The Lord's Church And Her Creed
Recently I had a letter from an honest enquirer who wanted to know, "Is there a manual or discipline which authoritatively sets forth the beliefs and doctrines of the church of Christ? What is the official manual to which all churches of Christ subscribe?"
Yes, there is a manual or discipline which authoritatively sets forth the beliefs of the church of Christ and its doctrines. Every loyal church among the churches of Christ subscribes to this same rulebook.
The publisher of this manual is the Holy Spirit. The apostles and other men of inspiration revealed it as they were unerringly guided by the Holy Spirit in making it known. This manual is the New Testament. In an absolute sense, Jesus is its author, for though inspired men wrote the words; they were simply setting forth the will of Christ. Many of these truths were set forth by the Lord while He was here on earth. Thus, these things were simply brought to the inspired writer's remembrance. (Jn. 14:26) Undoubtedly there were also other truths which the Holy Spirit guided them into which they had not previously known. These truths also were a part of the will of Christ.
That there is ample authority behind the things which Jesus taught and instructed His disciples to teach cannot be questioned, for shortly before His ascension Jesus announced that all authority had been given unto Him. (Matt. 28:18) The inspired Paul sets forth the fact that Christ is now sitting "far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion." (Eph. 1:21) Peter tells us that He is "both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36) Surely He as King, supreme in power, has the authority to make known unto us His law! Not only does He have the right to make known His law, but He also has the right to require of us that we submit to it alone. We are to teach only that which He has commanded, "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." (Matt. 28:20)
The church of Christ has the last Will and Covenant of Christ, the New Testament, as its discipline. That law is final in authority. To it alone can we turn to ascertain our duty to God and His Son. If you would ascertain what Christ Jesus requires of you, if you would come to know the identity of the Lord's church, if you wish to know what the church of Christ is striving to be today, then study the law that Christ has given, the New Testament.