Wednesday, January 29, 2014

The 17 Points of the True Church

Part of a letter we got in the mail from Elder Zack (postmarked 15 Jan 2014):

The REAL reason that I'm writing this letter is because I've found something cool that I want to share with you but don't have time to type it.  Its pretty much proof, from the Bible, that this is the true church on the Earth today.  (You should post this part on the blog :) )  I think its by Wilford Woodruff...

The 17 Points of the True Church
1. Christ organized the church.  Eph 4:11-14
2. The true church must bear Christ's name.  Eph 5:23
3. The true church must have a foundation of Apostles and Prophets.  Eph 2:19-20
4. The true church must have the same organization as Christ's church.  Eph 4:11-14
5. The true church must claim divine authority.  Heb 5:4-10
6. The true church must have no paid ministry.  Isaiah 45:13 , 1 Peter 5:2
7.  The true church must baptize by immersion. Matthew 3:13-16
8. The true church must bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands.  Acts 8:14-17
9. The true church must practice divine healing.  Mark 3:14-15
10. The true church must teach that God and Jesus Christ are separate and distinct beings.  John 17:11, John 20:17
11. The true church must teach that God and Jesus Christ have bodies of flesh and bone.  Luke 24:36-39,     Acts 1:9-11
12. The officers must be called of God.  Heb 5:4, Exodus 28:1, Exodus 40:13-16
13. The church must claim revelation from God. Amos 3:7
14. The true church must be a missionary church. Matt 28:19-20
15. The true church must be a restored church.  Acts 3:19-22
16. The true church must practice baptism for the dead.  1 Cor 15:16 & 29
17.  By their fruits ye shall know them.  Matt 7:20, Galatians 5:22-23

Why are these things important?  Hebrews 13:8

I testify that God has once again restored the true church of Jesus Christ upon the earth.  I testify that this church is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  I testify that we have a true, living prophet named Thomas S Monson who has been called by God to lead and guide His church.  I know that the Priesthood authority to act in God's name was lost for a time, but through the prophet Joseph Smith it was restored again by our loving Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ.  I know the evidence of ALL of these things is in the Book of Mormon, because if that book is true, then we have a prophet today and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true church upon the earth today.   I know the Book of Mormon is true, and I know you can too by reading it, pondering the message it contains, and then asking God, in the name of Jesus Christ if they are true.  I promise you that ANY man or woman who does this will know, by the power of the Holy Ghost that it is true, that Joseph Smith was, in fact, a Prophet of God, and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is God's kingdom upon the earth in these latter-days.  I challenge you all to read just a little bit of the Book of Mormon, maybe just the introduction, and they pray about it.  And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.


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