1. Faith: Christians believe and trust in the one God. God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit are one God in three persons with one essence. The triune God is not created since God is eternal (Gen 1:26; 3:22; Matt 28:19; Luke 3:22; Acts 10:37–38; Rom 8:9–11; 9:5). God is the Head of Christ (1 Cor 11:3). Christ is God — the Word — in the bodily form (John 1:1, 14; Col 2:9), and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and present throughout all creation (1 Cor 2:10–11; cf. Ps 139:7–12). From the beginning, the Word was God who came in the flesh and dwelt among mankind (Isa 9:6; 48:16; John 1:1, 14; Phil 2:5–8; Col 1:15–20). God created the world in six literal days according to the Creation account in Genesis as Jesus also affirmed (Exod 20:11; Mark 10:6–8). Jesus is the Christ who was born of a virgin and who God’s prophets predicted to come centuries before His birth (Psa 2; 22; 110; Isa 7:14; 9:6–7, 11; 48:16; 52:13–53:12). God sent Jesus who is His express image. Being tempted in all ways, Jesus did not sin and yet died (Phil 2:5–11; Heb 2:14–18; 4:14–15; 1 Pet 2:22). Therefore, Jesus did not earn death or condemnation in Hell, yet He destroyed the power of death by being raised from the dead (Rom 6:8–10; Heb 2:14). Jesus “came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). In the end, Christ will be the Judge, and He will judge the nations giving the righteous eternal life in His heavenly kingdom and sentencing others to eternal punishment (Matt 25:31–46; 2 Tim 4:18; Rev 20:11–15). The church of Christ believes that Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection (1 Cor 15:20–23). On the last day, Christ will bodily raise the dead to life again (Rom 8:11; John 5:28–29; 6:39–40; 1 Cor 15; 1 Thess 4:13–18). Therefore, the saving gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:1–4).
2. Love: Christ’s disciples love God and are known by their love for one another (John 13:35; 14:21–24; 1 John 3:10, 16; 5:1–3). Their love for God includes their love for one another in which they observe all that Christ has commanded (John 14:23–24, 1 John 5:2–3, cf. Matt 28:20). Faithful followers of Christ love one another so much that they follow Jesus’s pattern and lay down their lives for one another for there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for another (John 15:13; Rom 5:8; 1 John 3:16–17). The church gives relief to those who are suffering. Christians practices true religion in the care of true widows and orphans (1 Tim 5:3-10; Jas 1:27). They give freely to the needs of the church (2 Cor 9:6–15; cf. Acts 2:44–45; 4:32–35). They love their neighbors as oneself, and do to others as each would have others do to them (Luke 6:31; 10:27). They love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them (Luke 6:27–31). Followers of Christ oppose the abuse the innocent and murdering of the innocent including the cruel dismemberment of unborn babies (Prov 6:17).
3. Truth: Christians believe the words of Jesus Christ and find those words are infallibly true (John 14:6; 17:17). Christians has no creed but Christ and His words. Because Jesus is perfectly sinless, His words and those of the Holy Spirit are without deceit — inerrant and perfect (Isa 53:9; John 6:63; 2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22). Jesus gave His infallible words to His apostles and prophets (John 15:20; 17:8; 1 Cor 2:13; Gal 1:11–12). Christ’s apostles and prophets wrote God’s revelation forming the New Testament Scriptures. They wrote through the guidance of the Holy Spirit (Eph 3:3–5; 2 Pet 1:16–21). The first churches collected these Scriptures under the oversight of the apostles in the first century (John 16:7–13; 1 Cor 14:37; 1 John 1:1–4). Christians know that these Scriptures can make one complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:16–17). Followers of Christ are not to add or take away from God’s Word (Gal 3:1; 2 John 9; Rev 22:18–19). While Jesus’s words are spirit and life, the Law of Moses and the commandments written on stone brought death and are now obsolete (2 Cor 3:7; Heb 8:13).
4. Salvation: Churches of Christ stand and were saved by the gospel — the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ (1 Cor 15:1–4). Christians consist of believers who God saved by grace as God raised them with Christ after they have died with Christ to one’s sins and have been buried with Christ in baptism (Rom 6:3–7; Eph 2:4–6; Col 2:12–13). One baptism exists that is in Jesus’s name and is an immersion in water (Eph 4:5; cf. Acts 10:47–48). The one baptism is for those who believe, confess faith, and repent in dying to one’s sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Rom 10:9–10). This baptism is for the forgiveness of sins by which the Lord adds the saved to the church. These are born again through Christ’s resurrection (John 3:5; Acts 2:38, 41, 47; 22:16; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet 1:3; 3:21). Through baptism, one is born of the water and the Spirit having been washed in Jesus’s name. At baptism, the Spirit sanctifies and justifies the believer (1 Cor 6:11). Those who rise from baptism walk in the newness of life and continue in the faith (Rom 6:4; Col 1:22; Rev 2:10). God predestined the faithful in Christ — those who love Him — that those believers must make their election sure (Rom 8:28–30; Eph 1:3–6, 11–14; 2 Pet 1:10).
5. Leadership: Christians maintain the name of Christ in identity, because Christ is the Head of the church, which is His body (Rom 12:4–5; Eph 1:22–23; Col 1:18). Being the Head, Christ built the church and bought it with His blood (Matt 16:18; Acts 20:28). The church of Christ bears His name as His bride (Acts 20:28; Rom 16:16; Eph 5:22–34; Rev 21:9). Christ is the chief Shepherd — Pastor — of His church (1 Pet 5:4). Christ’s Spirit established that elders are to manage each congregation and lead by example (Acts 14:23; 20:28; 1 Tim 3:1–7; 4:14; Titus 1:6–9; 1 Pet 5:1–4). The inerrant and complete Scriptures do not mention archbishops, reverend fathers, church priests, council presidents, senior pastors, popes, and the like. The Scriptures exclude such man-made traditions for adding or taking from God’s Word. In the Bible, elders are the husband of one wife, have faithful children, and meet specific Christian characteristics (1 Tim 3:1–7; Titus 1:6–9). With Christ being the Head, Jesus established the man as the head of the wife (1 Cor 11:3, 8–9; Eph 5:22–24). God’s Spirit instructs women to subordinate to their believing husbands. Husbands are to love their wives by nourishing and cherishing their wives giving their lives for them (Eph 5:25, 28–29, 33; cf. John 15:13; 1 John 3:16). Women are not to teach or rule over men, because God gave men this leading role for God created man first (1 Tim 2:11–15). However, unlike men, women are the glory of man who have a great influence upon men by their example (1 Cor 11:7; cf. 1 Pet 3:1–7). Men and women are both one in Christ and share in the same eternal inheritance (Gal 3:28; 1 Pet 3:7).
6. Communion: The disciples assembled every first day of the week for the breaking of bread, so they communed with Christ in the Lord’s Supper — the breaking of bread. Christians seek to maintain the traditions of God just as delivered (1 Cor 11:2). Congregations partake of the Lord’s Supper when gathered together as the whole congregation in the assembly (1 Cor 10:16; 11:17–34; 14:23). Christians met in “the assembly” every first day of the week — the Lord’s Day — when Jesus rose from the dead (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor 11:20, 33; cf. 1 Cor 16:1–2; Rev 1:10, 13, 20). Churches of Christ follow the example of Christ by blessing and breaking bread representing Christ’s sacrificial body, and they bless and partake of the cup of the fruit of the vine representing Jesus’s sacrificial blood (1 Cor 10:16; 11:17–34; cf. Matt 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:19–22).
7. Worship: Christians seek to be true worshipers worshiping God in spirit and truth. The faithful do not worship for show or for display of talents (Matt 6:1–8; 23:4–6; Mark 12:38–40; Rom 12:3–8). These believers worship with their spirit and mind according to the Truth — the Word of God (John 4:23–24; 17:17; 1 Cor 14:15). Jesus revealed that true worshipers do not worship as David who brought the physical worship into Jerusalem (John 4:21). The church is God’s temple in which His followers are priests who offer spiritual sacrifices to God, which are their praises, good works, and sharing (Heb 13:15–16; 1 Pet 2:5). Christians are not to forsake the assembly, but seek to come together to worship, edify, and stir one another to love and good works (1 Cor 14:26; Heb 2:12; 10:24). All who speak, sing, and pray in the assembly must do so by understandable and meaningful words and not with unintelligible sounds or “lifeless instruments” (1 Cor 14:7–19). The congregation sings among themselves with one voice in thanksgiving to God and to teach one another (Rom 15:5–6; Eph 5:19; Col 3:16).
8. Unity: The mission of the church of Christ is to make disciples (Matt 28:19–20). Jesus revealed that He came to build His church (Matt 16:18). Christ declared that there is “one flock and one shepherd” (John 10:16). Jesus bought His church with His blood (Acts 20:28), and His church is God’s special people who are the saved (1 Pet 2:5). No one has the right to alter the organization and mission of Christ’s church. The church is a part of God’s eternal purpose, and it is the kingdom and nation of Christ on earth (John 18:36; Eph 3:10–11; Col 1:13; Heb 12:28; 1 Pet 2:9). Christ prayed that His believers become one (John 17:20–21). The church can unite in the same mind and the same judgment without divisions (1 Cor 1:10–13). Churches of Christ resist denominating, because those who practice divisions and sects cannot inherit the kingdom of Heaven (Gal 5:19–21). Therefore, Christians are diligent to avoid and withdraw from false teachers and those openly practicing sin (Acts 20:28–29; Rom 16:17–18; 1 Cor 5; 2 Thess 3:6, 14; 2 Tim 4:3–4; Titus 3:10).
9. Family: The followers of Christ maintain God’s institution of marriage, which is the foundation of the family. According to the words of Jesus Christ, God established marriage to consist of one man and one woman from the beginning (Gen 2:24; Matt 19:4–6; Mark 10:6–9; 1 Cor 7:2; Eph 5:31). A husband and wife are to love and respect one another (Eph 5:28–33; Titus 2:3–5; 1 Pet 3:7). Father and mother figures are essential roles for the basis of the home (Eph 6:1–4). As God’s first institution, all must honor marriage (Heb 13:4). Furthermore, all extramarital sexual relations disregard God’s institution of marriage and are sexually immoral (Heb 13:4). Christians recognize that those who practice sexual immorality — sex outside of marriage — will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor 6:9–10; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:5; Col 3:5–6; Jude 7; Rev 21:8). Jesus defined adultery to include marriages where one has divorced and married another. The one exception for divorce and remarriage is when the other spouse has committed fornication, which is extramarital sex (Matt 5:32; 19:6, 9; Mark 10:11–12; Luke 16:18). God commands that someone can only marry another when that marriage is not adultery (Matt 19:9; Mark 10:11–12; Rom 7:3; 1 Cor 7:39). The separation of spouses is sometimes necessary for reasons other than fornication or adultery; although, God commands those separated not to marry another and they can only return to each other and should return to one another (1 Cor 7:2, 5, 10–15).
10. Message: Christians are diligent to proclaim the gospel and make disciples of all the nations. Christ commanded His apostles to make disciples teaching them to observe all things that He had commanded them including that command to make disciples and to teach them all things (Matt 28:20). This is the perpetual instruction to evangelize as seen throughout the Scriptures. From Stephen and Philip to Priscilla and Aquila, Christians proclaimed the gospel throughout the nations of the world (Acts 8:4). Christians confess Christ before humanity (Matt 10:32–33). The church does not proselyte through traditions and creeds but evangelizes through the gospel. The apostle Paul instructed Timothy to teach others and to train others, which is perpetually for all faithful Christians (2 Tim 2:2). Christians are obedient to Christ’s words, “He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad” (Matt 12:30; cf. 1 Cor 3:6–8). God desires to save everyone, and He wants all to repent (1 Tim 2:4; 2 Pet 3:9). By their love for Jesus, the church proclaims the praises of God (1 Pet 2:9; cf. 2 Cor 5:14–21). Christians believe that Jesus is the firstfruits of the resurrection, and on the last day, Christ will bodily raise the dead to life again (Rom 8:11; John 5:28–29; 6:39–40; 1 Cor 15).
The Breath of God 
Scott,
its funny i found your website, i just finished reading, “Muscle and a Shovel” by Shockey(sp). I love the Church of Christ as brothers in Christ, but I dont agree with the churches stance on Baptism. We are justified by faith Alone. If we are Justified, then we are saved. This is prior to being baptized. I dont belong to any denomination, as I dont believe that they are from God. I am just a plain Christian. Kind of like they called Christs’ followers in the book of Acts.
My position is this: If water Baptism were necessary for salvation, we would expect to find it stressed whenever the gospel is presented in scripture. It’s not. Romans 5:1 is clear we are justified by faith, and we have peace with Jesus Christ. Thus we are saved by faith alone.
I dont say this do down play Baptism. Baptism is extremely important for the Christians life.
What are your thoughts?
Hey Glenn,
“Muscle and a Shovel” is a great book. I would like to challenge you further about baptism. I must include baptism in Romans 6 with faith Romans 5. Sometimes, repentance is stressed and then not (Luke 24:46-47; Acts 3:19). Faith is stressed and then not.
One thing that stands out to me is immediate baptism throughout Acts. The salvation and work of God through in Ephesians 2:1–10 parallels Colossians 2:12–13.
Blessings in your studies. Your sincerity is very encouraging. May we all seek truth and unity.
Agree we are saved by faith. The question one must ask, is faith belief only or is faith a response to God’s commands. If it is belief only then according James even the Devils are saved. If it is a response to God’s commands then what command or commands are we to respond to?
In one place you are told repent, another believe, in another confess Christ is the Son of God and then another it is to be baptised. In another it is to work and if one will not provide for their own they have denied the faith. It seems to me the context of the commands indicates why some were commanded one thing and some another. If it is evident one believes but has not repented or been baptised then there is no need to tell them to believe but to repent and be baptised. If a person doesn’t believe there would be no reason to tell them to repentence, confession or be baptised.
One other thing to note is the transistional phrased used in regards to belief, repentance, confession and baptism. In the case of belief, repentance and confession the phrase is always “unto” salvation. In the case of baptism it is “into”. For example you will not find in the Scriptures one believes into Christ but you will find where it says you are baptised into Christ.
Baptism is no more a response of faith than believing, confessing or repenting, each is a response of faith. You can not argue one is a response of faith the other isn’t. One has faith if they believe. One has faith if they repent. If you are unwilling to repent would you argue they have faith? Yet Jesus said, except you repent you shall all likewise perish.
The Scriptures do not say by grace you are saved through belief but by grace you are saved through faith.
James 2:20 Says faith without works is dead.
Let it also be known:
Scott (who pretends to be an honest Christian) not only ignores honest questions and points, but he also has added hyperlinks within my comments to pretty lame articles that he has written.
Man up, Scott.
I am still waiting for your “honest questions and points.” You can post them here in the comments.
Still pretending, Scott?
Here’s another: When did contraception / self-mutilation / self-sterilization become a characteristic of the *real* Church of Christ?
I’m serious. Did your sect start off pro-death in this area in the 1800s (a position that escapes history), or did it change with the remainder of Protestantism in the 1930s?
Patrick,
This is slander and defamation. I provide Roman Catholic sources and you cannot provide any such quotes of any of our leaders asserting this. We do not teach or promote in any way that our members use contraception, and we oppose all abortions at every stage for every reason as you well know. Therefore, we are not “pro-death”.
We teach that children are a heritage from God, and those who have more children are further blessed (Psa. 127). Look and see, this is another hypocrisy of the Roman Catholics clear as day when they stand against contraception and yet practice “Natural Family Planning”, which by definition of “contraception” is a technique of contraception. You prevent having children as a heritage and blessing as much as other believers, who use contraception. You prevent pregnancy and yet judge those, who do not do as you do. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!”
My personal conviction is for couples to not use contraception in technique, device, or medication, and let God bless each couple. If God blesses you with many children, then He will bless you in providing for them (Matt. 6:33). I also will not judge the couple who use treatments for fertility or use contraception when having another child is life-threatening. These are my convictions and do not stand for the Church. The churches of Christ are not a big-government hierarchy, and we don’t make nanny-state regulations for our brethren arrogantly on behalf of Christ.
You can keep letting the Roman Catholic sect think for you, but as for us, we will follow Christ.
If you want mainstream sources for the churches of Christ, you should read these:
https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/145-are-contraception-and-abortion-siamese-twins
http://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=7&article=159
https://www.apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=105&article=788
What I want is unattainable: an honest answer out of you.
Are you ever going to answer the question? When did your religion START endorsing artificial birth control?
Like I said before, we do not teach or promote artificial birth control, and we strongly oppose artificial churches like the Roman Catholic body and its big government agenda.
I just posted a bloggity about your sect’s support of birth control and the Catholic Church’s secret fleet of black helicopters. BTW, saying that your sect doesn’t support it is another lie–clear to anyone who scratches its surface.
Pax
:-) You quote from the La Vista church as though it represents the mainstream of our congregations. Anyone can slap “Catholic” on their building or “Church of Christ”. No one is going to take you seriously.
Good save, Scott. Meanwhile, you know full well that the content on that page perfectly representative of your sect.
Now, who is really lying?
You need to get to the real heart of the matter. Roman Catholics believe that Christ leads them to truth and traditions within the Roman Catholic church beyond and in addition to Scripture. The Church of Christ believes that Christ leads them to Truth and His Traditions by His words from His Apostles within the Scriptures.
As I wrote in my recent blog post:
“What it [Scott and his sect] does is present a lie about the Church, then explain how that lie is wrong.”
Thanks for proving me right again :)
Forgive me if I misrepresented you. How do you see Christ leading you to the Roman Catholic church or the Roman church leading you to Christ?
I’m happy to answer your question (I’m pretty sure I have many times and in many ways)! I’m also happy to see how polite you’ve become! I forgive you for misrepresenting me, but I can’t forgive you for misrepresenting the Church because I’m not the victim of that deception.
But before I answer your question again, please answer the question that I’ve already asked you. When did your sect begin to endorse (or accept) artificial birth control. In other words, when did birth control become a “true characteristic” of the Church of Christ?
Please don’t repeat the line, because most CofC churches do endorse or accept contraception. I don’t have any scientific data for that conclusion, but I’ve been in over 100 of them as a member and ex-member, and have observed its emphatic support for it, and an absolute denial of its grave nature (other than with abortive pills–thank God).
How did I misrepresent you or the Roman church? I’ve only used quotes from approved Catholic sources. You can forgive me when you present the error. Until then, I know of none.
I am not a member of a sect and therefore cannot speak on behalf of any. I am a Christian and thus a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. We do not endorse artificial birth control no matter what you presuppose in slandering the Church. We oppose “pro-death” contraception. We stand and agree with Jesus Christ about the subject of using contraception that does not kill or harm a human life. What did Jesus say about contraception?
Are there any members of the Church of Christ, who use contraception for the sole purpose to prevent from having children? I know of none, and you can’t name a name or give a quote of such a named person. What about the so-called “catholics” who do? Being a member of the Church of Christ educated in 2 of their Universities and sat among them in dozens of congregations, I am not aware of a single member who has ever got a vasectomy, hysterectomy, use birth-control pills, or used any other form of contraception to *solely* prevent from having more children given to them by God. I do know those with life-threatening and dangerous health conditions, who did so. Maybe you should go get quotes from these members that you supposedly know. You would rather judge in prejudice that many young couples in the Church do so. Should we judge you? How many children do you have?
While you are trying to charge and judge us without evidence as you admit, should we talk about so-called “Catholics” like Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi, who support the dismemberment of infants in the womb? At the same time, your “priests” to your Papa don’t marry and thus are “pro-death” by your standards. Their existence is contra-ception, contrary to conception, which you oppose. If men make themselves eunuchs for the kingdom, what business is that for you to judge in self-popery (Matt. 19:12)?
The churches of Christ have no dictating hierarchy or Papal tyrant to go beyond Christ into people’s private lives and demand either way. Do you even know what Jesus said about contraception?
I’m not going to name names online of CofC ministers and elders who use contraception and engage in self-sterilization, Scott.
You want to run off after another red herring that you don’t understand (celibate priests), but I would like to keep within the topic so that you don’t get more confused.
Catholics may use birth control, but Catholicism does not accept it. Yes, there are horrible “Catholics” like Pelosi, but you cannot judge a Faith by individuals, you can judge it by what it teaches (just as I don’t judge the CofC by the pervert, pedophiles, and adulterers in my first CofC). Your religion, however, is a moving target–it hides what it believes–it is a secret manifesto hidden in the minds of its members, and it refuses to write anything down so a person can point to a belief. You must admit how unfair that is to your followers, Scott. All a person can do is try to uncover some sort of consensus and find a position held by a majority of its members, and without a doubt, artificial birth control and self-mutilation are practiced and endorsed. Perhaps your’e one in a hundred (personally–not as a sect) who have retained the historical position, and realize it as a grave sin.
I’m bored of this. Goodbye.
Finally, you admit to your unfair position. You are judging a faith by individuals in the Church while you are kind enough to not do so in some areas where perverts have crept in among the Catholic church and the Church of Christ.
Is there some shortage of books that you cannot read about what we believe? You know there is not. You have those articles. You can easily cite the sources that I gave you.
You say we are a moving target and yet Catholicism is ever changing. Should we judge each other either way? Christ does not move. By Him, we can start to unite and move forward.
Let me say one more time. We have no position for or against “contraception” that does no harm to mother or child. If our members use “contraceptions”, they are silent and not forthcoming. We do not teach or promote contraception.
As you leave no reply, this discussion is over.
I did reply, check your box. And I agree, you are not capable of discussing this. Goodbye.
You left no reply to the question at hand concerning how Christ leads you to Catholicism.
I like your post pls i need to be connected with please.
I like all your post.
Thank you for the support. God bless.
Great Post brother Scott,
I don’t know what’s wrong with Patrick Vandapool but one thing I know for sure, his actions shows that he does’t have Christ in him so he’s still in darkness. He should realized that Catholism is a Lie! It’s so unbiblical. The Rosary, Purgatory, the Priest named the Father, the Pope called Infallible, the worshiping of Idol and More are All man made Lies or Abomination!
Thank You.
Thank you and thank you for posting on Facebook. You’re right Catholicism is unbiblical. Following Christ in the Gospels does not lead one to faith in the Roman “Catholic” Church. It is that simple. Yet, Christ does lead us to the Apostles in Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation. He is Christ predicted in the Prophets. Yet, none of the Apostles or Prophets lead us to the Roman “Catholic” church. I can’t follow their reasoning as they are not following Christ.
AWKWARD PROTESTANT MOMENT:
Infallibly stating that infallibility is a lie. (You guys crack me up.)
AWKWARD PROTESTANT MOMENT:
Stating that the Church that created the Bible is not Biblical. (Yes, you guys are still cracking me up!)
So… Scott avoids facts (again) by not reading my comment, not acknowledging my comment, and then expecting me to run after red herrings by brining up irrelevant and dishonest “points”; and then you chime in with an old-as-dirt Protestant laundry list that any honest “Christian apologist” would be embarrassed to present because of how it reveals such a lack of education (or perhaps honesty).
If truth matters to you:
•Rosary: = words found in scripture. Prayers aren’t “unbiblical”.
•Purgatory: Scriptural.
•Priest “named” Father: Scriptural precedent and allowance = not sin.
•Pope called infallible: “…guide you into all truth” = scriptural.
•Worshipping of idol: Catholics worship God alone.
Look, this stuff isn’t secret. Honest people love truth, and it’s not difficult to find. Best of luck.
Nice lack of citations of scripture.
Yes, as you said, I’m mildly retarded and uneducated. I have 3 letters after my name: GED.
I’ve been asking you honestly for primary sources of history and, or scripture. Yet, you have presented none. NONE! none? none; :-)
AWKWARD ROMAN CATHOLIC REASONING: The fallibility of the Roman “Pope” does not reject the infallibility of Christ and His Words. The Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ formed the New Testament and not the Roman Catholic sect that broke off from the Orthodox Catholic church.
I just posted this incredibly smart comment on my site–thank you!
Patrick, I’m not Catholic, but your insight is refreshing on this issue. You bring up lots of questions that need to be answered, yet are not.
For Christian to say that you do not have Christ in you is an obvious violation of the Scriptures that are so worshiped by He and Scott. We are told not to judge another’s heart, and Christian just did that, so credibility is lost. When obedience to commands and laws are the main objective then breaking one is the same as breaking all of them, which Christian just did.
Thanks, Phil.
Scott, Scott, Scott… You haven’t spammed my site for some time so I thought I come on over and see what you’ve been up to. I actually sort of miss the cray you brought to me life! After reading this post, I thought the Internet would be improved if I added a bit of reality to it…
Any monkey can rattle off Scripture after Scripture. But heresy isn’t found in the Scripture, it’s found in the interpretation of Scripture. If the Scriptures were so “easy” to interpret, then there wouldn’t be so many competing Protestant sects–and we surely wouldn’t need YOU to offer your opinions about them. So for you to have any impact on thoughtful readers, perhaps you should attempt to justify to people why they should care about your opinions. But of course, you cannot. Where as I don’t pretend to be a Bible expert or self-ordained man-o-god, I appeal to established authority for what I believe as much as I can–authority that is rooted in Christ and his monarchical (not entrepreneurial/democratic) established Church (the real/Catholic Church of Christ).
1) Your sect is incomplete. Telling yourself that it is complete is no different that a Mormon telling herself over and over again, “I know my church is true.” You lack 7 books of the Bible, you have no Sacred Magisterium, and are missing 5 sacraments. In other words, you have less than half of a deck of cards (are cards still a sin?).
2) True! The Catholic Church of Christ truly loves God and one another.
3) True! The Catholic Church of Christ believes that the words of Jesus are infallible. Good job! But your words (interpretations/opinions) are fallible.
4) It’s great that your sect has retained a belief in baptismal regeneration. After all, it was taught for centuries before your sect was invented by 19th century self-proclaimed Bible experts from Kentucky.
5) True, Christ is the King! Unfortunately, you deny the King’s intent by denying the structure he created–the structure that the true Church of Christ (=Catholic Church of Christ) has maintained for 2,000 years. A person who fancies himself a Christian should follow his Commanding Officer’s intent. So until Jesus walks through a wall and ordains you, changes your name to Rock, or are ordained by people He gave such authority to, then your self-grabbed career is, well, just a tradition of men.
6) Again, it’s great that your sect has not abandoned an appearance of everything Christian. But unfortunately, your bread and Welch’s Grape Juice remains just bread and Welch’s Grape Juice; it is not Jesus’ body, blood, soul, and divinity. So much for, “Unless you eat me…”. (But wait! You said your sect has a complete faith in God!!!–see #1).
7) Your worship lacks many elements: Authoritative message, Eucharist, fellowship with the true Church of Christ from all places and all times. Heck, your sect is even ashamed to call your Brother’s (Jesus’) mother your mother!
8) Your “Church of Christ” is a sect/denomination. Why do you continue to spread this lie? There is nothing different (other than make-shift leadership structures) about your sect than any of the other Protestant sects. Your sect adds to the chaos that self-interpretation creates–a needle in a haystack of competing/clanging voices.
9) Great! But unfortunately, your sect doesn’t understand marriage in its fullness–even teaches contraception. Really, really sad. Why is it you focus on just the sacrament of Marriage and not mention the sacraments that your modern tradition has jettisoned?
10) Your sect is diligent??? Then why is your tiny sect so invisible? What impact has it ever had? Why has it added almost nothing to the world? Is there a sect that is less important on earth? I can think of none. I’m not insulting you–these are real questions, invitations for you to throw away your bigotry and seek God.
Feel free to Email me if you become interested in studying the Bible or history. I’m always happy to help honest students–even you, Scott!
Pax,
Pat
Okay. :-) We must hold to the Head, who is Christ (Col. 2). Paul expected that his readers understand what they read (Eph. 3:3-5). All the scripture writers clearly expected that by the fact that they wrote to churches and all Christians for a reason. Christ expected all to learn from the apostles (John 15:20, 17:20-21). Can we understand scripture or should we invent a hierarchy to interpret the Word for us? :-)
Christ only leads me to the Apostolic church in the Christian scriptures.
I’ll consider any primary sources of history that you send me.
You clearly didn’t read anything I wrote–whatever makes you feel good, Scott.
Also, you HAVE invented a hierarchy. You are the pope of the “church” that you’ve conjured in your own mind, and you expect everyone else to follow you. You don’t hold Christ or the Bible as the head; you hold Christ and the Bible UNDER your self-grabbed authority. Yes, Scott, you have a fake job, and have set yourself over the Scriptures as the measure of orthodoxy. SCARY (for you).
Also, your evasion of the Catholic hierarchy (= Christian hierarchy) is pretty telling. Self-promotion is easy for someone who swipes another Faith’s book and pretends that its theirs! I’ve shown you in the past numerous times how the the hierarchy is scriptural (as it only can be since it is the hierarchy that created the Bible). Do you ever get tired of plugging your ears and covering your eyes, Scott?
:-)
Who can accept this evasion of the Catholic Orthodox church (“Greek Orthodox”)? Who came first: the Catholics without a Pope or the one with a pope? Yet, even those churches and hierarchy never resembled the Orthodox Catholic church of the 4th century or those churches before Constantine. Yet, from then forward, there have been Christians from the Vaudois to the Lollards claiming Christ’s New Testament as the authority declaring to simply be the Church of Christ.
Yeah, no one is buying the faulty charge, “You make yourself the pope.” Christ leads no one to a pope, but to the Father and His Son.
I don’t expect people to accept my interpretation, but to put it to the test. As you know, our preachers call believers to read and see if what we teach is true. We are few. Yet, we are easily united in the Gospel: the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Those who conform to Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection do not struggle to understand Jesus’ words alike. This is true as all our brethren bear witness and God is our witness.
We all know that the New Testament is not your book. As you admit, the Apostles testify that they accepted the New Testament scriptures under their oversight in the 1st century. Yet, your hierarchy is not even mentioned and it is contrary to the church government in the Christian scriptures. You assert that government was temporary. How? Not by Christ’s words. Not by His Spirit speaking through the Apostolic scriptures.
Reasonable conversation, I guess, is still not possible with you. I seriously think you might be mildly retarded, and so I’ll let you be.
lol Thanks. :-)
Still waiting on those historical sources? I expect that you would be able to show that church elders were temporary. Certainly, you can show some ancient sources from the Bishop of Rome from and before the 4th century. I really want to read them. I’d like to know.
Great post!
Great post is from Patrick.
Thanks, an let it also be known:
Scott (who pretends to be an honest Christian) not only ignores honest questions and points, but he also has added hyperlinks within my comments to pretty lame articles that he has written.
Man up, Scott.