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Heaven and Hell: What Does the Bible Really Teach?

Frequently Asked Bible Questions

How can I find the true Church of God?

Jesus promised His Church would never die out. In today's world of religious confusion, where is that church?

The true Church is the one that continues in the traditions, teachings and practices of the New Testament Church. Our booklet The Church Jesus Built details the transformation and corruption by reformers of many teachings given by Jesus Christ to His disciples. God's Church rejects the doctrines men have added or changed, and it holds to "the faith which was once for all delivered" (Jude 3).

An important tenet of Jesus' teachings was the gospel of the Kingdom of God. The role and work of the Son of God is central to the gospel. However, most churches preach only a message about the person of Christ, saying much about His role as Savior but little about His role as King. In other words, most churches do not preach the gospel that Jesus did. Jesus came as a special Messenger (Malachi 3:1) of the Kingdom of God—as well as the Savior. The true Church will also be preaching this gospel to the world as a witness (Matthew 24:14).

Another key in identifying the true Church is the correct day of worship. Jesus customarily observed the seventh day, the Sabbath (Luke 4:16), the day that God set aside at creation for worship (Exodus 20:8-11). Scripture reveals that the Sabbath is a perpetual sign or an identifying mark of the people of God (Exodus 31:12-17), meaning that the Church of God would be observing it today. Most churches say that the Sabbath law is no longer binding or that God caused Sunday worship to supersede it. They're wrong.

The Church Jesus Built discusses these topics more thoroughly. It shows the beginnings of a counterfeit Christianity in the first century. Several books of the New Testament mention false teachers infiltrating the Church with corrupting ideas. They combined bits and pieces of pagan religions with Christian concepts and convinced many to follow their ways. Satan has taken great advantage of these circumstances (2 Corinthians 11:13-14) and has created a counterfeit church to parallel the true one. Through the intervening centuries, people accepted the counterfeit over the true Church. The booklet explains the doctrines and practices of the early New Testament Church of God, so those who would like to find it today can do so.

If you are interested, we are happy to share our booklet This Is the United Church of God, which gives you an overview of our doctrines, practices and programs.

 

Related Online Resources

The Church Jesus Built
Jesus Christ proclaimed, almost 2,000 years ago, "I will build My church." He declared that His Church would never die out, promising that "the gates of Hades [the grave] shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). What happened to the Church Jesus built?

What Did the Early Church Believe and Practice?
The biblical record is clear—and surprising!

How Can You Find the Right Church?
Whether to attend church, and which one, are among the most important decisions we can make. What are key factors we should consider?

This Is the United Church of God
The mission of the United Church of God is to proclaim to the world the little-understood gospel taught by Jesus Christ—the good news of the coming Kingdom of God—and to prepare a people for that Kingdom. This message not only offers great hope for all of humanity, but encompasses the purpose of human existence—why we are here and where our world is headed.

 

Contact Us

Don't see your Bible FAQ here? Ask our team of caring, dedicated ministers for a personal answer. (Please allow a week or so for an e-mail response.)

 

Bible FAQ Topics

What do Bible prophecies of the future mean?
What is the good news of the Kingdom of God?
What happens after I die?
How can I improve my marriage and family life? What does God say about marriage and sex?
What should I do to live a Christian life?
What's involved with becoming a new Christian?
What does God want us to do?
What is sin and how can I overcome it?
What does the Bible say about jobs, money, debt and finances?
What Holy Days and holidays does God want (or not want) us to celebrate?
Who is God?
What is the Church of God?
How can we know that God created everything and that it didn't all evolve?
Does God care how I look? How does He want us to look?
What is the Bible and how can I gain the most from it?
How can you explain Bible scriptures that are difficult to understand?

 


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