For those of you who don’t already know me, I am a member of the church of Christ. Let me clarify that. I am a baptized member of the church that Jesus Christ died for, the one that Peter preached about in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost, the one spoken of throughout the New Testament and predicted in the Old. Do I believe there is any other? No, I do not. Must that great church that Christ established bear the name “church of Christ?” No, I do not believe it must.
Now in some circles, that last statement would have branded me a heretic. You see, when I have made similar statements in the past, I have been asked the question, “well is there any other church that Christ died for?” or “is there any other way than Christ?” How delightfully presumptuous. The people that have asked me that have already fused the monacre “church of Christ” with the church of the Bible in their minds. They, like I, have probably grown up in the “church of Christ,” and have always associated one with the other, and not completely without reason. Chances are, the church they have always attended adheres to the doctrine of the church mentioned in the Bible. Is their church a church of Christ in the same sense as Romans 16:16? I would say yes.
So what’s the problem? The problem is that we are so fascinated with the name “church of Christ” that we write off everyone else whose church does not bear that name. It is automatically assumed that since their church name does not match our own, then their doctrine must be incorrect.
But what does the Bible say concerning the name of the church that Christ died for? Acts 20:28 and 1 Cor. 11:22 refer to this church as the “church of God.” Shall we rebuke them for calling it that? The Hebrew writer calls it the “church of the firstborn” in Hebrews 12:23. Should we challenge the Hebrew writer and dismiss that book as uncanonical based on him using that term? Absolutely not! The only instance I know of where the term “church of Christ” is used is in Romans 16:16 and it is plural: “churches of Christ.” I’m just scratching the surface of the many different names and labels that the Bible puts on the sanctified church that Christ purchased with His blood.
I understand that as member of the church of Christ (which is a scriptural name and it’s the name I personally use to reference the church) that we have had a longtime love affair with that name. And that’s fine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that name. But it’s when you force that name over any other name (including scriptural names) that it becomes a problem. The greater issue, I fear, is that we have been so intoxicated by having that name on our signs that we cease to care about what goes on inside the building. So I ask you, what is more important, a name a church bears or what goes on inside (and outside) the walls of that building?
February 10, 2007 at 10:18 pm |
I like. I think it ironic that many of the churches in our fellowship are taking “of Christ” off their signs to become more like Christ. Am I the only one who sees an inconsistency in that?
Food for thought…Why do we put the “c” in “church” in lower-case? I find myself doing that and I have no idea why.
February 10, 2007 at 10:23 pm |
Oh really?! You’re right again.
I would add that I would not put up with my wife taking the name of a another man, a group of men, or a movement, and I really don’t think Christ would want His bride to take another name either.
February 10, 2007 at 10:34 pm |
Matthew, I agree. I think it is inconsistent to just put “church” on there in hopes a church will be more like Christ. And I have to say, there is something to be said for the name “church of Christ,” in that in most cases, one knows what to expect when they attend one. So for consistency, I’d say it’s definitely profitable to put “Church of Christ” on the sign. But I wouldn’t say it’s required.
Good point, Scott. I totally agree. I believe that as long as a name is scriptural, it’s legit.
And to both of you, I urge you to read this lively discussion on facebook: http://hs.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=2235238053&id=1503870063&index=1 Let me know what you think!
February 10, 2007 at 11:14 pm |
Great points to all of you, except for Matt because he likes jazz music and listens to satelite radio.
…
I’m just kiddin’!
February 11, 2007 at 4:30 am |
The lower-case “c” in “church of Christ” shows the meaning of the word “church” to refer to the congregation and not to the whole Church. For example, the Church of Christ was established in the 1st century, but Dalraida church of Christ was established in the 20th century.
February 11, 2007 at 8:20 pm |
Doesn’t it seem like we are grasping at straws, though?
February 12, 2007 at 4:08 am |
Elaborate on that one, Matt. I don’t think I really get what you’re saying.
February 13, 2007 at 6:05 am |
A big-C “Church” denotes a denominational name to me. A lower-c “church” denotes a description.
June 25, 2007 at 9:15 am |
HI all,
You asked, “So I ask you, what is more important, a name a church bears or what goes on inside (and outside) the walls of that building?”
I believe, if we be like the christians in the bible, both are important.
1. God’s people are called by His name
Daniel 9:19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.
2. Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven are done for the house of the God of heaven.
Ezra 7:23 Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be diligently done for the house of the God of heaven: for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?
3. The house of God is the Church of God.
1 Timothy 3:15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
4. In fact, it is the church, whom the Lord Jesus Christ purchased with His own blood.
Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
5. The Church of God is mentioned 12 times in the bible. Churches of Christ only once.
6. All these churches which were in Christ are the churches of God, such as those in Judea.
Galatians 1:22 And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:
1 Thessalonians 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
June 25, 2007 at 10:57 am |
Okay Jet, I’m not sure I follow you here. Is the name “Church of Christ” any less important because it is only mentioned once? In reference to Daniel 9:19, we are to be called by His name, but God has many names: Jehovah, Lord, Master, King, etc. Sorry but the use of that verse seems to make a moot point. I don’t mean to be rude but I really don’t know where you’re going with this. Are you saying that “church of God” is a better name or even the only name we should use? What about the other names like “church of the firstborn,” “household of faith,” “kingdom of Heaven,” and others? Please explain.
June 4, 2008 at 7:57 am |
[...] this conversation (post and comments) as an example. It is a conversation about the name “Church of Christ.” This [...]
December 20, 2008 at 12:07 am |
What, or on whom are you depending for forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and righteousness are far more important than a name on a sign. If you want to be picky let’s admit there were likely not any such signs in the first century. And, no buildings specifically for Christians to meet in.
The broader issue is the “church”. Many of my fellow coC’ers have made the glaring mistake of teaching that the local church of Christ on the corner in Anytown, USA is the exact same thing as the universal (or Catholic) body of Christ. For that to be true one would have to believe that every single member of every local church of Christ is truely saved. I doubt that anyone who reflects on that possibility for just a moment would stand by that position. In fact, if you believe what the brothers say, you can learn quickly from websites and newspapers that lots of church of Christ people are lost because of what they do or don’t do on Sunday morning. Sad isn’t it?
Perhaps a good question for all of us to ponder is this one. When we get to heaven and find that many are saved that we would not have approved are you glad or sad?
April 14, 2009 at 2:33 pm |
Thanks for the post. May we take this further and truly display His name (in any form the Bible gives us) in our lives as well. May we make Him known, accurately, in every way He gives us opportunity to do so!