Church of Christ? What do you think?

[Neighbor]

10 hours ago, Knowingtruth said:

Are you a saint and disciple of Jesus? God's love will not continue if you don't prove with a transformed life. One has to work out salvation with fear and trembling. Grace with truth, not just grace

Have to disagree, for My Bible tells me otherwise.

At this point we are just playing an end game of chess where there is no progress for three moves. As far as I am concerned Game over.

Edited August 26, 2018 by Neighbor
Paragraphs deleted as further conversation will serve no good, it will only encourage the ministry of distraction.

[Willa]

There is another group that now calls themselves the Church of Christ that used to be the Reorganized LDS mormon church.  This is a cult and should be avoided.

Then there is the United Church of Christ that used to be Congregational plus the Evangelical & Reformed Church.  It is all about unity and includes all kinds of beliefs some of which are not Christian, denying the atoning blood of Christ for sins.  Pres Obama went to this church in Chicago.  This is also a church that should be avoided in most cases because it is usually ultra liberal. 

 

 

[frienduff thaylorde]

13 hours ago, Knowingtruth said:

Jesus never said to follow Paul. We need imitate Jesus not any rank outsider. The Holy Spirit was sent to remind us of Jesus' words.

Correct we need to FOLLOW JESUS .     So if you cant see the HOLY SPIRIT n pauls writings who preached JESUS more than anyone else ,    THEN

how can one claim HE is following Christ .  cause I see JESUS in all the apostels writings , from paul , peter , jude ,  james ,   all of them , their writings a perfect

magnification OF JESUS who walked on this earth .    IF we think paul did not follow Christ , or that james did not teach Christ ,   then how unlearned we truly are .

THIER is no contradiction in what paul wrote ,  or any of them , TO WHAT JESUS SPOKE and SAID ON EARTH .    Just ponder that .

And true grace , that brings salvation ,  actually teaches us TO DENY ungodlienss and wordly lusts .    to be walking soberly , righteous and godly in this world as we await the coming OF OUR Lord .    Any so called seasoned man of GOD who says any of the letters paul or the others wrote are not in total agreement and wonderfully magnify Christ ,   then either

they are not so learned as they thought ,  or they false .      Pick one because what  I said it is true .

[Knowingtruth]

10 hours ago, Yowm said:

The words you read in Paul's letters are inspired by the Holy Spirit. Quit trying to drive a heretical wedge between Paul and Jesus.

Neither Paul not Peter claimed that Paul wrote inspired by the Holy Spirit

[Blood Bought 1953]

1 hour ago, Knowingtruth said:

Neither Paul not Peter claimed that Paul wrote inspired by the Holy Spirit

 

2 Peter3:15,16    Have you ever actually read a Bible? Peter refers to Paul’s writings as “ scripture”. You could google a lot of this stuff and eliminate the showing of your ignorance that should be an embarrassment to you.

 

oops.....wAs not aware that Yowm had beat me to the punch——-good work.....brilliant minds think alike.....lol

Edited August 27, 2018 by Blood Bought 1953

[frienduff thaylorde]

10 hours ago, Yowm said:

Please don't waste my time with your anti Paul rhetoric. They were wrong in Paul's day and they are wrong now...

And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
(2Pe 3:15-16)
 

When I read what he had said ,  THIS alone was the very first scrip that popped in my mind .     OH its so good to FOLLOW CHRIST and read that bible .  man them scrips sure do make one wise unto salvation through FAITH in CHRIST .     And I was all ready to answer him ,    BUT I read what you had wrote and was so happy to see it .     But since its always

good to remind ,    OH let it get read again .   

[DWH2003]

The name "church of Christ" is scriptural (Romans 16:16).  But that doesn't mean everyone who uses it is following Christ.  A church can have its candle removed by the Lord if they do not listen to what He says (Rev. 2:5).

While entertainment is fun, that is not what we read of taking place in the NT church.  In fact, when it comes to personal things, Paul was very specific... "if any man is hungry, let him eat at home" (1 Cor. 11:34).  We have a place for fun, food, entertainment.  This may displease many, but the church was not created for secular reasons, it has a spiritual mission (1 Tim. 3:15).

---

Regarding baptism, there are several baptisms mentioned in the Bible... each with its own purpose.  Some baptisms were in water (John's baptism John 3:23) (baptism into Christ Acts 10:47-48).  One was in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).  At least one was baptism was figurative (Jesus' "baptism" in suffering & death Mark 10:38).

Holy Spirit baptism is distinct from water baptism into Christ.  In Acts 10:44-48, the Holy Spirit fell on the gentiles who heard the gospel.  This is before water baptism.  And it is specifically described as Holy Spirit baptism in Acts 11:16-17.

Interestingly, Ephesians 4:4 says there is "one baptism".  So, we understandably ask, which one?   Paul doesn't leave us guessing.   In Ephesians 5 Paul elaborates, "25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it; 26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, 27 that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

This passage says Christ sanctified & cleansed the church by the washing of water with the word.  This is the new birth Jesus described in John 3:3 & 5, being born of the water and the word.  In short, water is the "line in the sand" God has drawn.  When we believe (faith) and are baptized, God says this is when he sanctifies & cleanses.

It is not an inherent power in the water, as Peter explains in 1 Peter 3.  "20 ...when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: 21 which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation [asking] of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ; 22 who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him."

The Bible says God saved Noah through the use of water.  The Bible also says God uses water in a like manner to save today.  It is not some inherent, physical power of the water to cleanse filth.  Rather, in being baptized, one is asking God for a clean conscience through the power of the victorious & reigning Jesus Christ.

[frienduff thaylorde]

9 hours ago, Blood Bought 1953 said:

 

2 Peter3:15,16    Have you ever actually read a Bible? Peter refers to Paul’s writings as “ scripture”. You could google a lot of this stuff and eliminate the showing of your ignorance that should be an embarrassment to you.

 

oops.....wAs not aware that Yowm had beat me to the punch——-good work.....brilliant minds think alike.....lol

Same scrip popped in my mind too ,    Then I read what yowm had said .  SO ,  let is get read again .

[Wayne222]

Just now, DWH2003 said:

The name "church of Christ" is scriptural (Romans 16:16).  But that doesn't mean everyone who uses it is following Christ.  A church can have its candle removed by the Lord if they do not listen to what He says (Rev. 2:5).

While entertainment is fun, that is not what we read of taking place in the NT church.  In fact, when it comes to personal things, Paul was very specific... "if any man is hungry, let him eat at home" (1 Cor. 11:34).  We have a place for fun, food, entertainment.  This may displease many, but the church was not created for secular reasons, it has a spiritual mission (1 Tim. 3:15).

---

Regarding baptism, there are several baptisms mentioned in the Bible... each with its own purpose.  Some baptisms were in water (John's baptism John 3:23) (baptism into Christ Acts 10:47-48).  One was in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).  At least one was baptism was figurative (Jesus' "baptism" in suffering & death Mark 10:38).

Holy Spirit baptism is distinct from water baptism into Christ.  In Acts 10:44-48, the Holy Spirit fell on the gentiles who heard the gospel.  This is before water baptism.  And it is specifically described as Holy Spirit baptism in Acts 11:16-17.

Interestingly, Ephesians 4:4 says there is "one baptism".  So, we understandably ask, which one?   Paul doesn't leave us guessing.   In Ephesians 5 Paul elaborates, "25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself up for it; 26 that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, 27 that he might present the church to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

This passage says Christ sanctified & cleansed the church by the washing of water with the word.  This is the new birth Jesus described in John 3:3 & 5, being born of the water and the word.  In short, water is the "line in the sand" God has drawn.  When we believe (faith) and are baptized, God says this is when he sanctifies & cleanses.

It is not an inherent power in the water, as Peter explains in 1 Peter 3.  "20 ...when the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water: 21 which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation [asking] of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ; 22 who is on the right hand of God, having gone into heaven; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him."

The Bible says God saved Noah through the use of water.  The Bible also says God uses water in a like manner to save today.  It is not some inherent, physical power of the water to cleanse filth.  Rather, in being baptized, one is asking God for a clean conscience through the power of the victorious & reigning Jesus Christ.

We are clean before we are baptize. Jesus said to his diciples you are already clean through the word. When we believe the gospel we are saved at that moment.  We then show that we believe by keeping the command to be baptize. 

[DWH2003]

1 hour ago, Wayne222 said:

We are clean before we are baptize. Jesus said to his diciples you are already clean through the word. When we believe the gospel we are saved at that moment.  We then show that we believe by keeping the command to be baptize. 

John 15:3 Already ye are clean because of the word which I have spoken unto you.

I agree they were already clean because of the word.  What word was that?

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Jesus spoke of a (singular) new birth.  That new birth involves water & the Spirit.  The Spirit's work was to reveal & confirm truth (John 16:13; Mark 16:20).  Thus, "the Spirit" involves God's word, which produces faith (Romans 10:17).  What is water?  The only NT command involving water is water baptism into Christ (Acts 2:38; Acts 10-11).

John 3:35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. 36 He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Jesus required His disciples to be baptized (John 4:1-2).

 

By the time Jesus announced to the 12 that they were clean, they had already trusted Him enough to do what He said to become clean.