The Order of the Church
When answering the question, “What is the church of Christ,” one must consider her identity in all that she does. The church of Christ has as her “creed book” the Bible and the Bible only. She believes the Bible to be the Inspired Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). The church of Christ believes that through this Inspired Word God gives man “all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). She does not base what she does or does not do on a “creed book” written by man that has rendered the denominational world helpless.
The church of Christ worships God by the authority that is found in the Scriptures. Paul wrote, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17). The inspired writer is saying whatever you teach and whatever you practice do it according the authority of the scriptures. Paul knew that there would be some that would stand before the Lord in judgment thinking they did what the Lord required (Matthew 7:21-23). God is seeking true worshipers that will worship Him “…in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24). The worship of the church is regulated by what God has commanded. She will pray (1 Thessalonians 5:17). She will sing praises to God without the accompaniment of mechanical instruments (Ephesians 5:19; cf. Colossians 3:16). She will give has she has prospered (1 Corinthians 16:2). She will partake of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week and hear God’s Word proclaimed (Acts 20:7). All these things must be “…done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40).
The doctrine of the church of Christ is the same doctrine the apostles preached, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8-9). This doctrine has the power to save (Romans 1:16). It includes faith that comes by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17); repenting of sins (Luke 13:3, 5); confessing belief that Jesus is the Son of God (Romans 10:10; cf. Acts 8:37); and being baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), to have sins washed away (Acts 22:16), and to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4). This is the plan of salvation that must be obeyed in order to be added to the church of Christ (Acts 2).
If one is truly looking for the church that Jesus promised to build he will look for these qualifying marks of identity. What is the church of Christ? The church of Christ is the divine institution that had her beginnings in Jerusalem in A.D. 33. She is owned by the One that bought her with His own blood. Her order is to use the Bible and the Bible only as her creed, and she worships according to the commandments of God. The church of Christ will preach the Gospel, the doctrine of the apostles. This doctrine will include God’s plan of salvation. Any other religious institution that does not identify with the description that Bible has given is not the church of Christ.