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Bible Will I Find: What The Church Of Christ Believes? By: Gary Colley
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Bible Will I Find: What The Church Of Christ Believes? By: Gary Colley
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It is highly important for all religious people to “prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thess.5:21). It should be with continual interest that we “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith” (II Cor.13:5). Since only the inspired Scriptures given by God thoroughly furnish us “unto all good works” (II Tim.3:16-17), we cannot trust in catechisms, prayer books, disciplines, or other creeds of men to guide us. We must go “to the law and to the testimony” and speak according to this word, or there is no Heavenly light in us (Isa.8:20). Paul wrote, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is in the image of God, should shine unto them” (II Cor.4:3-4). Members of the churches of Christ (Rom.16:16) are commanded to “sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (I Pet.3:15). 1. When asked about why we worship as we do, we answer with the authorization of such Scriptures as John 4:24; for singing Ephesians 5:19; for preaching II Timothy 4:1-4; for partaking of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of every week Acts 2:42; 20:7; for prayer I Thessalonians 5:18; and for giving as prospered on the first day of the week I Corinthians 16:1-2. 2. When asked about why we teach and practice Godly living and purity of life, we offer such Scriptures as Titus 2:11-12 and Romans 12:1-2. 3. Why we teach the plan of salvation being necessary to enter the church of Christ, we refer our friends for hearing to Romans 10:17; for believing to Heb.11:6; for repenting of our sins to Luke 13:3; for confessing the name of Jesus to Romans 10:9-10; and for being baptized to wash away our sins to Mark 16:15-16 and Acts 22:16. We want all to know what the Scriptures say, “For by one Spirit (His teaching GC) are we all baptized into one body” (I Cor.12:13). 4. When asked about why we teach all men will be lost who do not obey the Gospel we sight II Thessalonians 1:7-9 and I Peter 4:15-18. 5. When asked why we teach that one must remain faithful to the Lord in order to be saved or otherwise he falls from the grace of God, we suggest men read Galatians 5:4, Revelation 2:10, Colossians 1:23, and I Corinthians 10:12-13. 6. When asked why we wear no other name but the name of Christ, for individuals (Christian) and for the church (church of Christ), we asked all to read I Peter 4:16, Acts 11:26, 26:28-29, and Romans 16:16-17. We plead with all to study these Scriptures in the light of the eternity to which we are all rapidly passing (Matthew 25:46).–Gary Colley