Which Church Did Christ Build?
That there are several hundred religious bodies, each claiming to be the church of Christ, or a denomination of the church of Christ, is a fact too plain to be denied. That these religious bodies disagree with each other in doctrine and practice is also plain to any one that wants to see. Did Christ establish all these bodies? If so, why do they disagree, seeing they all have the same Bible? Did he establish any of them? If so, which one? If more than one, how many?
"It makes no difference which church you join," say many. If this be true, does it make any difference how many churches you join? Men join lodges—Masons, Odd Fellows, etc.—to get the benefit of all of them. If it makes no difference which church you join, what valid reason can you give for not joining several churches, so as to get the benefits of several? "It would not be right," says one. How do you make this, when it makes no difference which you join? Is it right for "A" to join a certain church? You think so. Is it right for "B" to join another church? You guess so. Then, why would it not be right for "A" to join both of them? No logical reason can be urged against it, provided we have the right to join different churches.
In this way the Savior's prayer for union (John 17:21) could easily be answered, and Paul's instruction for all to speak the "same thing" (1 Cor. 1:10) could be easily be followed. It would consist in each one's joining every church he could find. Then all could speak the "same thing" by all speaking "everything" even if he did have to contradict himself at every point. "But this would be absurd and ridiculous," says one. Certainly, and that is the very reason it makes a difference which church you join.
How Many Churches?
How many churches did Christ establish? What does the Bible say? Did Christ and his apostles mean what they said, or were they simply joking? Christ said that whatsoever the apostles bound on earth should be bound in heaven. (Matt. 16:19; John 20:23) Paul says, "There is one body." (Eph. 4:4) "But now are they many members, yet one body." (1 Cor. 12:20) What is this body? It is the church. "And gave him to be head over all things to the church, which is his body." (Eph. 1:22, 28) The body is the church; Paul says there is "one body"; hence, but one church. "For the husband is the head of the wife, (even as Christ is the head of the church." Eph. 5:23) "Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ," etc.; Paul does not say "churches" but "the church." As Christ established but one church, it makes a difference which one you become a member of, if you wish to be united with Christ. For he is the head of but one church.
Can any one show that it is right for four different men to teach and practice different things religiously, and at the same time it be wrong for one man to teach and practice all of them? To illustrate: Suppose it be right pleasing to God for "A" to preach "once in grace always in grace." For "B" to preach "you can fall from grace"; for "C" to preach that "immersion only is baptism," and for "D" to preach that "sprinkling or pouring will do as well." Would it also be right for "A" to preach all these doctrines? If not, why not? If four men teach four different doctrines, the people say God is pleased; if one man should preach them all, they would say the preacher is insane. Consistency, did you say? If four men preach these doctrines, people say they are preaching the Bible; if one man should preach them all, they would call him a simpleton. It is no wonder we have infidels!
The Church Christ Established
Which is the church Christ established, and who compose it? It is called the "church of God." (Acts 20:38) Christ says, "my church." (Matt. 16:18) Paul calls congregations "churches of Christ." (Rom. 16:16) What about the expression "Christian Church"? The Bible does not use it; the Bible speaks of God's church. The church is composed of Christians, but does not belong to them; they belong to it. Are men Christians outside of the church? No more than men are Masons outside of the Masonic Lodge. Reconciliation is in the one body, which is the church. (Eph. 2:16; 1:22)
What are the characteristics of Christ's church? (1) It accepts the Bible as furnishing all instructions needed or allowed. (2 Tim. 8:16, 17; Rev. 22:18, 19) Hence, it rejects all human creeds and names. (2) It accepts the apostolic teaching that people should believe, repent, confess and be baptized to become Christians. (Acts 16:81; 2:38; Rom. 10:10; Acts 22:16) (3) It teaches that the scriptures thoroughly furnish the man of God "unto all good works." (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) Hence, it rejects all human aids to the worship and work, such as the organ, church suppers, and societies. Can anyone show where the apostolic church ever wore a human name, Made a human creed, gave a church entertainment, used instrumental music in worship, formed societies, taught sprinkling or pouring to be baptism, or that people were saved without baptism? It cannot be done, and very few will undertake the task.
In the apostolic church no preacher was ever called "Reverend" or "the pastor." Every scholar who has carefully investigated knows that the words "elder," "pastor," and "bishop" all refer to the same class—the overseers (elders of each congregation, Acts 20:17, 28)—and not to preachers as a class. "Rev. Paul," "Dr. James, the pastor of our church," is not the language of God's book. Peter says, "Speak as the oracles of God." (1 Peter 4:11) Why disobey him?
Are you a member of the church Christ established? Read the following: Matt. 7:21-23; Heb. 5:8, 9; Matt. 16:9; Gal. 1:16-20. The church of Christ pleads for a return to New Testament Christianity. We speak where the Bible speaks and keep silent where it is silent; we call Bible things by Bible names, and do Bible things in Bible ways.
We urge you to attend services at the nearest true church of the Lord in your community.