How To Respond To The Gospel

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The plan above leaves out the commands of

Obedient Faith & Baptism

Church Of Christ Facts

Is the church building that has the name Church of Christ hanging above the door the only group of Christians going to heaven?

1) Church of Christ saints are not the only ones who respect the Bible as God’s Book. It is true that many do not believe the Bible is inspired. These reject the Creation story and the miracles. Some religionists are surprised when pressure is exerted to learn that their own preachers deny the inspiration of the Bible.

2 Pet. 1:20,21 – “but know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.”

I Thess. 2:13 – “and for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the Word of God’s message you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”

They make no apology for believing that the inspired writers gave us what God intended them to write. They know that the apostles believed that the words they were writing came from God. This is one of the basic beliefs of the church of Christ. However… there are other groups who do believe the Bible, so we are not “the only ones.” Evolution and humanism are being opposed by conservative preachers in some denominations. Some are trying to oust the modernists from their theological schools and are leading fights in the creation/evolution battles, so this point alone is not what makes us different.

2) They are not the only ones who recognize distinctions between the Old Testament and the New Testament. What is that distinction?

A. Jeremiah 31:31-34

31* “Behold, days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,

32* not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD.

33* “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

34* “They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the LORD, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

– God promised a new covenant. The New Testament reveals that it has come, John 1:17 – “For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”

B. For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. Hebrews 8:7-13; 9:15-17 Heb. 8:7ff direct quote from Jer. 31:31ff 7

8* For finding fault with them, He says, “BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH;

9* NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD.

10* “FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

11* “AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, ‘KNOW THE LORD,’ FOR ALL WILL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM.

12* “FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE.”

13* When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

Romans 15:4 – “for whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

We must still study the O.T. and learn from its examples but we look to Christ in the New Testament for Salvation.

Hebrews 1:1,2

1* God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2* in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.

Acts 4:12 – “and there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”

The church of Christ congregations are not “the only ones” who understand this, however. Look at the percentage of other religious groups who meet on the first day of the week rather than the Sabbath day for worship and who reject animal sacrifices, polygamy, incense, Passover, etc. There are some others who apparently have believed Col. 2:14 which says, “Having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of degrees against us and which was hostile to us; And he has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

3) They are not the only ones who worship without the use of instruments of music. True, this does make them different. But there is a basic reason for it. Every passage in the New Testament referring to church music identifies it as acapella, which is a Latin term meaning, “as in church.” In all the Bible there are only nine verses that speak about church music.

Matt. 26:30 – After the institution of the Lords Supper, the disciples sang a hymn.

Mark 14:26 – Parallel to Mt. 26:30

Acts 16:25 – Paul and Silas in prison were singing

Romans 15:9 – Mentions singing

I Cor. 14:15 – The early church was to sing with the Spirit

Eph. 5:19 – “singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord.”

Col. 3:16 – “teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Heb. 2:12 – Mentions singing in the midst of the congregation.

James 5:13 – “Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praises.”

The reason the church of Christ do not use instruments of music in their worship is, they were not used by the apostles, they were not used by the New Testament church, they were not used by the church for several hundred years after the church was established.

To make such an addition is to presume what God desires, and man has no right to presume what God desires, he must obey what he has revealed. The fact that instruments were available, but were left out of the New Testament worship holds a significance often overlooked. Old Testament sacrifices and worship involved outward ceremony that became routine. It ceased to be from the heart. A child of God was such by birth, not conviction. He had to be taught who God was. Their worship opportunities became chores and duties that they did not put themselves into (Malachi 1:7-14). Worship became a burden to them. As a Christian, one learns of God and loves him before becoming his child (see again Jeremiah 31:31ff), his worship is to be from the heart, his life is a sacrifice, and instead of some mechanical substitute, the Christian, by singing, gives of himself in worship. However… the church of Christ brotherhood are not the only ones who reject the instrument. Throughout history there have been groups that have realized the importance of worship according to the New Testament design, rather than according to the traditions of men.

4) They are not the only ones who include in worship the Lord’s Supper on a weekly basis. WHY DO THEY DO THIS?

Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper and placed it in the church for regular observance; Paul said in I Cor. 11 that he delivered to them what he had received of the Lord so that “as often” as they observed it, they could show his death until he comes again. As a memorial the Lord’s Supper has beauty and purpose. It provides an opening to teach small children as they grow up. Some say that the Lord’s supper was not taken on a weekly basis by the church in the N.T. but Scriptures reveal that it was, Acts 20:7 – “and on the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread…” The terminology we use identifies frequency. If I say my birthday is March 1st, you do not ask, “Which March 1st?” March 1st pinpoints it as a yearly event since each year has a March 1st. If your boss were to tell you that you were to be paid on the 1st & 15th, you would not say “which month?” Each week has a first day, and it was known that the disciples came together on that day to break bread. However… there are other religious groups that observe something which they regard as the Lord’s Supper on a weekly basis, so at least, on this point, they are not the only ones.

5) They are not the only ones who teach and practice the matter of baptism as they do. They stress that baptism should be immersion because that’s the definition of the original Greek word, and passages like:

Matthew 3:16 – “and after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove.”

Acts 8:36-40 – this passage shows that baptism is to be by immersion.

Romans 6:3-5 (READ) – this passage shows that baptism is to be by immersion.

Col. 2:12 – “Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with him through faith in the working of God…”

However… we all know of some other religious groups that also teach that baptism is by immersion rather than sprinkling or pouring. They teach that baptism should be “for the forgiveness of sins (or the remission of sins) because of passages like:

Acts 2:38 – “for the forgiveness of sins” (little Greek word used here “ace” (for), always prospective in application, this shows the purpose of Baptism). Means “in order to receive.”

Mark 16:15,16 – “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”

Acts 22:16 “arise and be baptized and wash away your sins.”

Gal. 3:26,27 – “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”

I Pet. 3:21 – “and corresponding to that, baptism now saves you… “

Baptism is essential to salvation, as the Bible clearly demonstrates… but there are some other religious groups who teach and practice baptism as essential for salvation, so the church of Christ are not “the only ones” who at least include it as a command from God that stands between the accountable sinner and salvation.

6) To save time, let me illustrate this matter further, but more rapidly.

Church of Christ stress a congregational type of church Government. Christ, not Peter is the head of the church

Col.1:18 “He is also the Head of the Body the church”

Eph. 1:22,23 “He gave him to be head over all things, to the church, which is his body…”

Phil. 1:1,2 – there Paul addresses the “deacons and elders.”)

However… there are many others who do not accept Peter as having been the head of the church. So we are not the only ones who follow the kind of government given to us by God in the Scriptures.

7) They stress that the Bible makes use of the name “Christian,” and terms such as “church of God,” “church of Christ.” These are the Scriptural names:

Acts 11:26 – “the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch.”

Acts 20:28 – the “church of God” is mentioned

Romans 16:16 – “church of Christ”

However, they admit that they are not the only ones who use these Biblical terms to identify the church.

8) They stress that the Bible teaches godliness, holiness, and abstinence from the world.

Titus 2:11-12 – “for the grace of God has appeared, instructing us to deny … .

Heb. 12:14 – “pursue peace, and the sanctification without which no one will see God.”

I Tim. 4:12 – “prove yourself to be an example… “

I Thess. 5:22 – “abstain from every form of evil…”

But they are not the only ones who teach this, and to be honest, they admit that there may be some who show more dedication to the goal than many of their own!

9) They stress the importance of benevolent work and evangelistic work to relieve human suffering and share the gospel with the lost.

Gal. 6:10 – “so then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of Faith.”

I Tim. 5:16 – exhorts us to help dependent widows

Acts 8:4 – people preached even when they were prosecuted.

Mark 16:15,16 – We are to go into all the world.

But… they admit that there are other religious groups who are active in benevolent work, and there are many who may be supporting missionaries to preach their doctrine with a greater per capita level of giving than they have. They do not endorse the plan of salvation being taught by all other groups, but thay do note that they believe in evangelism to teach what they do believe.

1) Are not the only ones who respect the Bible as God’s Book.

2) Are not the only ones who recognize distinctions between the Old Testament and the New Testament.

3) Are not the only ones who worship without the use of instruments of music.

4) Are not the only ones who include in worship the Lord’s Supper on a weekly basis.

5) Are not the only ones who teach and practice baptism by immersion for the remission of sins.

6) Are not the only ones who believe that the New Testament teaches a congregational type of church Government.

7) Are not the only ones who stress that the Bible makes use of the name “Christian.”

8) Are not the only ones who stress that the Bible teaches godliness, holiness, and abstinence from the world.

9) Are not the only ones who stress the importance of benevolent work and evangelistic work to relieve human suffering and share the gospel with the lost.

These nine examples are enough to illustrate the point: The church of Christ are not “the only ones” involved in these key points of practice identified in the Scriptures.

Is there any sense in which the church of Christ is different? Any sense in which it is truly “the only one?” Even though in each case we have studied there are some other religious group's who teach and practice the same basic things we have studied,

THERE IS ONE BIG DIFFERENCE; IT IS ONLY IN THE CHURCH OF CHRIST THAT ONE MAY BELIEVE AND PRACTICE ALL OF THESE THINGS AT THE SAME TIME! Let me illustrate. You may find that church “A” believes in baptism by immersion, but does not baptize for the remission of sins; church “B” may baptize for the remission of sins, but does not worship without adding instruments; church “C” may wear a Scriptural name, but does not take the Lord’s Supper each week, and so on.

Other churches may have a mixture of one or two of these cardinal matters of faith and practice, but omit the rest. You may find a dozen groups practicing tid-bits of truth, but who do you find besides the church of Christ making the plea that we get back to the Bible on all points of doctrine at the same time?

The plea of the restoration movement is that we be Christians, and Christians only, that we speak where the Bible speaks, and be silent where the Bible is silent, that we return completely to the New Testament for our authority in matters of faith and practice. That we speak the Truth, and nothing but the Truth (John 17:17). We do not apologize for saying, “We must follow God and not Man.” Our plea to all is that we all unite under the unity of the Scriptures. When this is done, human traditions will fade into insignificance.

Source:

What Do Scriptures Say?

Objections To Baptism Pt.7

OBJECTION #7: “BAPTISM IS A MERITORIOUS WORK, WHEREAS WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE, NOT WORKS.”

“Works” or “steps” of salvation do not imply that one “merits” his salvation upon obedient compliance with those actions. Rather, “steps” or “a process” signifies the biblical concept of preconditions, stipulations of faith, or acts of obedience—what James called “works” (James 2:17). James was not saying that one can earn his justification (James 2:24). Rather, he was describing the active nature of faith, showing that saving faith, faith that is alive—as opposed to dead and therefore utterly useless (James 2:20)—is the only kind that is acceptable to God, a faith that obeys whatever actions God has indicated must be done. The obedience of both Abraham and Rahab is set forth as illustrative of the kind of faith James says is acceptable. They manifested their trust by actively doing what God wanted done. Such obedient or active trust is the only kind that avails anything. Thus, an obedient response is essential.

The actions themselves are manifestations of this trust that justifies, not the trust itself. But notice that according to James, you cannot have one without the other. Trust, or faith, is dead, until it leads one to obey the specifications God assigned. Here is the essence of salvation that separates those who adhere to biblical teaching from those who have been adversely influenced by the Protestant reformers. The reformers reacted to the unbiblical concept of stacking bad deeds against good deeds in an effort to offset the former by the latter. Unfortunately, the reactionary reformers went to the equally unacceptable, opposite extreme by asserting that man need “only believe” (Luther) or man can do nothing at all (Calvin). The truth is between these two unbiblical extremes.

From Genesis to Revelation, faith is the trusting, obedient reaction that humans manifest in response to what God offers. This is the kind of “justification by faith” that Paul expounded in Romans. Like red flags at the very beginning (Romans 1:5) and at the end (Romans 16:26) of his divinely inspired treatise, he defined what he meant by “faith” with the words “obedient faith” (hupakoeinpisteos), i.e., faith that obeys, obedience which springs from faith. This fact is precisely why God declared His willingness to fulfill the promises He made to Abraham: “because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws” (Genesis 26:5). Hence, in Romans Paul could speak of the necessity of walking “in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had” (Romans 4:12). Until faith obeys, it is useless and cannot justify.

The Hebrews writer made the same point in Hebrews 11. The faith we see in Old Testament “men of faith” availed only after they obeyed God-given stipulations. God rewards those who “diligently seek Him” in faith (vs. 6). Noah “became heir of the righteousness which is by faith” when he “prepared an ark.” If he had not complied with divine instructions, he would have been branded as “unfaithful.” The thing that made the difference, that constituted the line of demarcation between faith and lack of faith, was obedient action—what James called “works,” and Paul called “faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). In this sense, even faith is a “work” (John 6:29). Hebrews 11 repeatedly reinforces this eternal principle: (1) God offers grace (which may at any point in history consist of physical blessings, e.g., healing, salvation from enemies, land or property, etc., or spiritual blessings, e.g., justification, forgiveness, salvation from sin, being made righteous, etc.); (2) man responds in obedient trust (i.e., “faith”) by complying with the stipulated terms; and (3) God bestows the blessing.

It would be wrong to think that man’s obedient response earns or merits the subsequent blessing. Such simply does not logically follow. All blessings God bestows on man are undeserved (Luke 17:10). His rich mercy and loving grace is freely offered and made available—though man never deserves such kindness (Titus 2:11). Still, a non-meritorious response is absolutely necessary if unworthy man is to receive certain blessings.

"And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord."  Acts 22:16

Objections To Baptism Pt.6

OBJECTION #6:  "BAPTISM IS LIKE A BADGE ON A UNIFORM THAT MERELY GIVES EVIDENCE THAT THE PERSON IS ALREADY SAVED."

The New Testament nowhere expounds the idea that baptism is merely a “badge” or “outward sign of an inward grace.” Baptism can be biblically referred to as a reenactment; but what does it portray? Previous forgiveness? No! Romans 6 indicates that baptism symbolizes the previous death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Thus the benefits of Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection (remember, Jesus’ blood, which blots out sin, was shed in the context of His death, burial, and resurrection) are realized and received by the individual when he obediently (in penitent faith) submits to a similar ordeal, i.e., the death of his own “old man” or “body of sin” (Romans 6:6), burial (immersion into a watery tomb), and resurrection (rising from the watery tomb).

Denominational doctrine maintains that forgiveness of sin is received prior to baptism. If so, the “new life” of the saved individual would also begin prior to baptism. Yet Paul said the “new life” occurs after baptism. He reiterated this to the Colossians who were already baptized Christians. The “putting off of the body of the flesh by Christ’s circumcision” (Colossians 2:11) is accomplished in the context of water immersion and being “risen with Him” (Colossians 2:12). Chapter 3 then draws the important observation: “If then you were raised with Christ [an undeniable reference to baptism], seek those things which are above” [an undeniable reference to the new life which follows—not precedes—baptism].

Objections To Baptism Pt.5

OBJECTION #5: “WE ARE CLOTHED WITH CHRIST AND BECOME HIS CHILDREN WHEN WE PLACE OUR FAITH IN HIM.”

Galatians 3:26-27:

“You are all children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

The words “put on” (NKJV) are a translation of the Greek verb enduo which signifies “to enter into, get into, as into clothes, to put on.” Can we be saved prior to “putting Christ on” or “being clothed” with Christ? Of course not. But when and how does one put on Christ according to Paul? When one by faith is baptized in water. Those who teach we can be saved before baptism are, in reality, teaching we can be saved while spiritually naked and without Christ! Paul affirms that we “put on” Christ at the point of our baptism by faith in Jesus, the He will do something for us that we cannot do for ourselves—not before.

Paul wrote these words to people who were already saved. They had been made “sons of God by faith.” But how? At what point had they “been clothed with Christ”? When were they made “sons of God by faith”? When were they saved? Paul makes the answer to these questions very plain: they were united with Christ, had put on Christ, and were clothed with Christ—when they were baptized by faith in Him.

Ask yourself if you have been clothed with Christ the way He dresses new Saints.

What Does The Cross Really Mean?

It's Thanksgiving time again in America. The country and its people have a lot to be thankful for. But are we and the rest of mankind truly thankful about what one certain man did for all of us 2000 years ago?

In reminding the Corinthian Christians of the gospel, Paul gives us a list of things of first importance. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.

"For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,"

The cross is not about a person at work who derides me of my faith and wants to be agnostic.

It's not about shoring up the foundations of my faith so I can challenge those about my Christianity.

The cross is not a challenge to them out there, the cross is a challenge to me.

I am the one confronted by the one who died there. I must make a decision about the one who died there, I must look at the cross because it effects me.

The cross is not about mastering a set of facts, or knowing information about how many manuscripts of where the bible comes from or when it was translated from the Hebrew, or knowing all kinds of proofs that evolution is wrong.

The cross is about my relationship with the one who died on it. The cross is about what that one taught and what he said and what he did and how he calls on me to respond to his cross.

The cross stands at the absolute center of Christianity to be a follower of the one who died upon it. That is what the cross is about.

Are you thankful and Do you want to become a Saint? Then what will you do with the Cross?

Objections To Baptism Pt.4

OBJECTION #4: “A PERSON IS SAVED THE MOMENT HE ACCEPTS CHRIST AS HIS PERSONAL SAVIOR—WHICH PRECEDES AND THEREFORE EXCLUDES WATER BAPTISM.”

To suggest that all one has to do to receive the forgiveness of God and become a Christian is to mentally accept Jesus into his heart and make a verbal statement to that effect, is to dispute the declaration of Jesus in Matthew 7:21—

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”

To be sure, oral confession of Christ is one of the prerequisites to salvation (Romans 10:10). But Jesus said there is more to becoming a blood-bought follower of His than verbally “calling on his name” or “inwardly accepting Him as Savior.” He stated that before we can even consider ourselves as God’s children (Christians/Saints), we must show our acceptance of His gift through outward obedience—

“He that does the will of My Father.”

Notice the significant contrast Jesus made: the difference between mental/verbal determination to accept and follow the Lord, versus verbal confession coupled with action or obedience (cf. James 2:14,17). This is why we must do everything the Lord has indicated must be done prior to salvation. Jesus is telling us that it is possible to make the mistake of claiming we have found the Lord, when we have not done what He plainly told us to do.

Jesus said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Jesus also stated: “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:16).

Honestly, have you accepted Christ as your personal savior—in the way He said it must be done? He asks:

“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46).