How to Identify God's True Church

Brethren, what comes to your mind when you think of the true Church of God, which Jesus Christ started on the Day of Pentecost, as per Acts 2? How would you see that true Church be? We're going to look at a few points in Acts 2 in a moment, but we know that there were 3,000 people converted on that day, and there were some signs. And so, when you think of the true Church, you expect to see tons of fire on top of people's heads. Or, you expect people speaking in different languages. I mean, I know, I can speak in tongues. Yes, I can speak in a different language. I speak Portuguese. As simple as that, I do.

But, you know, you expect something, people talking in different languages. You see people, expect people rolling on the floor and falling on the floor and singing in aisles and making noises. It's that, and they identify a sign of the true Church of God.

You know that, through Church of God, the event started on the Day of Pentecost, which is tomorrow, and we'll look at that very briefly. And we know, we had a sermon last week by Mr. Seelig that covered very briefly the Holy Days and how they all are Christ-centered. But today, I want to highlight to you, brethren, four points that identify the true Church of God. And there are many other points that I just want to identify for today. Now, Pentecost is a Greek name. It comes from count 30, and basically, in the Old Testament, it was referred as the Feast of Weeks. And basically, they had to count seven weeks from harvest point and or seven Sabbaths. And at the end of the seventh Sabbath, which happens to be today, the day after would be the Day of Pentecost, which is tomorrow. It was a pilgrim feast. You basically can read about pilgrim feasts. They were the feasts that they were to travel to Jerusalem. There are three seasons in the year where they would travel to Jerusalem to observe the feasts. And if it was the pilgrim feast, they would travel and go and celebrate. One of them was around the days of the 11th bread. The other one would be around Pentecost. And the other one will be around the Feast of Tabernacles, three seasons in the year where they travel. But as we look at Pentecost, let's just look very quickly at Leviticus 23. We turned into there a little bit early on in the Seminet by Mr. Creech, so I appreciate that. And we'll highlight, interestingly enough, some of the very points that he raised up. So that's interesting how that works it out. But anyway, Leviticus 23, when you look at it from about verse 9 through to around about verse 16, talks about an offering of the wave-ship that was done on the day after the Sabbath during the days of 11th bread. As you can see in verse 11, it says, "...we shall wave the sheep before the Lord, the accepted on the day after the Sabbath." You know, it was on the Sunday. So that was the day that he was to wave to the sheep. And I'm not going to go into that today, but that actually represents Christ being offered after He was resurrected to the Father on the first day of work because He was starting a new work. And so that was the wave-ship offering represented Christ, as we know, Christ was offered to the Father. We know elsewhere that He appeared in front of some ladies and He said, Some ladies, no, don't touch me, don't delay me, because I still got to go and present to the Father. And later on, in the same day, then after He had presented Himself to the Father in Heaven, He came back and then later on in the same day other people were talking to Him and other disciples and touching Him. So He presented Himself, that was the symbolic of the wave-ship, and that was on Sunday. But from that day, you count seven Sabbaths, or seven weeks, four weeks of Sabbaths. And today is the seventh Sabbath of that count. And then if we look at it on verse 16, He says, Count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath, which is today. So today is the seventh Sabbath, to the day after the seventh Sabbath, you count fifteen, and then you shall do a new offering, and then He talks about on verse 17, to offer there the first fruits of the Lord. So basically, that's how the Day of Pentecost was counted. Count thirty, that's how we get the name. And therefore, in Acts 2, the apostles were together on the Day of Pentecost. So turn with me, please, to Acts 2, the second chapter of Acts.

So they were together on that day, Acts 2, and it says, When the Day of Pentecost had fully counted. Now, this is very interesting when it says, had fully counted. So people may interpret that and say, Oh, well, it's the day of the Rock, it's Yah, completely, and it's daytime, and it's the day of Ziyah. It could be interpreted that, of course, but the Greek word for fully counted is su-ple-ro, which means, had been completely fulfilled, was the time when the Day of Pentecost was completely fulfilled. And it was that fulfillment on that day was the full fulfillment of the Day of Pentecost. The meaning of Pentecost was completely fulfilled on that day, when the day had been completely fulfilled on that very day. Some people think, Oh, well, the Day of Pentecost, the fulfillment is still in the future. Now, the fulfillment of the Day of Pentecost was completely fulfilled on that day, and was completely fulfilled with the giving of God's Holy Spirit. And so, continue reading there, it reads, And it was all with one accord in one place. Now, this is a very, very important point. There were all with one accord in one place. There's two things, yeah. One is there were with one accord, and two, there were with in one place.

One accord, what do you say you want accord? When you want accord, it means in agreement. With agreement. They're all in agreement. They're all in accord. They're all with the same mind. And it ties in to some of that about having the same mind. They had the same mind. They had the same mentality, the same attitude, the same spirit. So, let's look at a bit more about that in 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 10. It says, As we see a little bit more in a moment, that spirit, that mind, they were all in one accord. They were all in one mind, in one spirit. They were all maybe in modern way of talking. They were all in the same vibe. You know, that's how people would say today. They all were in the same mental frequency, let's call it. That's how people maybe put it in modern language, let's call it that. But they were in the same mind, in the same spirit. And God has revealed the things through His spirit. And He says, God revealed this for the spirit, such as all things. So, they were joined with the same mind. As we can see in verse 10 of chapter 2. I also want to look at verse 10 of chapter 1. It says, but I plead with you brethren, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing. To be in all the visions among you, that you be perfect, joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. So, we are to be in the same mind, in the same judgment. And it's God's spirit that brings us that mind. That's God's spirit that gives us that accord. So, they were all of one accord of one mind. Turn also with me to Philippians, please. Philippians. Chapter 2, verse 1. Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of life, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any affection and mercy, for full view my joy by being like-minded. And Aaron brought this up in the sermon. And when he brought it up, I thought, well, that's interesting, because he's bringing the points of having the same mind. And it's exactly the first point I have here. The true Church of God, the brethren, the members of the true Church of God will have that one mind, that one spirit, that one way of thinking that it comes from God, that mind of God. And it says, yeah, for fully my joy, being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord. They were all together of one accord of one mind. So, we can see when the disciples got together on the very face of Christ, they were of one accord, they were of one mind.

They were all together in the same mental attitude approach. So, they were all of the same mind. And the idea is, it's the mind of God. What is the mind of God? It's the mind of love. We know God is love. It's the mind of love. It's the mind of love, not getting concerned for other people. That's why it says, having the same love. And then it goes on, reading. Let's just jump into continue reading in verse 2.

It says, for for you my joy, being like mind of one accord, one mind. In verse 3, let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit. But in lovingness of mind, it's that same mind. What is Christ's mind? It's a mind of humility. It's a humble mind. It's a serving mind, as we heard as well when we were serving it. It's a mind that is prepared to serve. It's that sort of mind, that attitude of service. And let each other's esteem, let each esteem others better than themselves. In other words, we are to esteem other people better than ourselves. In other words, other people, the well-being of other people, should be in our minds more self than my well-being. Are we continuously thinking and talking about me, myself and I?

Are we thinking about other people? How do we serve and how do we esteem other people? And so, that is the mind of Christ. He wasn't always about thinking about, oh well, these people don't like me. They're going to smack me. They're going to crucify me. Oh, poor me. They don't love me. That was not the mind of Christ. The mind of Christ was on others. I'm doing this for others. I'm suffering for others. So that others may have eternal life. So, it's a loneliness of mind of Christ and we need to have that same mind, that same spirit. And it goes on. Verse 4, let each of you look up not only for his own interests.

As our thinking and our talking continuously about my own interests, but also on the interests of others. Now, it does not mean you don't look after your own interests because it says that each of you look up not only for his own interests. We have to look after our own interests, of course, but also for the interests of others. That means we don't need to make ourselves, but we've got to care for others and we've got to be looking for others. And we've got to put others in part a priority in our lives of caring for others. Let this mind be in you, says in verse 5, which was also in Christ Jesus.

Let this mind, this attitude, this way of thinking, this accord be in you as was in Christ Jesus. Then let's jump a little bit further to verse 12. Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

For it is God who works in you both to roll and to do for his good pleasure. It's God that works in our mind to do things. In other words, it's God that works in us to roll. It's the roll of our minds. God works in our minds, and it's God working through us, obviously through the power of his Spirit. So we need the mind of God, the mind of Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit.

And that is an example of what we saw on the bread we went together on the day of Pentecost when the church was started. We went together with one accord, one mind, one way of thinking. Let's go on and read a little further in the second book of John. Second book of John. And we're going to read chapter 1, verse 9 and 10. Second book of John. Chapter 1. I hope you don't hear the chapter 2. I'm just joking. So verses 9 and 10. It says, The doctrine is the teaching of Christ. And what is that going to do with the mind of Christ? Everything. Because the mind of Christ, it's what's in his mind.

And what's in his mind, that's what he teaches. That's what he taught. That's what he spoke about. That was his teachings. So part of having that one mind is part of having that one Spirit. Is that in that one doctrine? The doctrine of Christ. Christ teaches. So the true church is one that has the mind and teaching of Christ. It's got the direction, mental direction, the guidelines, the thinking, the mind, the attitude that Christ has.

And what it was in his mind, that's what he taught. That's what he was thinking about. And that's what he came out of his mouth. And that's what he taught. So that is the mind of Christ. His teachings and his beliefs and what he had.

And therefore it says, Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ. The word transgress, in my margin, says, goes beyond. In other words, we cannot go beyond the doctrine of Christ. The doctrine of Christ is this. We cannot add to it or subtract from it. Like it says in the book of Revelation, where the ads or takes from the words of this book.

We can't. The doctrine of Christ is complete. It's perfect. He's complete. He fulfilled the law. He's the end of the law. In other words, he fulfilled it. He came, the law within is ended. It's got the beginning and end. In the Old Testament, the law was given. Christ came, he added to the law the spiritual intent of it. And therefore he fulfilled it. He completed it. And therefore it's the end of the law.

There's no further additions. You can't transgress and go and go beyond it. You've got to speak to the doctrine of Christ. The doctrine of Christ and obviously teaching the apostles is basically the doctrine of Christ. That's what they taught. And that's what we're going to speak to. There's nothing new that we need to have. That's the doctrine of Christ. Now, sure, we start and we understand a little bit better as we practice it, as we live it. We understand it a bit better.

But that is the doctrine of Christ. That's what we're going to speak to. Now, we must not add anything else to it. And this is what Paul was already encountering in his time. Paul in his time, read with me, please, in Galatians chapter 1. Paul was already having people in his era, in Galatians, changing what Christ taught. You see, because what Christ taught is basically the doctrine of Christ. But you also could call it the gospel of Jesus Christ. And the gospel of Jesus Christ is what he taught. And you can read in Mark 1 verse 1 and verse 14 that he taught the gospel of the kingdom of God.

And that's part of the doctrine of Christ, the teachings of Christ, and that is the gospel, which is the good news of the kingdom of God that encompasses all these things that they together are one. And now we read in Galatians in chapter 1 verse 6 through 9. It says, It says, that you have so quickly have transgressed from the doctrine of Christ. In other words, you've gone beyond the doctrine of Christ to something else, to kind of an add-on, you know, like, plus, you know, something plus, you know, whatever, to add on, put some additives or put some changes to it.

You see, you've turned away so soon from him or called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel, which is not another. Yeah, because it's an addition. It's kind of the same thing, but it's kind of just a little bit modified, a little bit changed. And it says, But there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.

There was instead having it in purity, changing a little bit because it needs a few little add-ons just to make it more exciting to people or whatever. And that's what people were doing it already in the time of Paul.

But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you, then what we have preached to you, letting the accursed. As I've said before, so now say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you, then what you have received, letting me accursed. So Paul is very strong to say, we've got to stick to that one teaching of Christ, to that gospel of Jesus Christ that he gave us. And so that mind of Christ, that one accord, that one teaching is clearly a, let's call it, indicator of the true Church of God.

So that's one important indicator. Now let's continue. Let's continue in Acts 2, where we were a moment ago. Acts 2. And I want to look at a little bit more on that first verse. Acts 2. So they were, we read the other way, all with one accord. It was with one mind. They were with one teaching, one feeling, one spirit. They were together in one mind. So there's a unity of mind, a unity of thinking in the Church of God. But then it says, we were also in one place. And so that brings, the second point here about the God's Church is one that has a togetherness in fellowship. That has some unity in fellowship. Again, this goes very well with the sermon that we had a little while ago. First is a unity of mind and then a unity of fellowship. So let's look a little bit more about this fellowship in Philippians chapter 1. Verse 5. It says, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day to now. So all is thanking for the Philippians and his thanking God says that upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mind, making requests for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now. So there's a fellowship, a fellowship in the gospel. So there is a way of us being together and what brings us together is God's truth, is God's Word, it's the gospel. How well do we know people that maybe were with us in the past, but as they let go of the truth, or they moved on to different understandings. Let's just leave it at that. Suddenly, we've noticed, we just find it difficult to communicate with them. There's just not the same spirit of fellowship. It's not them. But when there is this fellowship of the gospel, it just binds people, which is through God's Spirit, which is a fellowship through God's Spirit. It's an amazing thing, the fellowship of the gospel, that it's in the fellowship in the gospel.

Now this word fellowship is the same word as in the same book, chapter 2, verse 1, that we read just now, or a little earlier on, where it says, therefore if there is any consolation in Christ or any comfort of life, if any fellowship of the Spirit, it's the same word. So there's a fellowship in the gospel, there's a fellowship of the Spirit. It's the same thing, it's the same fellowship.

So, yes, we have a fellowship which is basically triggered by God's Spirit, which is God's mind, which is the same way of thinking. And that encourages us to actually have fellowship with one another and creates that binding of us with one another so that we have things to talk to one another and we enjoy that fellowship. Turn with me, please, to 1 John, 1 John, chapter 1, 1 John, chapter 1, verse 3, and then verse 7. That which we have seen and heard we declare to you that you also may have fellowship with us. So, yeah, he's talking about Christ, that is the word of life, and that Christ is eternal life that was with us and is now with the Father. And this is that which we have seen and heard and declare to you, and it was Christ we saw, we saw him, he is the word of life. And through that, through Christ, through that same Spirit, that you may also have fellowship with us. So this fellowship that we have is God-centered, is Christ-centered. It's centered around the same mind in the same attitude, and it says, And truly, our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

So our fellowship is with God the Father through Christ. If we have fellowship with God the Father in Christ, and if I have that, and if you have that, and if you have that, we're all in the same mind, so we have fellowship with one another. How simple is that? Our fellowship, our living with one another and enjoying one another's companies, conversation, discussion, time we spend together, we enjoy that living with one another, talking to one another, spending time with one another. You've got to be careful about a word living with one another, because today's holidays are the wrong thing. The wrong meaning, that's not what I mean. What I mean is that that fellowship of being together and just spending time with one another and enjoying which another's company. That is something special. It's something very special, and it only comes through the fellowship with God. Fellowship with God through Christ. That binds the whole fellowship between one another. If we don't have that fellowship with God, then we can't have fellowship with one another. It really is amazing. The longer you are in God's church, you can see that this is true. It's a fact. If you've experienced people being in the church and people leaving, and then you still want to be friends, and you can't be friends with them, but it's not the same thing anymore. If you've been in the church for a while, you know it's not the same thing anymore, because they don't have the same fellowship with the Father in Christ. Our fellowship is with the Father, and therefore it's a big warning for all of us, because we need to be in that body, which is a spiritual entity, which is a body of Christ, which is the church.

Turn with me to Ephesians 4.

Ephesians 4.

We start reading in verse 1 through verse 4. I really want to focus on this. It's verse 4, but we'll read from verse 1.

It works very humble, and gentleness, or meekness, probably the word should have been translated, which is an expansion of lowliness with teachability, which involves suffering. That means being very patient, you know, that sometimes you woke with people, and people just rather you the wrong way.

So you're going to have a lot of lowliness, and a lot of meekness, and a lot of long suffering. So that's the mind of Christ again, you see, bearing with one another in love, because love is that mind of just bearing one another. They're riding the wrong way, but you just bear with them in a Christian Godly love.

And they're willing to keep the unity of the Spirit, the unity, the fellowship, that togetherness being together being one. That's what one is all about. When God talks about one, like we ought to be one, does not mean that we have to be one person. It means that we ought to be one in mind, in attitude, in way of thinking. We ought to be one. Like Christ said just before he died, I think it's John 17, he says, I want that you all be one like we are one. When he was praying to the Father, he said, I want them to be one like we are one, like God the Father and Jesus Christ are one. He wants us to be one with them. It's not that they are one being, but one in mind, in attitude, in that unity of the Spirit. So he says, in their way to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Why? Because life and you and I are dealing with people that are just like you and I, which is imperfect. If you were to live with me, you'd find a lot of things wrong with me. Sorry for my words. She's going to live with me, so she sees all the wrong things with me. So we all have things wrong.

And so she's going to live with me with loneliness and meekness and long suffering, bearing with me in love and every to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. And that's what we all have to do for one another. That's what we have to do. And then it goes on, and this is the verse I wanted to focus on. There is one body and one Spirit. Now, this is very interesting, because if you look at the human plane, you and I are a physical body. But we have the spirit of man in man, right? The spirit of man in man. So there is one body and one spirit, the spirit of man in man, that makes us to think like a human being.

That makes our mind be man. That makes us to think. You can read that in Corinthians. I think it is 1 Corinthians chapter 2. And so, but we are only talking about a different plane. We're talking about, let's call it a divine plane. And it says, there is one body. Which body is he talking about? It's the body of Christ, which is the Church of God.

There is one body. And there is, it says, and there is one Spirit, which is the Spirit of God. Which is the sign of what gives our mind our thinking. So our mind, our mind, our spirit in man, receives the spirit of God. And therefore, our spirit in man, spirit of God, we then understand the things of God.

And then it's beautiful. It's beautiful when you start understanding. So what we have here is the Church of God is united together in a fellowship, the true Church of God. Because we are fellow brothers and sisters in fellowship with God and Jesus Christ, in that spiritual body, which is a spiritual organism, which is the Church of God. It's not a building. The Church of God is not a building. I'm not going down the street and saying, oh well, that building is the Church of God. No. It's a spiritual organism. It's not an organization. For it is united, Church of God is an organization.

The Church of God, the body of Christ, is an organism. It is composed of different members, like my body, composed of different members, hands, fingers, eyes, mouth, stomach, legs, toes, different members. And they all have different tasks to do in the job. But it's one body. The spiritual body, the Church of God, the body of Christ, has various members. You and you and you, various members. And some are in this location, and there's certain other areas around the world. But they still have one body.

Now, only God knows the heart, and only God knows whose heart is really right, and therefore has that fellowship. But if we are endeavoring to be in this unity of the Spirit, we have the confidence, and we can see by the fruits, that we are in that one body. Turn with me to Colossians chapter 1. Ephesians, the little Colossians, chapter 1. I've been talking about the body, and I said the body is the Church, but let's just back that up with Scripture. Colossians chapter 1 verse 24, and it says, And I rejoice in my sufferings for you to... And fill up in my flesh, what is that in the pictures of Christ? For the sake of his body, for the sake of Christ's body, which is the Church. The Christ's body is the Church.

So, and how therefore are we part of that Church? We're part of that Church, we're part of that body, we're part of that spiritual organism through God's Holy Spirit.

It's God's Holy Spirit that makes us a true Christian. So it's a unity in the body.

So turn with me to Romans chapter 8 verse 9. Romans chapter 8 verse 9.

How do we know that a person is a true Christian?

Romans 8 verse 9. It says, But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.

So in other words, we are living in a spiritual life in a different way. Our minds, our thoughts, our thinking, our patterns are different.

Living according to God's mind. If indeed the Spirit of God dwells in us, which is God's power and it's his mind in us with our Spirit, it's with us.

Now, if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, which obviously is the Spirit of God, they spoke about, so the Spirit of God is the Spirit of Christ, the same Spirit, it's that same mind.

He is not peace. If we do not have God's only Spirit, we are not true Christians.

It's God's only Spirit in us that makes us a true Christian, a true Godly person. It's God's mind in us, and that unity of the Spirit that brings us together. So, they were fellowshiping together. So let's go back to Acts, chapter 2, where we start to be reading about the Diapentecost, and we read in chapter 2, verse 1. When the Diapentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord, in one mind, without the Spirit, and they were in one place, they were in one fellowship. And that fellowship meant that we were doing different things together. They did things together. Look, for instance, in the same chapter, in verse 44 through 46.

It says, For now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them amongst all us, anyone had need. And that indeed, that's what we do. We're not saying that suddenly. We sell everything and we go, but we see somebody has a need. We go out and we take some money and we help people out, whatever there's a need. So that we do. So, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, so the house that they were in was a temple, so that house they were in was a temple, and breaking bread from house to house. So what they did is they went out and they ate together. You know, breaking bread means they sat together in that fellowship and they had a meal together. That's what it is. I mean, in our family, when we have bread, we typically break bread. Maybe it's my background, but my wife makes some bread and we put some olive oil and some vinegar. Yeah, and then we break bread and we dip it and we eat it. And we break bread and we... It's nothing spiritual about it. It's just having food together and chatting and talking. That's what it is. It's breaking bread. So they were breaking bread from house to house. In other words, they were going, visiting people, eating together and having Christian fellowship. That's what it was. Having Christian fellowship.

They ate food with gladness and simplicity of office. So they had Christian fellowship. They had a meal and that's what we have of the church. We have really snacks and that's what it is. We just enjoy one another. Nowadays, it's a bit more difficult with businesses and process of gas to actually be going out from house to house. In that day, it was easier because they were in a closer community. But as what we try to do is create the opportunity of the church. We have a bit of fellowship and that's, in a sense, the same sort of thing. So the people ate together. So that communion of the Spirit, that being together in one body, it was encouraged, physically speaking, by actually doing something together and having a meal together and talking together. And that is the beauty about it. And therefore, we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. As Paul says elsewhere in Hebrews, we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together. We should enjoy that being together. And if we just read in verse 42, it says, and they continued steadfastly in the Apostles' doctrine. So that's that mind of Christ, that doctrine, that teaching, that one mind and fellowship. Yes, a second point that I've mentioned to you. Fellowship, Christian fellowship, the unity of the Spirit, having that fellowship through the breaking of bread and in prayers. A third indicator of the church of God is that it is a praying church. So not only the first indicator is that we have that mind of Christ through God's only Spirit, and therefore we have that teaching, that doctrine, that way of thinking, that whole is one concept, very big, but I'm just explaining, summarizing. The church of God also through the Spirit has that unity, not only of mind, but of body, through the body of Christ, through Christian fellowship and eating together and other things that we do together. But thirdly, the true church of God has a unity by praying, praying as we do, as Christ told us, pray privately, pray in your own ways. But we are a praying church. We're not out there showing everybody continuously in the middle of the streets and acting and showing off that we are praying now, but privately we pray, we pray without ceasing, we pray all the time, we pray. And we need to be of that kind. Look at one chapter earlier, Acts 1, verse 14. It says, Yes, these all continued with one accord, doing what? In prayer and suffocation. So they were in one accord and they were praying and asking God and asking, pleading to God for their various needs, but they were praying. So it's a praying church. Now, it's hard for us to pray for people that we don't like. But that's what we need to do. Because when we pray for people that we don't like, when we pray for people that rub us the wrong side and we kind of feel, but we start praying for them, then we start having a lot for them. Because it says, pray for your enemies, right? So when we start praying for those that we feel a little bit discomfort with, and we pray for their needs and their concerns, and we have our very concern for them in prayer, then we start caring for them all. So therefore, pray in a sense. Pray is the glue for love. Prayer, in a sense, is the glue that starts working and helping us to have love even for those that maybe we don't have love. Turn with me to Matthew 5, verse 43. Matthew 5, verse 43. Matthew 5, verse 43. This is a section here, which is a seminar on the Mount, where Christ's teachings came through, which basically expanded or enlarged some of the Old Testament laws. So basically, enlarged, he fulfilled that. Christ is the end of the law. In other words, he fulfilled that law. And it says, verse 43, your word that was said, you shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

Well, it was said, that's not written, you know, it's not written, hate your enemy, but it was said, they were saying that what is written is you shall love your neighbor. But they were taking it a little bit further. But I say to you, Christ said, love your enemies. Bless those who curse you and do good to those who hate you and pray for those who spite to use you and persecute you. Is that easy? No. That's not easy. It really is not easy. It's hard. It's difficult.

But then it makes our mind start dwelling in a more positive attitude to those people that we feel uncomfortable with. When we start praying for them. And when we start praying for them, and we pray for their good, and if there is a problem, that God would help them to see. But we're praying for their good. And when we do that, love is wrong. True love is wrong. So continue reading verse 45.

What reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same. And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? If you give a cold shoulder to those that you don't like, who are you doing more than the others?

It's hard. I know it's hard. But that's what we called too. And he says, do not even the tax collectors do so. For yet, therefore, you shall be perfect just as your Father in heaven is perfect. In other words, you are to strive to just the dream of completeness, of complete life for your enemies. God hates nobody. He hates the sin, but he does not hate the sinner. He hates nobody. He wants everybody to come to repentance.

So that's what we should have as well. As a true church, we should be praying.

Turn with me to 1st Thessalonians, chapter 5. 1st Thessalonians, chapter 5.

It says, verse 17. This short verse says, pray without seizing.

And that basically means that you hear something. You're walking around, you hear, there is a need. At that moment, without seizing, at that moment, because in Timothy also says, pray everywhere.

We're going to turn to that scripture in a moment. But you see, so everywhere, wherever you are, without seizing, you hear the need.

You can at that moment, without the other person, know, you can at that moment address and pray directly to God for that person.

And the person doesn't even know what you're doing. But you're doing it privately. You're not doing anything public and, oh, let's all get together and we're such a nice people, we pray together and do a big show.

Christ was not for shows. We are a praying church and we do it privately, obviously. We do it in our closet, we go in a private area.

But for us to pray without seizing, we have to also be instantly pray. Well, turn with me to 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy.

1 Timothy, chapter 2, verse 8. Here's the few pages forward. 1 Timothy, chapter 2, verse 8. I desire therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting. Pray everywhere. So everywhere we go, we go and start in front of everybody, we start praying. No, that's not God. It's not a show. So we pray everywhere, but quietly, privately. We do that. Pray to God continuously for the time.

And that's what it is. Pray without seizing. Pray everywhere. Without wrath and without doubting. It was undoubt. Pray to life means we don't doubt. So pray everywhere.

And it's not just prayer, but it's fasting as well. Matthew 9. The eye is another example about fasting. Matthew 9, verse 14. Matthew 9, verse 14.

Then the disciples came to John.

Very pardon. Then the disciples of John came to me, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not?

So they asked Christ, Why is it that your disciples are not fasting? We are fasting often, you guys thought.

And Jesus said to them, Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegrooms will fend? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. And today, the bridegroom is not yet. And so we need to be fasting.

And we fast occasionally. Maybe sometimes 24 hours, maybe it's less, doesn't have to be, except for the day of atonement, which says, Come on, it will be 24 hours, but you can fast for longer periods or shorter periods, whatever you want. The important thing is that you take time, that you use that time to humble yourself and dedicate that time to communicate and spend time and prayer with God.

Privately, nobody knows that you're fasting. You just come here nicely and everything else. Nobody knows. You do it privately. And that's it. But it's a praying and fasting church, but it's not exhibitions. You're doing it quietly. You're doing it quietly.

So three examples I've given you today are the true Church of God. One is that it's got a unity, a unity of mind, of spirit, of doctrine. The other one is got a unity of body, which is the body of Christ, sort of fellowship. And the third one, it is a church that is praying and fasting occasionally.

As your health allows, you've got to be careful with your health. You know your health, so you've got to take that into consideration as well, please. But the fourth indicator is that it's a church bolt on God's Holy Spirit.

Turn with me, please. In Acts 2, that's what we were reading moments ago. Acts 2. Acts 2. Verse 4. And we haven't read verse 2 and 3, so continue reading from verse 2. And suddenly came a sound from heaven and was over rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them the body times as a fire, and one sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages as the Spirit gave them action. And the other was they were from other areas. There were some people from this area, the other area, and they were all, as you can see, they all understood each other. They all understood each other. And therefore, they were hearing people speaking their own languages. Reading verse 6 at the end of the 6th, says, Because everyone heard them speak in his own language. And so that was a miracle. So there were people from different areas, and they were all hearing the same thing. So there was a miracle that they, before they could be in one accord, there was a miracle. But the important thing, Yah, is that we're filled with the Holy Spirit. You can see Yah in verse 4. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. So God's church is filled. Christ said, I'll build my church. And he's building his church. He started building that church on the day of Pentecost, by giving his Holy Spirit. Christ obviously is a cornerstone, and he built it by sending the Holy Spirit. Now, what makes a church to be filled with the Holy Spirit?

Is it because it's not such a great ministry? No. The ministry is only helping you to point you to Christ, and helping you to have a direct one-on-one relationship with Christ. The relationship should not come through me as a minister. I'm just Yah serving to point you to Christ. That's all. I'm incidental in the whole equation. I'm just a servant helping you to look to Christ, not to look to a man. So what makes a church to be filled with Holy Spirit? It's because people are speaking in tongues. No. Or is it because there are other signs? You see, brethren, we need to look at what is essential, Yah. The essential, the key factor Yah in this verse is that they will fold with the Holy Spirit. They will fold with the Holy Spirit. But what do people normally look for?

You see, it's easy to look at extremes. It's easy to go to extremes. You know, I think it was in the sermon I was mentioning, and again, you go from one extreme to another. And you probably see it in business when people go this way, and the next thing you've got to do is, ooh, you swing all the way to that side. And you know what you want is to be somewhere in the middle, in the right approach. Now, what they do is people go to extremes, and they are wrapped up in signs and ignore the Holy Spirit.

You see, they look at the spectacular signs, which happen on the very Pentecost, and they focus on the signs, like the rushing wind, the clove and tongues of fire, to speaking in different languages so they could understand one another. And so they build a whole theology around the signs. What did Christ say about people that look for a son? What did Christ say about people that look for a son? Turn with me to Matthew 12. Matthew 12. To start reading in verse 30, I can just read two verses there.

Then some of the strats and Pharisees are saying, teacher, we want to see a sign from you. We want a sign from you that you need out of Messiah. We want a miracle. And in fact, I want a miracle every day. I want a miracle every day. I mean, one of these days, I've just forgotten, I want another one today, I want a miracle every day.

And what did Christ say? The Christ also then said to them, an evil and adulterous generation seeks after a son, and no sign will be given to it. In this case was the sign of the prophet of John, to be the great for three days and three months.

But an evil and adulterous generation like you and I living today, the world around us, brethren, is evil and adulterous. And if you don't believe it, you just have to. Well, here are some of the political speeches. There's both. Evil and adulterous. And it's unbelievable. It's the world today. And an evil and adulterous generation seeks after the son. So this generation today, people want signs. Oh, you've got to have a sign.

You've got to speak in languages. You've got to roll on the floor. An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a son. Brethren, there's a clear distinction. Between signs, which are incidental, and the event itself, which is essential. The event itself was the coming of the Holy Spirit. That was essential. The signs were just indicators pointing, Look there! At that time, look there! They were incidental for that incident. God used the signs to draw attention to something else. The something else was the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The event was at the center of the Holy Spirit, not the signs. Signs announced the event. Signs point to the event. But signs are not the event. So it's very dangerous to build one's theology around signs, then around the event. Brethren, tongues are only incident by simply speaking other languages. That's really what it is. I heard the story just recently that somebody went to a group, and people there in that group were talking in, quote-unquote, tongues.

In a foreign language tongues. And they were talking, and people were just laughing at all. This person was talking in tongues. And the person was talking, didn't even know what the person was saying. So that one person did not know what they were saying. And the other people did not know what they were saying. But the person was talking in this final language. Clearly a demon, because there happened to be a person in that group that had been in China and knew a little bit of Chinese, and all that was hearing was Chinese waywards.

So people were praising this individual, that was speaking that the individual did not even know what the individual was saying. But it was thought. He was fired by a demon. So the signs, so-called signs, are useless. Whatever you do must be for the identification of the church. I mean, nowadays we've got translators, and we've got Google Translator, and we've got things, and we don't need those things.

And we do have skill, we've got people to go, and then we can get the word out, and God provides what it needs. People with certain gifts to do certain things. But the signs are not an indicator of God's church. The indicator is a church being filled with God's own Spirit. That's what's important. Now, you may say, well, am I short of this? Of course I'm short. Look at Acts 2. Let's go back to Acts 2. Acts 2, verse 16 and 18.

You see, the Holy Spirit came. They were full of the Holy Spirit, and that was essential. That was important, because look at Yahweh it says in verse 16 through 18. But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass in the last days, says the Lord, that I'll pour out of my Spirit on all flesh. Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.

And on my main servants and on my main servants, I'll pour out my Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy. In other words, they shall speak in an inspired manner. And brethren, first was beginning. See, it's the first fruits, the first fruits of the Spirit. And so this is the beginning. It's only the first fruits. There'll be a lot more coming in the future. In the world tomorrow, when Christ will pour his Spirit in the 12 of mankind. This was just the first fruits of his Spirit. So there were some signs to point to the event, but this was the event. But brethren, you and I don't look for signs. We look for fruit.

It's different. Look at Matthew 7 again. Christ's teaching, the Sermon on the Mount. Christ's teaching what Christ told us. Matthew 7, verses 15 through 20.

Matthew 7, verses 15 through 20. It says, beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are like ravenous wolves. You will know them by their truths. Do men gather grapes from corn bushes or pigs from pheasants? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So shall we speak it? It's the second day of the Hannah Delphi. Therefore, verse 20, by their fruits you shall know them. It doesn't say about their signs, but their fruits. It's a big difference. And we know the fruit of the Holy Spirit, love, joy, peace, long suffering, patience, and that produces works, and those works are fruits that we have, and end results. And by the end results, you shall know them. So brethren, God's through church. God's through church, as we saw, they came onto the day of the Pentecost, has various identifiers. I've simply highlighted four today. One is it's got a unity of mind, of spirit, of doctrine, of teaching, a unity of mind. God's through church has a unity of body through church fellowship, because it's a spiritual entity. God's through church is one that has the groove of love, which I basically say it in Christ. It's a praying church. And fourthly, it's a spiritual church. And here was it has based on God's Holy Spirit, and it's built, and it's filled with God's fruit. And it's not the signs that you look for. We look for fruit. For fruit, end results, very good fruit. So brethren, I've highlighted these four areas. Tomorrow, in my sermon in the afternoon, I want to give you another three identifying signs of God's through church. But I want to look at them from the point of view of what is out in the visual and collective responsibility in that part of being part of God's through church.