AuthorRoger Boone and Raymond Fox The Simplicity of the Church
In a world that is becoming increasingly complex, it is refreshing to discover something with simplistic beauty. Simplicity is the unique quality of the gospel of Jesus. The beauty of the gospel is that, though it is a very uncomplicated message, it adequately satisfies the needs of man. The church that Jesus built reflected His message, as a simple fellowship of believers, knit together in love. Today, unfortunately, man has corrupted this original simplicity with a multitude of his own ideas and practices. Returning to New Testament Christianity means returning to the simplicity of the New Testament church. A Simple Worship One of the uncomplicated beauties of the New Testament church was its worship. When the early disciples met for worship, together they sang songs of praise from their hearts, without the intrusion of musical instruments (Colossians 3:16). They also united their hearts together in humble, unadorned prayer to God (Acts 2:42). Those men, who were respected as faithful teachers, taught God's holy word (1 Timothy 2:11,12). Every first day of the week the early Christians observed the Lord's Supper, a simple memorial in remembrance of Jesus (Acts 20:7). The Christians also willingly and lovingly set aside a portion of their sustenance each Lord's day to help the needy saints and to spread the gospel (1 Corinthians 16:2). In contrast today, after man adds complex ceremonies, mysterious rites, prayers in languages that no one can understand, and endless pitches for money, the simply beauty of the New Testament worship is lost. A Simple Purpose Just as Jesus had only one purpose in His life on earth, "to seek and to save the lost" Luke 19:10, the church that He built had only one purpose: to spread the good news of Christ's saving mission. However, many modern day religious institutions are confused about their purpose. Some think their purpose is to entertain; so worship becomes an elaborate production staged for an audience. Others think their purpose is political; so thy spend their resources backing political causes. For some, attending church services is merely a social activity to see who has the prettiest building and the wealthiest membership. In the midst of all these changes, reading in the New Testament about the early church is like a breath of fresh air. Is this Simplicity Possible Today? Returning to the original simplicity of the church is possible by peeling away all the man-made additions that have complicated Christianity. The church of Christ believes and practices this simplicity by following only the New Testament as the pattern for the church today.
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Author Roger Boone and Raymond Fox Becoming a Christian
Becoming a Christian can be confusing in today's world where there are so many different denominations that teach conflicting ideas about Christianity. In fact, people are sometimes discouraged from being Christians because of the great number of different churches. Many want to be Christians, but they do not know where to begin. The place to begin is not with what man says, but with what Jesus says in the New Testament. What did Jesus Say? Believe: "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live" John 11:25. Becoming a Christian is more, though, than just believing; for Jesus said to some that believed in him, "If you abide in My word, you are my disciple indeed" John 8:31. What else does His word say? Repent: "... but unless you repent you will all likewise perish" Luke 13:3. Repentance is changing your mind and deciding to live as Jesus lived. This change of mind leads to confessing His name. Confess: "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven" Matthew 10:32. Confessing that Jesus is the Son of God is a statement of our faith in Him. But our faith in Christ must be followed by the next step of obedience. Be Baptized: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned" Mark 16:16. After taking the step of baptism, you become a child of God, a new creature, saved by the blood of Jesus (Romans 6:3-6). Follow Me! While baptism is the beginning of the Christian life, it is not the end. Jesus wants His disciples to continue to walk as He walked. "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" John 8:12. Just Christians When you follow Jesus Christ and Him only, you become a Christian and only a Christian. In the New Testament, the disciples wore only the name of Christ because they were just Christians and nothing else. Today, though, many wear the names of denominations, identifying themselves with a man-made organization. You can decide to be just a Christian by laying aside all man-made names and practices and determining to follow Jesus as Lord and Savior. AuthorRoger Boone and Raymond Fox Which church?
To which church should I belong? Often people despair of ever finding the answer because of the impossible task of searching each church and studying each doctrine. This problem can be solved by first reading the description of the Lord's church in the New Testament; you will then know what to look for in the churches today. If a church does not fit the pattern of the church in the New Testament, then it is not the Lord's church. The church of Christ, has dedicated itself to restoring New Testament Christianity and following the pattern of the New Testament church. What will you find at the church of Christ?
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January 2019
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