In Search of Truth
"As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." (Proverbs 27:17)
 
 In Search of TruthIn Search Of Truth  FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   RegisterRegister   Log inLog in 

your website - Church of Christ?

 
   In Search of Truth Forum Index -> The Church
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
email
Non-Member


Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 517
Location: ether

PostPosted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 12:40 pm    Post subject: your website - Church of Christ?

Are you with the church of Christ ?
_________________
The above presented views do not necessarily represent any specific individual, registered on this forum or otherwise.
Who is "email"?
Back to top
m273p15c



Joined: 28 Sep 1999
Posts: 500

PostPosted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:36 pm    Post subject:

Depends on what you mean - probably the answer is, yes.

If you consider the "church of Christ" to be the one true church, universal body of all the saved, whose head is Christ, then, yes, I am personally doing my best to serve as a member of that body (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:4-6). However, the Lord ultimately controls its membership (Acts 2:37-38, 41, 47).

If you are wondering what the sign says outside of the building, where I worship, then yes, the sign does mention the church being a "church of Christ". Although this a fine, Scriptural name for any local congregation of the Lord's saints (Romans 16:16), others would also be acceptable, presuming the name emphasized the Savior of the body, rather than some feature peculiar to the group's peculiar interest. Please consult the following article for more information on this topic:

Bible Names of the Local Church

If you are curious about membership in the "church of Christ" denomination, then the answer is, no. The denominational concept is rejected by Scripture (I Corinthians 1:10-13). Unity of God's people upon the pure truth, was His original plan, and it is still His prayer (John 17:20-23; James 3:14-18). Many people sign up to follow a particular creed, or system of beliefs. However, myself, and others where I worship, strive to only follow the Bible. We will follow the Lord wherever He leads us through His revealed will. If God's Word illuminates error in our teaching and practices, then we must follow Him, no matter how cherished be the doctrine dashed by the truth. Additionally, we have no inter-congregational relationship, organization, or oversight of any kind, except the one Shepherd (Ephesians 4:11-16; Ephesians 5:25-28). Each congregation is autonomous, which is opposite to most modern denominations. Nothing holds us to a particular "party" or belief system, except the Word of God, our conscience, and the providential rebuke of the Lord (Hebrews 12:5-13).

If you are referring to a group of people that think they are saved just because the sign says, "church of Christ", then the answer is, no. God does not save local churches. He saves people as individuals (Acts 2:41, 47). Too many people think that occupying a pew is equivalent to obtaining a ticket to heaven. Ultimately, the Lord will judge us according to things done in the body (II Corinthians 5:10; Romans 14:11-12; I Peter 1:17). A positive judgment will require more than just saying the right things, and it will require more than doing good things in the Lord's name (Matthew 7:21-23 - very sobering). It will require diligent preparation, obedience, and thoughtful love put in action (Matthew 25:1-46; James 2:14-26). Therefore nobody will ride someone else's "wake" into heaven, even if they shared a pew with the most godly of saints.

Your brief questions deserved an efficient answer; however, I felt compelled to explain a little more, because so many confusing, false doctrines are being taught in the world, regarding denominations and the nature of the church.

If you have any other questions, comments, feedback, or concerns, we would be glad to hear them. We are always thankful for the opportunity to study God's Word with those who are concerned about eternal and spiritual things.

May God bless us with a sincere love of the truth.
Back to top
Display posts from previous:   
   In Search of Truth Forum Index -> The Church All times are GMT - 6 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
Questions and Comments can be sent to us using this form. Logo, name, and graphics are copyrighted by © insearchoftruth.org 1999, 2007. All other content is hereby released to the public domain, and therefore, may be freely copied and distributed without inquiry. However, it would be appreciated if you provided a link back to our site.

All material on this site is informational only and provided "as is" without warranties, representations, or guarantees of any kind. insearchoftruth.org disclaims any and all implied warranties respecting your judgment before God. Only Jesus can stand beside you in final judgment; however, insearchoftruth.org is unqualified to guarantee His representation. Use of insearchoftruth.org is entirely at your own risk and is not a substitute for conducting your own honest Bible study and search for truth.

Search our site


Find Bible verse or word

HELP

Forum Updates

RE: The meaning of life - divinity now - Sin and Salvation 11/20/2008 11:43 PM

RE: The meaning of life - divinity now - Sin and Salvation 11/13/2008 05:09 PM

RE: The meaning of life - divinity now - Sin and Salvation 11/13/2008 12:51 PM

RE: Repentance, Murder, and Restitution - Sin and Salvation 11/13/2008 12:37 PM

RE: The meaning of life - divinity now - Sin and Salvation 11/11/2008 02:02 PM

RE: Repentance, Murder, and Restitution - Sin and Salvation 11/11/2008 01:53 PM

RE: Repentance, Murder, and Restitution - Sin and Salvation 11/11/2008 12:18 PM

RE: Repentance, Murder, and Restitution - Sin and Salvation 11/10/2008 05:49 PM

Repentance, Murder, and Restitution - Sin and Salvation 11/10/2008 12:58 PM

RE: The meaning of life - divinity now - Sin and Salvation 11/08/2008 08:19 PM

Article Updates

"Today's Decisions Affecting Tomorrow" - Presentation 06/14/2008

"Today's Decisions Affecting Tomorrow" - Outline 06/14/2008

Understanding the Bible 06/08/2008

Answering Questions Regarding the Old and New Covenants 05/25/2008

The Origin of the Devil 04/01/2007

How Can I Know I am Saved? 05/09/2006

The God Who Hopes 04/25/2006