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The Differences Between The Christian Church And Churches Of Christ
It is sometimes thought that the only difference between the Christian Church and churches of Christ is the instrument of music in worship. We hope to make clear that this does not reveal the entire picture. We do not take any pleasure in noting religious differences inasmuch as we know the Lord is pleased when there is unity. There is a difference between truth and error, and to teach the full truth the error must be exposed and opposed. While there are similarities between these two churches, there are significant differences that cannot be overlooked.
In the last part of the eighteenth century there arose men who recognized the sinfulness of denominationalism and religious division. They proposed religious unity based on the Word of God. In the early nineteenth century there were men like Barton W. Stone in Kentucky who led a movement of people who called themselves the Christian Church and Christians. A while later there came Alexander Campbell in Pennsylvania and Virginia who had a similar plea to Stone but who called themselves "Disciples." When there was the eventual contact between the two groups in 1832, it was determined that they believed many things alike and began discussing their differences, which were gradually resolved as they contended that unity must be based on the authority of the Scriptures. The two groups merged into one and remained in unity from 1832 until 1849. Their goal was to "speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent." They promoted unity in matters of faith and charity in matters of human opinion. They called themselves by the Biblical name of "Christians." They sought not to erect another denomination, but to restore the New Testament church by following the New Testament pattern. There was not only unity but tremendous growth in what is now looked upon historically as the Restoration Movement.
Rise Of Division
There arose divisions among those who sought the restoration of the faith of Christ. Out of these differences have come the distinction between the Christian Church and churches of Christ. There are a number of wide gaps between the two groups, but fundamentally the real division is over the attitude toward the Bible. The difference between the churches of Christ and the Christian Church is much the same as that between churches of Christ and all other denominational bodies. It is the attitude toward the Scriptures. Members of the church of Christ would contend as Peter taught, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God." (I Peter 4:11). There should be no additions, subtractions, substitutions, or alterations from the Bible. There must be Biblical authority for what is done and taught. In other words, the motto of speaking where the Bible speaks has remained the watchword. On the other hand, those of the Christian Church adopted the attitude that man is permitted to do whatever God does not specifically prohibit. If Scripture does not expressly forbid something, we are at liberty to do it if we see fit.
Two Attitudes
To summarize briefly the two attitudes: churches of Christ contend that we should go by what the Bible teaches while the Christian Church contends we are permitted to go by what the Bible does not prohibit . The result has been an ever-widening gap in practice, doctrine, faith, and position. It is not unfair to say that the Christian Church in my lifetime has drifted more and more away from the Bible as authority and they have patterned themselves after the denominations around them. They even admit to being just another denomination among denominations. While there are some Christian Churches that like to be known as the conservative Christian Church, some even wear the name Church of Christ, the basic position regarding the Bible stance..., is just a matter of time until the differences between those and the churches of Christ become more pronounced.
Missionary Societies
The first major division came over the introduction of the missionary societies 1849 the Restoration movement was not troubled by these things. A man named David S. Burnett, formerly Baptist, liked the idea and promised on his sick bed in 1845 to start a missionary society. He got it going in 1849 to the disruption of peace among brethren.
While the missionary society advocates claimed it was but a simple method for mission work, it was more than that. There is nothing wrong in legitimate methods, or doing things decently and orderly Certainly spreading the gospel is the work of the church Nor is there anything wrong with churches cooperating in doing ouch work because New Testament churches worked with each other in accomplishing the mission of the church sharing, giving, receiving one from another to spread the cause of Christ. The missionary society was a structure that displaced the church and was without Biblical authority. It even had delegates from the various local congregations to meet and make decisions with which churches who were members of the society were obligated to conform. The society became a legislative body, usurping the authority of local elderships, violating the local church autonomy which the New Testament teaches. God set up a system of elders over the local church and each church was meant to be independently governed. However, under the missionary society, delegates of many churches made the decisions what the local churches were to do. They began to hire and fire" preachers, telling them when, where, and what to preach. Some even advocated assigning the amounts of contribution to the society that each church was expected to contribute. The missionary society became a wedge that split the restoration movement.
Instrumental Music
About ten years later, another innovation of denominational invention was forced upon churches. This was the mechanical instrument of music in the worship of God. While the Scriptures authorized singing, the instrument produced another kind of music that God did not authorize. Those who were determined to stay with the Scriptures rejected the instrument. Those who liked the philosophy that they could do whatever was not expressly forbidden moved it in. This human innovation (.completed the division between the two groups. It was the result of abandoning the necessity for Biblical authority. Through the years since the early part of the twentieth century, other divisions have come forth as could be expected. Once you leave the necessity for Biblical authority, there is no limit to which people can and will go.
Government
There has been a change in the government of local congregations among Christian Churches away from elderships to governing boards that include both men and women. Women cannot be elders, nor can they take authority over men. Yet, the Christian Church does it anyway. Some years ago when I lived in South Bend, Indiana, a woman from the local Christian Church called me by telephone. She was disturbed because the Board of their church proposed to place a woman as chairman of the Board. She was already on the Board. She thought that would be wrong because she would have authority over men, which Paul specifically forbids. I told her not to object: they had already left the Bible by having a Board and by having a woman on it. They would not aggravate the sins among them anymore by letting her be "top man." She got the point, but went along with them anyway. The Christian Church has established another 'office" in the church in addition to elder and deacon with a "deaconess." unauthorized in the Scripture. Women serve, but not as some kind of female counterpart to a male deacon. Decisions in many Christian Churches are made on the basis of majority rule, voting, and sometimes preacher rule. Majority rule was the way the instrument got into many places. The Lord's plan is that elderships have the oversight, but some wanted a democracy and changed things
Tithing
Some Christian Churches teach tithing as God's law for today, borrowing a portion of the Mosaic Law even though that law was nailed to the cross. There is fellowship and cooperation with Christian Churches of the false teachers of denominationalism Their ministers are members of the local ministerial associations alongside all the other clergymen. They often exchange pulpits. They promote religious meetings together even though some participants have not even obeyed the gospel and are not Christians as the New Testament uses the term. There have been instances where Christian Church preachers have exchanged pulpits with a Jewish Rabbi, one who denies that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
Other Sources of Division
Modernism and liberalism run rampant among Christian Churches to such an extent that the inspiration of the Bible, the Deity of Christ, His virgin birth, and the historicity of miracles is denied. Their preachers have copied the denominational clergy in the wearing of titles and robes, calling themselves Pastor and Reverend.
Christian Churches most often observe special religious "holy days" for which there is no Biblical authority. They recognize Easter, Christmas, Lent, and on and on. It is not uncommon for them to celebrate these unscriptural celebrations in fellowship with all other denominations. All they are doing is nibbling at Roman Catholic traditions. They have left the Bible and are following men.
Open membership is acceptable to many Christian Churches today. Open membership means one only must say he believes in Christ and baptism is no longer necessary for one to be accepted into the fellowship of many Christian Churches. Some of my own kin were accepted into the Christian Church on the basis of having been sprinkled as a child.
The Christian Church long ago went in big for entertainments, social events, playground and gymnasium promotions, sponsoring the Boy Scouts, Little League bail teams, etc. Following their philosophy of doing whatever is not specifically forbidden, there is no limit to which they can involve themselves in anything regardless of what the Scripture denotes as the work of the church. These differences are also noticeable in the inclusion of women preachers and song leaders. There are many things that now divide the churches of Christ from the Christian Church.
Let me go back just a little bit and say that there are many things that divide faithful churches of Christ from the Christian Church denomination It is one of the tragedies of my life to have to observe so many who were once faithful brethren adopt the plan and pattern, practice and preaching of the digressions and apostasies of the Christian Church. Some have taken in the mechanical instrument. Many are building their own gymnasiums and have their church league ball teams. There is what I called Youth Worship or Children's Church separate from the assembly. Women are teaching in the presence of men. Churches are getting a larger and larger "staff" with titles galore for each official. Acceptance of triune baptism is advocated. A repentance of baptism as taught and practiced by Baptists is advocated. Celebration of the "holy days" in fellowship with denominational clergymen has become the "in" thing with some of the more "with it" brethren. They have become as removed from the truth as Christian Churches ever thought about doing. They have left the need for authority and are "doing their own thing." Some of the biggest names among us have appeared on programs of the Christian Church designed to promote the growth of the Christian Church. Yet, these same apostates are on the college lectureships, in the brotherhood papers, invited for gospel meetings as if they were sound in the faith. The "go alongism" that has stained the churches of Christ in recent years has blurred the differences between the Christian Church and what some still prefer to be called churches of Christ.
No Compromise
There is no compromise between truth and error if we be faithful to God. As long as time lasts, the difference between the Christian Church and that which our Lord purchased with His blood will be distinct in the minds of those who still love the Word of God. We have not been able to discuss the pros and cons of each issue in this one lesson, but only have noted the differences. But the arguments are discussed in various other lessons from time to time.