Strange Things Heard About The Church of Christ Define Church of Christ- Mt. 16:18; Rom. 16:16 ( Universal and Local usage). Ekklesia- Gr. called out ones. “of Christ-” belonging to the Anointed One. So the Church of Christ is the body of believers who have been called out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. The way this is done is they are called by the gospel when one has heard, believed, repented, confessed and been baptized into Christ for remission of sins. These continued to be called to walk faithfully (Rev. 2:10).

Strange Things Heard About the Church “You believe in water salvation.” Reply- The water by itself does not save anyone. There is no intrinsic cleansing power in H2O. The water is where the blood of Christ is applied (Rom. 6:1-4; 1 Peter 1:18,19- you were not redeemed with corruptible things…but by the precious blood of Christ. Heb. 9:14- “how much shall the blood of Christ purge you from dead works” Eph. 2:13- “now in Christ you who were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ v. 16- we are reconciled by the cross into one body). Rom. 6:3-10- READ. How do we get “in Christ?” Gal. 3:27- Baptized into Him How do we get into one body (Eph. 1:22,23; 4:4; Acts 2:47- the saved are in the church- the church is the body.

Strange Comments About the Church “ You don’t believe in music” We believe in what the Bible authorizes in worship (vocal music)- Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16. Instrumental music was authorized in the OT (Ps. 150). God certainly knew how to tell us to use it if he wanted it. He did not authorize instrumental music in NT worship therefore we cannot practice what is not authorized. Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16- show the instrument today is the heart and not mechanical instruments. Each of us is to sing for ourselves ( no authority for choirs). The songs we are to sing are scriptural songs. Our worship is to have a dignity to it not to have the atmosphere of a campout. God is the primary audience for our worship so we must do what pleases Him.

Strange Things Heard “The church of Christ is a cult” Define cult- “a religion regarded as unorthodox” “devotion to a person or thing” “a religious group centered around a charismatic person that engages in mind-control and rejects the Bible as sole authority.” Cult- “Religiously it describes a group that typically follows a charismatic leader other than Christ and believes in special revelation.”- Kingdom of the Cults- The Lord’s church does not fit this description but has been called a “sect” by some (Acts 24:5; 28:22). Calling a group this is a tactic to turn attention from the truth of what is taught and practiced when compared to the Bible. Cult brings to mind visions of Jim Jones, Charles Manson etc. and no one wants that association.

Strange Things Heard About The Church “the church of Christ was founded by Alexander Campbell”- hence the name ‘Campbellites’ Campbell believed in returning to the original standard, for this is the meaning of the term "restore." When one restores something which has existed earlier, he does not create or originate; he attempts to reproduce an earlier work "I have always repudiated all human heads and human names for the people of the Lord, and shall feel very thankful if you will correct the erroneous impression which your article may have made in thus representing me as the founder of a religious denomination." (Richardson, Memoirs of Campbell, II, 441) Campbell was one leader in a movement to get all churches to abandon all creeds and man-made names and go “back to the Bible” for authority in all practices. He was a Baptist for 17 years but was baptized for remission of sins late in life. The Lord’s church was established in Jerusalem in about 33 AD and was founded by Jesus Christ. He has only one church (Eph. 1:22,23). Campbell believed in “no creed but the Bible”

Strange Things Heard About the Church “People in the Church of Christ think they are the only ones going to heaven.” Not all members of the Church of Christ will make it to heaven. We must be “steadfast, immoveable and always abounding” to go (1 Cor. 15:58) and we must be faithful “unto death” (Rev. 2:10). No one will be saved without being in Christ (Gal. 3:27)The Lord adds all the saved to His church (Acts 2:47) Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but he that does the will of the Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:21).

Strange Things Heard About the Church “people in the Church of Christ believe in works salvation.” What did Jesus say? “if you love me you will keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15). We are saved by faith (Gal. 3:26) but not faith only (James 2:24) this passage also says we are saved by works. Rev. 20:12- “the dead were judged…according to their works.” We must do the works of God to be saved but it does not matter if anyone does some system of manmade works. Whatever God says for us to do we should be willing to do as soon as we can, salvation is urgent and comes as a result of Jesus dying. We cannot save ourselves.

Valid Charges There are some in the Lord’s church who have digressed into cult like organizations (House church, Boston church movement –prayer partners to confess sins to, etc. Beware! Some have perverted the gospel and some men want to lead away disciples after themselves (institutional churches). Some Christians are poor examples and give the Lord’s cause a bad name. Because some do not live and teach the gospel does not mean the truth cannot be followed.

Strange Things Heard About The Church “people in the church of Christ are don’t believe in grace or the Holy Spirit.” The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace ( Rom 3:24- Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Eph 2:8- For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Titus 2:11- For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

The Holy Spirit 1 Thess 4:7-8- For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. John 16:13- Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. We have all truth today in His Word, the Bible. The purpose for direct operation of the Holy Spirit has ceased. The Spirit stills dwells in the Christian through the Word. What would He do for us or to us that the applied Word does not do in us?

The One True Church There is only one church that pleases God. It belongs to Christ. He died to purchase it (Acts 20:28 - Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. The Lord’s church is called after His name. No man made groups are the Lord’s church.

Speaking Where The Bible Speaks New Testament Christians that worship in local churches believe that the Bible is the power of God unto salvation(Rom. 1:16). We believe that God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness(2 Peter 1:3- According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 2 Tim. 3:16,17- “all scripture is given by inspiration…”

What Did Jesus Say About Salvation?