When you are asked, "What church do you belong to?" most reading
this article would reply "the church of Christ."
But what do we mean when we say this? Do we mean simply another
denomination among the hundreds already extant?
I gladly and gratefully would reply, "I am a member of the
church of Christ." But what does that signify?
When I say "church of Christ" I mean the church that Jesus
built and bought, the church that He promised and purchased (Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:28), the one church of the Bible, the
body of Christ over which He rules and reigns as Head (Ephesians 1:21-22; Colossians 1:18).
When I say I am a member of Christ's one church, is that
response prompted by egotism? Or pride? Or sectarianism? No, no, no -a thousand times no!
That Jesus promised and built His church is a fact of Scripture
and history. That men and women could be in it in the first century , and that men and women can be in the same church in
the twenty- first century, is also a fact.
The church of Christ -the church that Jesus built, loves, died
for, and directs -still exists, and it is up to us, brethren, to tell this fact, in all sincerity, love, concern, and humility,
to our world.
We do not profess to be members of any denomination, but simply
members of God's family -the one, true church!
We wear Christ's name, we glorify Him in true worship, we act
by His authority, we preach His Word, we teach His truth, we uphold His authority, we plead for His cause, we practice His
example, we contend for His gospel!
O that our world could see, and fully embrace. the beauty of
undenominational, New Testament Christianity! Away with the names. creeds. traditions, opinions, theories, and speculations
of men in religion! Let us stand upon the truth of the word of God and cherish the glory of primitive Christianity.
Let us look to Christ and His teaching for the proper founder,
foundation, law, organization, worship, and salvation for His church.
The "restoration plea" is a Scriptural, attractive, understandable,
unifying, and God-honoring plea, to return to the New Testament as our only guide in religion.
" Back to the Bible,
the God-given Bible;
for grace and duty,
great or small...
it's back to the Bible for it all. "
-John M. Brown
