Dear Norm, I am glad you have been reading from our site and hope you will continue to do so. The names for the church that you have listed are certainly appropriate. “Church of God,” as you pointed out, is mentioned several times, and I have no problem with that name, except the connotation it has in association with the modern denomination bearing the same name. (Not that I speak disrespectfully of this group, as I am sure there are a number of sincere and morally upright people among them, but many of their practices from what I have observed are not in strict compliance and adherence with the old Jerusalem Gospel.) This name, used strictly as a specifying term, however, indicates that the church belongs to God. Also, the church at Corinth, or Thessalonica denotes the geographic position of a local congregation of the Lord’s church.
As for the term “church of Christ,” have you not read Romans 16:16? Yes, it is in the plural, referring to the many different local congregations of the church, but this term IS most definitely used in the New Testament. We choose to wear this name because it defines us as the property of one Jesus Christ, the church (ekklesia) being the “called out” group. “Of” means possession.
As for the church of Christ being in existence for only the last 150 years, there we must strongly disagree. If one chooses to follow the pattern of the New Testament that was written nearly 2000 years ago, and obey God’s precepts just as they did back then, do you not think that this will produce Christians today in exactly the same way? This is known as the “seed principle” and is older than the Book of Genesis itself. There God said, “Let the earth bring forth…after his kind…” Each living thing, plant or animal reproduces true to the pattern God gave in the beginning. With this in mind, remember that Jesus instructed, “The seed is the Word of God” (Luke 8:11). So if I plant the proper seed, (i.e., read and study from the Word of God, “Rightly dividing the Word of truth,” 2 Timothy 2:15, apply it to my life and in faithful obedience to God, submit my life to him), I will then be “added,” by the Lord himself to his church (Acts 2:47).
Please do not mistake this position as one of arrogance. It is actually far from that. What brother Rushmore and I are NOT saying is, “We are right and everyone else is wrong.” More accurately we echo the words of the great apostle who said, “Let God be true, and every man a liar!” (Romans 3:4). The Bible is right! Do not trust any man, but “try the spirits whether they be of God” 1 John 4:1. Even men with the most sincere and honest of intentions can be mistaken, and some simply wish to deceive others for selfish motives. Everything MUST measure up with the divine standard–the Bible.
Do you wish to go to heaven, Norm? I am sure that you do! Believe it or not, I do not want to say, “I told you so!” in eternity, but as God himself “would have all men to be saved,” so I preach and write. The church that Jesus built (Matthew 16:18, he only promised to build one!), and the “One Faith,” (Ephesians 4:1ff), are not barring the entranceway into the church, but they ARE exclusive in the sense that only those who will humbly submit to God’s will can receive salvation.
Narrow-minded? Perhaps, but then “strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leadeth unto life and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:14). We must be willing to strip away the centuries of manmade creeds and simply follow the New Testament alone.
Exclusive? Only in the sense that we must go through Christ exclusively to receive salvation. “There is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Have you obeyed the Gospel, Norm? By that I mean, have you HEARD the Word of God (Romans 10:17)? Do you BELIEVE Jesus is God’s Son, and our Savior (John 8:24)? Have you and are you willing to REPENT of your sins (Luke 13:3, 5)? Have you CONFESSED your faith in Jesus before men (Romans 10:10)? Have you BEEN BAPTIZED (immersed in water) in obedience to Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins (Mark 16:16; Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:38)? If you have, you are a Christian–a member of Jesus’ church–your sins have been washed away (Acts 22:16). Thanks for your interest and for writing.
