WHY WE LOVE THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST 1. Salute one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. (Romans 16:16) I Peter 2:17 tells us to love the brotherhood so we love the churches of Christ and here are some reasons why: 1. The churches of Christ show people what Jesus in the great commission tells people to do to be saved. He said He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. (Mark 16:16) We think people need to hear this so they will do those things and be saved from their sins. They can’t save themselves. People might not tell them what to do. The Lord did and this needs to be taught. 2. The churches of Christ come together on the first day of the week to remember the death of Christ in partaking of the Lord’s Supper. This is exactly what the early church did. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. (Acts 20:7) 3. The churches of Christ pray and sing songs in worship - using our voices only - and enjoy the fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ. This is just like the first century church did. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42) Concerning singing we read, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:19) Singing makes me weep, humbles me, makes me repent, and makes me tingle all over when the greatness of God is extolled in song. I look forward to coming into the assembly and the song leader gets up, announces the number we will be singing, and starts out that song. I know I am going to get a blessing so I join in right there. O what joy to my soul is wrought in that song service. When I look back on the heart felt prayers that have gone up to God’s throne by righteous men and have afterward seen them answered in the sick getting well, the lost being found, the hungry being fed, the children being brought up in the way of the Lord, and many problems being solved I rejoice greatly. Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16) When I go through the door to worship I am met with many smiling faces and have extended to me the right hand of fellowship, I know I am accepted and blessed by Christian fellowship. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Lord. (I Corinthians 1:9) If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love. If any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels of mercies, fulfill ye my joy that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. (Philippians 2:1,2) 4. I love the churches of Christ because of their commitment to the Bible as the inspired word of God and a total guide to knowing God. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works. (II Timothy 3:16, 17) If any man speak let him speak as the oracles of God. (I Peter 4:11) When I go to worship with the churches of Christ I get a lesson from the word of God. Just like Timothy was told give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine (I Timothy 4:13) so do I get milk and meat for my soul in every worship service. 5. I love the churches of Christ because they have no world headquarters and no doctrine but the scriptures. Each congregation is autonomous and when scripturally organized they each have a plurality of elders to oversee the work of the congregation. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. (Acts 14:23) The elders which are among you I exhort, whom am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed; feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind: neither as being Lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. (I Peter 5:1-3) An example of a congregation fully organized is the Philippian church. Paul and Timothy, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons. (Philippians 1:1) 6. I love the churches of Christ because they are a people who love one another deeply, help one another quickly, and who share the good times and the bad times with us freely. Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. (Galations 6:1) Bear ye one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galations 6:2) And let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (Galations 6:9, 10) Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. (James 1:27) 7. I love the churches of Christ because they are a people who want to go to heaven and they want everyone to go to heaven. Jesus has gone to prepare a place in heaven for all his people and he will come again and receive the faithful to himself. (John 14:1-6) We know that not everyone talking about going to heaven will go there. Not everyone that saith to me Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven: but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21) They are always exhorting people to do the commandments of God because they know such will enter heaven. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14) Every congregation has its outreach programs to reach as many lost people as possible and teach them of Jesus the Savior. Millions of dollars are given to teach the lost. People travel all over this world with the good news of the gospel for lost humanity. THANK GOD FOR SUCH PEOPLE. - C.D.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 09:33:50 +0000
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