funny, we can trace the so called COC to the early 19th century and Campbell.
First Century the apostle Paul wrote:” Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.” The Bible disagrees with you.
but the true Church of Christ was not started by just another man, but by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
Finally, you get it....!
unlike what the false prophets Joseph Smith and Campbell taught in the 19th century, the true Church would be present in all generations and Jesus Christ promised to be with His Body all the way up until the end of the world.
That is true but sadly some faiths fell away, only the true Church remains.
in fact Jesus warned us false prophets like Smith and Campbell would arise and deceive many. yet despite that, people still follow the false prophets rather than be added to the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
Which Church is it that forbids some to marry? Which Church is it the forbids some foods at certain times of the year..?
Which church claims to have a vicar or stand in for Christ...?
Which church bows down and treats a sinful man as their high priest....?
Gal. 1: 6-9
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
The catholic church in a nutshell:
2 Thess.1-12
2 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, 2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ[a] had come. 3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin[b] is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God[c] in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 6 And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. 7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He[d] who now restrains will do so until He[e] is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, 12 that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
the so called COC thinks because they call themselves the COC, THAT MAKES THEM THE COC.
lol, by that logic, if I call myself a five star general, I become a five star general.
there are several marks by which we can KNOW where is the true Church of Christ. included among these marks:
1. keeping the Apostolic Faith and Tradition
2. sharing the Eucharist
3. continuous presence on earth from Pentecost thru today
4. possession of the Scriptures
the so called COC FAILS on all four points. Campbell was the worst kind of heretic since he totally violated the will of God as expressed in John 17 and 1 Corinthians 1.
his followers have continued his errors by refusing to be added to the true Church and by following his 19th century tradition of men.