How Do I Know If a Church Teaches the Truth?
1) Direct Answer
Measure everything by the Word. A true church preaches the full revelation of Jesus Christ, holds to one God (not three persons), calls sinners to repentance and the new birth, follows the apostolic pattern, and produces a clean, Spirit-filled life that matches Scripture.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- The Word is the absolute:
- “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).
- All Scripture is given by inspiration (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The Bereans checked the preaching by the Scriptures (Acts 17:11). Any other gospel is accursed (Galatians 1:8-9). Don’t add or take away (Revelation 22:18-19).
- The Godhead—one God revealed, not three persons:
- “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord” (Deuteronomy 6:4).
- “God was manifested in the flesh” (1 Timothy 3:16). “He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9). “In Him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily” (Colossians 2:9). It’s not three Gods; it’s one God revealed as Father (above us), Son (with us), Holy Spirit (in us).
- The apostolic salvation pattern:
- Repentance and remission of sins in His Name (Luke 24:47).
- Water baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5), burial with Him (Romans 6:3-4), and the promise of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:39).
- A life led by the Spirit (Romans 8:14) that keeps His Word (1 John 2:3-5) and bears fruit (Galatians 5:22-25).
- Holiness and order:
- “Follow peace… and holiness” (Hebrews 12:14). “Come out from among them” (2 Corinthians 6:17). Clean religion separates from the world (James 1:27).
- Be filled with the Spirit, not with wine (Ephesians 5:18). The Bible shows literal wine existed (John 2:10; 1 Corinthians 11:21), but drunkenness and bondage are sin. The safest walk is abstinence and sobriety, with a clear testimony and a Spirit-filled life.
- The Lord’s Supper is handled reverently (1 Corinthians 11:23-29), never in excess or lightness.
- Church leadership and discipline:
- Elders and deacons must be “the husband of one wife,” sober, blameless (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9). Men who came into the faith having more than one wife can be received as believers, but they do not hold office in the church. The pulpit must be clean.
- The supernatural in order:
- “These signs shall follow them that believe” (Mark 16:17-20). Gifts operate decently and in order (1 Corinthians 12–14), never against the written Word.
- The Bride taught correctly:
- They place the Bride as the great blood-washed multitude out of all nations (Revelation 7:9-17) and those who live and reign with Christ a thousand years (Revelation 20:4). They don’t confuse the Bride with the saved nations.
- No traditions over Scripture:
- Beware of “tradition of men” (Colossians 2:8). “In vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7-9).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Ask: Where did any apostle preach “three co-equal persons”? The Bible declares one God, and says God was manifested in flesh.
- Ask: Who in the Bible baptized using titles instead of the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ? The record shows the apostles used His Name.
- Ask: If a church explains away the supernatural, where did God ever change? “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8).
- Ask: Do they put creeds on level with Scripture? Jesus condemned that (Mark 7:7-9).
- Ask: Do they ordain men who are not “husband of one wife,” or who are not sober and blameless? That contradicts 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1.
- Ask: Do they treat the Lord’s Supper carelessly, or use it in a way that leads to excess? 1 Corinthians 11 rebukes that.
- Ask: Do they teach the Bride according to Revelation 7:9-17 and 20:4, or do they mix the Bride with the saved nations? Let Scripture draw the line.
4) Short Reinforcing Statement
Now notice, the Holy Spirit will always lead you to the Word and then live that Word through you. Stay with the Bible. A true church will preach Christ the Word, keep the apostolic pattern, and produce a life that matches the Scriptures. You see, that’s the proof.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Questions and Answers, The Law having a shadow
54-0516 §45
If tomorrow, the storm comes through, and blows it up, know God is with you. But if it doesn't do it, you better be careful, you got the wrong spirit among you. You better get back up to the altar, and get this thing prayed out. All the church gather, and that poor person that spoke in tongues ought to come around the altar, and say, "Lord, somebody help me. I don't want to be anointed with that. That's wrong." See? "So, Lord help me. Get the thing off of me. Let me get right with You." See what I mean? So, be care...
Discerning the Body of the Lord
59-0812 §26
..."Why," they say, "it's harmful?" All over your television screen, all over every billboard, in your newspaper is big cans of beer with lovely young women drinking it. They show you when they start. Look at them a little later from that. It fills their mind with poison toxin. Its increase of insanity is terrible. It causes immorality among the young. And even the churches today are preaching and practicing, many of them: "drink moderately." You know that's the truth. Telling their young folks at home and the parents...
The Way back
62-1123 §95
That doctor raised up, and said, "Marvelous," tears running down his cheek. I said, "Doctor, you know what's the matter?" I said, "Our churches don't teach that." He said, "Mr. Branham, that's truth." I said, "We need to go back to Pentecost." He said, "I'm Presbyterian." Said, "My wife is Presbyterian." I said, "You joined the Presbyterian lodge." He said, "That's about it." I said, "Doctor, a Christian is borned again. You can't go join. You've got to be born." He said, "Mr. Branham that's the truth," and tears b...
God keeps His Word
57-0120E §66
...watch. What is a harlot? A prostitute. What is these ill-famed women? Is women who commit adultery and live with other men that's not their husband. And these people, these churches, claim to be God's servants, and God's church, and tolerate, and do the things of the world. They commit spiritual fornication. They let their congregations paint, their women wear shorts. And they let them go on and dress like the world, and never condemn it. They let the men smoke a social cigarette or take a drink of liquor. They let...
Jehovah-Jireh
57-0612 §5
This marvelous text tonight, and we will go back into the book of Genesis to get a little of the context. It is based upon the life of Abraham, which all men know, that Abraham was the one that God gave him the covenant. And the promise was made to Abraham and to his seed. Now, one thing that I find in teaching ... or, in the church, that most people in this day, seems to be afraid to take a hold of what God has said. If God has said it, it's the truth. It can be nothing else but truth. It's the... This Word was sp...