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
61-1015M §25
...ing other baptisms, are they saved or not? Also those that have gone on and never received the light?" Well, I believe strictly that God called His people, and ordained His church and all those that would be there, before the foundation of the world. I believe the Bible teaches that. And I believe that every man that loves God with all of his heart will seek after truth. I believe that, that they'll do that. Every man that loves God will do that. I believe if a man was baptized wrong, ignorantly, not knowing that h...
Sirs, we would see Jesus
61-1224 §83
...ound Him in some creed. He never pointed them to such. Have you got that well? But He pointed them to the cross, to die---to die. A real disciple says, "You've got to die." How do I know when I'm dead? When you recognize all this Word to be the truth, then the Word begins to live in you. "Well," you say, "but our church teaches..." I don't care what your church teaches, it's what the Bible says. Where you going to? The other churches teaches something different, but this Bible teaches the same.
Questions and Answers
59-0628E §7
But as a church and as a people, a congregation, we have to have a doctrine that we stand for in order to be a church. And this doctrine that we stand for, is the best of our knowledge to the Word of God, the truth of God. Now, you have a perfect right to look at it a different way if you wish to. And therefore, if I...
The Seal of God
54-0514 §40
And then, how people can see the early church back there was lit with that lamp stand candlestick, and then over here see the same thing that happened that happened back there, and the Word of God saying it would be "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, forever," and refuse it, it goes to show they have rejected light and walking in darkness, the only thing is left. It's true, my brother. I don't say that to be smart. God knows that. He knows my heart. I've got a ministry, and lots before me yet, and knowing tha...
The conflict between God and Satan
62-0531 §33
Now we find out, Eve losing the battle, she got from behind the Word, raised up on top of the trench and say, "You don't say so! Is that the truth?" She's lost right there. "Well, you know, we don't teach that over at our church." "We believe that what He said here..." "Yeah, but listen dear, you know better than that. Your own common sense would tell you that that's not right. Why, I heard them people just cry and cry. What they crying about?" see. "Now, own common sense would show you that they're just worked up....