WHY WE EXIST AS A CHURCH
I Peter 3: 15
Introduction: (1) In this country of ours there are more than
two hundred religious bodies, churches, known by different names;
and surely there must be some reason why they exist, some reason
why the entire membership of one body does not unite its forces
with some other denomination, and thus bring to an end the ex-
pense incident to maintaining different religious bodies as separate
churches. This question becomes an important one when we
consider that division among the professed followers of Christ
is detrimental to his work. E.g., it destroys family happiness; it
is economically unsound; it retards the conversion of the world,
and the growth and development of the Lord's people, etc. (2)
Since churches of Christ are evangelistic in their character, every
interested person has the right to ask why we exist as a separate
body or church. (3) Before entering into a discussion of the
subject, let it be observed that there is -not one thing that churches
of Christ teach and ask others to believe and practice that the
greater part of, if not the whole, Protestant world declares
to be wrong. It is true that division exists in the religious
world, but not in a single case is it over what churches of Christ
believe and practice. In dealing with this subject, let us notice:
1. THE NAMES THAT GOD'S PEOPLE SHOULD WEAR
1. As a body or church.
(1) Churches of Christ believe and teach that the Lord estab-
lished a church (Matt. 16: 18) ; paid for it with his own blood
(Acts 20: 28); that it is his body (Eph. 1: 22, 23); and that it
contains all the saved (Eph. 5: 23; Acts 2: 47).
(2) No one questions the accuracy of speaking of this church
as the church of Christ, that is, the church belonging to Christ,
and the individual congregations of it as "churches of Christ"
(Rom. 16: 16), yet in the face of what all declare to be right, others
persist in wearing names not found in the Bible, a thing churches
of Christ believe to be wrong (1 Pet. 4: 11). Thus we are forced
to exist as a separate body or church.- or become members of a
religious, organization which does not call itself by Bible names, or
which does not confine itself to the practice of those things which
are authorized by the Scriptures.
2. As individual members. No one questions the right to re-
fer to them as Christians, disciples, saints, etc., but no one can
show from the Bible that it is right to call them by human names.
Yet, such is done, and we must fall in with the unscriptural prac-
tice, or exist as a separate body.
II. THE BIBLE AS A SUFFICIENT RULE OF FAITH AND PRACTICE
1. Any body of religious people must, in its work and worship,
subscribe to some sort of rules by which it will be governed.
2. Churches of Christ believe that the Bible is sufficient for
this. (See 2 Tim. 3: 16, 17; 2 Pet. 1: 3.) Few object to this
view, yet some denominations insist that their good and wise men
have the right to formulate a creed, setting forth what they believe
and containing rules for the government of their church.
3. But, let it be remembered, if a creed contains more than the
Bible, it contains too much; if it contains less, it contains too little;
and if it contains just what the Bible contains, then why have it?
Furthermore, all human creeds stand in constant need of revision.*
4. We are unable to find a body of religious people, wearing
scriptural names and confining their practice to those things au-
thorized by the Lord, who will accept the Scriptures as the basis
and expression of their faith. Therefore we are compelled to
exist as a separate church, or become members of a religious body
wearing names never applied to the church of the New Testament
and subscribing to things not found in the Bible.
III. THE BAPTISM SCRIPTURALLY AUTHORIZED
1. Churches of Christ teach that penitent believers are proper
subjects of baptism. No one who believes the Bible questions this
view, but some claim that infants (unbelievers) may also be
scripturally baptized. What we teach on this subject causes no
division, but what say the Scriptures? (See Matt. 28: 19; Mark
16: 15, 16; Acts 2: 38.)
2. These churches also teach that the immersion of the whole
body in water is the only scriptural mode of baptism. That form
is rejected by none, but some would, if the candidate so desires,
substitute sprinkling and pouring. Whence comes the division
here? (See 1 Cor. 4: 6; 2 John 9; Acts 8: 38, 39; Rom. 6: 3, 4.)
3. Some teach that baptism is not necessary to salvation. They
insist that one may be saved without obeying the Lord's conunand
to be baptized. However, churches of Christ are firm in their be-
lief that one must do what is conunanded before his sins are for-
given. (Cf. Mark 16: 16; 2 Tim. 2: 10; Acts 4: 12; Gal. 3: 26,
27.)
4. Being unable to find a body of religious people wearing Bible
names and accepting the Scriptures as their only rule of faith and
practice, including what they enjoin regarding baptism, we are
compelled to exist as a separate body, or practice things not
taught in the Bible in becoming members of churches not even
named in the Book.
IV. THE KIND OF MUSIC DIVINELY APPOINTED
1. Churches of Christ believe and teach that it is right to sing
psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs in the worship, and so do all
other churches. There is, therefore, no division over the position
of churches of Christ regarding this question.
2. But the position of these churches is, likewise, scriptural.
(Eph. 5: 19; Col. 3: 16; 1 Cor. 14: 15.) And since we are un-
able to find a religious body of people, wearing scriptural names
and otherwise doing what the Bible says, we are forced to exist
as a separate body, or add to God's appointment in the matter
of the kind of music enjoined.
V. THE TIME OF THE OBSERVANCE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER
1. Churches of Christ teach that the Lord's Supper should be
observed weekly. Practically all the larger denominations admit
the rightfulness of the practice, but say it unnecessary.
2. The Bible requires that the supper be eaten (1 Cor. 11: 23-
25), and since every religious act must be by faith, if it is to
benefit the worshiper (2 Cor. 5: 7; Heb. 11: 6), we must, there-
fore, have Bible authority for our practice with reference to the
Lord's Supper. Acts 20: 7 furnishes us the authority for its
weekly observance.
3. Not being able to find a religious body of people, wearing
Bible names and following its teaching regarding this and other
questions, we are forced to exist as a separate church or do in
religion that for which we have not the slightest scriptural
authority.
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