Are You Confused?…

By the conflicting teachings of various religious groups?

Do you wonder why there is so much conflict even among those who claim to believe in God and Jesus Christ and the Bible? Have you ever wondered why some churches are more interested in your money than in your soul?

Would it surprise you to know that a church exists today that is patterned after the one that we read about in the New Testament; a church that does not have the ritualism, ceremonialism and carnival atmosphere seen in so many of the religious groups today?

If you are interested in knowing that you can be a Christian ONLY and ONLY a Christian without being a member of any denomination, please read on . . .

It is no secret that there is a growing disenchantment with the present form of religion that grew out of the middle ages, but has become meaningless today. We hear often of sincere people who are unhappy with denominational structures and man-made churches that a re being remolded to fit today's society. Many are displeased with the latest trends in which morality does not matter and right or wrong is determined by the situation, rather than an absolute standard of morality.

If YOU have been troubled by some of these things and you have a desire to return to the simple anduncomplicated religion of Christ, let me assure you that this exists today.

Let's begin by considering a fundamental law of agriculture that Jesus taught in the parable of the sower in Luke, chapter eight. Jesus taught that the various types of soils represented the conditions of the hearts of men and women. In verse eleven, as He explains the parable to his disciples, He said, "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God." Jesus further explained that when the seed, the Word of God, is planted in honest and sincere hearts, the result is the bearing of fruit.

In the very beginning of time, when God created the world, He set in order His natural and divine laws. The natural law of agriculture can be plainly seen: "Then God said, Let the land producevegetation:seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to theirvarious kinds" (Genesis 1:11 NIV).

This means that to reap corn, corn must be sown. A person cannot sow corn and reap broccoli. This principle is taught in several New Testament passages: "...God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sows, that he will also reap" (Galatians 6:7). Also, Peter said, "Having been born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever. . . now this is the word which by the Gospel was preached to you" (1 Peter 1:23,25b).

In the first century, when the church was established, when the seed, the word of God, was sown in the heart of a man or woman, the fruit was a Christian (Acts 2:47; 11:26). The planting of the seeds of God's Word did not produce a member of a denomination, because denominations did not even exist until centuries later. The result of sowing the pure, unadulterated seed of the word of God always produced a Christian only and only a Christian.

It is this unchangeable law of God that makes it possible even today to be simply a Christian and only a Christian. The sowing of the word of God cannot produce anything except a Christian. So, just as these first century Christians were only Christians, without being members of any denomination, so can people today when the very same seed is planted.

When the seed, the word of God, was sown into the hearts of men and women they obeyed it. Obedience to the Gospel consists of hearing the truth (Romans 10:17); believing (Hebrews 11:6); repenting of past sins (Luke 13:3); confessing the name of Jesus in a public way (Matthew 10:32,33; Acts 8:37); and being immersed in water for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). When a person obeys the Gospel, he is saved (Mark 16:15,16), and the Lord adds to the church those who are saved (Acts 2:47).

The pure seed, the word of God, was also the standard of authority by which the early Christians, members of the body of Christ, were governed in their religious activities. Their worship was not an elaborate attempt to entertain the worshipers, or to woo each other with fun and games, or to impress one another with dramatic productions and shows, but was according to the simple pattern found in the New Testament.

In worshipping God, these saints met on every first day of the week to break bread (observe the memorial or communion feast) and to hear preaching (Acts 20:7). In their assemblies they sang without mechanical instruments of music (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). In the worship assembly they prayed with various men leading the prayer (1 Corinthians 14:14-16). The early disciples did not practice tithing, because this was authorized under the Old Testament, not the New. There were no organizations clamoring for their support, and no hierarchy telling them how much they should pledge. Each Christian, on the first day of the week, voluntarily and individually, contributed of their means as they purposed in their heart and as God prospered them (1 Corinthians 16:1,2; 2 Corinthians 8:12).

The early New Testament church had no headquarters where men made decisions for local churches. There were no Boards or Presidents or Directors exercising authority over the church. The only headquarters is in heaven, where the head of the church is Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:22,23; Colossians 1:18).

Christians today sill follow Christ as the head of the church and do not recognize any man on earth as having any authority in the church. The only one who has authority in the church is the Son (Hebrews 1:1; Matthew 28:18-29).

The simple mission of the church is to evangelize (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:20); edify itself (Ephesians 4:11-14) and take care of its own saints (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). Each congregation was autonomous and under the oversight of its own elders (Acts 14:23). These elders were not given the power to make laws or be masters, but they were given the responsibility to tend and care for the congregation as shepherds care for a flock (Acts 20:17,28).

These dedicated disciples were not known by some sectarian name but only the name Christian (Acts 11:26). This name "Christian" gives honor to Christ, the Son of God, and not to a man or some form of organization.

The early Christians sought to live pure moral lives as they made a sacrifice of themselves to the Lord (Romans 12:1,2). They sought to impress God with the only thing that has ever impressed Him and that is the complete and humble obedience to His Word (1 Samuel 15:22). Their appeal to others was not social or recreational, but they offered the troubled world their good example (Matthew 5:16) and the Gospel, because it is God's only power to save (Romans 1:16).

IF ONLY such could exist today… wouldn't it be wonderful? But what is really important is that, most likely, a group of such people meet within minutes of your home. They are not members of any denomination, they are just Christians. They worship and serve God in the very same way the early Christians did. They have no creed but the Bible and they use only the scriptures as the standard of authority in religious things (2 Timothy 3: 16,17). They did not "join the church of their choice" but they were added to the church by the Lord upon their obeying Him (Acts 2:47). This church wore a scriptural name (Romans 16:16).

Today you can be JUST A CHRISTIAN by obeying the simple plan of salvation mentioned earlier. You can serve God without belonging to a man-made denomination. You can worship God without being bound by denominational laws and regulations. Does this appeal to you?

by Charles E. Murray