Baptism In Bermuda SDA Churches

Above: Discussion of Restoration Ministries SDA Church BDA

Below: Bamtism Service of St. Georges & St. David's SDA Church BDA

Is the Church A Religion, A Place of Worship or Neither?

Many people after reading the bible, have come across many illustrative passages and have decide to take the said passages literal. Unfortunately these passages were design to simplify a concept so that the simplest of minds reading and or who hear its content will immediately understand the lesson Jehovah intended the hearers and readers to learn.

We saw a practical example of this practice, when Jesus the Christ conducted his ministry on earth. He delivered the messages of his father and he did so in a simplified manner using parables to develop and make his point. In taking this approach he avoided the confusion his hearers may have experienced if he did otherwise; he also avoid the confusion that goes along with the interpretation of spoken or written words. In Jesus’ case, nothing was left for or to interpretation, for he gave the parables and then he offered the interpretation or explanation. He paid special attention in keeping everything simple and in its context. Jesus Christ did not leave nothing to chance, he took every measure to ensure that his presence on earth, his assignment as a man, his preaching, his entire life will not leave any question in the minds of his followers and in the process silence his adversaries.

The Bible has many illustrative writing that ought not to be taken literal; they were given in that manner to ensure that all will understand Jehovah intended messages and learn of his expectation, his promise, his future plans, and his love for us all.

One such concept is the Church. In Revelation the bible make mention of the church in several situation and conditions and in doing so speak of the pure church, which is depicted as a virgin, who is "a bride adorn for her husband:" King Jesus. There is also the impure church, which is depicted as the harlot, one that defiled herself with impure wine and whose husband is the Dragon: the Devil. This piece of illustrative writing was intended to show Jehovah’s people that the Devil in his desire to be Jehovah and to take his place will be imitating everything Jehovah have design for his (Jehovah) glory and the salvation of his children; all in an effort to trick us into disloyalty to Jehovah and his son Jesus Christ.

To form the basis of this discussion I must ask these questions; is there a difference between religion and church? Is the place of worship a church?

These are some other question we must also answer.

• Is the synagogue a church?
  
• Is the Muslim mosque a church?
  
• Is the Buddha’s temple a church?
  
• Is the Christian place of worship a church?
  

My answer to these questions are going to anger many in the Christian community. there is one answer to all of the above question, and it is; no. None of the above examples are churches. Will Jehovah allow selfish, corrupt man to build or care for his church. The church the Creator, creates will be perfect in every way; in its leadership (Jesus the resurrected Savior), its composition (The saints who had been wash in the blood and declare worthy), in its teaching and in its actions (Total unconditional love for the triune God).

The Church has Jesus at its head, and those who make up the church are those who are wash in the blood of Jesus Christ and are a part of the redeemed. Not those who have declared themselves washed in the blood and with their mouths say they are redeemed. In the church there is no pretence, in the church there is no hypocrisy, in the church there is no back biting, hate etc. all of the behaviors that exist in religion. Ephesians 5: 27 States: He give his life for the people so that they will be presented to himself a glorious church, (group) not having spots or wrinkle, or any such thing but it should be Holy and without blemish. Can we in all honesty say that any of the religion that calls themselves Jehovah’s church possesses these qualities? NO. The church will be consist of people who love the lord Jehovah with all of their heart, their mind, and their soul, and they that love their neighbors, (their brothers their sisters) as themselves. Not those who Just say they love Jehovah but those who have proven their love for and of Jehovah by their though, conviction and action and who have so demonstrated their love for their neighbors. We must always remember that love must be tested. These privileged multitude will have the honor of hearing Jehovah declared to them; well done my good and faithful child/children, enter into the joy of my rest.

Let us not be mistaken, I have nothing against religion, for religion is important to man’s salvation. Religion is the tool that equips us for the Church. Religion gives us an understanding of who our creator is; it teaches us what Jehovah expects of us, and what we should expect of him, it also teaches us of the pass and equips us for the future. We must not forget that religion is organized by man, on Jehovah’s behalf base on his (man's) understanding and interpretation of Jehovah’s word.

We must not forget that the free will, which is a gift from Jehovah to man, is the quality that characterizes man, and have been responsible for man’s downfall. This all important quality along with our tendencies to be selfish, greedy, wicked etc. as well as our rebellious tendencies which leads us to desire the things that are not good for us and the things that are not ordained by Jehovah. Too often we ignore Jehovah’s leading and Jehovah’s voice (conscience, Holy Spirit leading and biblical instruction) in our passion to satisfy our defile desires. Even Paul the patriot confessed that the things he want to do I do not.

Religious leaders in their effort to gain followers and accumulate money, adopts a critical attitude, and thus they run around criticizing other religions, whilst declaring themselves the true church. They cast judgment on others because they worship different than they do, neglecting the words of the master in Matthew 7: 1; Judge not that you be not judge for with what Judgment you judge, you shall be judge; while they hold on to text such as: by their fruits you will know them, not taking into consideration that very often a man's action may appear to be bad or wrong but his purpose and his motive for doing such may be in keeping with Jehovah's wishes. Matthew 7:1, went on to advise us to first take the beam out of our eyes before taking the mole out of our brother’s eyes. Yet we sit in Judgment of others not knowing their understanding of Jehovah; we criticized them, not knowing their conviction; we condemn them, not knowing the content of their hearts, we damned them, not knowing their relationship with Jehovah and we show our disapproval of them not knowing the debt of their love for their creator. We do all these things to others forgetting Phil 2: 12 admonishes us to workout our own salvation with fear and trembling. We must allow other person do the same.

We as Christian has only one responsibility to others and that is; to preach Jehovah’s words fearlessly base on our understanding and conviction (it is the Holy Spirit that nurtures our understanding and conviction); and when we meet people who are preaching what we think is contrary to the word of Jehovah, we must in love, and with Holy Spirit guidance, explain to them and anyone present what we believe and why we believe such then we ought to move on, leaving the rest to the Holy Spirit. We tend to show how Un-Christ like we are when we are confronted with people who believe different from us.