[Biblemat] S) HAVE YOU HEARD?

[J5827Sasser at wmconnect.com]

Brethren and Friends, Jim Sasser here.  Here is a study from my
recent files.  Use to the glory of God.

HAVE YOU HEARD?

     Have you heard about the group of Christians in this com-
munity that is not at all like the denominations so often encou-
ntered?  Some have wondered about this difference and even
remarked about it.  This group is different in a number of ways but space 
permits us to consider only a few of these,
and then only briefly.

1. DIFFERENT, IN ATTITUDE TOWARD THE BIBLE: -- These
Christians believe the Bible to be the inspired, infallible, com-
plete, authoritative Word of God, and that the New Testament
is the final expression of that Word.  This faith is based upon
such Scriptures as (2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:3,4,21; Rev. 22:18,19
Jno. 10:35).  But, do not all Protestant denominations believe
this as well?  There was a time when they did, but now many
of them will tell you unhesitatingly that they no longer do.
Even those denominations which are known as "Fundamental-
ists" are guilty of dividing the commandments of Christ into
"essential" and "non-essential" commands.  This, in effect,
nullifies the authority of the Scriptures because it will let every man 
decide for himself what is essential and what is not.  But not these Christians!  
They believe that man shall
live "by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God"
(Matt. 4:4).  Is this what you believe?

2. DIFFERENT, IN ATTITUDE TOWARD HOW TO BECOME A
CHRISTIAN: -- Since their faith in the Scriptures is such that it
will not allow them to divide the commandments of Christ into
essential and non-essential commands, this group of Christ-
ians insists that because every man has sinned and separat-
ed himself from God (Rom. 3:23; Isa. 59:1,2) man's only hope
of benefiting from the blood of Christ is to do all that Christ
has commanded men to do in order to reap these benefits.
This, of course, involves faith in Christ as the Son of God
(Jno. 8:24; 20:30,31; Mk. 16:16).  But since the Scripture says
that our faith avails only when it works by love (Gal. 5:6; Jas.
2:24) they also repented of their sins (Acts 2:38; 17:30), con-
fessed with their mouth what they believed in their heart (Acts 8:37; Rom. 
10:9,10) and gladly obeyed the command of
Christ to be baptized, i.e. immersed (Rom. 6:3,4; Col. 2:12), in
water (Acts 8:36) for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16) or to be 
saved (Mk. 16:16; 1 Pet. 3:21).  When one has
done all of these things -- and not until then -- the Bible revea-
ls that he is saved, a child of God by faith (Gal. 3:26,27), and a member of 
the Lord's church (Acts 2:47; 18:8; 1 Cor. 1:1,2).
Is this what you have done?

3. DIFFERENT, IN INSISTING ON BEING SIMPLY A CHRISTIAN
-- NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS, AND NOTHING ELSE: --
Every religious group teaches that a person can believe all
the truth, obey every command of God, be a Christian while
he lives, and go to heaven when he dies without belonging to
any denomination whatsoever.  Since this is true, this group
of Christians, that we are highlighting in this article, sees the
unimportance of any and every denomination and hence have
not joined any of them, nor became a part of any of them, but
are simply Christians -- nothing more, nothing less, and noth-
ing else!  Furthermore, since the Bible reveals that it is wrong
and sinful to divide the people of God into different categor-
ies, and be called by different religious names (1 Cor. 1:10-13)
this group is satisfied with the name given in the New Testa-
ment, i.e., the name Christian (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16),
and pleads for all believers to be one even as Christ prayed
in (Jno. 17:20,21).  They are satisfied to be simply members
of the Lord's church and just Christians.  Can this be danger-
ous?  Can it be anything but safe?  Is that what you are; or
are you a "Christian plus another name as an adjective to fac-
ilitate what type of Christian you are"?

4. DIFFERENT, IN ITS ATTITUDE TOWARD CHURCH WOR-
SHIP AND WORK: -- Since the New Testament commands
Christians to assemble together to worship (Heb. 10:25) these
do so, but such does not make them a denomination in any
sense of the word.  Such is simply the congregation of the
Lord's people; the congregation devoted to and belonging to
the Lord; or the church that belongs to the Lord, hence the
church of Christ or church of God (Acts 20:28; Rom. 16:16).

     Since these Christians have the confidence in the Scriptu-
res already mentioned, they accept the New Testament as the
divine, verbally inspired, and authoritative blueprint for the
church throughout all ages.  Whatever acts this blueprint re-
veals that Christians did when they thus assembled is the
pattern for them and to it they cling tenaciously.  Since the New Testament 
reveals that Christians are to assemble on the first day of the week to break 
bread or eat the Lord's sup-
per, to give of their means as they have prospered, to sing, to
teach the apostles' doctrine, and pray together (Acts 2:42; 20:7; 1 Cor. 
16:1-3; Eph. 5:19), that is exactly what this group
of Christians does.  Since the Bible forbids adding anything
to what is revealed (Rev. 22:18,19) these Christians do not do
anything else in church worship.  Is this unreasonable?  Can
it be anything but right?  Is this what you do?

     The New Testament also tells that the church is to preach
the gospel, edify itself, and care for its needy (1 Tim. 3:15; 
Eph. 4:16; Acts 6:1-6).  This group is glad to do just that and 
that only.

5. DIFFERENT, BECAUSE IT HAS NO ECCLESIASTICAL OR
DENOMINATIONAL HIERARCHY: -- Since this group accepts
the New Testament as its blueprint for the church, it is happy
to follow the pattern therein given for church organization.
The New Testament reveals no ecclesiastical authority higher
than the local congregation, except Christ as the Head of the
universal church and thereby the Head of each and every con-
gregation (Eph. 1:22,23).  The local congregation being over-
seen by elders (Acts 14:23; 20:17,28; 1 Pet. 5:1-3; Ti. 1:5-9;
1 Tim. 3:1-7) with deacons serving under the oversight of the
elders (Phil. 1:1; 1 Tim. 3:8-10) and is not governed by any
conference, association, synod, pope, or council, but is sim-
ply free under God to do the Will of Christ.  It has no denomin-
ational machinery or earthly headquarters but is a free, inde-
pendent, and autonomous body of Christians.  Is the church
of which you are a member like this?

     This group occupies a unique and enviable position, indeed!  It is a 
postion based upon and produced by the infall-
ible Word of God.  This group does not occupy this position
merely as their opinion but because the Word of God tells
them and all others to do so.  Wouldn't you like to do the same?  For more 
imformation about this group of Christians
who insist on calling Bible things by Bible names and doing
Bible things in Bible ways, you are cordially invited to attend
with these Christians in your area.  Why not check it out?
You'll be glad you did.  Basically, you will find this group meet-
ing in buildings with a sign that indicates the Church of Christ
meets at that place.  ----- Hiram Hutto via The Elgin Hills Exam-
iner, Vol. 2, No. 8, Aug. 2007.   </HTML>
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