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"What Is The Church Of Christ?"

Jarrod Jacobs

Sometimes people ask about the church of Christ; what it is, what it stands for, etc. These are valid questions, and deserve answers from the Bible. Let us look at the Scriptures and see a description of the church of Christ.

What Is The Church Of Christ?

The church of Christ is not a building, the church of Christ is a Heavenly institution made up of people who have surrendered their life to Christ, i.e. Christians (Acts 2:38-42, 11:26). The church was established by Christ (Matt. 16:18), and purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28). Jesus Christ is the head of the church of Christ (Matt. 28:18; Rom 16:16; Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22). No earthly person has the right to claim that they are the head of the church.

What Is The Church's Mission?

The church has a mission to evangelize the world, to edify (spiritually build up) its saints, and show benevolence to its saints (Eph. 4:12; I Tim. 3:15; I Thess. 5:11; I Tim. 5:16). The church's work is spiritual in nature, not physical. The church is not a hand-out agency, a gym, or a social club.

What Constitutes A Local Church?

Christians in certain geographic locations will meet together to form local churches. We can read about local churches in the Bible. Some local churches mentioned are the church at Corinth (I Cor. 1:2), the church at Philippi (Phil. 1:1), and the local churches in Galatia (Gal. 1:2).

The local church is made up of the elders, deacons, and saints (Phil. 1:1). The qualifications for the elders and deacons are found in I Timothy 3:1-7, 8-13 and Titus 1:5-9. The qualifications for being a saint are to hear God's word (Rom. 10:17; Acts 2:22), believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Jn. 8:24; Mk. 16:16), repent of past sins (Acts 17:30; Lk. 13:3), confess faith in Christ (Matt. 10:32; Acts 8:35-38) and be baptized for the remission of sins (Mk. 16:16; Acts 22:16; I Pet. 3:21). A saint is simply a Christian (Rom. 1:7), Saints are not a special, selected person or group of people who become saints only after their death (as the Catholic church says)! The church of Christ in the universal sense (all Christians the world over), has no earthly organization.

Does The Church Of Christ Have A Creed Book?

The church of Christ uses no man-made creed books, nor does it need some type of synod, or council to determine what is right or wrong in the sight of God. The church of Christ simply uses the Bible to determine what is right or wrong. Peter said, "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles (the utterances, JJ) of God..." (I Pet. 4:11). The saying, "Where the Scriptures speak, we speak, and where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent" is based on this verse. The Bible is all we need for living and for determining what is right and wrong (II Pet. 1:3; II Tim. 3:16-17; Col. 3:17).

Is The Church Of Christ A Denomination?

The church of Christ is undenominational in nature. In other words, the church of Christ did not "break off," or separate itself from another religious body as the Protestants did the Catholic Church. Several hundred years ago, these people "protested" the Catholic church and broke away from it. The church of Christ did not break off from the Catholic church, for the church of Christ was in existence BEFORE the Catholic church (Matt. 16:18; Acts 2:38-47; Rom. 16:16)! Therefore, those belonging to the church of Christ (Christians, Acts 11:26) are undenominational in nature. Do you belong to a denomination? If so, you are not a part of the church of Christ.

What Is The Worship Of The Church Of Christ?

Jesus demands that the worship to God be "in spirit and in truth" (Jn. 4:24). What does this mean? In this text, the word "in" means "in connection with." Jesus was literally saying that the true worshipers must worship God in connection with the spirit, and in connection with the truth.

The word "spirit" means those things related to the spiritual realm. Jesus shows that the true worshippers need to be focused on spiritual matters, not physical. Paul wrote, "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom. 14:17). That is why true churches of Christ do not engage in pie suppers, raffles, bingos, church-sponsored schools, sponsoring boy scout troops, etc.!! These are not spiritual things. These things take away from our focus and from our mission which is teach and to save souls (Lk. 19:10; II Tim. 2:2)!

What is the "truth"? Jesus says, "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth" (Jn. 17:17). Jesus was literally saying God's word EQUALS the truth. Scriptural worship demands that we worship God with our focus on things spiritual, and worship in connection with what the Bible says! The only truth we know is what has been revealed in God's most Holy Word (I Pet. 4:11).

Worship to God includes preaching (Acts 2:42, 20:7), the Lord's Supper (Matt. 26:26-29; Acts 2:42, 20:7), giving (I Cor. 16:1-2), praying (Acts 2:42), and singing without the mechanical instrument every first day of the week (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). Does the church you attend worship the way the Bible teaches? Examine the Scriptures and see.

Conclusion

In concluding this lesson concerning the church of Christ, I hope that you, dear reader will sincerely apply the lessons that have been taught to your life. Let us "sum up" what we have learned:

1. The church of Christ was bought with the blood of Jesus (Acts 20:28). He is the head of His church (Col. 1:18; Matt. 16:18), which is made up of those who have obeyed His plan of Salvation, i.e. Christians, or saints (Acts 2:38-41, 47, 11:26; Rom. 1:7; Phil. 1:1).

2. The church of Christ has a mission that is spiritual in nature. It is to evangelize the world, edify its saints, and show benevolence only to the saints (Eph. 4:12; I Tim. 3:15; I Thess. 5:11). There is a difference between what the local church can do and what individual Christians can do (Matt. 18:15-18; I Tim. 5:16).

3. A local congregation of saints is autonomous; organized with elders, deacons, and saints (Phil. 1:1). The Bible authorizes no organization larger or smaller than the local church (I Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9).

4. The church of Christ has no man-made creed books or manuals to govern it. It is strictly governed by God's word (I Pet. 4:11; Col. 3:17; II Pet. 1:3; II Tim. 3:16-17).

5. The church of Christ is undenominational in nature. It did not break off from any "Mother church," for it existed before any other church (Matt. 16:18; Acts 2:38-47; Rom. 16:16)!

6. The church of Christ worships God in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24). A true church of Christ does not engage in physical enticements to "lure" people in. It simply uses God's word (Rom. 1:16, 14:17; I Cor. 1:18).

Does the church you attend do these things? Do you worship where you can find Bible authority for ALL you do? Come worship at the Southside church of Christ where the Bible is respected and obeyed.

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