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What Is The Church Of Christ?
It is time to get back to basics and fundamentals, stirring up our minds by way of remembrance. The knowledge of and respect for the basic foundational teaching is what keeps us on track. When we talk about the church of Christ we are not talking about a denomination. If a church is a denomination it is not the church of Christ, and if it is a church of Christ it is not a denomination. The reason we can be so sure of this is because the Bible tells us about the church of Christ, but there is not a word of authorization anywhere in the Scripture for any denomination of the past, present or future. We regret very much to have to recognize another fact of life. If we want to know what is the church of Christ we will have to look elsewhere than at some of the churches that call themselves churches of Christ. You can find just about anything and everything among so-called "Churches of Christ" today, and that is not a compliment but a criticism.
The word "church" appears one hundred and ten times in the New Testament, translated from a words that means "the called out." This immediately gives us some concept of the church. It refers to people who have been called out of the darkness of sin by the gospel, and into a saved relationship with God in Christ.
A Correct Name
The church is quite properly called the church of Christ because of its relationship to Christ. We urge the reader to pause a moment and take the Bible and read the brief passage of Ephesians 5:23-32.
Having read it, we observe that Christ is the head of the church, the Savior of it, the church is subject to Him. He loves it. He gave Himself up for it. He sanctified it. He cleansed it. He nourishes and cherishes it. Little wonder it is referred to as the church of Christ.
Furthermore, He is the founder and builder of it (Matthew 16:16-18), and the foundation of it (1 Corinthians 3:11). He purchased it with His own blood (Acts 20:28). He called it "my church" (Matthew 16:18). Those who are members of it are people purified by Him, a peculiar people (Titus 2:14).
There are other Scriptural terms that are used to identify the church of which you read in the Bible, such as church of God (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 1:2). It is the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33; Revelation 1:9; Matthew 16:16-18; Colossians 1:13). It is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22,23; Colossians 1:18). It is the house of God, or the family of God (1 Timothy 3:15).
Seeing that these are the designations of inspired writ, we ask, "By what right and authorization do men attach names not found in Scripture for the church to what they call the church?" This is one of the reasons those who are true to the Bible can have no attachments to denominations. To "speak as the oracles of God" (1 Peter 4:11) applies.
In Propbecy
The church is that institution that was prophecied to come by the prophets of old. Yes, the church is an institution, and we give no place for a moment to those who like to ridicule the idea that the church is an institution. Some say it is not an organization, but an organism. That is like saying a man is not a human, but a person. He is both. And the church is organized, has been instituted, and is an organism because it is the body of Christ. Why get away from correct descriptions, just in order to pacify an element of society that disdains "organized religion." The religion of Christ is organized, whether anybody accepts it or not.
In the Old Testament the "house of the Lord, " the "kingdom" was foretold. Daniel 2:44, "And in the days of those kings the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom..." Isaiah 2:2, "...that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains... Many signs were prophecied that would announce the coming of the kingdom, such as the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the apostles (Acts 1:5-8; Luke 24:47-49). Acts 2 tells us of the fulfillment of such things. Peter preached that all the prophets had foretold of those days (Acts 3:24). John the Baptizer announced its coming as did Jesus, His apostles, and the seventy that were sent forth.
Marks Of Identification
The church of Christ is that church that had its beginning oy the first Pentecost after the death, burial, resurrection an ascension of Christ (Acts 2). Peter said that was the time of the beginning (Acts 11:15). On that day, for the first time, people were added to the church (Acts 2:47). The church of Christ s not of recent origin, but is now approaching its two thousa! i year anniversary.
The church had a mission, a government, a manner of worship, terms of entrance, and a pattern of life to be lived by its members. All these things are governed and regulated by Scripture. There was no human creed, discipline, catechism manual, confessional, prayer book, conference, council, etc, to govern the church of Christ. It was not Protestant. although it protested all evil. It was not Catholic, although it is and was universal in nature. It was not Jewish, although many Jews were members of it and it composed spiritual Israel (Galatians 3:29). It was unique and distinctive as the church of Christ The church of Christ was not some invisible or vague sort of thing, as we are sometimes taught by denominationalists. It is made up of individual members that form the whole body. "Ye are the body of Christ and members in particular." (1 Corinthians 12:27). Paul was talking about people, but a very distinct people. He was talking about people who had heard the gospel, believed it, and obeyed it in repentance, confession of their faith, and baptism into Christ. The church is composed of people who have been baptized as the Holy Spirit directed (1 Corinthians 12:13). One person is not the church, but a member of the church.
The church is a "spiritual house, an holy priesthood." (1 Peter 2:5). This house is made up of living or lively stones (1 Peter 2:5). It is a "royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people." (1 Peter 2:9).
The church is the saved (Acts 2:47; Ephesians 5:23). While Christ came to this earth to offer salvation to all, not all will benefit from His sacrifice because not all will come to Him. But those that come to Him will be saved, and He is the Savior of those who do come to Him, not those who refuse to come to Him. Someday, those in the church, which is His kingdom, shall be delivered up to the Father when Christ comes again (1 Corinthians 15:24). Those not in that kingdom, the church, will not be so delivered.
From The Mind Of God
The church of Christ is not a creation and invention of the minds of men, but from God (Ephesians 3:10). Its very existence is a demonstration of the wisdom of God in saving man. It is not an "afterthought" and a substitute measure erected by Christ after He decided not to establish His kingdom as the false premillennial theory teaches. It is rather the temple of the Lord (Ephesians 2:21).
The church is what the Bible shows it to be. The church is not what men have done with it and to it. One may call himself the president of the United States, but calling himself that does not mean that he is. If he is, he is rightly called the president of the United States. And a church is not the church of Christ just because it might call itself the church of Christ. It is the church of Christ if it is like the Bible defines and describes it, and will call itself by that identification, as well as the others the Scripture allows.
Any church not founded in Jerusalem, on Pentecost, by Christ, is not the church of Christ. A church that digresses from the work, worship, mission and message has no right to be called a church of Christ. It is no longer of Him when it varies from His way. It is a church fallen into apostasy.