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CHURCH OF CHRIST is composed of people who are trying to be just
what Christians were in the first century - followers of the Lord
in such a way as to glorify God in all they are and do! They
believe and practice a bi-lateral covenant relationship with the
Lord that is initiated on their part when they comply with those
commands that are contained in the Gospel of Christ and which
causes the Lord to add them to His body (or church) as in Acts
2:47. Obedience to these commands equate to the "New
Birth" Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about in John 3:3-5, and are
what is to be preached in the Great commission that's to every
creature, Mark 16:15-16. It was the preaching of this commission
on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:1-47, where the apostles - by the
guidance and power of the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord had said in
John 16:13 would guide them into all the truth - proclaimed the
terms of the Lord's
acceptance that resulted in those being added
to His church.
Members of the church of Christ have
personal responsibilities and relationships with God and join
themselves together into local congregational units, as the New
Testament teaches and authorizes, for their mutual growth,
encouragement and edification. Congregations are mutually
exclusive units, organized and self-governing, each fulfilling its
responsibilities in keeping with scriptural authority and
limitations. There are several points of identity, both in
organization and function, that are set forth in the Scriptures
which are felt to be very important in setting the church of
Christ apart from the denominational world, both Protestant and
Catholic. When you attend a service of a church of Christ you can
expect to see differences that are manifested in the following
things:
1. TERMINOLOGY. We strive to "speak
where the Bible speaks and remain silent
where the Bible is silent," in keeping with passages like 1
Peter 4:11. One of the
most important aspects of Christianity and fulfilling our
obligations to God is in the area of communicating the gospel to
others, and if we cannot be understood we're surely not obeying
God in a way that's pleasing to Him. We are glad to entertain and
study Bible questions with those of differing thoughts or
understanding of the
scriptures.
2. ACTS OF PRAISE AND ADORATION. Our
worship activities are limited to and
restricted by what we find in the Scriptures. We do not try to
enhance our praise
activities by adding strange or foreign elements to what God has
ordained, or
authorized. When God tells in His word what He wants His creation
(man) to do in
honoring and glorifying Him, we try to do that as explicitly as it
is revealed, and as is our power to do so!
a) For instance, we do not use
instruments of music in our services simply because God didn't
authorize Christians to do so in their assemblies. We are
impressed that God has the right to stipulate what He wants of us,
we are but to comply.
b). When we pray to God we allow Christ
and the Holy Spirit to intercede for us and present
"groanings in our behalf" (Rom 8:26-27). We do not go
through anyone else (even Mary, the mother of Jesus) nor do we
offer substitutes for praying, such as burning candles.
c). We partake of the Lord's Supper on
the first day of every week, like the example of New Testament
Christians, Acts 20:7. We do this simply and humbly - without changing the elements, the terminology, the participants, or the
purpose.
d) Members of Christ's church support the
work of the Lord with freewill gifts and offerings, according to prosperity and based on love. It is done
on the first day of
the week and funds are not solicited form outside people or
organizations. It's the
responsibility of each local membership to support the
evangelization, edification
and benevolence that congregation is to do. 1 Cor 16:2; 2 Cor 9:7
3. ORGANIZATION. The purpose for the
"organizing" of any group is FUNCTION, or
work! Since god has designated the work He wants His church to
fulfill, as noted
above, we must have organization in the church of the Lord. Since
God is the author
of our faith and actions, we must subscribe to His word for
directions in organizing
and functioning as His people. Each congregation is to have its
own elders to oversee the flock. These elders must meet the
qualifications for serving in that capacity, as set forth in 1
Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:6-9. Such men so appointed oversees only
the congregation "that is among them." 1 Pet 5:2 That's
how the autonomy of a local church is maintained.
4. IMPORTANCE OF THE CHURCH. Members of
the church of Christ believe it to be Divine in nature and origin,
and not just the result of some man's idea and doctrine. The
Church was not the afterthought of a depressed and rejected Jesus,
but it was according to and the fruition of the eternal plan of
God to bring this body of people into existence - "called
out" from the world! Christians are "called out" by
the gospel by responding positively to the terms of obedience set
forth in that message which was preached by the apostles of
Christ. Everyone who is saved is added to the church by the Lord -
Acts 2:47. The very thing that puts one into the church is what
puts him INTO CHRIST! We can't be saved without being IN CHRIST,
because that's where salvation is!
5. WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? If
salvation is only to be found in Christ, or in His Church, then
the obvious answer to this question is to "get to where
salvation is!" If I truly desire to be SAVED in the sight of
God then I must not hesitate getting to that place where I can be!
Salvation takes place in the mind of God, so He's the One I must
strive to please. Those who are saved are saved by the grace of
God - Eph 2:5, 8-9. But those who reject the terms of the gospel
cannot be saved because His grace is accessed through our faithful
obedience - Rom 5:1-2.
The "grace of God teaches us"
and when we "abide in the teachings of Jesus" we're
saved. Titus 2:11-12; John 15:6-10.
WHAT WOULD THE LORD HAVE ME, A SINNER, DO
TO BE SAVED?
a) Believe in Jesus as the Son of God.
John 8:24; 8:21; Heb 11:6.
b) Repent of sins. Luke 13:3; Acts 2:38; 17:30.
c) Confess faith in Christ. Matt 10:32; Acts 8:37; Rom 10:9-10
d) Be baptized for the remission of sins. Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38
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