What the Church of Christ Believes & Why It Teaches It
Author: J.C. Roady published this small book in 1928. I have left the grammar and syntax in place while changing some formatting and expanding abbreviations for clarity. I discovered this old book in my grandfather's library.
As far back as I can remember I have had a great desire to study and to learn the Bible, and to always be able to tell why I believe what I do believe. Before I obeyed the Gospel this question came to me many times, "If I take my stand with the Church of Christ will I be able to take God's sacred book and justify myself in the step I have taken?" For that reason I studied the Book day and night before I became a Christian. I was convinced that the Church of Christ has a "thus saith the Lord" for what she does, and if I did not think that, I would not be numbered with her members today. I don't believe that it is right to be a member of a church just because our parents, or some of our best friends are members. I believe that a person should be able to give a SCRIPTURAL reason why he is a member of the church he is. We often hear it said; "I am a member of the church I am because I think it is as good as other churches;" and others will say, "I am a member of the church I am because my parents were members of it and if it was good enough for them it is good enough for me." But that is not why I am a member of the Church of Christ. I am a member of it because it teaches just what the Lord taught, nothing more and nothing less. It is our desire to try to show you, dear reader, just what we do believe and teach, and we trust that you will read what we have to say carefully, and prayerfully and, before you criticize it, read each reference given. Then if you find that we are wrong in what we say, the writer will be glad that you take the matter up with him, pointing out what is contrary to the Bible.
Now consider that it is just as necessary for one to be able to tell why he believes and teaches a thing as it is to tell what he teaches. God has given us a book that is called the Bible and He has made it plain to the children of men what He wants them to believe. He has also made it plain what the results will be if we do not believe it. If we take that Book as it is given, we will then be able "to give a reason of the hope that is within us." 1 Peter 3:15. Men who have great learning may tell us many things, but we should never be willing to take them in preference to the Book of God. Many of them are wrong and most any of them can be, but we know there are no mistakes to be found in the Bible. So let us prize it more highly than anything else. If we follow it we are sure that it will lead us to the haven of rest.
In 1 Peter 4:11 we read: "If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God." By reading Romans 3:2, and Hebrews 5:12 we find the oracles of God to be the word of God. Now please keep 1 Peter 4:11 in mind as we are going to call your attention to this many times. This is the scripture that explains why we teach what we do.
PREACHING THE GOSPEL
We believe the gospel should be preached in its purity and simplicity. Christ told His apostles to preach it, Mark 16:15-16, and in Acts 5:42 we are told "they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 "Moreover brethren I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you unless ye have believed in vain." This gospel should be preached because "It is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Romans 1:16. Timothy was commanded to preach the word, 2 Timothy 4:2, and in Galatians 1:6-8, there is a curse placed upon any being that will preach any other gospel than the one the apostles preached. That same gospel they preached was to be obeyed in order for them to be saved, and that same one must be preached and obeyed today in order for us to be saved. Read 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9: "Taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." We have told you what to believe about preaching the gospel and now the question is why do we teach it? 1 Peter 4:11 comes to mind, "If any speak let him speak as the oracles of God." We have shown that the oracles of God say to preach the gospel, and we can not obey 1 Peter 4:11 if we would teach otherwise.
FAITH
The Church of Christ teaches faith. Hebrews 11:6: "But without faith it is impossible to please him." In Hebrews 11:1, we are told what faith is. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." In 2 Corinthians 5:7: "For whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Romans 10:17, "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God." John 20:30-31, "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this book: But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through His name." Romans 5:1, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Yes, the Church of Christ teaches faith, and makes it plain enough that man cannot be saved without it. I am sure that no one could find objections to it teaching that. Now, why does the Church of Christ teach it? The oracles of God teach it as we have shown above and we must speak as they speak. Peter 4:11.
REPENTANCE
We are told by the Apostle James in the second chapter of his book (verses 14-26) that there be works mixed with our faith, and without works, faith is dead. So according to this there is something else for us to do besides believing. James says, "The devils also believe and tremble." Thev had the faith but no works. Now we don't want to be among that number, so we will see if there is not something else to do besides believe. Luke 13:3-5: "I tell ye nay: but except ye repent ye shall all like wise perish." Now that is one reason that James says what he did about the devils believing and trembling. They have not repented. In Acts 2:38 Peter said for them to "Repent," and in Acts 3:19, "Repent ye, therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted' out." According to this our sins cannot be blotted out until we repent. To repent is to reform. We must reform or we are in a lost condition. Acts 17:30: "But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent." 2 Corinthians 7:10: "For Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." In 2 Peter 3:9; we are told that the Lord is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," and in Romans 2:4, Paul tells us what leads us to repentance: "Not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance." God is not going to drive you to repentance. If you ever repent it will be His goodness that leads you to do it. He was good enough to let His Son die for us, and if that will not lead us to repent of our sins there is not a thing in the world that will. The Church of Christ teaches repentance because it is taught in the oracles of God as we have shown you, and Peter says, "If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God." No man can obey that scripture and teach that a man can be saved without repenting of his sins.
CONFESSION
The Church of Christ teaches that man must confess Christ in order to enjoy heaven after death. Matthew 10:32, "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess before my Father which is in heaven." The Jews at that time, as well as now, rejected Christ and they would not acknowledge Him as being God's son, but Christ gave them to know that they must do that or be rejected at the judgement. In Romans 10:10, we are told how that confession is to be made, "With the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Both Jew and Gentile must acknowledge Christ or go down into eternal torment at the judgment. Jesus Christ does not ask man to do something that He himself would not do. He tells us to confess Him as being the son of God and He did the same thing. He was asked if He was the Christ, the Son of the Blessed and His reply was, "I AM." That is the confession that caused the death of Christ, and it is the confession that will save us if we make it with a true heart. It is the greatest name that man can confess. To confess Christ to be the Son of God is making the greatest confession that any man can make.
It causes the angels of Heaven to rejoice and the demons of hell to weep, for as long as they can keep people from confessing Christ they know they have their victim where they want him. We should remember that this confession will be made by all. It will be with joy in this world or with shame at the judgment. Romans 14:11, "For it is written, as I live saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." And for that reason we plead with men to confess Him while they can, and not wait until they are compelled to confess Him. We teach that this confession should be made not because we want to differ from others, but because the oracles of God teach it, and we have already learned that we are to speak as they speak.
BAPTISM
The Church of Christ teaches that baptism is a command and that God intends for all that have reached the age of accountability to obey it. Christ told his apostles to practice it (Matthew 28:18-19) and in Mark 16:15-16 He says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned." In Acts 2:38, when the people on the day of Pentecost asked what to do, Peter by divine inspiration answered the question with these words: "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Now many people tell us that the preposition "for" as used here means because of. If that be true then the repentance is because of. For a preposition is a connective word in a phrase showing the relation of its object to the word which the phrase modifies.
Reason teaches us that repentance is not because of. Or in other words we do not repent because our sins are remitted. Notice repentance and baptism are joined together with the co-ordinate conjunction "and" and a co-ordinate conjunction is one that connects parts of equal rank. So if the baptism is for the remission of sins then that is what the repentance is for. Whoever heard of a man repenting because his sins were already remitted?
But I shall call your attention to different translations on this passage. The Modern speech New Testament reads: "'Repent,' replied Peter, 'and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, with a view to the remission of your sins.'" The Twentieth Century New Testament reads "'Repent,' answered Peter, 'and be baptized every one of you in the faith of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.'" The Emphatic Diaglott reads: "And Peter said to them, Reform and let each of you be immersed in the name of Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins." Now we could bring up other translations to show you that the preposition "for" as used here does not mean because of, but was looking forward to the sins being forgiven. But this is enough.
This baptism was a command. Acts 10:48, "And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus." This was baptism in water - see verse 47. It could not have reference to Holy Spirit baptism, as many seem to think, for the simple reason that Holy Spirit baptism was never given as a command, but was always spoken of as a promise. We can obey a command, but it is impossible to obey a promise. In Acts 22:16 Paul was told to arise and be baptized and wash away his sins. In Galatians 3:27, we are told that we are baptized into Christ. That being true we could not get into Him without it. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 teaches the same lesson. In 1 Peter 3:21 Peter tells us it saves. The Church of Christ tries to make it plain that people must obey the command to baptism. It does not teach it just because it likes to differ from others, but let us keep in mind that Peter says, "If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God." Now reader let me ask this question: can any man speak as the oracles of God and say that baptism is not a command when the oracles of God say it is? Can any man speak as the oracles of God and say we can have our sins forgiven when the oracles of God say that is what baptism is for? Can any man speak as the oracles of God and say that he is a new creature in Christ without baptism when the oracles of God say that is what brings us into Christ? We teach it because the Word of God teaches it.
ONE BAPTISM
We teach there is one baptism, and the same man that tells us that there is one tells us what kind it is. Ephesians 4:4-6: "One baptism." Romans 6:1-6: "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death." Colossians 2:12: "Buried with Him in baptism." Acts 8:38: "They went down both into the water, both Phillip and the eunuch, and he baptized him, and when they were come up out of the water-" In order for this baptism to be done, they went into the water and they came out of it. They don't do that with anything else but immersion. This is what the Church of Christ teaches on that subject, and it teaches it because it is the oracles of God.
CONVERSION
We also teach that in order for us to be saved we must be converted. The word convert means to change or turn and unless we turn from our evil ways we will not be saved. Matthew 18:3: "Verily I say unto you except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven." That is plain enough to show to any one that there must be conversion before salvation. Matthew 13:15: "For this people's heart is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed. Lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted (changed or turn about) and I should heal them." Acts 3:19: "Repent and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." This shows the sins are not blotted out unless there is conversion.
I know it is often said that we do not believe in conversion. But that is not true. We believe it is necessary. There are three changes in order for there to be the kind of conversion that is spoken of in the Book - the change of mind, conduct, and the change of state. The mind is changed by faith. We can't have faith unless we hear. (Romans 10:17) When we hear and believe, the testimony that the Lord has given our mind is changed. But this is all that is changed by faith. Repentance changes the conduct. It means to reform. John taught them to repent, or to reform. Peter in Acts 2:38 preached repentance, wanted them to reform. And then in 2 Corinthians 7:10: "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death." So one can have the conduct changed by repentance. But there is only one thing that changes the state, and that is obedience. Romans 6:17-18: "But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you, BEING THEN made free from sin ye became the servants of righteousness." The form he says we obey is found in the beginning of this chapter, 1-6. We are baptized into Christ Galatians 3:27. So it is baptism that changes the state. We can't have the mind changed without faith. Neither can we have the conduct changed without repentance. Neither can we have the state changed with baptism, because it is that which brings us into Christ, and when we are brought into Christ we are then brought from the power of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son: One of these is just as necessary as the other. There is only one thing that will convert us and that is by following the word of God. Psalm 19:7: "The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul." Now we teach this because it is found in the oracles of God, and Peter says, "If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God."
IN CHRIST
We believe and teach that in order for us to be saved we must be in Christ. Romans 8:1: Paul says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature." John 15:5: "I am the vine and ye are the branches. He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing." Now these branches here cannot have reference to different denominations as it is often taught, for by reading the 6th verse we find what He means by the branches. He says, "If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch." So Christ says these branches are men and not different institutions. In Revelation 14:13 Christ told John to write, "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord." So we see that it is necessary to get into Christ, to abide in Him, and to die in Him. To be in Christ is to be in his body. Romans 12:4-5: To be in His body is to be in His church. Ephesians 1:22-23, Colossians 1:18-24. To be in His Church is to be in His blood, for He bought the church with His blood, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 5:25-27. We must always come to a man's body to get in contact with his blood. So we can't be in His blood and out of His body, and we can't be in His body without being in His church. So we have the promise of everlasting life if we continue in Him. We teach this because the oracles of God teach it, and we must speak as they speak in order to please our God.
OBEDIENCE
In Matthew 7:21 we are told in order for us to enter the Kingdom of Heaven we must do the will of our Father in Heaven. Romans 6:17-18 shows this obedience must come from the heart, and we can't become servants of righteousness until we obey the form of doctrine as is set forth here. In Hebrews 5:9, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him. 1 Peter 1:22: "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth." Revelation 22:14: "Blessed are they that do His commandments." and in 2 Thessalonians 1:8 we are told that those who will not obey will be punished when Christ comes again. The Church of Christ teaches obedience. We have no right to say that a person has the promise of everlasting life when he is living in disobedience. We teach this because the oracles of God teach it and we are commanded to speak as they speak.
THE CHURCH
We teach that Jesus Christ established a church and that it belongs to Him. In Matthew 16:18 Christ said, "I will build my church." Now please get this in your mind, Christ said, "My church." It does not belong to one of the apostles or prophets - it belongs to Him. Christ said He would build it, and Acts 2:47 shows that He did what He promised to do. People could not be added to it if it was not established. We are told that Christ purchased the church with His blood, Acts 20:28, and Ephesians 5:25-27. When a man buys something it belongs to him - it is his property, the same is true with the church, and for that reason we should speak of it as His and not anothers. Now you may ask why do you teach this? Again we call your attention to 1 Peter 4:11: "If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God," and we have shown that the oracles of God say that this church belongs to Him.
NAME
The Church of Christ teaches that the church should wear Christ's name. It is His property, and for that reason, if there be no other, it should wear His name. But there are other reasons. In Romans 16:16, it is spoken of as the "churches of Christ." That is, the congregations of the Church of Christ were called "churches of Christ." He has no reference here to the different denominations. Again, in Hebrews 12:23, Paul speaks of it, as being the church of the first born. Now read Ephesians 1:22-23, and you will find that the first born has reference to Christ. Then in 1 Timothy 3:15, he speaks of it as the Church of God, because God is a name that was given to Christ, (Hebrews 1:8) and He received that name by inheritance. According to Acts 4:11-12, we learn that there is none other name given but His that we can be saved by. It is just as necessary to teach what the Book says about the name as it is to teach what it says on other things. And the reason that we teach the church should wear his name is because the oracles of God teach it, and we have already learned by the Apostle Peter that we are to speak as they speak.
CHRISTIAN
We teach that this is a name that was given to the individuals, but never given for the church to wear as a body. Acts 11:26: "Disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." I want you to notice he says the disciples were called that. This is the new name that the Lord said He would give His people which was promised in Isaiah 62:2. According to this prophecy this name was not to be given until the Gentiles would see the righteousness of God. They did not come to that righteousness in the way of accepting it until Acts 10. Then, in the next chapter, after they became obedient to their Lord; this new name was given. The name, Christian, never was used until Acts 11:26. It was used again by Agrippa when he said to Paul, "Almost thou persuadeth me to be a Christian," and it is again used in 1 Peter 4:16: "Yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed: But let him glorify God on this behalf." Or in this name. The church does not belong to Christians, therefore we should never speak of it that way. The Christians belong to the church and the church belongs to Christ. That is why we speak of the disciples as Christians and the church as the Church of Christ. Now why do we teach it? If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God, and the oracles of God teach it as we have already shown.
UNITY
Yes we teach unity. Try to make it plain to all that we should be a united people. For we are told that Christ prayed for it. John 17:11, he says in speaking of His disciples "That they may be one as we are," verse 21, "That they all may be one; as thou art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me," verse 22. "That they may be one even as we are one." Verse 23, "That they may be made perfect in one." In as much as Christ prayed for unity we ought to work for it. I know it is some times said when we teach unity that we are narrow, but that does not change what the Lord said. If I am narrow because I work for unity, then my Savior must have been narrow when He prayed for it. Paul taught the same thing Christ prayed for. Romans 16:17-18, he told the Roman brethren to mark them which cause division. Again in 1 Corinthians 1:10 "That ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you. But that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." We should be united in one body. Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 2:14-16. Ephesians 4:1-6, and the book says that the body is the Church. (Ephesians 1:22-23; Colossians 1:18-24). That one body has one head. Ephesians 1:22-23. It has one spirit - (Ephesians 4:4) and we are baptized into that body by one baptism. (Ephesians 4:5) We follow the one Lord. (Ephesians 4:5). Obey the law that comes from the one Lawgiver; (James 4:12). Wear the one name; (Ephesians 3:14-15). Walk by the one faith; (Ephesians 4:5). Travel the one way; (Matthew 7:13-14), and rejoice in the one hope. (Ephesians 4:4). The Church of Christ teaches that we should be united on these things. And now the question comes before us again, Why do we teach it? 1 Peter 4:11 is the first thing we think of in answering that question. "If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God." We have shown that the oracles of God teach unity so if I speak as they do I cannot teach otherwise.
TWO WAYS
We believe that there are just two ways that lead out of this world into the Great Beyond. One of them leads to eternal life and the other one leads to eternal destruction. Matthew 7:13-14: "Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." According to this we are either on the road that leads to everlasting enjoyment of we are going down to eternal ruin. There is no middle ground for us to take. In Luke 13:23-24, the question was asked Christ, "Will there be many saved?" His reply was, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate; For many I say unto you, will seek to enter in but shall not be able." This shows the road we should travel. Proverbs 16:25: "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." By reading Galatians 5:19-21 we learn what is found in the broad way. If we are guilty of doing the things that He speaks of here as being the works of the flesh, we are traveling the wrong road. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us what is to be found in the narrow way. If we are doing what He says in this scripture we are traveling the right road, and the end will be everlasting life. No one can travel this road unless he is redeemed. See Isaiah 35:8-9-10 and by reading 1 Peter 1:19 we find that we are redeemed by the Blood of Christ. So this teaches us that those who have never come to Christ are traveling the road that leads to death. But those who have come to him and obey his commandments are traveling the road that leads to the haven of rest. We teach this as we do because it is found in the oracles of God and if any man speak he should speak as they speak.
THE TWO COVENANTS
We believe and teach that we are not under the old covenant, but under the New, and that the old covenant is given for our learning instead of us to obey. Romans 15:4. In Jeremiah 31:31 we read, "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah." Notice that a new one is promised. Now we read Hebrews 8:8-13, "For finding fault with them, He saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah," and the next verses give us what Jeremiah said would be in the New covenant. So according to this statement the New covenant is come and we are under it instead of the old one.
In 2 Corinthians 3:1-11 Paul is comparing the two covenants, one was on tables of the stone and the other one on fleshy tables of the heart. He also declares in verse 6 "Who hath also made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the Spirit; for the letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life" And verse 11 shows the first is passed away. We read again in Galatians 3:23-29 that we are not under the law but under faith. And then Galatians 4:21-31 explains to us that we are not the children of the bond woman but the free. These two women illustrate the two covenants, the bond woman as the old, and the free woman as the new, and in as much as we are told that we are of the free woman that explains to us that we are of the new covenant. Galatians 3 makes it plain enough to any one that we are under the new covenant instead of the old. This whole chapter should be read. Now in reading Deuteronomy 9:9-11, Moses tells us that the covenant was the ten commandments, and then in Exodus 34:28 we read "And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights, he did neither eat bread nor drink water, and he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS." This shows us that the Ten Commandments and the covenant was the same. Everyone of those commandments that are for us to obey has been placed in the new. No one has a right to put anything in the Testament but the one that made it. Christ made the new and anything that He has not put there, we have no right to try to put it there. We are not under the old covenant for the following reasons: (1) It was given to Jews only. (2) Promised the land of Canaan; (3) Inflicted death of the body; (4) Commanded animal sacrifice; (5) Gave one-tenth of what they had; (6) Can't be justified by it, Galatians 3:11; (7) It was weak. Romans 8:3; (8) It is dead, Romans 7:6; (9) Those under it have fallen from grace, Galatians 5:4; (10) It has been abolished, Ephesians 2:15; (11) Made nothing perfect, Hebrews 7:19; (12) It was a yoke, Acts 15:10; (13) Not faultless, Hebrews 8:7; (14) It was nailed to the cross, Colossians 2:13-14. I have tried to give you some of the reasons that we are not under the Old. Now I shall try to give some reasons why we are under the new; (1) It was given to all nations, Matthew 28:18-19, Mark 16:15-16, Colossians 1:23; (2) Promises Heaven, John 14:14; (3) Inflicts eternal death, Revelation 14:19-11; (4) Christ our sacrifice, Revelation 1:5; (5) Give as prospered instead of one-tenth, 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; (6) It will justify, Galatians 3:11; (7) It is strong, Hebrews 12; (8) It is living, 1 Peter 1:23; (9) It remains, 1 Peter 1:23; (10) It will save, Acts 20:32; (11) It makes us free, John 8:32, John 17:17; (12) It is without fault, James 1:25; (13) It was established at the cross, Matthew 28:18, Philippians 2: 8-9. If we have a right to go back to the law and get one thing we have a right to go there and get them all. Read Galatians 3:10. This brings to our mind the question, was the thief on the cross saved without obeying the gospel? Yes. It was unnecessary for him to do that. The covenant which contains the gospel was not of force until the death of Christ. Hebrews 9:16. The thief died under the old covenant while it was still standing, and he did not have the gospel to obey, and did not have to be baptized for that law was not yet given. But we are living this side of the death of the testator and we must meet the conditions of His will if we expect to be saved at the judgment. We teach this because it is in the oracles of God and we again call your attention to 1 Peter 4:11.
BISHOPS
We as a body believe and teach that there should be bishops, or overseers in every congregation where they have the material for such. Titus 1:5: "Ordain elders in every city." Elders here have reference to bishops. Acts: 14:23, "and when they had ordained them elders in every church." This should forever do away with the teaching that a man can be an elder over several congregations at the same time. The qualifications of elders are given in 1 Timothy 3; and Titus 1. They are to feed the flock. Acts 20:28, 1 Peter 5:4. They are to give account for the flock at the judgment. Hebrews 12:7 and 17. God has placed an obligation upon them that is not placed upon any one else, and He has commanded that they be treated with double honour. I Timothy 5:17-19. These men should be appointed because they possess the qualifications and not by vote. There is not a place in the Bible where God ever told the church to appoint its officers by vote. The Church of Christ teaches the above in regard to Elders and teaches it because the Bible teaches it for we are to speak as it speaks.
DEACONS
We also believe and teach that when we have men in the congregation that are qualified for the office of a deacon the congregation should have deacons, but as it is with the elders, God never left it to our judgment as to the kind of men that should be appointed but has made it plain to us by giving their qualifications (1 Timothy 3:8-13). We are sometimes asked if there are no men that are qualified for the office of elders and deacons why not appoint women to that office. That would not be right for no woman can fill the qualifications he has given. For instance he says an elder must be the husband of one wife. That forever settles the question, for a woman can't be that. We teach these things because the oracles of God teach it and not because we want to differ from other people.
MEET ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK
When Christ was about to leave His people on account of the night of death approaching, He gave them a memorial to keep which was the communion. When eating with His apostles He took the bread, and the cup and said to them, "this is my body and blood." In 1 Corinthians 11:21 to 34, Paul is telling the church at Corinth to keep this communion service that the Lord instituted which shows that it was to be observed by the church, and he tells those people to examine themselves (verse 28) and if they partake of it unworthily they will eat and drink damnation to themselves. We are also told in Hebrews 10:25 to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, and in Acts 20:7, we are told when they assembled and that was the first day of the week. That day is a memorial day of the resurrection of Christ, and on that memorial day we are to partake of that memorial institution That day comes once every week. There cannot be a week unless it has the first day. And just as sure as that day comes we are to meet and commemorate His death and suffering. The members of the Church of Christ are taught that is as much of a command as any other command taught in the Bible and they are taught it because the oracles of God teach it.
PRAYER
Prayer is another command taught in the Bible and should be obeyed the same as any other. No place do we read of prayerless Christians. We can't live a Christian life without prayer. In Luke 18:1, Christ says, "Men ought always to pray and not to faint," and in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Paul said "Pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks;" then in 1 Timothy 2:8, "I will therefore that men pray everywhere." In the next verse he speaks of the women praying. If he never had intended for the women to pray why tell them how to act when they did pray? Notice the expression "Like manner" in verse 9 - that means the same way. As He tells the man to pray everywhere lifting up holy hand's without wrath and doubting, the woman is to do the same thing. We believe and practice prayer. If we did not we would not be a Bible people. We teach it because the oracles of God teach it, and we practice it because He tells us to.
SINGING
We believe and teach that singing should be in the church and that it is the only kind of music that should be there. When Christ was with the Apostles on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17) God spoke to them in this language, "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, HEAR YE HIM." (Matthew 17:5). Now we cannot hear a person unless that person speaks, so unless Christ said to have instrumental music in the church we are not hearing Him when we put it there. When Moses prophesied of Christ, he said, "HIM SHALL YE HEAR," Deuteronomy 18:15. Acts 7:37. Now men of knowledge may tell us that instrumental music in the worship is all right. But keep in mind we are not to hear what men say about it; but we are told that we are to hear Christ. And we are under just as much obligation to hear Him on this subject as we are on any other. Now if Christ ever said to have it in the worship, then I say we should have it. Again in John 16:13, Christ told his apostles that when the Spirit of truth would come it would guide them into ALL truth. Now if it never guided them in the way of instrumental music then it is not part of the truth, and if it is not part of the truth then we have no right whatever to have it in the worship. But we do find where the Spirit guided the apostles in the way of singing. Ephesians 5:19: "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Colossians 3:16: "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom: teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Hebrews 2:12: "I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praises unto thee." When we have singing in the worship we do that by the authority of the Holy Spirit for it led the Apostles into ALL truth and we have read where they said to have it. But in no place do we find where they say to have instrumental music. But some might say didn't they use it in old testament times? Yes, I would not deny that. But the Lord never told us to hear what Moses David and others of the Old Testament said, but we are to hear Christ. But the question is asked "wasn't David a good man and didn't he tell the people to use it?" Yes, but let us see when and how they were to use it. We call your attention to the place where it is said that David commanded it to be used. Now let us begin reading with 2 Chronicles 29:20 and read down to verse 28. Verse 20 - they went up to the house of the Lord. Verse 21 - they brought seven bullocks, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven he goats, for a sin offering for the kingdom, and for the sanctuary. Verses 22-23-24 tell us that they killed these animals. Verses 25-26 tell us that the music was there. Verse 27: "And when the burnt offering began, the song of the Lord began also with the trumpets, and with the INSTRUMENTS ORDAINED BY DAVID KING OF ISRAEL." I want the reader to keep this one fact in mind they did not play the music until they started to killing the sacrifice, and now read verse 28. "And all the congregation worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; AND ALL THIS CONTINUED UNTIL THE BURNT OFFERING WAS FINISHED." They began their music when they started to offering their bloody sacrifice and when they were through with their offering then the music ceased. Now if we have a right to bring the music in the worship because they used it there, why would we not have the same right to bring the bloody sacrifice? They could not be separated there, and that being true, why will people want to separate them now? If we bring the music in the worship, because the Lord commanded it back there, we have the same right to prepare our altars in the meeting house and offer the bloody sacrifice. But we should keep in mind that we are not to bring in either of them because they had them, for we are to hear Christ and not the ones that spoke there.
Again our attention is often called to Psalm 150. Now let us notice that David names eight thing's here that people should praise the Lord with. Now if I have a right to bring in one of that number I have a right to bring in all of them.
If we as Christians have a right to go there for authority of having music in the worship then we have the authority for using the dance. For in the same chapter that David said to use the different instruments to praise the Lord with, he said to praise Him with the dance, So let us be fair with this, and let us not get too narrowminded. If we are going to bring one in, let us reach out and take them all in. But sometimes people say this dance is a musical instrument. No, that is a mistake; that word means to dance, "to turn in a circle." And we have as much right to go to Psalm 150 to get the dance as we have to get the right to have musical instruments in the worship.
Then my attention is often called to this question. Will there not be musical instruments in heaven? and our attention is called to Revelation 14:2 where John says, "I heard the VOICE of harpers harping with their harps." Heard their voice - I want you to get that. It was a voice. Now the next verse tells us what that voice was. They were singing. But when he speaks of harps here did he mean literal harps? No, this is a book of symbols. Let us read Revelation 12. "There appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." Was this a literal woman? No, it was a symbol. But John said he saw it just like he said he heard the harps. Now read 12:3: "There appeared another wonder IN HEAVEN." Where? In Heaven. Behold a great red dragon Where did he see that dragon ? In Heaven. Do you mean to tell me that there are literal dragons in Heaven? No. this was not literal, and any one that knows anything about Revelation knows it was not. Now read Revelation 19:11: "And he said he saw a white horse there." Will there be literal horses in heaven? No, but this is all a symbol. But I have as much right to say and teach that there will be literal horses and literal dragons there as a man has to say there will be literal music there. The same writer speaks of them being in the same place. But now, dear reader, let us keep this one thought in our mind. If the Lord would have wanted us to have musical instruments in the church He surely would have told us to have them there. But He didn't tell us, and we have no right to add to what he says; for if we do not we will come under the condemnation that is placed upon a certain class spoken of in Revelation 22:18.
Then there is one other question that comes up many times on this subject. If we are not to have in the worship then we should not have it in our homes, for we should have nothing in our own house that we are not allowed to have in the Lord's house. No, I think that is going too far. Now let us see. The Lord has told us just what we are to have in HIS house, but he never did tell us what to have and what not to have in our homes. For instance, if we want to have mince pie on our tables in our homes we have a perfect right to have it there. But suppose when we attend a meeting in the Lord's house we would find such as that on the Lord's table, would it be all right to eat it at his table? No indeed. Why? He has told us what to have there, and that was the bread and the cup. When he said to have that, it shut out everything else. Many good people say, "It doesn't say not to have music in the worship." No, not in so many words. Neither does it say not have the pie on the Lord's table. But he has made it plain to us what to have. So it is with the music. He said to sing, and it was not necessary to tell us what we were not to have after he explained what to have.
We are to walk by faith, and that comes by hearing the Word of God. Romans 10:17. We cannot use the music by faith because the word of God does not say to have it. Therefore it is a sin for "whatsoever is not of faith is sin." Romans 14:23. "And the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23. If we can have everything in the church that the Lord has not said in so many words not to have, we could bring in nearly anything we wanted to. No place He says in so many words not to have infants in the church. Not to baptize infants. Not to confess your sins to the priest. But when He tells us what to have that should settle the question with us forever. The oracles of God say to sing and we should speak as they speak.
GIVING
We are often asked, "Does the Church of Christ believe in giving? If so, how does it do it?" In the Old Testament times people were commanded to give one-tenth. But we are not commanded to give that now. For we are to hear Christ, and not Moses. In 1 Corinthians 16:1-2, we read, "Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store as God has prospered him, that there be no gathering when I come." Now this explains to us when and how to give. Give on the first day of the week, and as we have been prospered. We have no right whatever to tell someone else what they are to give as far as dollars and cents are concerned. We learn again by reading 2 Corinthians 9:7, "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; Not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver." Now dear reader, you keep in mind the one that does the giving is the one that must do the purposing in his heart. One can't purpose in his heart for the amount the other party is to give. That forever settles the question "is it right to assess the members so much?" That is a matter that God has left with each individual, and any one is out of his place by telling another they have to give a set amount. Again in 2 Corinthians 8:12, "For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." The willing mind must be there first, then God will accept what you offer. But without that willing mind your offering will not benefit you in the least. Now we ask you to read Acts 2:42: "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles, doctrine and in fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." You will notice that the three thousand obeyed the gospel in verse 41 and they were the ones that He speaks of continuing in this work. The Lord never did intend for the people of the world to keep up His church. The members of the body of Christ are to keep it up and not ask the people of the world to do that. When we make suppers and such like and ask the people who are not members of the church to come and support it, we are doing wrong. The Book says for us to purpose in our hearts what to give. But if we buy something at a supper, the other party has set the price and tells us what to pay. And we expect to get the worth of our money. But when we give of our means in the way the Lord commanded we are looking forward to the reward He has promised to the faithful after death. But some might say this this is a very small thing. But remember that God doesn't overlook what people call "small things." It was a small thing for Moses to smite the rock, but he lost his inheritance in Canaan on account of it. Let us be careful that we don't lose the promise of the Heavenly Canaan on the account of following after what some people call "Small things." Let us not add to, nor take from.
Now you may ask, "Why, say that is the way to raise money."? Again we call your attention to 1 Peter 4:11, "If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God." We have shown that the oracles of God say to give as prospered on the first day of the week, to give willingly, and to purpose in the heart what to give. If we change that, it is a sure thing we are not speaking by His oracles.
TEACHING
We believe when we come together on Lord's days that there should be teaching. And that the Word of God is the only thing to teach at that time. John 8:32: "And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." In John 17:17, Christ says, "Thy word is truth." So it is the Word of Truth that makes us free. That being true we need nothing but that in our teaching Acts 20:32: "And now, brethren, I commend you to God and the word of His grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified." So in as much as the Word of God is able to give us an inheritance among the sanctified that is all we should teach. Again in 2 Timothy 3:15-16-17: "And from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Again in 2 Timothy 2:2: "And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also."
What else can we teach that would be more edifying than the Bible? NOT A THING. The Church of Christ believes and teaches that there should be teaching when it comes together, but it should take the Bible as the only thing to teach. You may ask the question, "why does it teach that?" "If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God." And no man can speak by the oracles of God and say it is right to teach what man says. Mark 7:7: "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrine the commandments of men," and in Colossians 2: 21-22: "Touch: not: taste not: handle not; which all are to perish with the using; after the commandments and doctrine of men." I hope and pray that the time will come when every professed disciple of Christ will take the Bible for what it says and lay aside the teaching of man. If they would do that we could be a united people.
MISSION WORK
Many times we hear people object to the Church of Christ on the grounds that we don't believe in Mission work. Now, no doubt, many honest people believe that we think it is wrong to do that kind of work, but this is a mistake. And no doubt the reason they think that of us is because we do not believe in a Missionary society. Now it is true that we do not believe in such, but that is no reason why we don't believe in doing Mission work. In 1 Thessalonians 1:8 Paul said, "For from you sounded out the word of the Lord." Now he was writing to the church and told them of the good they had done. The church had done this work. It was not left for a society of some kind to do it but the church did it. That is the way the Church of Christ does the work now. Again in Ephesians 3:10: "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in Heavenly places MIGHT BE KNOWN BY THE CHURCH, the manifold wisdom of God." The church was to do that, and it is wrong to place the work into another institution that God speaks nothing about. The glory is to be given to God through the church, and not through something that is the work of man, Ephesians 3:21. But some might ask "doesn't the missionary society send this money to where the mission work is to be done?" That might be, but what is the use of keeping up the middle man? All the money that is put into a missionary society is handled by the middle man and that institution has to be kept up. It will soon die if it doesn't get any of this money. The Church of Christ does not do that. A congregation sends out $100 to do mission work. Every dollar of that goes to the place where the work is to be done, and no man gets any percent of it for handling it. Is that not a good plan? It certainly is for that is the plan the Lord gave and we cannot improve on his work. In Colossians 2:10: "And ye are complete in Him which is the head of all principality and power." The missionary society at that time, was not in existence and Paul says you are complete. Well, when anything is complete nothing can be added to it to make it more complete. If the church is complete without it what is the use of taking the Lord's money to keep it up as is now being done? Peter says 2 Peter 1:3, "According as His divine power hath given unto us ALL things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue." That all things were given before the missionary society was even thought of. Therefore it does not pertain to life and godliness. We believe in doing mission work because the oracles of God teach us to do so. We believe that there is just one organization to do church work through and that is the church. The church is governed by the kind of officers taught in the Bible. But the missionary society is governed by a body of officers that the Bible says nothing about. That shows that they are two different organizations. It is the human organization that we fight, and not the doing of mission work. We do that because the oracles of God teach the church should do this work. Keep in mind 1 Peter 4:11.
DISCIPLINE
The Church of Christ teaches that discipline should be used on the disorderly members. When one steps aside from the teaching of God's word and refuses to return to the church and make his wrongs right, that one is a subject of discipline. In 2 Thessalonians 3:6 we read, "Now we command you brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after the tradition which he received from us." And again in 1 Corinthians 5 we are told why this work should be done. "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." So if such as that gets in the congregation it should be taken care of before the whole becomes leaven. In verse 7 he says "Purge out therefore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump." Every congregation that has disorderly members should make it plain to the people that we do not stand responsible for the wrongs they are doing. Now we teach this because it is found in the oracles of God, and keep in mind that we are commanded to speak as they speak.
RESURRECTION
We teach that there will be a resurrection of the just and the unjust. Isaiah 26:19: "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is, as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." Daniel 12:2: "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." John 5:28: "All that are in the graves shall hear His voice and come forth." 1 Corinthians 15th chapter shows there will be a resurrection of the dead. We believe and teach that because the oracles of God teach it.
JUDGMENT
And beyond the resurrection, we teach, there is to be a judgment. Ecclesiastes 12:14: "For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." And again in Romans 14:10, Paul told the Roman brethren, "For we shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to God." So then everyone of us shall give account of himself to God. In 2 Corinthians 5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. That every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Hebrews 9:27: "And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment." and John in Revelation 20:12 said, "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." It is just as important to teach that there is coming a judgment as to teach anything else for it is taught in the oracles of God.
REWARD PROMISED
We teach that there is a reward for the righteous. That those who live and die a Christian will enjoy the promises contained in the gospel; that they will be with Christ where He is. For He says, "I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:1-3. "And that we can dwell in a house not made with hands," 2 Corinthians 5:1. "And can wear the crown of righteousness," 2 Timothy 4:6-8. "That we can rest from our labors, and our works will follow us," Revelation 14:13, "and that we can be in a place where death, sorrow, and crying will never come," Revelation 21:3-4. Neither shall be suffer any more pain. And last but not least we shall be able to partake of the tree of life, and that means we can live forever. Revelation 22:14.
PUNISHMENT
We believe and teach that there is a place of eternal punishment for the wicked. Mark 9:43-47 shows that it is eternal: "The worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched." Christ says in Matthew 25: 46: "And these shall go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal." Notice that one of these is to last as long as the other. If hell is only a short time, heaven is to be the same. But sometimes we are told that the word everlasting has different meanings and when it speaks of punishment it does not mean without end. But here is what we find by reading the Bible. In Matthew 19:29 it speaks of everlasting life. In John 3:16 the same. Romans 16:26: "The everlasting God." 2 Peter 1:11: "Everlasting kingdom." Matthew 18:8: "Ever lasting fire." Matthew 25:46: "Everlasting fire." Matthew 25:46: "Everlasting punishment." 2 Thessalonians 1:9: "Everlasting destruction." Now the word everlasting as we have used here comes from the same word. And if it does not mean without end when it speaks of punishment, then it does not mean without end when it speaks of Life, God and Kingdom being everlasting. According to that kind of reasoning God is liable to give up His authority at any time and give it to another, and the kingdom promised beyond death will not be forever. The same is true in regard to the word eternal. Many times we are told that it does not mean without end of time. But we will notice it. Matthew 25:46 "Eternal life." Hebrews 9:14: "Eternal Spirit." Hebrews 9:15. "Eternal inheritance." Mark 3:29: "Eternal damnation." Now if it does not mean without end when it speaks of damnation, then it does not mean without end when it speaks of Life, Spirit or inheritance. The word eternal as we have given here comes from the same word. If one means forever, then they all do, and if one means for only a short time, then they all do. But again some might say that the only hell that is spoken of in the Bible is the grave. That is not true for the hell that is spoken of in Matthew 5:22 is connected with fire, and the grave is not spoken of as such. Matthew 10:28 shows the soul goes to the place called hell. The inward man does not go to the grave therefore the hell here is not the grave. But we hear it said some times the soul here means the body. No, that can't be for Christ said BOTH soul and body. If the soul here had reference to the body why use two that mean the same thing? Again in Matthew 18:9, it is connected with fire, therefore cannot mean the grave. In Matthew 23:33 He speaks of hell as being damnation. In no place is the grave and damnation spoken of as meaning the same. Then in Mark 9:43-47 He speaks of hell as being a place of fire. Yes, but people sometimes say that this means the grave and the worms spoken of here are the worms that destroy our body in the graves. Well, if that be true then God thinks more of the worms that destroy our body than He thinks of us. But that is not true. This has no reference to the grave whatever. We are also told that this torment does not mean forever as we speak of it. Let us see what that means. Hebrews 1:8: "Thy throne, oh God, is for ever and ever." Revelation 5:13 shows that the glory of Christ is to be forever and ever. Revelation 11:15; "The kingdom of the world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever, as I have used it means the same Christian He says, and they shall reign forever and ever." Revelation 14:11: "Smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever." Revelation 20:10: "And shall be tormented day and night forever and ever." Now, dear reader, keep in mind this expression Ever and ever, as I have used it means the same in every place that we have called your attention to. If it does not mean something without end in speaking of the punishment then it does not mean it when he speaks of God, Christ, and the Christian living forever and ever. In other words God, Christ and the torment are to continue the same length of time.
Now we teach there is an eternal place of torment for the disobedient. But is was never prepared for man. Christ says in Matthew 25:41, "It was prepared for the devil and his angels." God is not going to send a man there. No, don't get that in your mind. If we go there we will send ourselves there. He just tells us what will be the result if we neglect our duty toward Him. He made the greatest sacrifice that any being could make: Suffered His only Son to come into this world to suffer while here and at last He suffered Him to die. on the cross of Calvary that we might escape that place. He has done all that any one could ask for to keep people from going there. Now if they reject the great sacrifice He made, and continue on in their rebellion toward Him, they are sending themselves there, and God is not to blame for it. But, dear reader, we plead with you not to close your ears to His cry, or to His pleadings. He is not willing that you should perish but He wants you to come to repentance, that you might escape this place. He invites you. So don't delay going to Him that you might be saved when you meet Him at the judgment.
J. C. ROADY, Hamburg, Ill.