20 Questions to Ask before Joining a Church

Hi preacher4truth

I am not sure you understand, what you think I said.

But you asked........

Jesus said.......
Matthew 7:15-20
V.15 ¶ Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
V.16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
V.17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
V.18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
V.19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
V.20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

If a preacher, preaches a works based gospel: This is the fruit that he is bearing;
And you are to stop listening to him.
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You also asked.......

There is not a connection.
This is what I was telling the last poster.

 

Hello again preacher4truth

When Jesus talks about bearing fruit, He always talks about bearing either good fruit or bad bruit...........
Matthew 12:33-36
V.33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [his] fruit.
V.34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
V.35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
V.36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

A good tree can not bring forth bad fruit.
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Also, this fruit isn’t talking about good things or bad things: It’s talking about the right Gospel or the wrong gospel......
Galatians 1:8-9
V.8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
V.9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

There is no in-between.

As I have told people before, being a New Testament fruit inspector, is never judging the amount of fruit, but the “kind” of fruit.

Not Judging a preacher or teacher by how much he does, but by the Gospel he preaches while he is doing it.

 

Hi DeBrite1

You said.......

This is a man’s list, so I don’t wholeheartedly agree with everything on it.

As for this 10th question; It is to determine if the prospective Church your visiting, has any Charismatic or Pentecostal tendencies.
(And for that purpose I think that it is a good question.)
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As for believing in the power of healing; Every Christian, who does any praying at all, believes in the power of healing, because over the years the Lord has answered my healing prayers for myself and others hundreds of times.
(But should a local Church, make “healing”, the central theme of their existence?) NO!

Because what good is it to heal somebodies cancer, then send them off to die and go to hell one of these days.
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And as for....”or any of the other spiritual gifts”.
I suppose you are talking about those “sign gifts”, that are talked about in 1Corinthians:
If that is the case, the Bible says, that they have fallen away....
1 Corinthians 13:8-10
V.8 ¶ Charity never faileth: but whether [there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away.
V.9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
V.10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

That which is perfect, is the completed(canonized), Word of God.
When the Church got this in their hands, they didn’t need these sign gifts any longer.
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You also said.......

As I said to preacher4truth, in my previous post: This fruit, is taking about the particular Gospel message, that comes out of a preachers heart.
If it’s the right Gospel, than it’s good fruit. But if it’s the wrong Gospel than it’s bad fruit.

The Scripture you refer to in Mark, is again talking about how the Church, will be able to identify the Lord’s Apostles, and therefore those writings that are truly from Him.

As for judging a preacher today, by “signs”: Jesus warned us not to do that........
Matthew 24:23-24
V.23 Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here [is] Christ, or there; believe [it] not.
V.24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

and

Matthew 12:38-39
V.38 ¶ Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
V.39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
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Lastly you said........

Well the true Biblical gift of tongues, has not been seen in the Church, for about 2000 years, but I suppose that if God wanted to supernaturally give me the capability of speaking in a language that I hadn’t learned, He could.

But if He did, I wouldn’t let anyone know about it, so as not to detract from the Gospel message.