From: allan-sv@algonet.se   
      
                 We are Born into the Assembly of God   
      
   A Free-Church is not the same as the Assembly of God, or the Body   
   of Christ. We can easily verify that through two single questions.   
   How can you become a member in a Free-Church, and how can you   
   enter the Assembly of God? In a Free-Church they have regulations   
   that say, so and so it must be. Baptist and Pentecostal Churches   
   demand that all members must be baptized by Christian baptism, and   
   these regulations can seem biblical.   
      
   (Now they are not so strictly with God's word. Denominations and   
   churches do not demand conversion to the Lord and baptism. For   
   the sake of ecumenic, also the Pentecostal Movement has given up   
   the demand of conversion and baptism and can have alliance-   
   meetings with other churches and even with Catholics).   
      
   In a meeting they come to a decision about membership, and the   
   new member gives a membership-card and is registered. This way that   
   take in members in something they mean is the Assembly of God or   
   the Assembly of God, is wholly outside what the Bible teaches.   
      
   According to the Bible, it is not at all question about to elect anyone   
   to a member of the Assembly of God. We enter the Assembly of God   
   through receiving Jesus as our personal Saviour, and be born anew.   
   Then we also receive the membership. We are born into the   
   Assembly of God, and we belong to God's household, God's family.   
   Eph. 2:19. Then we have also citizenship in heaven. Phil.3:20.   
      
   The new birth is no adoption. If the new birth is an adoption, then   
   God's children are not his own children, only adopted children. Then   
   God is not our Father, only our adoptive Father. Who is our real   
   Father?   
      
   When we through the faith in Jesus are born again, then this is a great   
   wonder. From having been only created beings, we become related to   
   the Creator. Jesus is our Brother and his Father is our Father.   
      
   And Jehovah God formed the man out of dust from the ground, and   
   breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living   
   soul. Genesis 2:7. (KJ3). When we get the Holy Spirit as a gift, then   
   it is a new creation. The Holy Spirit gives us the new life, and we are   
   new creations in Christ.   
      
   So then if anyone is in Christ, that one is a new creation; the old things   
   have passed away; behold, all things have come to be new! 2 Cor. 5:17.   
   (KJ3). Gal. 6:15. The Spirit gives life. John 6:63. 2 Cor. 3:6.   
      
   When Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit, then we are born of the   
   Spirit. John 3:6-8. 1 John 5:4. Those, who are born of the Spirit are not   
   of this world. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.   
   John 17:14-16.   
      
   When we are born anew, then we are in spiritual meaning like   
   new-born children. 1 Peter 2:2. When a child is born, then the   
   brothers and sisters in the family do not need to come to any   
   decision if the baby may belong to the family, or not. So it is   
   also in the Assembly of God. We cannot choose who that are   
   our brothers and sisters.   
      
   The Bible does not mention that they be registered in any parish   
   register or received membership-cards. It is only one list of   
   members mentioned in the Bible. That is the book of life.   
   Luke 10:20. Phil. 4:3. Rev. 3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12. Daniel 12:1.   
   Any membership-cards occur not at all in the Assembly of God.   
   It is our right as Christians to be unregistered here in this world.   
   We who belong to Jesus and God's Assembly, we are all   
   registered in heaven, in the book of life, and registration in   
   any Church are not necessary. The Assembly of God constitutes   
   of all those who believe in Jesus and have received his salvation.   
   Which else would it be?   
      
   There is no Free-Church or pastor, or any priest in the Church   
   who is able to expel anyone from the Assembly of God. God   
   has given no such a power or authority to any man, not even   
   to any angel. That power and that authority the Father has   
   reserved for himself! Glory to God for that! "For I am persuaded,   
   that neither dearth, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor   
   powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor hight, nor dept,   
   nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love   
   of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. 8:38-39. Those   
   who are thinking they can expel members from the Assembly of   
   God, they are not able to expel any more than themselves.   
      
   No one can snatch us out of our Father's hand. Jesus says in John   
   10:29, "My Father, which gave them to me, is greater than all; and   
   no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand." And in John   
   14:6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no   
   man cometh unto the Father, but by me." "Therefore, he is able to   
   save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he   
   ever liveth to make intercession for them." Hebr. 7:25.   
      
   If you seek on the Internet you will find many "Assembly of God".   
   Perhaps yourself is a member in something you call the Assembly   
   of God. Then you may ask this question: Is this the real Assembly   
   of God? Please, study the Bible and compare! Can you say, this   
   is the same as the Body of Christ accordingly 1 Cor.12:13,   
   Eph.1:22-23, 5:23, and Col.1:18 ? Perhaps it is only a church?!   
      
   Allan Svensson   
      
      
   Do you want to read this article completely   
   or if you have any questions   
   Please, visit my Web Site   
      
   http://www.algonet.se/~allan-sv/CONTENTS.HTM   
      
   (Article 20)   
      
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