SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES Comparisons of Revealed Teaching with the Traditions of DenominationsPREPARED BY DANIEL KEERAN, MSW 1 Search the Scriptures Comparisons of Revealed Teaching with the Traditions of Denominations They worship me in vain; their teachings are merely human rules. Matthew 15:9 Directions: Followers of Jesus desire to follow the Word of God rather than human rules and traditions. Read the scripture passages for each numbered set below, then decide which statement is the Truth of Gods Word and which is false human tradition. Enter (T) for the Truth of Gods Word and (F) for human tradition. Remember that other scriptures may also be relevant. JESUS 1.( ) Mary is a mediator between God and man. ( ) Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and man. Scripture: 1 Timothy 2:5 2.( ) Mary remained a perpetual virgin and had no children other than Jesus. ( ) Jesus had other brothers and sisters, the children of Mary. Scripture: Mark 6:3; Matthew 13: 55, 56 3.( ) Jesus Christ was God in the flesh or God in the form of a man.As deity, He is to be worshipped. May pray to Jesus. ( ) Jesus was only a man with special wisdom and power. He had a special relationship to God, but he is not God and should not be worshipped.Scripture: Matthew 1:23; John 20:28; Hebrews 1: 6; John 1:1, 14; Acts 7:59, 60 2 THE CHURCH 4.( ) Jesus followers are called Christians. ( ) Jesus followers are called Methodists, Catholics, Lutherans, Pentecostals, etc. Scripture: Acts 11:26; 1 Peter 4: 16 5.( ) Christians should assemble regularly together. ( ) A Christian need not meet regularly with other Christians. Scripture: Hebrews 10:25 6.( ) There is one church, one body of Christ. Divisions are sinful. ( ) It is good to have many denominations. Scripture: Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 1:24; 1 Corinthians 1:10 7.( ) Women are to be silent in the church assembly and may not have authority over men. ( ) Women may preach to the church and may be leaders in the church and have authority over men. Scripture:1 Corinthians 14:34-3; 1 Timothy 2: 11, 12; 1 Timothy 3: 1-13 8.( ) The church can be called the United church, Anglican, Pentecostal, Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Mennonite, etc. ( ) The church should be referred to as the church of God, churches of Christ, the body of Christ, the household of faith. Scripture:Romans 16:16;2 Corinthians 1:1; Galatians 6:10; 1 Corinthians 12: 27 9.( ) One does not have to be a member of the body of Christ, the church, in order to be saved. ( ) Jesus bought the church with his own blood. He is the Saviour of the church and gave himself up for her.Scripture: Ephesians 5:23-25; Acts 20:28 3 CHURCH LEADERS 10. ( ) Saints are a special group of holy ones among Gods people.( ) Every follower of Jesus is a saint. Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1: 2; 14:3; Romans 1:7 11. ( ) All of Gods people today are a royal priesthood. ( ) Only a special class among Gods people may be called priests. Scripture: Revelation 1:6; 1 Peter 2:9 12. ( ) The title Reverend belongs only to special church leaders. ( ) All of Gods people are to be holy or reverend. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:15, 16 13. ( ) Jesus is the head over everything for the church, and the church headquarters is therefore in heaven. ( ) The church may have a human head such as a pope, patriarch, or other appointed individual, and the church headquarters may be on earth. Scripture: Ephesians 1:22, 23; Colossians 1:17, 18 14. ( ) The terms bishop (overseer), elder (presbyter) and pastor (shepherd), refer to one office in the church. ( ) A bishop is higher than a pastor who is higher than an elder. Scripture: Titus 1: 5-9; 1 Peter 5: 1-4; Acts 20: 17, 28 15. ( ) A bishop is a ruler over several congregations. ( ) A bishop is one of a plurality of bishops who rule one congregation. They are served by deacons.Scripture: Philippians 1:1; Acts 14:23; 1 Timothy 3:1-10; Titus 1:5-7 16. ( ) Bishops must not be married. ( ) Bishops must be the husband of one wife. Scripture: 1 Timothy 3: 2, 4, 5; Titus 1: 6, 7 4 17. ( ) Peter alone was given power to bind and loose. ( ) All the apostles had power to bind and loose. Scripture: Matthew 16: 16-19; Matthew 18: 1, 18 18. ( ) Peter held first place among the apostles and was the recognized head of the church. ( ) There was a plurality of leaders in the Jerusalem church including James, Peter and John. James gave the final judgment at the Jerusalem council. Jesus is the head over all things for the church. Scripture: Galatians 2:9; Acts 15: 13-21; Ephesians 1: 22 BAPTISM 19. ( ) Baptism does not save us. ( ) Baptism saves us. It is the pledge to God of a good conscience. It saves us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Scripture: 1 Peter 3:21 20. ( ) We are baptized so that our sins may be forgiven and that we may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ( ) We are baptized to show that our sins have already been forgiven. Scripture: Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16 21. ( ) He who believes, is saved and should then be baptized. ( ) He who believes and is baptized shall be saved. Scripture: Mark 16:16 22. ( ) Baptism is a sprinkling or pouring of water. ( ) Baptism is a burial or immersion in water. Scripture: Colossians 2:12; Romans 6:4 23. ( ) To be forgiven after baptism, one should confess his sins to a priest who will pray to the Lord. ( ) To be forgiven, a Christian should repent and confess his sins directly to the Lord. Scripture: 1 John 1:9; Acts 8:13, 22 5 24. ( ) Salvation is obtained by praying to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour. ( ) Salvation from sin is obtained by believing the gospel, plus repentance, plus confessing Jesus as the Christ and Son of God, plus being immersed into Christ and His death in order to receive the forgiveness of sin. By baptism one pledges to keep a good conscience toward God. Scripture: Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Matthew 10:32, 33; Romans 6:3,4; 1 Peter 3:21 25. ( ) Babies and little children need to be baptized. ( ) Little children are innocent. No one inherits the sins or guilt of an ancestor.Only older people who have sins of their own need to be baptized. Scripture: Matthew 18:1-6, 10, 11; Acts 8:12 26. ( ) After believing the gospel, people should be baptized immediately. ( ) After believing the gospel, people should wait until the church can be assembled or until relatives can observe this special occasion. One should wait for a special day like Sunday or Easter. Scripture: Acts 2:41; Acts 8:35-38; Acts 16:32,33; Acts 22:16; Acts 19:4,5 27. ( ) One does not have to be baptized in order to enter the body of Christ, the church. ( ) In order to be united with Christ and His body, the church one must be baptized. Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27 28. ( ) In order to enter the kingdom of God one only needs to be born of the Spirit. Water is not necessary for salvation.( ) Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.Scripture: John 3:5 6 29. ( ) We receive salvation and forgiveness simply by praying for it and asking Jesus to come into our hearts. ( ) We receive salvation and forgiveness by being baptized into Jesus death so that we may live a new life. Scripture: Mark 16:16; Romans 6:3, 4; Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16 THE COMMUNION 30. ( ) The practice of the early church was to take communion or the Lords Supper on the first day of the week.( ) The communion or Lords Supper may be taken quarterly or annually. Scripture: Acts 20:7 31. ( ) In the communion or Lords Supper it is the real flesh and blood of Christ that we eat. ( ) In the communion or Lords Supper, it is bread and fruit of the vine (the cup) that we eat and drink. Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:25,26; Matthew 26:29 32. ( ) Only the priest may drink the cup in the communion or Lords Supper. ( ) All Christians are to receive both the bread and the fruit of the vine (the cup). Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23-28 THE HOLY SPIRIT 33. ( ) Special gifts or manifestations of the Holy Spirit were given by the laying on of the apostles hands. ( ) Gifts of the Holy Spirit were received through prayer with any Christians laying on hands. Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:6; Romans 1:11; Acts 8:14-18; Acts 19:6 7 34. ( ) The baptism of the Holy Spirit was received simply by praying for it. ( ) The baptism of the Holy Spirit came unexpectedly and was never prayed for, did not save anyone, nor was it a sign that the person receiving it was saved. Scripture: Acts 1:4,5; Acts 2:1-4; Acts 11:13-17; Acts 10:44-48 35. ( ) The gift of tongues was the ability to speak a foreign language without learning it. This was to be a sign to unbelievers that the gospel was true. ( ) The gift of tongues was the ability to make ecstatic sounds, not a real human language but a prayer language that could be received by human prompting. Scripture: Acts 2:4-12; 1 Corinthians 14:22 36. ( ) God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This means His Will has never changed and that He still performs miracles like those recorded in the Bible. ( ) Gods Will for man has changed. The old Will or testament has been replaced by the New Testament. Miracles were for the purpose of confirming the word of God, the message of salvation. The record of miracles in the Bible is given so that we might believe in Jesus. Scripture: Hebrews 8:7, 13; Hebrews 9: 14-18; Mark 16: 20; Hebrews 2: 3, 4; John 20:30, 31 SUFFICIENCY OF SCRIPTURE 37. ( ) Any additions to or deletions from the Bible are forbidden. The scriptures are sufficient. ( ) Inspired prophecy and revelations are still being given and can be added to the New Testament as instruction in righteousness. Scripture: Revelation 22: 18, 19 8 38. ( ) The tradition of the church is just as true as the Word of God. The scriptures are not adequate to explain everything a Christian must believe and do. ( ) The tradition of the church may nullify the Word of God. The scriptures thoroughly explain what a Christian must believe and do. Scripture: Matthew 15:3,6-9; 2 Timothy 3: 16,17 39. ( ) The apostles were given all the truth we need, and this faith has been delivered once for all. ( ) Additional truths of the faith are still being given and revealed to special men who God has chosen. Scripture: Jude 3; John 16:13; 2 Peter 1:3 OLD TESTAMENT RULES 40. ( ) Gods people today must observe the Sabbath day, Saturday, as a day of worship and rest.( ) Gods people today worship on the first day of the week. The Sabbath kept by Jews was a shadow of a reality found in Christ. Scripture: Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Colossians 2:16, 17 41. ( ) Christians should not eat pork and certain other meats. ( ) Everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving. Scripture: Colossians 2:16; 1 Timothy 4:3-5 BEFORE AND AFTER MARRIAGE 42. ( ) Divorce should be granted for incompatibility or any other good reason. ( ) Divorce should not be permitted for any reason. ( ) Divorce for any reason, except for the cause of fornication, should not be practiced. Scripture: Matthew 5:31,32; Matthew 19:3-9 9 43. ( ) Sex before marriage (a life commitment) is healthy and may help a couple discover if they will be compatible in marriage. ( ) Sex is good and honourable but belongs only in marriage. Sex before marriage (fornication) is condemned. Scripture: Galatians 5:19-21; Hebrews 13:4 44. ( ) Marriage to the one you love can last through eternity in heaven. ( ) In heaven no one will be married but will be like the angels. Scripture: Mark 12: 24, 25 OTHER RELIGIONS 45. ( ) It doesnt matter what you believe as long as you are sincere. ( ) One may be zealous for God yet still be wrong about what he believes and not please God. Scripture: Romans 10:1-3 46. ( ) All world religions are true and teach basically the same thing. It is not absolutely necessary to believe in Jesus to be saved. ( ) Unless one believes that Jesus is who He claims to be, the Word that was God and became flesh, one shall die in his sins and not see eternal life. Scripture: John 3:36; John 8:24; Acts 4:12 47. ( ) A person should not try to change his religion but should die in the religion he was born with. ( ) Both the Jews and the Gentiles had to change their religion in order to be saved.Scripture: Romans 10:13-15; 1 Thessalonians 2:16 10 48. ( ) People who have not heard the gospel, would not need to hear and obey it in order to be saved. ( ) Unless someone takes the gospel to those who have not heard it, they will not be saved.Scripture: Romans 10:13-15; 1 Thessalonians 2:16 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS 49. ( ) Everyone must die once, then face purgatory. ( ) Everyone must die once, then face judgment. Scripture: Hebrews 9:27 50. ( ) Most people will go to heaven. Only a few really bad people like Hitler or Judas, will go to hell. ( ) Most people will go to hell. Punishment for not obeying Gods Word will be never-ending. Scripture: Revelation 20:11-15; Matthew 7:13, 14;Matthew 25:45, 46; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10 51. ( ) Hell is only the misfortune and suffering that people experience in this life. There is no hell after death. ( ) There will be a final judgment of all people and many will then suffer eternal punishment. Scripture: Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20: 11-15 52. ( ) After becoming a child of God, a Christian is unable to sin to the point that he would be lost eternally. ( ) After becoming a child of God, one may be severed from Christ. The possibility always remains that a Christian may so sin that he would be lost eternally. Scripture: Luke 8:13; John 15:1-7; Romans 11:19-22; Hebrews 4:11; Hebrews 6: 4-6, 12; Hebrews 10: 26, 27; Hebrews 12:15-17; 2 Peter 2:17-22; 2 Peter 3:17 11 53. ( ) There is no forgiveness for sins committed after baptism. ( ) If we repent and confess our sins, God will forgive us even after we are baptized. But shall we sin knowing this is true? Scripture: 1 John 1:9; Acts 8:13,22, Romans 6:1-3 HOW TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN WWW.BOX.COM/LOVEGOD