Besides the widely known fruits such as "faith in Jesus, tithing, etc..." The Bible gives us 8 major teachings that we can use to identify the true remnant church ~or~ Bride of Christ in the last days. If we were to look for this church we must not settle for just any church, we must make sure it is exactly as the Word of God describes it to be. It must be God's church! I won't settle for anything less for my self or my family. Why should you?

As is usually the case, most people go to the phone book to find a church they can attend. They usually pick the one closest to them for convenience. However, this is more often than not very dangerous. Especially in these last days when most pastors are what Jesus called the "many false prophets" that will deceive the flock This is where you will be "taught" what you NEED to be taught to help you understand and grow in Jesus. You cannot take something that affects your eternal life too lightly. You must be very serious about choosing a church. You must go to the Bible to find the church you should attend.

Let me ask you this... If you had a flannel shirt that you liked very much, and the pocket was torn from it completely, would you replace the pocket with a look alike fabric that doesn't quite match up? Or would you go to the factory where the shirt was made and find the true remnant fabric of your shirt to make an exact match? This is exactly what we should be doing. We should be going "back to the factory" in search of the church that the Lord Jesus started.

The church Jesus started back then is spiritually alive today exactly as it was back then with the obvious exceptions due to our culture and technology making it "appear" different of course. We must seek out this church by checking out the "fruits" of it. Why? This is one of the basic and most reliable methods that Jesus suggested we do in Matthew 7:16-20.

I would like to go over these "FRUITS" as Jesus calls them with you so that you may know that the church you seek is indeed, a true church of God. Biblically there are EIGHT SIGNS to look for.

1. The remnant church MUST be a Bible believing church.

When Jesus was praying in John 17 for us, he said in verse 17: John 17:17 "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."

The Bride of Christ must believe the Word of God to be totally and without a doubt... "INFALLIBLE." The remnant church will not teach man's traditions as being in "equal authority" with Scripture as nearly all churches do today. The true church will teach exactly as Jesus taught it to teach. They must rely entirely on the Bible. They must be "anchored" and not "swaying to and fro" (Ephesians 4:14) in any way concerning the Word of God.

2. The remnant church will be a church that uplifts Jesus

John 5:39 "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me."

The church uplifts Jesus as Saviour and not the many traditional ceremonies of mankind. It will be a church for all of God's children as well. It will not be a church JUST for Jews, African Americans, Irish, Greeks, Polish, etc... Was Jesus "JUST" for Jews, African Americans, Irish, Greeks, Polish, etc...? John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

3. The remnant is a church that awaits & believes in His second coming as FACT!

John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

The Scripture doesn't say Jesus "might" return, it says He "will return" The Bible actually refers to the second coming of Jesus 1,500 times! The church must believe in the second advent (Advent = coming / arrival of something momentous) Any church that does not teach or preach His glorious return as Noah preached the flood was imminent must not be the Bride of Christ, it's that simple. Only a true child of God will know of this advent fact deep in their heart. The world won't preach or teach it in such detail as the Bride of Christ does because they simply can't believe it. To put it bluntly, the main reason they won't preach it is because they FEAR it! (It seems far fetched to them as well. See 1 Corinthians 2:14 to know why.) 1 Thessalonians 4:16 says, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in christ shall rise first:"

Jesus also warned the early church of disaster in Matthew 24:15-25, and when it happened in 70AD the christians already knew about it and fled to safety, yet 1,100,000 Jews died because they couldn't believe it. (See People Get Ready for info)

Today, nearly all the worldly churches don't teach much about the return of Jesus at all because they cannot understand prophecy at all. Therefore, and as prophesied, when Satan makes his appearance as the "christ," the world won't know that Jesus warned them of this farce well in advance, so... They will be tricked into oblivion just as were the 1,100,000 Jews in 70AD were. Praise God for His written Word and the divine wisdom that comes with it.

4. The remnant will be a church that teaches the Biblical truth about death.

So many of today's churches teach that the dead go to heaven immediately, or they go to purgatory, or the spirit world, or another life...etc. Some teach that the dead know everything (Greek philosophy) once dead. Think about that for a moment... If a man is hit hard enough in the head to get knocked out he knows nothing when unconscious. But if you hit him hard enough to kill him, he knows everything!? How's that even possible? Ecclesiastes 9:5 clearly says "For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing,..."

The Bible mentions the word soul over 800 times but never once does it mention an immortal soul! If the church you find teaches a natural immortality for the soul, it cannot possibly be the remnant church. (For much more info on this fact... See my "Immortal soul?" study) Jesus clearly said in Matthew 10:28 "fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." If the soul is naturally immortal for all eternity, how is it possible God says the soul can be destroyed in hell?

5. The remnant will be a health conscious church.

1 Corinthians 6:19 "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 1 Corinthians 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

The remnant church will not tolerate open destruction of the body. You will not see any member of the remnant church using such things as tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or even unclean foods. You won't see them doing foolish things "with" their bodies as well; such as "sky diving, mountain climbing etc." Not to mention immoral sexual activities that can kill the body in numerous ways. If the church you find is teaching you can eat or drink or do whatever you want, then they fail to teach what the Apostles taught as wholesome living. For more information on clean and unclean foods, please visit my "Health page"

6. The remnant will be a commandment keeping church.

This one is utterly the easy one to spot for anyone. Most churches today keep 9 of the 10 commandments. Some only keep 8..7...or merely 5 of the commandments. Yet the New Testament confirms that ALL ten of the commandments are still valid. (See my "The Law" study) That means the remnant people will be easily recognized as those that keep all the Commandments including the fourth Commandment. They will be Sabbath keepers. (See my "Sabbath" study) Notice this short compilation of verses on this...

As for the Sabbath...

Hebrews 4:4,8-10 "For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his."

We are right now living in the end times and there are many good people in the un-biblical churches that are being called out as we speak simply because Revelation 18:1-5 says they are being called out. And Scripture is INFALLIBLE. It is man's FAITH that is fallible. These precious souls are being called out to be a part of the remnant church because they realize the Lord they love is not being shared as He should be shared in their chruches. In fact, it was prophesied in Revelation 14:4 that these spiritual "virgins" follow the Lamb of God wherever He goes, and if He is "kicked out" of the church they're in, as most churches have done today by adopting all sorts of sinful traditions and false doctrines, then they leave with Him.

7. The remnant will be a church that teaches Biblical "full immersion" baptism for repented adults only.

Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

The Bible isn't saying here to,. Sprinkle ~ baptize thrice ~ baptize infants ~ baptize for the dead ~ etc... It is saying BURIED WITH HIM BY BAPTISM. (See "Baptism") Acts 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the Eunuch; and he baptized him. 1 Corinthians 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; No need for confusion... The Scripture is plain here. Ephesians 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

8. The remnant will be a church that has the gift of prophecy

Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The "testimony of Jesus"? The dragon (dragon = devil ...see Revelation 12:9) is angry with the woman (woman = church ...see Jeremiah 6:2) because she keeps the commandments and HAS the "testimony of Jesus Christ"? What IS the testimony of Jesus Christ? DO NOT go to your Pastor, Priest, Preacher, or friend to get this answer. NEVER accept man's "opinion" on Biblical facts! The Bible will always explain itself just fine without the help of man... . Revelation 19:10 declares rather bluntly that, " ...the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."

According to the INFALLIBLE Word of God the "testimony of Jesus Christ" is the Spirit of PROPHECY. Does the church you seek have these gifts? Are you in the church God Almighty sent His Son Jesus to start and DIE for? Or are you in a church that is accepting "traditions of men" over and above what is so easily described of in the Holy Word of God? Remember... you will be ALONE on that day when you are judged. You cannot blame anyone but yourself. What will you say when Jesus asks... "Who did you believe? Me? Or man?"

Also see "His Written Example" for a more in depth look into your walk.

FOR THE SDA:

As we all know, the SDA church leaders have been saying they are the "remnant church" for many years. In fact, they have been saying this for so long that all the SDA people echo their claims as if it's the truth even though this is not what the Bible or Spirit of Prophecy says about the SDA church. Notice this...

How I ask can the SDA church be the church (woman) that the dragon (Satan) is angry with and the "remnant of her seed" (SDR church) at the same time? That is 100% impossible. The SDA leaders changed Sister White's writings to make it appear she said the SDA church is the remnant church. But notice what she really said here...

There is a big difference in calling the SDA church the remnant church and calling those that have eft her apostate state the remnant OF the church.