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16 The Spirit himself
testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. 17 Now if we are children,
then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in
his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. Rom 8:16-17
FAQ's
Q: I visited the church of Christ and it shocked me that you
don't use instruments when you sing, why?
A: The reason is a simple one, it is never authorized in the New Testament. In
two places the apostle Paul mentions singing and never mentions the using of a
mechanical instrument. (Colossians 3:16 NIV) "Let the word of Christ dwell in
you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you
sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."
(Ephesians 5:19 NIV) "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual
songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord," In both verses the
command to "sing" is given. This word is "psallo" in the Greek and means to
pick, pluck, or strike. We are told what instrument we are to strike, pick, or
pluck in the above verses. It is our heart, that is the instrument we are to use
when singing. It was several hundred years after the church was established
before the first instrument was employed! . We, in the churches of Christ, do
our best to worship God in the pattern found in New Testament teaching.
Q: Why do you not have a choir?
A: Not once after the church was established in Acts 2 do you find a choir being
used when worshipping God. If we are to be like the New Testament church we
should want to follow the example of the first century.
Q: Why do you partake of the Lord's Supper every week?
A: Jesus told us why he instituted the Lord's Supper.
(Matthew 26:26-28 NIV) {26} While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave
thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this
is my body." {27} Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them,
saying, "Drink from it, all of you. {28} This is my blood of the covenant, which
is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Paul adds, (1 Corinthians
11:26 NIV) "For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the
Lord's death until he comes." Neither of those verses tell us how often. We get
the how often from the example of Paul in the book of Acts. (Acts 20:7 NIV) "On
the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the
people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until
midnight." The "breaking bread" in this passage is partaking of the Lord's
Supper. Paul did it on "The first day of the week" which is Sunday. We believe
if ! we follow the example of Paul we are doing it as often as it was intended.
Notice that the same phrase, "the first day of the week" is used concerning our
giving. (1 Corinthians 16:1-2 NIV) "Now about the collection for God's people:
Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. {2} On the first day of every week,
each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income,
saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made." Odd how
those who want to partake of the Lord's Supper only once or twice a year take up
a collection every Sunday. The first century Christians partook of the Lord's
Supper and gave of their means every Sunday whici is called "The Lord's Day."
Q: What do you teach one has to do in order to be saved?
A: We teach that a person has to first hear the word.
(Romans 10:17 NIV) "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the
message is heard through the word of Christ." Then you must believe, (John 8:24
NIV) "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I
am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."" Jesus commanded
all of us to repent. (Luke 13:3 NIV) "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you
too will all perish." We must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
(Romans 10:9-10 NIV) "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and
believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. {10}
For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with
your mouth that you confess and are saved." One must be baptized into Christ for
the forgiveness of their sins.
(Acts 2:36-38 NIV) ""Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made
this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." {37} When the people
heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles,
"Brothers, what shall we do?" {38} Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every
one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And
you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." This is what must be done in
order to be a New Testament Christian.
Q: Do I have to be baptized in order to be saved?
A: Yes. Jesus said, (Mark 16:16 NIV) "Whoever believes and is baptized will be
saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." Peter says baptism saves
you, (1 Peter 3:21 NIV) "and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you
also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience
toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ," Some teach that
all one has to do to be saved is ask Jesus into their hearts and accept Him as
your personal savior. Sound great but it is never found in scripture. It is said
that all you have to do is call on the name of the Lord and He will save you and
that baptism has nothing to do with salvation. Paul did say, (Romans 10:13 NIV)
"for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."" This same
Paul told of his own salvation and what he did to call on the name of the Lord.
(Acts 22:16 NIV) "And now what are you waiting for? Get! up, be baptized and
wash your sins away, calling on his name.'" Paul called on the name of the Lord
by being baptized.
Q: Can I join the church of Christ since I was sprinkled as a baby?
A: First of all no one joins the church of Christ. That is a denominational idea
that doesn't mesh with New Testament teaching. You don't join anything, God adds
you to His church when you are baptized for the remission of your sins. No one
votes on you being worthy to be a part of the congregation. (Acts 2:47 NIV)
"praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to
their number daily those who were being saved." We do not recognize sprinkling
or pouring as modes of baptism. In fact, to sprinkle or pour is a violation of
the command to be baptized. Baptidzo, the Greek word for baptism, means to dip,
plunge, immerse or overwhelm. There are different words for sprinkle, (rantidzo),
and pour, (cheo). No one is ever told to be sprinkled or have water poured on
their head in order to be saved.
Q: Do you believe miracles are performed today?
A: Not like they were in the first century. We do not teach that people can lay
hands on the sick and heal them today as was done in the first century. If the
question is whether or not God works miracles today the answer is yes. Is it
done like in the first century, no. Paul stated that miracles would cease when
the perfect came. (1 Corinthians 13:10 NIV) "but when perfection comes, the
imperfect disappears." The imperfection in the context of the passage has to do
with miracles, speaking in tongues, prophecies and special knowledge. The
question is what is meant the coming perfection. Some say this is referring to
Jesus and therefore spiritual gifts would last until His return. We deny that.
The word perfect, Telion in the Greek, is in neuter gender. That means it is a
thing and not a person. We believe the perfect described here to be the
completed word of God, the Bible.
(James 1:25 NIV) "But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives
freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing
it--he will be blessed in what he does." (James 2:12 NIV) "Speak and act as
those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom."
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