Source of knowledge about the true church
First, let's decide on the source from which we will draw information about what the church should be. Let's not rely on people's opinions, because then we would have to climb into the jungle of history and consider millions of different opinions. The Encyclopedia Britannica provides the following statistics: 31% of people on the globe consider themselves Christians (at that time this is 2.2 billion people from more than 230 countries).
If your point of view on what church is is based only on the stories of your believing grandmother or television programs, you will be very surprised after reading this article. Because in it we will discard ALL human ideas and turn to the original source - the Bible, the basis of Christianity, God's Word, left to us, people. Your personal choice is to believe it or not, to remain with the same way of thinking or to accept the truth.
Silence (2016)
The events of the religious film take place in Japan in the 17th century. The government relentlessly persecutes Christians. Two young Portuguese arrive in the country in search of their mentor, the Jesuit Ferreiro. The priests are going to certain death, hoping only for God's mercy. Faced with terrible trials and seeing how local Christian believers suffer, they decide to spread the word of God at night, reading the Gospel, blessing people and listening to confessions.
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Trailer
Original title : Silence Genre : Drama, history Actors : Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Neeson... Country : USA, UK, Taiwan, Japan, Mexico, Italy Rating : Kinopoisk – 7.1, IMDb – 7.2 Age restrictions : 16+
What does the Bible say about the church?
The church is not a building.
The New Testament, to which all the Gospels belong, was written in Greek, and therefore, in order to more fully understand the meaning, it is sometimes useful to turn to the literal translation of some words. What does the word “church” (“ecclesia”) mean? This is a meeting of people! NOWHERE in the Bible is the word church associated with any building.
The Church is people, both all those who believe in God on the planet (the universal church), and a group of Christians gathering specifically in some place (a local parish, community). These are the two meanings used in the Bible.
From a biblical perspective, where the church meets does not really matter. In the New Testament we see that after the resurrection of Christ, the disciples simply gathered in their homes, where they prayed, communicated and received the Eucharist (communion). Nowhere is it described that they suddenly began to build majestic temples, etc. Yes, and Jesus Himself, while on Earth, only sometimes preached in the synagogue, and all the rest of His teachings were pronounced:
- in people's homes;
- on the streets;
— in nature (on a mountain, by a river, etc.);
- on board a boat, etc.
Thus, the very expression “going to church” is incorrect. It is not people who come to church, but in fact the church (the people, its components) who come to the temple (building).
“But the Almighty does not live in temples made with hands, as the prophet says: “Heaven is My throne, and earth is My footstool. What kind of house will you make for Me, says the Lord, or what kind of place for My rest? Was it not My hand that created all this?” (Bible, book of Acts, chapter 7)
The Church was created by Christ, not by people.
In the 16th chapter of the Gospel of Matthew His words are recorded:
“...I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” (verse 18)
Thus, the church was not founded by any person and does not exist because of any great people. Her life is controlled by God himself. Proof of this is that Christianity survived and multiplied even when people were imprisoned and sent to camps for their faith, and churches were turned into clubs (as was the case in the USSR), and were thrown to hungry lions in the Coliseum (in the first centuries of our era) etc. The Church is alive and growing every day, no matter what.
God loves the church and will return for it at the second coming of Christ.
The attitude of Jesus towards the church in the Bible is often compared to how the groom loves his bride, and what for the whole world will be a terrible judgment and the end of the world, for believers it will be a “marriage feast” at which they will meet face to face with their loving Savior (Bible, Ephesians 5-27).
There are many more images in the Bible that help us better understand God's relationship with people. Thus, the church is called the body of Christ (Ephesians 1-17); the flock, which is cared for and led by the shepherd - God Himself (Gospel of John 10-16); spiritual temple (Ephesians 2-19), etc.
Noah (2014)
We are all familiar with the biblical story of the great flood and Noah's ark. God decided to punish the human race for its sins, and the only righteous man, Noah, built a huge ship to save his family and animals. What did Noah have to endure when faced with the horror of visions of the end of the world? Who told him the way to salvation and helped him with the construction of an extraordinary structure? And how could Noah refuse those who had no place on the ark? You will get the answers by watching this film related to the history of religion.
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Trailer
Original title : Noah Genre : Drama, adventure, fantasy Actors : Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, Emma Watson... Country : USA Rating : Kinopoisk – 6.7, IMDb – 5.7 Age restrictions : 12+
How do you know which church is right?
Today there are many different denominations within the three main branches into which Christianity has historically been divided (Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism). Almost everyone who belongs to one church or another believes that their faith is correct. But what does the Bible say about this?
Already in the early days of the formation of the church, divisions began to occur between people. They did not concern the foundation of Christianity - faith in God, but whether it was necessary to perform rituals, whether it was possible to eat food sacrificed to idols, which was then sold in the market along with regular food, etc.
“For some are confident that they can eat everything, but the weak eat only vegetables. He who eats, do not disparage the one who does not eat; and whoever does not eat, do not condemn the one who eats: because God has accepted him.” (Rom. 14.3)
Isn't it very similar to what is happening in modern Christianity? Should I wear a cross or not? Should you pray only according to written prayers or in your own words? Should I keep the post? How to dress and what music and songs to glorify God? And many, many secondary issues that sometimes lead to war between those whom the Bible calls brothers and sisters, because they have one father - the Lord, in whom both believe! What to do? Do not judge and have peace with all people.
“Who are you, judging another man’s slave? Before his Lord he stands or falls; and he will be raised up, for God is able to raise him up” (Romans 14-4)
But there are common features of the correct, true Christian church:
- The Church recognizes Jesus Christ as God, who came to Earth, died on the cross to atone for the sins of mankind and rose again on the third day to justify it. If any of this is denied or interpreted differently, this is not a church, but an organization professing heresy.
The Trinity of God is a mystery of Christianity, completely incomprehensible to our limited minds, and therefore used by the enemy of human souls in order to lead people away from the real church. A striking example of this is the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses, who deny the divinity of Christ and made their own translation of the Bible, from which all “inconvenient” passages that contradict their teaching were removed.
- The basis of faith, preaching and teaching is only the Bible, and not some other books and revelations received by great prophets, apostles, etc. Such, for example, are the Mormons - they have books written by the founder of their teaching, in which many things contradict The Bible, but the organization's creed is based on them. Mormons are not Christians, even though they call themselves as such!
- In the church there is no pressure on you, they do not try to manipulate you or force you to do anything.
- You have the opportunity to participate in the worship service, and not just be a spectator. New Testament Christians prayed TOGETHER, read God's Word, took the sacrament, did good deeds, and told others about the Lord.
- You grow spiritually - learn more about God and become a better person!
“Beloved! Believe not every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. Know the Spirit of God (and the spirit of error) this way: every spirit that confesses Jesus Christ who has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus Christ who has come in the flesh is not from God - this is the spirit of Antichrist, about whom you heard that he would come and is now already in the world.” (1 John 4-1,2)
The Monk and the Imp (2016)
This Russian film about priests is a prominent representative of the tragicomedy genre with elements of mysticism, telling about the duality of the human soul. The film takes place in the first half of the 19th century. The plot centers on the monk Ivan, who comes to a monastery and asks to be accepted into its ranks. However, a demon in human form enters the sacred house with him. The devilish creature is trying in every possible way to tempt the monk so that he will turn away from the path of serving God.
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Trailer
Genre : Comedy, fantasy Actors : Timofey Tribuntsev, Georgy Fetisov, Boris Kamorzin... Country : Russia Rating : Kinopoisk – 7.0, IMDb – 6.9 Age restrictions : 12+
Luther (2003)
The historical film about the legendary religious reformer Martin Luther will tell about the events of the 16th century. The German monk Martin is not ready to put up with the betrayal of faith and the deplorable situation in which the Roman Catholic Church is mired. Luther is fighting corruption and deviations from church statutes, demanding the translation of the Holy Scriptures, a revision of church governance and a ban on indulgences. An active position leads the monk to be declared a blasphemer.
Trailer
Original title : Luther Genre : Drama, biography, history Actors : Joseph Fiennes, Alfred Molina, Jonathan Firth... Country : Germany, USA, Czech Republic, Italy Rating : Kinopoisk – 7.5, IMDb – 6.6 Age restrictions : 12+
Pop (2009)
The film, based on the novel by Alexander Segen, tells about the fate of priests as part of the Pskov Orthodox mission during World War II. In the center of the plot is Father Alexander. He lives on the border with Latvia in the village of Zakaty and is involved in the revival of the Russian church in the period from 1941 to 1945. He became a support for the entire village, simultaneously helping orphaned children, sheltering Jews and interacting with partisans. However, after the liberation of the territory from the invaders, Father Alexander was sent to a prison camp along with other priests.
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Trailer
Genre : Drama, military Actors : Sergei Makovetsky, Nina Usatova, Elizaveta Arzamasova... Country : Russia Rating : Kinopoisk – 7.4, IMDb – 7.0 Age restrictions : 16+
