Expert: Mrs. Priscilla Lyons - 12/13/2009

Question
my wife is a long time free will baptist and honestly i am confussed.i grew up in the church of christ.tell me please......why are prople voted on to join the church? do free will baptist accept the baptism of other churchs? what care their beliefs other than god,christ and the holy spirit? the viems here are no dice games,no card games certain movies are a no no ....help!

Answer
Dear Gary,
   Thanks for writing.  Before you can determine which church or denomination is most correct, you need to have God's Spirit in you to "guide you into all truth" John 16:13  
   When we are convicted of our sins that separate us from God, and accept God's payment for our sins (Jesus' death and resurrection), asking God to forgive us and give us His perfect life to live through us, then we have God's Spirit in us to help us understand and follow His Word, the Bible.
   I don't think voting on people who join the church can be justified Biblically, but a church shouldn't consider anyone a member who doesn't belong totally to God.  "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?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" I Corinthians 6:19-20
   We can trust God's love and His Word, the Bible, that shows us a way to live that protect us and give us strong, healthy minds and bodies.  If a movie is a waste of my time or money, or worse, if it can influence my thinking in contradiction to God's truth, then what good is it going to do me?  I'd be pretty stupid to choose a movie contradicting God's truth, since He is the Source of all power, all love, all wisdom, and all life.  Satan is out to steal, kill, and destroy us (John 10:10).  If the Holy Spirit warns me about a game or movie or any activity that is going to drag me down in any way, I'm stupid to ignore the warning.
   It's not how much I give up (dice games, card games, movies, etc.) that makes me a good Christian.  It's how much I trust God and want to be more like Him that makes me a good Christian.  Our "righteousness" is worthless.  It is only when God gets the credit and glory for what we accomplish, that we fulfill our created purpose of reflecting His image. Genesis 1:26, and can fulfill all the unique, individual potential with which He has created each of us.  He know the number of hairs on my head and on yours (Matthew 10:30), and knows what is best for us.  
   Trust God to guide you how to live and what church to be a part of.  "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25
   May you and your wife grow closer together with God at the helm of your lives.
   Sincerely,
   Priscilla