So many religions--why is yours right?

[Jezebel2011]

According to Biblical scholars from all fields there are 17 Signs of the True Faith

17 Points of the True Church of Christ


Christ organized the Church (Eph 4:11-14)
The true church must bear the name of Jesus Christ (Eph 5:23)
The true church must have a foundation of Apostles and Prophets (Eph 2:19-20)
The true church must have the same organization as Christ's Church (Eph 4:11-14)
The true church must claim divine authority (Heb 5:4-10)
The true church must have no paid ministry (1 Cor 9:16-18; Acts 20:33-34; John 10:11-13)
The true church must baptise by immersion (Matt 3:13-16)
The true church must bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands (Acts 8:14-17)
The true church must practice divine healing (Mark 3:14-15)
The true church must teach that God and Jesus are seperate and distinct individuals (John 17:11; 20:17)
The true church must teach that God and Jesus have bodies of flesh and bone (Luke 23:36-39; Acts 1:9-11; Heb 1:1-3)
The officers must be called by God (Heb 4:4; Ex 28:1; 40:13-16)
The true church must claim revelation from God (Amos 3:7)
The true church must be a missionary church (Matt 28:19-20)
The true church must be a restored church (Acts 3:19-20)
The true church must practice baptism for the dead (1Cor 15:16&29)
"By their fruits ye shall know them." (Matt 7:20)


Therefore the LDS Church is the only True Church

That is why I was baptised into the LDS Church. I know that it is true.




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[prisonchaplain]

There are many strings on this site addressing these points. My own sense is that they have the scent of faith-affirming urban legend. It would be so easy for me to come up with a similar list that would point to the Assemblies of God as the one true church (though we make no such claim)...or the Lutherans...or the Jehovah's Witnesses for that matter. I would simply look to the favored church's version of the Articles of Faith, add a few extra scriptures to each point, and claim that "Bible scholars everywhere got together and determined that these were the crucial aspects pointing towards the true church/religion/sect, etc."

UPDATE: Sure enough, somebody decided to prove my point: Where Is the True Church? – and Its Incredible History!

[Jezebel2011]

However, that list of 17 points is directly from the Bible.

We cannot pick and choose which parts of the Bible we wish to take heed of and those that we don't.

Yet, that is what most churches do - except the LDS Church

[prisonchaplain]

Originally Posted by Jezebel2011

However, that list of 17 points is directly from the Bible.

We cannot pick and choose which parts of the Bible we wish to take heed of and those that we don't.

Yet, that is what most churches do - except the LDS Church

Oh come now. I appreciate your satisfaction with the teachings of your church, and the confidence you have in its veracity...but do you really believe that most churches and denominations practice "cafeteria theology?"--picking and choosing what they like and discarding the rest? I think some individuals do--in every church. Maybe a few pastors choose to "tickle the ears," rather than teach the whole counsel of God. However, most Christians, including leaders, hunger after truth and righteousness. Where we fail, it's seldom out of intentional self-delusion.

[FunkyTown]

In her defence, we should give her the opportunity to prove her point, PC.

Jezebel - Quote source. Which biblical scholars from which fields have word for word agreed with what you're saying about the 17 points?

When we make sweeping, grand statements like you're making, we expect sweeping, grand proof to follow it. "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof."

[mordorbund]

Back to the OP, I wonder if the characterization of polytheism is too caricatured.

My summary of your criteria (correct me if I'm missing something) of a worthwhile god is
1. omnipotence (prevents in-fighting among gods)
2. single-purposed (again, preventing in-fighting among gods)
3. self-advertising across the world (assuming he is no respecter of persons)

My understanding of the Hindu faith (I may need to chat with some friends to see how right I get this) is there is really 3 Gods - the Creator, the Sustainer, and the Destroyer. All other deities (including the local favorite) is really an avatar of one of these three. The 3 Gods work together causing balance in the universe. As a group, they have omnipotence. As a group, they are single-purposed - you might even say they are clearer in their relationships than the trinity. The same God who is all about love and wants to save the world required genocide and personally wiped out entire cities? The Hindus have a less internally conflicted sense of deity. You get the "advertising" through the avatars and reincarnation. Even if the religion stayed confined permanently in India, you would still eventually have the chance to learn all about it in one (or many) of your lives.

[Canuckistani]

I believe my Catholic faith is wrong, and always has been. That is why I am converting to the only true church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I think one major reason I am converting is because I believe in modern day prophets (among other things). My hope is to be a member by the summer, if not sooner.

[skalenfehl]

When I served in Germany over twenty years ago as a full time missionary of the church, I found those 17 points and studied them. I don't disagree with them, but they should, in my own opinion, never be used to prove truth. Even the bible cannot prove truth. It can only testify. It is a witness, like the Book of Mormon (a second witness) of Jesus Christ and all the prophets. Only the Holy Ghost proves and converts. I do believe that most, if not all churches and religions have truth and light. It is my conviction, however, that only one has the fullness of the gospel including divine and continuing revelations.

[norah63]

The OP was 'religion', now it said, 'right' religion, yet the Scriptures speak of pure religion.
Almost everyone would want to believe they were in a right religion. How many would care to serve in pure religion?
Thanks for making me think about that verse. Lots to ponder on.

[Torrence]

Hi PrisionChaplain.

Yorgason, Blaine and Brenton. The Greatest Quest Deseret Book Company. Salt Lake City: 1987.

page 180 "With so many churches not having the completely correct gospel of Jesus Christ, how could an individual find the true church? Fortunately, the Bible can help answer this question. Just as an architect's plans for building are specific, and are exactly right for only one structure, so also are God's plans for His true church. He has said, "Straight is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto [eternal] life, and few there be that find it.' (Matthew 7:14.) However, a careful reading of the Bible will clearly identify specific characteristics of Christ's true church."

If you would like send me a message and I can send you scanned copies of the pages of the 42 points from the book.