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Frequently Asked Questions
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How does the Law affect us as Christians under the New Covenant?
Should I Claim My Contributions As Tax Deductions?
What are the beliefs of RCCG?
What is RCCG?
Do you have programs for children and teenagers?
What if I don’t have someone to take me to Church, can I get a ride?
Do you have other services apart from Sunday service?
How do I get to the Church?
How can I become a member of the Church?
When was the Salvation Center, Austin parish established?
Q: How does the Law affect us as Christians under the New Covenant? A: This subject is one that is not very well understood by most believers, and is a cause of much confusion and pain in the lives of many. This question has plagued the Church for ever. It is a subject that caused most of the early believers to stumble, because they all came from a Jewish background. As a result Paul had a lot of trouble to deal with this whole issue, and he wrote much to address it. The books that cover it best are the Book of Romans and the Book of Galatians. So if you want to understand where The Law fits into the life of a believer, you should be doing a good study of those books of the Bible. In Romans, Paul does a systematic study of the Gospel of God, covering where the Law fits in. In Galatians he addresses the issue of those who tried to go back to the Law after coming to Christ. The answer to your question in simple form is contained in the following verse in Romans 6: 14 “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” In a nutshell, the Law is the complete instructions given by God to His chosen people, the nation of Israel. It was received by Moses on the mountain and embraces what is often known as the ceremonial law and the moral law. However the Law was never and never will be a means of bringing salvation. One of the best illustrations of the Law is the following: The Law can be likened to a mirror. When I use a mirror, I look into it to see if my face is dirty. If I discover that my face is dirty by looking into the mirror, I do not then take the mirror to wash my face. I take soap and water. Many people seem to think that the way to overcome sin is to work hard at it, by trying to obey the Law. Paul in fact proved that the Law not only cannot prevent or deal with sin, but actually makes us sin even more. Consider this verse in Romans 5: 20 “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” If you want to see this in action, just try telling your children NOT to do something, and watch how long it takes before they do the very thing you told them not to. Trying to live by the Law simply stirs up the weakness of the flesh and actually produces sin in you. Paul describes his experiences with this in Romans chapter 7, with the following words in verses 18 and 19, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” When Jesus died on the cross He cried out “It is finished.” This signified that Jesus had completely fulfilled the Law and the Old Covenant and He not only fulfilled the Law but paid the price for the penalty of breaking the law. In doing this, He not only abolished the Law but established a new law that God had promised in the Old Testament through His prophets. He said that He would no longer have His laws written in stone tablets, but that He would write them in our hearts. Let’s look at Ephesians 2: 14 – 16 “For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, 15 having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, 16 and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.” Hebrews 10: 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them.” Jesus not only did away with the Old Testament law, but He gave us a new commandment. You will see this in John 15: 10 – 12 “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. 11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” 1 John 3: 21 – 24 “Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. 22 And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. 23 And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. 24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” Do you remember that someone asked Jesus once which were the greatest commandments, and Jesus answered by telling him that all of the Law could be summed up in two commandments: “You shall love the Lord with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus now took this to a new level, and gave us a new commandment – they we should love one another. So as John points out in the passage above, there are only two commandments that make up the law for the New Testament believer and they are faith and love. Add hope to these and you get back to the forces of the recreated spirit. So to reiterate, the Law has nothing to do with you as a believer. You have no obligation to carry out any of the ordinances of the Old Covenant. You can eat pork or anything else that was forbidden under that law. We are never saved by obeying the Law, nor do we earn favor with God by obeying the Law. We are saved by grace alone through faith, and not by works. Jesus has purchased for us a salvation. In the meantime, the Lord is continuing to expose our sinful nature and flesh for what it is, so that we can draw closer to Him and walk in greater freedom from sin. But this will never be accomplished by trying to keep the Law, and no believer should ever allow himself/herself to come under the bondage of the Law. If we are led by the Spirit, then we are not under the law. Galatians 5: 18 “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.” We are under a new law that transcends and overcomes the Law that led to sin and death, and I will end with this passage in Romans 8. Romans 8: 1 – 2 “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”    Q: Should I Claim My Contributions As Tax Deductions? A: This question is one of a personal preference. There are those who do not claim their contributions as tax deductions for a wide variety of reasons. Others take full advantage of their legal right to deduct charitable contributions (e. g. tithes, offerings, etc.). Whether to use the deduction or not is entirely at the discretion of the individual. An argument in favor of claiming the deduction is that the added tax savings may allow the individual to contribute more to the cause of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Secondly, the question could be asked, "Why pay more taxes than you legally owe?" It is important to remember that since the beginning of 1987, charitable contributions are deductible only when you itemize deductions using Schedule A (Form 1040). For most conscientious Christians who practice Biblical giving, itemizing their deductions is well worth the relatively small amount of effort or cost involved. Whether you use your contributions as a deduction or not, it is important that we all remember that our only motivation for giving to the LORD (thru' our church) should be our growing love for our Lord and Savior and our desire to see souls born into the Kingdom of God. Should you have any further question, please feel free to contact the church office at 512.371.9293, or a seasoned local tax specialist.  Q: What are the beliefs of RCCG? A: God the Father is the creator of heaven and earth who made man in His own image and likeness. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the God head. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The Death & Resurrection of Christ; That Jesus Christ died on the cross of for the sins of mankind and He rose from the dead in his Glorified body on the third day and He then ascended into heaven where he is seated at the right hand of God the Father. The Holy Spirit... is the comforter and teacher of all things, who dwells within us, uniting us to Christ. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit... is available to all who believe on Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour. This is evidenced by the gift of speaking in unknown tongues. Salvation... is a gift from God through the grace and faith in Jesus Christ. That all who believe in the name of Jesus Christ may be saved by turning from sin to repentance and trusting in His death and resurrection. The Blood of Jesus Christ... which was shed for us at Calvary, cleanses us of all sins and grants us access into the presence of God. Spiritual Healing... is available from God through prayer and, or the laying on of hands. Tithes and Offerings... The giving of which forms an essential part of worship and are potent ways of invoking the blessings of God. See related Item: http://www.salvationcenter.org/faith.asp Q: What is RCCG? A: RCCG is The Redeemed Christian Church of God, which is the family of churches that Salvation Center, Austin belongs to. What is today The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) started as a group prayer meeting. Pa Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi, the founding Superintendent of RCCG had pioneered the prayer meeting in response to the growing need to worship God in spirit and truth. In 1952, the name "The Redeemed Christian Church of God," appeared in a vision to Pa Akindayomi who could neither read nor write. He amazingly, and supernaturally, wrote the words down during this visitation. God told him that this church would go to the ends of the earth and that when the Lord Jesus Christ appears in glory, He would meet this church. The current headquarters of RCCG is: 1-5 Redemption Way, Ebute-Metta, Lagos-Nigeria. There are close to 6, 000 parishes worldwide, with about 106 parishes in North America. See related Item: http://www.rccgna.org Q: Do you have programs for children and teenagers? A: Our Salvation 4 Kids is a fun and Godly place for all children of all ages to be. Q: What if I don’t have someone to take me to Church, can I get a ride? A: If you call the church office by 4:30 pm on Saturday, the Church Secretary will make arrangements for you to be picked up. Q: Do you have other services apart from Sunday service? A: Yes, we do. Click the link below for our other services See related Item: http://www.salvationcenter.org/services.asp Q: How do I get to the Church? A: Our Address is: RCCG SALVATION CENTER 7517 Cameron Road #116-118 Austin, TX 78752 Click the link below for map and directions. See related Item: http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?city=austin&state=TX&address=7517+cameron+rd&zip=78752&country=us&zoom=5 Q: How can I become a member of the Church? A: We do not have a formal membership process. To the Salvation Center family, membership means commitment – us to you and you to us. Our commitment to you is to encourage you to know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, grow in your relationship and fellowship with Him. We want to minister to every area of your life and we want to encourage you to tap into that which God has purposed for your life so you can live a fulfilling life. On your part, we expect you to be committed to our vision and mission, to be involved in at least one of our various ministries and to demonstrate good financial stewardship by giving financially to support God’s work through Salvation Center, Austin. Q: When was the Salvation Center, Austin parish established? A: The inauguration service of Salvation Center, Austin was held on 1st December 2001. |