1) A right understanding of the BIBLE

The good church will be correct in its belief about the Bible. It will believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God. God has spoken! He has not left mankind to grope about in the dark searching for the truth. He has given mankind an infallible written revelation of Himself and the way of salvation.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

2 Timothy 3:16 – 17

2) A right understanding of GOD

The second way to recognize a good church is to examine its THEOLOGY; that is, its belief about God. No church can possibly be sound in doctrine if it refuses to believe what the Bible says about God.

Each of the three members of the Godhead is a person. They have always existed. They are equal in nature, power and knowledge. Yet they are so unified in their essence that they are not three 'gods' but one God. (Matthew 28:19; John 1:1, 14:1-17a, 16:7-8; 1 Peter 1:2; Revelation 4-5)

3) A right understanding of the LORD JESUS CHRIST

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man. The deity of Christ, for example, is explicitly stated in the first verse of John:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" John 1:1

Not only is Jesus God, He is also man. This can be seen in verse 14a:

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” John 1:14a

This fact about his deity and humanity is clearly stated in Philippians 2:5-8. A church that ignores the fullness of either of these two facts is in error. The denial of these facts is often presented in a less than obvious way and many believers can subscribe to ministries that deny the true deity of Christ. Kenneth Copeland,a word faith preacher for example, believes that Jesus was reborn in hell. In other words, he became God at that point

"a lamb without blemish and without spot"

1 Peter 1:19

And Paul indicated the sinlessness of Christ when he wrote:

"God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him"

2 Corinthians 5:21

A church that is correct in its Christology will also believe in the atoning death of Christ. He, the sinless One, died on the cross, spilling His life and blood for sinners (Romans 4:25; 1 Peter 2:24). That is what is meant by His substitutionary death.

A church that is correct in its Christology will also believe that Christ physically arose from the dead. It bases that belief on the Bible:

"He arose again the third day according to the Scriptures"

1 Corinthians 15:4

Having arose, the LORD Jesus Christ now has ascended to heaven with the Father where He reigns over the universe for the good of His people and glory of His Father. From there He shall one day bodily return in judgement. (Ephesians 1:21-23; Philippians 2:9-11)

4) A right understanding of SALVATION

A good church must be correct in its SOTERIOLOGY; in other words, what it believes about salvation. It will proclaim the message of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone (see Ephesians 2:8-9).

In highlighting the fact of salvation by grace alone - independent of human effort - this in no way denies the importance of baptism, church attendance and commitment, or living a godly life. These things are vitally important. However, they are not done in order to be saved!

It is received through faith. Church membership, a moral life, or works of charity - good as all these things may be - can do nothing to save people from their sins. Salvation can be experienced only on the basis of what the Lord Jesus Christ did for man as substitute in life and in death. (Romans 5)

5) A right understanding of the HOLY SPIRIT

A good church will recognize the Holy Spirit for both who He is and for what He does. He is not simply some impersonal power force influencing people's lives, but a person of the Godhead. He is God! And since He is truly God He is also co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and with the Son. Beware of the church that denies the deity or personality of the Holy Spirit. (John 14:16-17a; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 8:9)

As God, the Holy Spirit is involved in a number of important activities. The Spirit of God brings conviction of sin (John 16:8). He imparts the new birth (John 3:5). He baptizes believers into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13). He indwells individual Christians (1 Corinthians 6:19). He stirs Christians to holiness (Philippians 2:12-13). He equips believers for effective service (Ephesians 5:18). The Holy Spirit dwells within to comfort, guide, sustain, and strengthen believers, and to bear witness to the truth. Because of His indwelling presence, God's people can progressively have victory over sin and can successfully serve the Lord.

6) A right understanding of the CHURCH

The INVISIBLE church is the body of Christ, which consists of all who have truly believed in Christ as Lord and Saviour - those who are born again of the Spirit of God, regardless of denominational label (Ephesians 1:21-23). This is the ONE TRUE CHURCH. It does not include all those who merely think good things about the church and have nice thoughts about Jesus, or those who merely profess Christ as Saviour without obeying Him as Lord. Further, there is no need for any artificial initiatives to amalgamate churchgoers (e.g.: the ecumenical movement) there already exists the ultimate coalition in Christ as head over the church.

When we speak of the LOCAL church we refer to visible groupings of Christians regularly meeting together for worship, instruction, fellowship, evangelism, and the observance of the ordinances (eg: Acts 2:41-42; 1 Corinthians 16:19). A good church will recognise the distinction between the LOCAL and the INVISIBLE church. It will not exclude from the body of Christ those believers who are truly in Christ but who do not share their particular denominational tag.

Of course, it is possible for individual believers to make spiritual progress without attending a LOCAL church. You can study, pray and have occasional fellowship with other Christians. But that is not enough! For born-again believers LOCAL church commitment is a necessity not a casual option. All born again believers must find a Bible-believing church, attend it regularly, serve in it, give to it, and pray for it. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

A biblical LOCAL church will have a leadership committed to serving the people and through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word (2 Timothy 4:1-3). Biblical leadership is not that of lording over the flock, intimidating and dominating them, but one of pastoral care that seeks the sheep to grow to the point where they obtain steadfast maturity in the faith (Luke 22:24-26; 1 Peter 5:1-3). Ideally and biblically, leadership should be entrusted to a plurality of spiritually qualified elders. (Titus 1:5-9. However this does not rule out a paid preaching ministry – 1 Timothy 5:17-18.)

7) A right understanding of our FUTURE HOPE The good church must be correct in its ESCHATOLOGY; that is, what it believes about the end times and the coming of Christ.

At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:11). The dead in Christ will rise first (1 Thessalonians 4:16). We who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

However, all true Christians should be committed to the following Scriptural truths concerning His coming to which we all yearn and pray “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20). This confident hope is what we look to:

Christ will return, personally and bodily from heaven, in glory (Acts 1:11; Matthew 16:27) There will be a resurrection of men to stand before Him for judgment. There, God will be seen to rectify all the wrongs of evil in history (Daniel 12:2 cf Matthew 25:31-46 cf Revelation 20:11-15) Those who “do not know God and do not obey the gospel” will judged and punished with everlasting destruction in hell (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9) The righteous ones who have trusted in Christ will enter into their eternal reward, freed from all remaining sin, with resurrected and glorified bodies (1 Corinthians 15:12f) God will dwell with his people in a new heaven and earth, free of sin, for eternity (Revelation 21)

We need to reject the teaching of those who claim:

Christ has already come (be it in the destruction of Jerusalem or some more contemporary event or person – 2 Thessalonians 2:2) That Christ’s kingdom has/will fully come in this age (be it via social improvement or manifestation of spiritual gifts, a perceived ‘Christianising’ influence of the gospel, etc. - John 18:36)

8)It is well to remember that church fellowships are not exclusive "spiritual clubs" for perfect Christians. They are places where the unsaved can encounter the reality of salvation and where spiritual babies can grow strong in Christ. Members of a good church will be striving to be:

9)The centrality of the Biblical message

The good church will have faithful and systematic preaching of the Word of God (2 Timothy 4:1-5). The sad tendency today is for preachers to give people what they want to hear and not what they need to hear! There is a type of preaching that fills auditoriums and a type of preaching that fills heaven - the good church will please God and not man.

The lack of sound biblical preaching and teaching is why so many churches embrace false doctrines and run after every gimmick that comes to town.

"And they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."

2 Timothy 4:4