THE CHURCH OF CHRIST —WHAT IS IT? (Part 3)

By Bob Myhan

The church of Christ is not a de­nomination. It is the church of Christ or the Lord’s church. It is the family of God and Christ. The Lord did not authorize denominational­ism, much less estab­lish any denomina­tion. De­nomina­tionalism pro­motes di­vision and is there­fore antithetical to Jesus’ prayer for unity.

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS THE BODY OF CHRIST OR ALL THOSE WHO ARE IN CHRIST

By “in Christ” we mean “in a right rela­tionship with Christ.” Remember the prayer of Jesus for unity in John 17:20-21?

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

All believers are “in” the Father and Son if, and to the extent that, they are united in a right relationship with the Father and the Son. One cannot be “in” the Father without being “in” the Son and vice versa (1 John 2:23).

Paul men­tioned “the salvation which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:10). To be saved, there­fore is to be “in Christ Jesus.”

Peter said,

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Paul wrote that Jesus “is the head of the body, the church” (Col. 1:18). Paul also wrote that Jesus “is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body” (Eph. 5:23). Since the body and the church are one and the same, and Jesus is the Savior of the body, then He is the Savior of the church. That is, the church is the body of the saved, the totality of those who are “in Christ Jesus.” It is “the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Eph. 1:22-23), so that all who are “in Christ” are also in “the body of Christ.”

Paul wrote,

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new crea­tion; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Cor. 5:17).

Therefore, that which puts one “into” Christ causes one to be “a new creation.” But baptism outs one “into” Christ (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27). Thus, baptism causes one to be “a new creation.”

Paul also wrote,

For by one Spirit we were all bap­tized into one body (1 Cor. 12:13).

Therefore, being baptized is essential to being in the one body. Therefore, the one body does not include anyone who has not been baptized. If this is not so, why is it not?

THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND CHRIST

The kingdom of God, or the kingdom of heaven, was “at hand” during the minis­tries of John and Jesus (Mark 1:14,15; Matt. 3:1,2; 4:17). Those who are “born of water and the Spirit” are conveyed into the kingdom of God and of His dear Son (John 3:3-5; Col. 1:12-13).

The kingdom of Jesus Christ was already set up in the first century (Rev. 1:9). Jesus said He would build His church and would give the apostles the keys to the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 16:18,19). He said some of them would not die before they saw the kingdom come with power (Mark 9:1). When asked about His king­dom Jesus re­minded them of the power with which the kingdom would come (Acts 1:4-8). The apostles received power a few days later (Acts 2:1-43).

The church, for the first time is spoken of as in existence (Acts 2:44-47). The kingdom/church of Christ is a spiritual realm (John 18:36). It will be delivered “to God the Father” when Jesus returns (1 Cor. 15:23-26).

Dear reader, if you have not been bap­tized in the name of Jesus Christ for the re­mission of sins you are not in Christ, have not become a new creature, have not been born again, and are not a member of His family, are not a part of His spiritual body and are not a citizen in His kingdom. &

Why "Liberal" and "Conservative" Churches of Christ?

By Robert Harkrider, Orlando, Florida

During the past three decades many have asked this ques­tion. Some sincere brethren who have been caught up in one stream or another never fully under­stood; and many who were too young be­fore have now grown to adulthood wonder­ing why. It is therefore a good question worthy of repeated investigation. Labels of "liberal" and "institutional,^” versus "anti" and "conservative," have been used by some as a prejudicial tool to halt further in­vestigation. Labels used as prejudicial clubs are to be condemned; yet the terms "liberal" and "conservative" are proper when used as adjectives to describe a dif­ference in attitude toward Bible authority, and consequently, a difference in prac­tices. As the years go by, the attitude un­derlying the division becomes more appar­ent. We are not separated because one group be­lieves in benevolence and the other does not, nor because of jealousy and envy. We have divided over a basic atti­tude toward the Bible. A liberal attitude justifies any ac­tivity that seems to be a “good work" un­der the concept, "We do a lot of things for which we have no Bible au­thor­ity." A con­servative attitude makes a plea to have Bible authority (either generic or specific) for all we do - therefore re­fraining from in­volving the church in activi­ties alien to that of the church in the New Testament.

Briefly, the walls of innovations which have divided us are built in three areas:

WHO? Who is to do the work of the church? The church? Or a human in­stitution? The church has a God-given work to do, and the Lord made the church sufficient to do its own work. Within the frame­work of elders and deacons, a local church is the only organization necessary to fulfill its mission of evangelism, edifica­tion and benevolence (Eph. 3:10-11; 4:11-16; I Tim. 3:15). However, a wedge was driven when some began to reason that the church may build and maintain a sepa­rate institution - a different WHO to do the work of the church. This separate institu­tion is human in origin and control. It is not a church nor governed by the church - yet it receives financial maintenance from the church. Human institutions so arranged (such as benevolent homes, hospitals, col­leges or missionary societies) may be do­ing a "good work." But when they become leeches on the church, they deny its inde­pendence and all sufficiency and make a "fund-raising house" of God's church.

HOW? How is the work of the church to be overseen? On a local basis with sepa­rate, autonomous congregations? Or may several local churches work as a unit through a sponsoring eldership? The or­ganization of the New Testament church was local in nature, with elders limited to oversight of the work of the flock among them (Acts 14:23; 20:28; I Peter 5:2). We are divided by those who promote "brotherhood works" through a plan of inter-congregational effort with central­ized oversight - an unscriptural HOW.

WHAT? What is the mission of the church? Spiritual, or also social? It is in this area that the loose attitude toward the Scriptures is becoming more appar­ent. Though wholesome activities are needed for all, the Lord died for a higher and ho­lier mission than food, fun, and frolic. Let the church be free to spend its energy and resources in spiritual pur­poses (I Pet. 2:5; Rom. 14:17) and let the home be busy in providing social needs (I Cor. 11:22, 34). & (via the Sower)