“For everyone that exalts himself …” When the verse says, “exalts himself,” here is the proof of this man, the Pharisee. He has lifted himself up by his own judgment; he sees that he himself is worthy above all.
Conclusions
In conclusion, regardless of the type of church we attend—whether historical, traditional, or modern— the church we attend cannot save us. The only way one person can be saved is by the mercy of God and by being born again in the name of the Lord Jesus. Being “born from above” means being baptized in both water and the Holy Spirit. To enter the kingdom of God, all believers must be baptized by immersion in water in the name of the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit, as well as believe in the Trinity of God. The fundamental commandments of being a follower of the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, are outlined in the Word of God and are exemplified by the Lord Jesus Himself, as well as by the apostles and disciples who lived during that time. Therefore, we should not judge others but instead return to the Bible, set aside church history, traditions, and contemporary culture, and read and meditate on the Word of God, putting its teachings into practice. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).
Meditation Tasks
- We encourage every reader to reflect on what it means to be a true follower of the Lord Jesus and how that applies to them. Additionally, we invite all readers to review our core faith statements at Bible Commentary Forever Ministries: https://biblecommentaryforeverministries.com/core-faith
- Regardless of your current stage of faith in the Lord Jesus, we encourage you to read our article titled “Guidance for the New Birth of a Believer in the Lord Jesus.”