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Does It Make A Difference:

what we teach?

what we believe?

how we worship?

how we are saved?

about the church?

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Does It Make A Difference When: multiplicity of churches

all teach different doctrines all think they are right with God

famous mottos “We’re all going to the same place anyway” “There are many roads to heaven” “One church is just as good as another” “Join the church of your choice”

Colossians 2:8 “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty

deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not

according to Christ.”

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“We’re all going to the same place anyway?”

do we really believe this? can you pass “Louisiana” off as “ going to the

same place as Hawaii?”

is there a destiny of “DESTRUCTION” where many will go (Matt. 7:13, 14)? is hell the “same place” as heaven?

the bible teaches that the only “same place” where all are going is JUDGMENT!

Romans 14:10“But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”

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“There are many roads to heaven?”

do people use this idea in any other area besides religion? are there many roads my house is on?

what happens if I drive on every road except the road where my residence is?

unless you drive on the “one road” to my house, you will never drive to my house!

what happens if I give directions this way?

why not Islam another way to heaven?

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THE BIBLE:Our Roadmap To

Heaventhe Bible gives us directions to travel down the road to heaven’s residence

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Singular Or Plural?But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed (2 Pet. 2:1, 2).

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STAND IN THE WAYS

Jeremiah 6:16“Thus says the LORD: ‘Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; then you will find rest for your souls.’ But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”

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“One church is just as good as another” do we believe this?

church of Satan? Jehovah Witnesses who deny the deity of

Christ? Pentecostals who deny the Father and the

Son (1 Jn. 2:22)? Seventh-Day Adventists who deny the first

day? Mormons who deny the Bible “alone”?

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“Join the churchof your choice?” why should I think the soundness of a

church depends on “my choice”? being a member of a church does involve our

choice but our choice doesn’t necessarily make that

church okay

Jesus died for the church of God’s choice! we need to be a member of that church!

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Psalm 37:23

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way.

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PROVERBS 28:26

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, but whoever walks wisely will be delivered.

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PROVERBS 16:25

There is a way that seems right to a

man, but its end is the way of death.

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What Makes Different Churches? their system of faith defines who they

are: their teaching their practice their worship their name their organization their requirement(s) for salvation

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If All Churches: would teach the same thing would practice the same thing would worship the same way would wear the same name would organize the same way would teach the same requirements for

salvation. . .

AND:

. . . AND DO IT ALL ACCORDING TO THE PRESCRIPTION OF SCRIPTURE

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DOES IT MATTERWHAT WE TEACH?

MATTHEW 7:15, 1615 Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushesor figs from thistles?

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WHY THE EXHORTATIONS TO TEACH CORRECTLY? 2 TIMOTHY 4:2,

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

1 PETER 4:11,If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.

GALATIANS 1:8; 2 JOHN 9; etc.

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DOES IT MATTERWHAT WE BELIEVE

IF TEACHING MATTERS, THEN WHAT IS BELIEVED MATTERS!

IT MAKES NO SENSE TO SUGGEST THAT “TEACHING” MUST BE ACCORDING TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW WITH STRICT ADHERENCE TO THE WRITTEN WORD. . .BUT IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHAT WE BELIEVE?

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WHY THE ADMONITION ABOUT WHAT WE BELIEVE 1 JOHN 4:1,

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

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2 PETER 2:1, 21 But there were also false prophets among

the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.

BELIEVING SOMETHING DESTRUCTIVE IS DESTRUCTIVE!

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DOES IT REALLY MATTER HOW WE WORSHIP? IF “NO,” WHY DID

JESUS LIMIT WORSHIP TO BEING DIRECTED TO GOD WITH THE RIGHT SPIRIT AND WITHIN THE SCOPE OF TRUTH?

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JOHN 4:24

"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

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OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLE

1 Then Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it, put incense on it, and offered profane fire before the LORD, which He had not commanded them.2 So fire went out from the LORD and devoured them, and they died before the LORD. LEVITICUS 10:1, 2

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DOES IT REALLY MATTER HOW WE ARE SAVED?

IF IT DOESN’T MATTER: WHY DID PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW

“WHAT THEY MUST DO” (Acts 2:37; 16:30)?

WHY DID NT PREACHERS ANSWER WHAT PEOPLE MUST DO TO BE SAVED?

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CAN WE ELIMINATE BELIEF?

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6)

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CAN WE ELIMINATE REPENTANCE?

“Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30)

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CAN WE ELIMINATE CONFESSION?

ROMANS 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

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CAN WE ELIMINATEBAPTISM?

“Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a clear conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:21; RSV)

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IF BAPTISM “NOW SAVES YOU,” CAN YOU BE SAVED WITHOUT BEING BAPTIZED?

IF BAPTISM APPEALS TO GOD, CAN YOU BE SAVED WITHOUT APPEALING TO HIM?

CAN YOU BE SAVED WITHOUT A CLEAR CONSCIENCE?

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CAN WE ELIMINATE:FAITH ONLY?

“You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (JAMES 2:24)

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MAKE YOUR SALVATION SURE! BELIEVE – HEB. 11:6

REPENT – ACTS 17:30

CONFESS – ROM. 10:9, 10

BE BAPTIZED – 1 PET. 3:21

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WHY NOT ACCEPT ALL THAT THE BIBLE

TEACHES REGARDING SALVATION?

“. . .Save yourselves from this crooked generation” (ACTS 2:40)?

IT DOES MATTER!