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Well, lets see.....I used to be a Catholic, and then a Baptist, than a non denomination, of which I called all of them a church I belonged to in order to define my alliance to.
But I always knew that I was Christ's and learned to understand that the church of Christ is in me, as in you and everybody calling on His name.
What defines you from me is your definition of what your alliances (Denomination, type of church) is, to what we both belong to.
You and I are in the body of Christ, we are the church of Christ with you pertaining to the denomination "Church of Christ" and I to none, for I am an independant believer.
Blessings, AJ
See that is the problem. People get this idea that the church of Christ is a denomination but it is not. A denomination is sin and their worship is in vain sadly. Stop looking at it like another place like a baptist or catholic or whatever. There is only one church and it is the church that belongs to or is of Jesus Christ (the church of Christ). Read all the verses in my previous posts and you will see how clear it is. The bible gives no authority to call your name something else or "denominate" yourselves by a wordly name.
See that is the problem. People get this idea that the church of Christ is a denomination but it is not. A denomination is sin and their worship is in vain sadly. Stop looking at it like another place like a baptist or catholic or whatever. There is only one church and it is the church that belongs to or is of Jesus Christ (the church of Christ). Read all the verses in my previous posts and you will see how clear it is. The bible gives no authority to call your name something else or "denominate" yourselves by a worldly name.
All's I can say to you dear brother, is God bless you.
Keep up the faith and love God with all your heart, mind and soul, and love your neighbor as thy self.
`I've gone to different denominations during my life, and the Church of Christ is the one that I felt more comfortable in. I like the preaching, direct from the Bible. I liked the people. I liked pretty much everything. There are different Churches of Christ, however, the most strict of them being The Rock, which I believe is the oldest. I can't believe how beautiful those people (not me, I can't sing) can sing so beautifully with no music.
I agree with you there. We have no instruments and the singing is beautiful just the way God intended it to be. I am only comfortable with doing what the bible says no more no less (Deut 4:2) and that is why I am a member of the Lord's church :-)
One thing I notice with those that go to a church of Christ is that if you don't agree with them then your the one wrong they act like they could never be wrong about anything. Act like they are the only ones that are true Christians and that is the farthest from the truth.
In my life's analysis of my own beliefs as compared to other beliefs is that I tended to isolate myself to my own beliefs, not really understanding why.
My isolation was a form of protection,much as like a child who is under the protection of the parents, simply because the child in not mature enough to make their own decisions properly.
As I learned, via spiritual growth, was that God is not restricted to any one belief, because He is the God of all.
If there are any restrictions to accessing God to other beliefs, is because of our own makings.
If in the "Church of Christ" you have found peace with God, then there's where you need to remain.
A Jehovah's Witness can find peace with God also, as well as a Mormon, a Muslim and any other belief.
How can that be you wonder?
It is because of Christ paying the price for all humanity, believer as well as non believer.
Had Jesus Christ only come for the few righteous folk, then verse John 3:16 can be thrown out.
The key is in these words: " Luk 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."
Ask yourself this questions, "what was it that was lost and why take the pains to save it?"
And if He saved it, what constitutes being saved and from what?
If He saved (Past tense) "that which was lost", what is it that is still now lost?
Lost, but not lost? Hmmmm........
Not lost because of Christ, but only lost to the knowledge of the light, to where there still remains darkness to many.
Our mission, taking a phrase from "mission Impossible", should you decide to take it, is to present the light of God as like a candle on a hill, so that those in the dark may be "drawn", got that, "drawn", to the light?
According to the bible, it's not but one belief. Another word for belief is truth (2Thess. 2:13) or faith (Eph. 4:5). If it's only one belief, then there is only one truth or faith. Yes, there are several in the world today. And if everyone has their own belief, then everyone can't be right since the bible says that there is only one. Sure Jesus died for the whole world including non-believers, but they too must obey him to be saved. It's not about where people feel comfortable at, it's about pleasing God and not ourselves. People believe what they believe because of what they have been taught. And they react according to what they believe, but that doesn't mean that it's right, even in the church of Christ. Jesus came to give ALL men the opportunity to obey him and be saved, but the bible tells me that there will only be a few (Matt. 7:13-14). So, no He didn't die for just a few, but there will only be a few. But we all must obey the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9) and not man-made doctrines (Matt. 15:9) (Heb. 13:9).
According to the bible, it's not but one belief. Another word for belief is truth (2Thess. 2:13) or faith (Eph. 4:5). If it's only one belief, then there is only one truth or faith. Yes, there are several in the world today. And if everyone has their own belief, then everyone can't be right since the bible says that there is only one. Sure Jesus died for the whole world including non-believers, but they too must obey him to be saved. It's not about where people feel comfortable at, it's about pleasing God and not ourselves. People believe what they believe because of what they have been taught. And they react according to what they believe, but that doesn't mean that it's right, even in the church of Christ. Jesus came to give ALL men the opportunity to obey him and be saved, but the bible tells me that there will only be a few (Matt. 7:13-14). So, no He didn't die for just a few, but there will only be a few. But we all must obey the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9) and not man-made doctrines (Matt. 15:9) (Heb. 13:9).
There is a faith that is towards God and then there is faith towards the things in the world.
The faith towards God is one, and the truth is that by the faith "of" one (Jesus) the world was predestined to be saved as by one, as the world was lost by one.
What that means is this: God saves the world single hand-idly freeing us up from the penalty of eternal death, but not from the acts of our own behavior.
We are still held accountable to our own selves via blessings or cursing.
So, taking the element of eternal death out of the equation, we can now behave towards our brother, sister and or enemy according to our willingness to live by the two commandments Jesus gave us.
Being, again, that eternal death is done away with, we have all beliefs equally responsible for their own behavior, and judged by their behavior as to the two commandments.
Those two commandments are the common ground by which all of us, regardless of belief, can abide, interact and respect the others beliefs, not for their belief question, but because the price was paid for their souls to.
Unfortunately, injustices, behavioral problems are caused in the name of some of those beliefs making of their beliefs seem evil in intent, when it is individual radicals responsible.
Church of Christ folk are just as sincere in their love for God as others beliefs are, and like as a good Muslim is towards Allah, their name for the same God we love.
The standard for all mankind is Gods love, not as we love, but as God loves.
The power to love exist only in when the love of God is in us.
Dose that require a religion or a religious belief? NO!
The love of God has to be resident in our hearts as a requirement, giving confirmation to the one faith, that faith is of the Son of God as our God.
There is a faith that is towards God and then there is faith towards the things in the world.
The faith towards God is one, and the truth is that by the faith "of" one (Jesus) the world was predestined to be saved as by one, as the world was lost by one.
What that means is this: God saves the world single hand-idly freeing us up from the penalty of eternal death, but not from the acts of our own behavior.
We are still held accountable to our own selves via blessings or cursing.
So, taking the element of eternal death out of the equation, we can now behave towards our brother, sister and or enemy according to our willingness to live by the two commandments Jesus gave us.
Being, again, that eternal death is done away with, we have all beliefs equally responsible for their own behavior, and judged by their behavior as to the two commandments.
Those two commandments are the common ground by which all of us, regardless of belief, can abide, interact and respect the others beliefs, not for their belief question, but because the price was paid for their souls to.
Unfortunately, injustices, behavioral problems are caused in the name of some of those beliefs making of their beliefs seem evil in intent, when it is individual radicals responsible.
Church of Christ folk are just as sincere in their love for God as others beliefs are, and like as a good Muslim is towards Allah, their name for the same God we love.
The standard for all mankind is Gods love, not as we love, but as God loves.
The power to love exist only in when the love of God is in us.
Dose that require a religion or a religious belief? NO!
The love of God has to be resident in our hearts as a requirement, giving confirmation to the one faith, that faith is of the Son of God as our God.
Blessing, AJ
The only way that people are freed from the penalty of eternal death is through the obedience of God's word. It cannot be taken out just because He died for the whole world. Everybody is not going to obey God (Eph. 5:6). It is God's will that all men be saved (1 Tim. 2:4), but all will not be saved. The faith that you are referring towards God or the world has reference to how much you believe in something/someone or how much trust you have towards that, but I was talking about the truth. Paul said that he kept the faith (2 Tim.4:7), meaning that he constantly obeyed God's word. As far as all of the different beliefs, I have nothing against the person just because they don't believe the same thing that I believe. But whatever we believe, it must be according to the word of God.
There are no conditions to a free gift! It is a work of God not mankind's.
Obedience is a matter of personal relationship with God and rewarded with blessings.
Disobedience, reaps it's just rewards while in the flesh and the wages of that is death.
So, what it comes down to, is "what you sow, that shall you reap".
Blessings, AJ
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