Posted on 10/30/2013 9:24:15 AM PDT by GonzoII
No. Christ described His Church in very many significant ways—all of which apply to the Catholic Church, and the Catholic Church only.
The true Church of Christ commenced then, but not what are called the Protestant "Churches of Christ." These can be traced back to a Rev. Alexander Campbell, who was born in 1788, and who was originally a Presbyterian. As Mr. Campbell grew up, he pressed the Protestant principle of "The Bible Only" to its extreme limits, and repudiated all creeds or statements of doctrine. He therefore felt compelled to leave the Presbyterians who clung to the Westminster Confession, based on Calvinism, and became a wandering preacher affiliated with the Baptists. However he was never strictly a Baptist, and soon began writing and lecturing as a free lance religious teacher. He soon gathered some devoted followers, and in 1827 these followers formed themselves into a sect called the "Disciples of Christ." The Rev. Mr. Campbell died in 1866, and his followers fell into disputes concerning methods of organization. As a result two sections arose, calling themselves respectively the "Progressives," and the "Conservatives." The "Progressives" retained the title "Disciples of Christ," whilst the "Conservatives" took the new title "Churches of Christ." As the division took place about the year 1900, the "Church of Christ" as an independent body dates from the beginning of this century.
Since those who form what are called the "Churches of Christ" repudiate creeds, it is not possible to state their doctrines very clearly. They say at least that people must be Christians, but they will not state what Christians must believe. They demand, of course, that the Bible be accepted as God's Word, but no exact statement of what the Bible means can be imposed on anybody by those who maintain the right of private interpretation. Probably the members of the "Churches of Christ" would like to be described simply as "Bible Christians," and nothing more.
On the score that they ignore or reject the faith, worship, and discipline Christ intended to prevail in His Church. Also their basic principle, held together with other Protestants, that the Bible only is the one rule of faith is false. Moreover, a Church which cannot trace back its history beyond 1827 is 1827 years too late to be the Church founded by Christ Himself. We have seen the force of that reason when dealing with the truth of the Catholic Church.
No offence taken and happy to have you on the ping list.
Believe it or not I don’t consider myself one who argues really. I try and toss out there what I hold to be true
and hope that it sticks—with God’s help.
No doubt He quoted the Scriptures (the Old Testament) because He was their fulfillment. But what are we to do with the New Testament? Where did He say they were to be the sole rule of Faith along with the Old Testament?
Yeshua never told us to follow anything but Torah.
There was no “new testament” when he was alive.
To the extent that any NT writing is compliant with what is set out in Torah, (and all that I have read are) we should follow them.
The almost-never-used church of Christ Ping List...
You’ll want to get me off of your ping list as soon as possible.
Oops. Would YOU please take me off of your ping list at your earliest convenience.
Tremendous amount of misinformation on here.
It’s one thing to twist facts to make a political point. Best to approach the Almighty with a bit more humility.
Wrong! The Disciples of Christ (Christian Church) is a denomination which was formed out of the Restoration Movement in the Sixties. Those Christian Churches, which did not join the denomination are known as the Independent Christian Churches.
There is considerable misinformation about the churches of Christ in the above article and comments. I will attempt to address them tomorrow. Grace and peace, G B
Ah, I see the Roman Catholic mafia finally got around to your denomination. Earlier today they posted against the Lutherans. Luther seems to be their favorite straw man. That is what these Catholic Answers articles are all about...creating straw man arguments for cut and paste ease for the Biblically illiterate. I await your most informed response most eagerly DR. Gary.
Wrong! The Disciples of Christ (Christian Church) is a denomination which was formed out of the Restoration Movement in the Sixties. Those Christian Churches, which did not join the denomination are known as the Independent Christian Churches.
There is considerable misinformation about the churches of Christ in the above article and comments. I will attempt to address them tomorrow. Grace and peace, G B
>> “Wrong! The Disciples of Christ (Christian Church) is a denomination which was formed out of the Restoration Movement in the Sixties.” <<
No chance!
My wife’s Grandfather was a DOC minister before WW II.
>> “That is what these Catholic Answers articles are all about...creating straw man arguments for cut and paste ease for the Biblically illiterate.” <<
.
Well said.
My wife’s Grandfather was a DOC minister before WW II.
Up until the Sixties the Restoration Movement consisted of the Disciples of Christ and the churches of Christ. Both groups were composed of independent churches. The liberal branches of the DoC broke off from the conservative branch in the Sixties, and formed the DoC Denomination, with the conservatives now labeled the independent Christian Churches. I am ordained in the latter, but have my membership in the church of Christ.
Liberal is an understatement!
They are out and out Marxists to the core. They make the Unitarians look conservative.
I am not a member of the DoC, but I am very familiar with the denomination. To equate them with either Marxists or Unitarians is simply not true.
On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”
NIV. (Re 1:10–11). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Is the true church the Catholic Church, Baptist, or churches of Christ? Which of the seven churches listed above did Christ claim as His own? Clearly being the oldest wasn't listed as one of the attributes He desires. The Lord is looking for those who love Him, and humbly worship Him in spirit and truth.
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All of them. They were all local churches, just as we have today the Diocese of Fresno or the church at Fresno or the Diocese of Los Angeles or the church at Los Angeles that belong to His Church. And they are all Catholic.
"Clearly being the oldest wasn't listed as one of the attributes He desires."
It's a matter of being the right one and that is the one that has the pedigree going right back to the first century.
When did your church start?
If it wasn't in the first century then it can't possibly the one established by Christ.
And followed it up with (or some variation of) "But I say unto you...." at least 5 times.
Oh, so the Lord picks out a church, and the members can live without faith. Maybe some of your churches are the ones at Ephesus, and Christ has removed His lampstand. Rev. 2:5
Are you a member of the church at Pergamum, and have members holding to the teaching of Baalam? Likewise, do any of your members hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans? God looks at the heart and not if someone is a great-g-g-g-grandson of someone who had faith. It's the faith He sees now, not what your ancestors did for Him.
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