Church of CHRIST or Denominations
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One day while working in my office, the doorbell rang, and when I went to the door it was a man making a delivery. As I signed for the parcel, he asked, “Is the Church of Christ the same as the Baptist and Methodist churches?” I tried to explain to him that much of the teaching of these churches is different. Then he said, “While you were coming to the door, I was wondering how there could be all of these differences when there is only one God.”
I had only a few moments to talk with him, but it reminded me that so many people do not know the difference between the church of Christ and the denominations. Unfortunately, some within the church of Christ do not know the difference. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to show the difference.
Webster defines the word Denomination in this way: “A class name; a group having a name; a sect; one of a series of units separately named, as the denomination of money.”
We all understand the denomination of money. There are ones, fives, ten’s, twenties, fifties and hundreds. Would it not be foolish to try to convince someone that since all of these bills represents money that they are the same? And yet, how many people tell us that even though religious denominations are different, since they are religious, they are the same?
Therefore, the one who says, “Thank God for all the denominations,” is thanking God for all the religious division! Jesus prayed for UNITY, but these are praying for DIVISION. Jesus prayed: “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one,” (John 17:11,22).
Paul was guided by the Holy Spirit when he wrote, “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment,” (1 Corinthians 1:10). There is no Scriptural way that anyone can justify the concept of divisions and denominations!
Before anyone can understand why the division of Denominations is wrong, the question must be answered, “How were denominations formed?” Please consider prayerfully the following illustration. As you study this illustration, remember that Jesus used examples and parables to simplify teaching throughout His ministry.
An Illustration
Let us suppose for illustration, that eight hundred people move to a foreign land, and the only books they have among them are Bibles. Therefore, through months of study, they learn about Jesus, how He died for the sins of the world, and finally purchased His church with His own blood (Act 20:28).
Also in their search for truth in worship, they found the practice of prayer, and the ex-ample of how, “on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight,” (Acts 20:7). And how these Christians “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers,” (Acts 2:42).
But another thing that convinced them to partake of the Lord’s Supper every Lord’s Day, was something that Paul wrote. “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). They asked themselves, “Why would we ever want to let a Lord’s Day pass without remembering His death?”
Finally, they learned that the Lord’s work was to be carried on by the giving of their money from cheerful hearts as they had been prospered. “On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come,” (1 Corinthians 16:2). Therefore, each one made every effort possible to become a Christian, to worship, to live, to give, and to share the saving gospel with others who were lost.
Thus, we can conclude that these eight hundred people who had obeyed the gospel and had been added to Christ’s church by the Lord (Acts 2:47), were New Testament Christians. As the saved, they represented His spiritual body, the church, (Ephesians 1:22,23).
Now let us suppose that after several months, two hundred members of the eight hundred decided that they did not want to follow completely the New Testament pattern. They didn’t want to be called the church of Christ, but wanted to be called (Church B). It seemed to them that the taking of the Lord’s Supper every Sunday was too often, and thought that once a month would be better. Therefore, they pulled away and began (Church B)!
One year went by, and a second two hundred members, from the original eight hundred, decided that they too were not pleased with the strictness of the New Testament pattern. They did not want to be called by any of the New Testament names, nor did they want to be called Church B. They wanted to be called (Church L).
Then, this group came to the conclusion that once every three months was enough to take the Lord’s Supper. Also, they didn’t want baptism to have any part in salvation, or in having sins forgiven even though Jesus said, “he who believes and is baptized will be saved,” (Mark 16:16), and Peter commanded sinners to “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38).
Therefore, they pulled away and began (Church L)!
Again, a year or so went by, and a third, two hundred members of the original eight hundred, became restless. They liked some of the changes that were made by (Church B) and Church L, and wanted to adopt them. Likewise, they had some other ideas of their own. In short, they wanted to modernize the church. As to music in worship, they admitted, “The Bible example is making melody in the heart, but we like the sound of mechanical instruments, such as the piano, organ, and all other instruments.”
They continued, “Neither do we want to be limited to getting money by giving on the Lord’s Day. We’d like to get involved in the marketing business of making a profit.” In conclusion, they said, “We don’t want to be called the church of Christ or any other names mentioned in the Bible. Therefore, they pulled away and began (Church M)!
At this point, only two hundred Christians are left behind by the six hundred who pulled away. Who are they? Before answering, remember, they are still faithfully teaching and practicing the same New Testament principles and following the true blueprint for Christ’s church.
Who are they? These represent the church of Christ. Thus, the pulling away of the six hundred has not changed them from being the church of Christ! They are NOT a denomination, they have NOT divided, nor have they founded a religious sect.
Who are the six hundred who pulled away (Church B), (Church L), and (Church M)? They are denominations! How did they become divided and different? By exchanging many things in the New Testament pattern, for the doctrines and commandments of men.
Does Jesus accept division that is caused by the teachings of men? Suppose we allow Him to answer: “And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men,’ (Mark 7:7).
The apostle John sounds this warning: “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son,” (2 John 9).
This leads us to the question, “What caused religious division or the denominations?” The answer, it was NOT caused by WHAT the Bible says, but rather, what the Bible DOES NOT say!
To illustrate:
· Division is not caused by whether or not it is right to wear the names in the Bible, but is caused by other names.
• Division is not caused by whether or not it is right to sing with the heart in worship, but is caused by adding a mechanical instrument.
• Division is not caused by whether or not Jesus taught, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved,” but is caused by teaching salvation without baptism.
• Division is not caused by whether or not it is right to give on the first day of the week as one is prospered, but is caused by obtaining money through other means. Using the Bible as the ONLY creed book does not cause division, but adding a creed book written by man causes it.
Therefore, those who return to the Bible and restore the blueprint of Christ’s church in every way are the church of Christ. Those who leave this blueprint to add human doctrines and division, become denominations.
How important is it to follow ONLY God’s blueprinted and only God’s will?
Jesus answers: “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,” (Matthew 7:21). —BBBristow