Subject: need for a bible-anyone |
Bible Note: You wrote: Do you actually believe that the Church of Christ is the only true Christian Church? No - I don’t believe every group that meets wearing the title - church of Christ – is true to Christ’s command for the church. That seems evident in Rev 2 and 3 with the churches in Asia. “What a congregation is presently doing or not doing determines whether or not it is the Lord’s church.” Yes – I do believe that the church of Christ is the only true church. When I speak of the church of Christ I am speaking of the church that Jesus established (Matthew 16:18). Follow me? You wrote: I sincerely fail to see how it differs from any other denomination. It began at a certain point in history and has divided and merged several times (see http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/who.html) for a brief history. The church was begun in the 1st century on the day of Pentecost and false teachers quickly splintered off. Around AD 150, infant baptism was advocated (Roman Catholics). It was from Roman Catholicism that many more denominations sprung up: Lutheran (1530), American Episcopal (1609), Methodist (1739), etc. There are many respects in which the church of Christ differs from denominations. Perhaps I will be able to shed some light. Would you agree that when you are looking for something specific, you are looking for something with particular characteristics? Those characteristics are the specific items of distinction. So then, what would be those items of distinction? 1. Founded by Christ: Matt 16:18 states that Jesus would build His church. Not Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, Ellen G. White, etc. 2. Christ as the Head: Eph 1:22-23 “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and have Him as head over all things to the church.” Not any human heads (i.e. the Pope), associations, committees, etc. 3. Bible as only creed: 2 Tim 3:16-17. No need for anything else, i.e. Book of Mormon, Koran, Watchtower, etc. 4. No human names: 1 Pet 4:16 “…but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.” Where will you find Baptist, Catholic, Methodist, etc in the Scriptures. More could be listed, but I think this gives pause for thought. You wrote: Every denomination ever begun felt that they too were 'restoring' the true spirit of the first century church. Usually, all they were doing was overemphasizing one particular point of doctrine. I am not interested in what anyone felt they were doing. I am interested in the truth. Certainly, many people felt they were right with God in the days of Noah, yet only 8 people made it onto the ark (2 Peter 2:5) Jesus has made it clear the way is narrow (Matt 7:13-14), narrow indeed. Scripture predicts the apostasy to come (2 Peter 3:16; 1 Tim 4:1-3 – is that not Catholicism’s doctrine?; 2 Tim 4:2-4; Matt 7:22). Do you still fail to see any differences? Mouse2 |