What is the Church of Christ?

1. The church of Christ is not a proper name, rather it describes the church that belongs to Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "...I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). All those who obey the will of Jesus Christ are added to that church (Acts 2:41,47; Matthew 7:21). We who are members of Christ's church, therefore, are not "Church Of Christers." We are simply called "Christians," those who follow Christ. In Acts 11:26 we see, "...the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch."

2. The church that Christ built is not a denomination. The word denomination gives the idea that there are many churches of different kinds. The Bible shows that there is one true church built by Christ, in Ephesians 4:4-6 Paul discusses unity. He says "...There is one body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling..."' This one body is the church. Ephesians 1:22, 23 says, "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all."

3. All those who are saved are added to the church that Christ built (Acts 2:47). Only those who are in Christ can be saved (2 Timothy 2:10). The only ones who are in Christ are the ones who have been baptized into Him (Romans 6:3,4; Galatians 3:26,27). Those who are baptized into Christ are at the same time baptized into His church (1 Corinthians 12:13).

4. Christ's church is not something that we can join, but when we are obedient to the gospel plan of salvation we are added to it by the Lord (Acts 2:47). As members of Christ's church we are expected to live proper lives in keeping with our profession, in Ephesians 4:1 Paul said, "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the profession wherewith ye are called. "

5. Those who are cleansed from their sins are ones who have been born again by obeying the incorruptible seed, the word of God. 1 Peter 1:22-25, "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth forever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." The seed is the word of God, and this seed produces Christians and only Christians. Following the gospel and nothing but the gospel will not cause a person to be in a denomination. It will cause him to be added by the Lord to the church that was built by the Lord. It takes something in addition to God's word to be added to a denomination, but God says that addition is wrong (Revelation 22:18,19).

6. What must we do to be added to this church? The commandments are given in the New Testament! We must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (John 8:24). We must repent of our sins (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30). We must confess Christ before men (Acts 8:37; Romans 10:9,10). Then we must be immersed in water to wash away our sins (Acts 2:38; Acts 22:16). When we have been washed from our sins, we can walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17). But, this is not the end. It is the beginning. If we are going to continue to enjoy the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood, we must continue to walk in the light (according to His word). We are told this in 1 John 1:7.

Thank you to: Charles Ivie Tatum church of Christ. Tatum, NM (505)398-4611 (for allowing us to share this with you)