My Weblog: The Gospel Preacher.

In 2 Samuel 7:4, it is written, " 4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying. "  The LORD does not want us speaking incorrectly for Him.  In Job 42:7-9, it is written, " 7 And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to El´-i-phaz the Te´-man-ite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.  8 Therefore take unto you now ^aseven bullocks and seven rams, and ^bgo to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall ^cpray for you: for ¹him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.  9 So El´-i-phaz the Te´-man-ite and Bil´-dad the Shu´-hite and Zo´-phar the Na´-a-math-ite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also ¹accepted Job. "

Since God's wrath is kindled when one speaks what is wrong of Him, it is not surprising that Jesus is not in the midst of the assemblies of those who practice false religion, wheher they be Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, Mormon, etc ( see Matthew, chapter 18 ( especially verse 20, for example ), for example ).  In Acts 4:29-31, it is written, " 29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, ^athat with all boldness they may speak thy word, 30 by stretching forth thine hand to heal; ^aand that signs and wonders may be done ^bby¹ the name of ^cthy holy ²child Jesus.  31 And when they had prayed, ^athe place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, ^band they spake the word of God with boldness. "  As we can readily determine, here, one of the requirements for Jesus being in the midst of an assembly is that the word of God be spoken there, that is, assemblies of local congregations of the church of Christ ( see Romans 16:16, for example ).

In John 6:26, 27, it is written, " 26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the ¹miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.  27 ^aLabour not for the ¹meat which perisheth, but ^bfor that ¹meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: ^cfor him hath God the Father sealed. "  This means that since Jesus is only in the midst of local congregations of the church of Christ, that God's seal of approval is only on local congregations of the church of Christ.  Why would God approve of members of religious denominations, parties, or sects, with whom He is angry?

In Ezekiel 9:4-7, it is written, " 4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and ¹set ^aa mark upon the foreheads of the men ^bthat sigh and that cry ²for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.  5 And to the others he said in ¹mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and ^asmite:^{2 b}let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity: 6 ^aslay ¹utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but ^bcome not near any man upon whom is the mark; and ^cbegin at my ²sanctuary.  ^dThen they began at the ³ancient men which were before the ⁴house.  7 And he said unto them, Defile the ¹house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth.  And they went forth, and slew in the city. "  Moreover, in Revelation 21:1, 2, it is written, " 21 And ^aI saw a new heaven and a new earth: ^bfor the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.  2 And I John saw ^athe holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared ^bas a bride adorned for her husband. "  Since the church of Christ is the bride of Christ ( see also Matthew 1:16; 16:13-20 ( especially verses 16-18, for example ); and Ephesians 5:25, for example ), the new Jerusalem is the church of Christ in heaven.  The first passage of Scripture, quoted in this paragraph, teaches that there will be some in the church of Christ who will perish.  This implies, then, that since there will be some in the church who will perish ( see Luke 13:3, for example ), that it is not possible to be saved outside of the church of Christ.

Thus, God is angry with some in the church of Christ, as well.  In Colossians 3:9, it is written, " 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds. "  God commands us ( see Ecclesiastes 12:13, for example ), as His children, to speak true doctrine.  Since the dragon and his angels were cast out of heaven ( see Genesis, chapter 2 ( especially verses 16 and 17, for example ); chapter 3 ( especially verse 1, for example ); and Revelation 12:7-9, for example ), false doctrine will not be tolerated in the church.  To ensure that we speak what is right concerning God, we must read the Bible, for in Isaiah 34:16, it is written, " 16 Seek ye out of ^athe book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them. "  See also Romans 1:18, for example. 🕮