What Is The Church of Christ?
The New Testament is the only place to which we can turn to learn about the church of Christ. We recall that the church is described as the eternal purpose of God (Eph. 3:9-11). It is obviously very important.
First, the church was built and purchased by Christ (Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28). No one has the right to start a church as a divinely approved institution (cf. 1 Cor. 1:10-13). Christ, the Son of God, is the only one qualified, and he has established his church (cf. Eph. 4:4; 1:22-23).
Second, the church that belongs to Christ began on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2. The Lord’s church was founded by Christ through the preaching of the apostles in Jerusalem, corresponding to Old Testament prophecy (Is. 2:2-4).
Third, only divinely appointed names were worn by the church. Such designations like church of Christ (Rom. 16:16) and church of God (1 Cor. 1:2) are scriptural names that describe the church as belonging to Christ and God.
Fourth, being saved is the way to membership in the Lord’s church (Acts 2:47). A person must have faith in Jesus as the Son of God (Jn 20:30-31; Jn. 8:24), repent of sin (Acts 17:30), confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead (Rom. 10:9,10), and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16).
Fifth, the Lord’s church honors the authority of Christ. From the start, the church respected the Lord as the head of the church, for “… they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:42).
The New Testament gives a clear picture of what the church was under the leadership of the Lord’s apostles. The church’s origin was divine; it continues to be subject to the authority of Christ. Should it not be the same today — simply, the church of Christ?
We have no headquarters anywhere in this world. The church is the body of Christ, and He is its only head (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:22-23). We have no governing body that determines doctrine or policy. Rather, following the pattern laid out in the Bible, each congregation is autonomous, self-governing. We have no creed book, manual or official statement of church doctrine. The Bible is our only authority as to what we believe, teach and practice (2 Timothy 3:15-17).
Our worship is simple, focused on expressing our adoration for God, and conforms to His will as communicated in scripture. We meet every first day of the week to commemorate, through the Lord’s Supper, the sacrifice of Christ on the cross for our sins (Acts 20:7). We sing praises to God a cappella (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16), just as was done by the church for hundreds of years after its establishment on this earth. We openly study and teach God’s word (2 Timothy 4:2). We pray for God’s guidance, wisdom, protection, forgiveness and blessings (1 Timothy 2:1; James 1:5; 5:13, 16). We give back to God from the financial blessings with which He has blessed us (1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7).
Our mission is to teach the gospel of Christ throughout the world (Mark 16:15-16). Jesus Christ is our only savior (Acts 4:12), and there is no way to God except through Him (John 14:6). All are guilty of sin (Romans 3:23), and the consequence of sin is spiritual death (Romans 6:23). Forgiveness and salvation await all “in Christ” (Romans 8:1). The gospel is God’s message of salvation through Christ (Romans 1:16).
God’s plan for man’s salvation is simple and straightforward. It is only by God’s grace through faith that we can be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). As a person responds to God’s offer of grace by repenting of his sin (Acts 3:19), confessing his faith in Christ (Matthew 10:32-33) and submitting to baptism “into Christ” (Romans 6:3), his sins will be cleansed by the blood shed by the Lord on the cross (Acts 22:16; Hebrews 9:27-28). He then begins a new life of faithfulness to God (2 Cor. 5:17; Revelation 2:10).
Our intent is to speak where the Bible speaks and remain silent where the Bible is silent, to submit to God’s will as communicated in His word in all matters of faith. We want to let the light of Christ shine through us, helping those around us find the way to eternal life in Heaven.
We would love to talk with you about taking your place in the Lord’s church. “The churches of Christ greet you” (Romans 16:16)…
Salvation
Salvation is by God’s grace through an obedient, trusting faith in Jesus Christ. God in His grace has provided the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as payment for our sins. Trusting Him for that we turn from our sins in repentance, willingly confess our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, the Son of God, and giving ourselves to Him in baptism, call upon the Lord to forgive us. As Christians, seeking to follow Christ and confessing our sins, we trust Him for eternal life.
Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
Romans 3:24-26 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 22:16 “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.”
Romans 6:3-6 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Colossians 2:12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
1 John 1:6-9 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Revelation 2:10 “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
What is a Christian
1 Peter 2:9-10 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.”
Peter uses several descriptive phrases to remind us who we are and why we are here. The same expressions were applied to Israel in the Old Testament. The church of Christ which consists of both Jews and Gentiles is the true Israel of God (Romans 2:28-29; Galatians 3:26-29; 6:16).
According to Peter, we are:
A Chosen Generation
As Israel was God’s chosen people of old (Deuteronomy 7:6-7; Isaiah 43:10, 20; 44:1-2), so God chose all of us who would believe and obey the gospel of Christ to be His family (Mark 16:15-16; John 3:3-5; Galatians 3:16-29; Ephesians 1:3-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 1 Peter 1:22-25).
A Royal Priesthood
Israel was “a kingdom of priests” (Exodus 19:6). Peter had already spoken of the church as a “priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). We are royal because of our relationship to Christ, who is King (Acts 2:30-36; Ephesians 2:6; 1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 1:6; 5:9-10).
A Holy Nation
Israel was also “a holy nation” (Exodus 19:6). The holiness which characterizes God’s church was alluded to earlier (1 Peter 2:5). We are to be separate from the world and devoted to God (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1; Ephesians 5:26-27; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5).
His Own Special People
The King James Version translates “a peculiar people”. Peculiar is not intended in the sense of odd or weird, but special. A more literal rendering is followed in the American Standard Version: “a people for God’s own possession”. Israel was “a special treasure”, “a special people” unto God (Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6; 14:2; 26:18). They were made for Him and belonged to Him in a special way (Isaiah 43:21; Malachi 3:17). We are God’s special possession having been redeemed by the blood of Christ (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:20; Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
Peter also tells us why we are here: “that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” The church is not without purpose. It is literally to “tell forth the excellencies” of God. This is the reason God made Israel (Isaiah 43:21). Now, we, by word and example, are to make known the perfect virtues of the God who made us (cf. Isaiah 42:12; Matthew 5:14-16; Ephesians 2:10).
God’s calling came through the gospel of Christ (Acts 2:36-41; 2 Thessalonians 2:14). Darkness is the realm of Satan and sin (John 3:19; Romans 2:19; 13:12; Ephesians 4:18; 5:8, 11; 6:12; 1 John 1:6; 2:8-11). Light is the realm of Christ and righteousness (Isaiah 60:1; Matthew 4:16; 2 Corinthians 4:4-6; Ephesians 5:8, 13-14; 1 Timothy 6:16; 1 John 1:5, 7; 2:8-11). We are “turned” and “conveyed” from one realm to the other when we obey the gospel (Acts 26:18; Colossians 1:13).
So we can better understand who we are, Peter reminds us of who we were: “who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” This is a quotation from Hosea 2:23. Paul cites it in Romans 9:25-26, and applies it to the Gentiles who became Christians, as Peter apparently does here. All of us were once separated from God by our sins but in answering the call of the gospel we were reconciled to God through the offering of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:19, 21). If it were not for God’s compassion and pity towards us, we would all still be in our sins but now we are a special people with a special purpose.