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The phrase "church of Christ" is one of many descriptive terms used by God in the New Testament to signify the group of people who are Christians (see What is a Christian?). The word "church", which we now use in an almost exclusively religious sense, is translated from an everyday Greek word, "ekklesia". The word denotes a group called out and called together for a particular purpose1. The people of the first century used this word for a group of citizens called together to discuss affairs of state, for a mob called together for civil disturbance. To them, it was not a specifically religious word.
What makes this group special is that it belongs to Christ. It is the church of Christ. Jesus said He would build His church (Matthew 16:18). From this, we know: that Jesus would be the builder; that the church He was to build would be His; and that, at the time of saying this, He had not yet started to build it. It is not a building like the town hall or a house. That is not the meaning of the word Jesus used, although the New Testament likens it to a house built for God. It is a spiritual house made of people.
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5 KJV)
The foundation of this house is Jesus and His apostles:
... the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22 KJV)
Luke recorded in Acts that on the first Pentecost after Christ's resurrection, "the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:47 KJV). There are approximately 20 references to the church in Acts. All of them show that it the building had been started. Since the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - document Jesus' life and Acts documents the time following His resurrection, then the church was started soon after His ascension into heaven.
On the first Pentecost after Jesus' resurrection, several prophecies were fulfilled:
On this Sunday morning at around 9am, God poured out His Spirit. There was a sound like a mighty wind blowing. This attracted peoples attention. The Spirit displayed tongues of fire, probably like huge candle flames, on the heads of certain men. These men were heard praising God in the languages of at least 15 different countries.
At this time Peter got up to speak and told the people about God's plan and about their killing of the Messiah. He then told them the good news - the Gospel. Acts 2:47 records that God added to their number those who should be saved. The church had begun.
The New Testament uses the term "church of Christ" in two ways:
It is used in an overall sense to signify the collection of people who are Christians (see What is a Christian?). In this sense it includes all Christians who are alive now, all Christians who have already died and all people not yet born who will become Christians. These are the people who have believed the Gospel and have obeyed God. These are people who, the New Testament says, should be saved.
The local church of Christ is simply a small group of those in the overall collection. This small group meets together often - at least once a week, on the first day of the week, Sunday. Small groups can vary in size from individual families to several thousand. The smallest group would be two Christians meeting together.
The Darling Range church of Christ are a group of such people. We have searched the New and Old Testaments to see how people should relate to the Creator. We have learned, as anyone can, how the early church started, what they did that was approved and what was disapproved. We have decided to do the same.
The term "Christian" is only used 3 times in the whole Bible. It is a term that was coined in Antioch (Acts 11:26, also Acts 26:28) to identify those who were disciples of Christ. The apostle Peter used the term as a way of living (I Peter 4:16).
The disciples of Christ followed, and continue to follow, the teachings of Christ and His apostles (Acts 2:42). They are ordinary people who have in common that they have:
Each of these steps is essential to being a Christian. There are some today who teach that step 5 - being baptised - is not essential to becoming a Christian. Some refer to it as "an outward sign of an inward grace". This phrase sounds religious, but does not have its origins in the New Testament. More than that, it is not true. God did, for His purposes when He deemed it necessary, show an outward sign as a witness. He did so with Moses to display to Pharaoh that Moses spoke from God. Hebrews 2:4 tells that God did so with Jesus and His apostles to show that the New Testament message was also from God. But these outward signs were miracles - something that ordinary people could not do. Those who would tell us that being immersed in water is a sign should realise that anyone can duplicate this "sign". Showing people this "sign" proves nothing. In fact, the sign that one is a Christian was specified by Jesus before His death -
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (John 13:34,35 KJV)
The sign of being in Christ and having Christ in you is your genuine love for your fellow Christians.
Some others state that baptism cannot save because "it is a work" and the New Testament states that people are saved by faith and not by works. The latter is true (Galatians 2:16) as no one is saved by works of the law. Salvation is not given based on our achievements or merits. It is particularly not based on how we have kept the laws given through Moses - read the entire letter to the Galatians.
James points out that our faith is not devoid of works. He challenged those who espouse faith without works to show their faith without works. He, in turn, would show his faith by his works (James 2:18). He went on to say that faith without works is dead faith (James 2:20) and one who relies on faith or belief alone has no more than demons, since they also believe (James 2:19).
Those who espouse faith or belief without baptism would do well to realise three things:
Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. (John 6:28,29 KJV)
So, are YOU a Christian? If not, you need to:
At this point, God takes you out of the power of darkness and puts you into the kingdom of His dear Son. He adds you to the church because He has saved you! He has given you a new life, a new start.
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