The book of Genesis is a truly remarkable book. It is the foundational book for many fundamental biblical doctrines. Without Genesis such glorious biblical messages as justification, redemption, sanctification, man’s relationship to God and man’s need of a Savior, would all be obscure and unintelligible. It gives us the first glimpse of hope in the face of death and sin (Gen. 3:15) and begins the unfolding of God’s plan for man’s redemption. It is no wonder that it is the most quoted book throughout the rest of the Bible.
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“Theistic Evolution” – Irreconcilable Contradiction
Be Ye Separate!
We believe and teach that participation in “Union” worship services with denominations is unscriptural and therefore not permissible. (1 Pet 2:9; 2 Cor 6:14-18)
Many may read this statement and wonder, “What are ‘Union’ worship services?” It typically refers to a joint meeting of various denominations to “worship” together. Members of faithful congregations of the Lord’s church have avoided such meetings for several reasons. However, in more recent times, liberal congregations have made it their practice to openly participate, and even encourage, such participation with denominations. In this article I want to give a few of the reasons for our refusal to participate in such meetings.
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The Scriptural Mode of Baptism
We believe and teach that scriptural baptism is immersion for the remission of sins, and is in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost/Spirit. (Act 8:35-38; Mat 28:19).
In the last article from our doctrinal statement we established, from Scripture, the essentiality of baptism to salvation. However, there are many who believe that the command to be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) can be satisfied by the mode of sprinkling or pouring. There are also those who believe that the biblical baptism necessary for salvation does not involve any physical element at all and is completely an act of the Holy Spirit. They believe that it is Holy Spirit baptism that is necessary for salvation. By clarifying the biblical mode of baptism we will know for certain what God is commanding of us when he says that we must be baptized to be forgiven of our sins.
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The Necessity of Baptism for the Remission of Sins
We believe and teach that no accountable person who has not been scripturally baptized can, or will be saved (Mark 16:16).
Another way of saying this would be, “It is not possible to be saved without being scripturally baptized.” Sometimes it is good to define the terms used in a statement. Because of the gross misuse of many terms in the statement, it is certainly needed in this case.
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The Lord’s Supper Observance
We believe and teach that the Lord’s Supper may not be scripturally observed on any day other than the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).
There are five acts of worship specified; by approved example, explicit statement and necessary inference; in the New Testament. They are:
- Singing (Heb. 2:12).
- Prayer (Acts 2:42).
- Teaching (Acts 2:42).
- Giving (1 Cor. 16:1, 2).
- The Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:42).
Of these five acts of authorized worship, three of them are seen as part of the Christian’s daily lifestyle. For example, Paul and Silas were singing and praying to God at midnight in prison (Acts 16:25). The noble Bareans searched the Scriptures daily to learn God’s will (Acts 17:11). As Christians, we sing and pray and study God’s word as a part of our daily devotions to God.
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Mechanical Instruments In Worship
We believe that instrumental music in worship is sinful and unscriptural, and that one may be lost for so sinning.
Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16, 17; Matt. 15:9; 1 Thess. 5:21
A Cappella singing is probably one of the most well known and distinctive marks of the New Testament church of Christ. Many times when we talk to people about the church they will respond, “Oh, yea. Y’all are the ones that don’t use instruments.” The reason it stands out to visitors and those familiar with the church is that the use of mechanical instruments is almost universal in the denominational world, and nearly the entire religious world. It is unheard of that some would “think” that the use of mechanical instruments in worship would be wrong and actually constitute a sin. Sadly, this thinking has caused many in the church to shy away from taking a stand in this very important issue. Where, in years past, debates on the use of mechanical instruments in worship were common among brethren, now it is almost more common to hear a well-meaning member of the church refer to a cappella congregational singing as a matter of tradition or preference and not really a matter of doctrine. Just recently, in talking with a principle of a so-called “Church of Christ School” I asked about their use of mechanical instruments in chapel and/or music classes where religious songs were taught. His reply was that they had to cater to their denominational students and it was really just a matter of tradition anyway. How sad!
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The Holy Spirit Today
We believe that the Holy Spirit operates and influences us today exclusively through the word of God, and that He does not literally indwell the Christian. However, this in no way limits God’s power in answering prayer (or otherwise, as revealed in His word as it applies to us today). (Eph 6:13-18; 1 Cor 13:9-12; Mark 16:20)
The Holy Spirit is a vital part of the Christians life. Christians are commanded to walk in the Spirit, be guided by the Spirit, bare the fruit of the Spirit, etc. The Christian is said to be “the temple of the Holy Spirit.” There is no doubt that the New Testament puts a great deal of emphasis on the Spirits working in the Christian life.
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The Church and the Kingdom
We believe that the kingdom and the church are one and the same, and that the borders of the kingdom do not extend beyond the Church of Christ. (Mat 16:18-19; 1 Cor 15:24; Col 1:12-13).
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven (Matt. 16:18, 19).
The popular thinking of the religious world today is that the terms “church” and “kingdom” are not necessarily the same thing. Most of the denominational world is still looking for the kingdom to come.
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Christians Only, And The Only Christians
Statement number two on the doctrinal statement for the Bawcomville Church of Christ states:
We believe that all faithful Christians are in the Church of Christ, and that none are found in denominations. (John 10:1-14; Acts 2:47).
John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
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The Inspiration Of The Bible
We believe that the Bible is the verbally inspired word of God, and is the final authority in all spiritual matters (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works (2 Tim. 3:16, 17).
This statement affirms two biblical facts. One, that the Bible, all of it, is verbally, in its very words, inspired of God. The passage provided states this very clearly. “All scripture,” we cannot pick and choose what parts of the Bible we are going to believe or accept as being from God and which parts we deny to be from God. We must accept that all of it, “all Scripture,” is from God. The term, “given by inspiration of God” comes from a single Greek word meaning “breathed out by God.” So, according to 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, every word of the Bible was “breathed out by God.”
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