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"Can One Be Just A Christian?" 6/17/01 Past/Future Articles |
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"Can One Be Just A Christian?" 6/17/01 Past/Future Articles |
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The first Christians were Christians only. They were members of the one church (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 1:18), but of no denomination. By being members of the one church, and of no denomination, they respected Christ's prayer (John 17:20, 21), and the plea of Paul (I Corinthians 1:10). They had no part in promoting religious division so common today.
Can we, too, be just Christians, as they were? Must we be members of denominations in order to obey Christ and be saved? Paul, Phillip, Aquila, and others heard the Gospel, believed it, repented of sins, confessed Jesus Christ as God's Son, and were immersed into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit for the remission of sins (Matthew 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38). As a result, the Lord added them to His church, the one church (Acts 2:47).
Thousands, perhaps millions, were saved and added to Christ's church long before the oldest denomination was founded. Certainly, therefore, one may be a Christian only, or be a Christian without being a member of any denomination. All such Christians can meet and work together, becoming thus a simple church of Christ like those spoken of and described in the New Testament (Romans 16:16).
If we obey the Gospel only, we will be Christians only. jim massey
Bob Craig, Elder