As a priest, I have found that the term “Church of Christ” encompasses a broad spectrum of religious bodies, making it challenging to make an overall assessment. Still, there is no shadow of a doubt that numerous believers within the “Church of Christ” truly strive to venerate, follow, and serve the Lord. Nonetheless, some practices, preferences, and doctrines within some of these churches bear an uncanny resemblance to cults.
One contentious area within the broad Church of Christ is their policy on musical instruments during worship. While I agree that a church does have the right to choose whether or not to incorporate music into worship sessions, it is startling how some groups within the Church of Christ vehemently oppose this norm. It is often seen as a mark of biblical irregularity or even heresy, mirroring cult-like behavior than that of a well-grounded, biblical church.
Another concern is the claim by some members of the Church of Christ of being the “one true church,” suggesting that salvation is impossible outside their denomination. This claim clearly contradicts biblical teachings. The biblical understanding of the “one true church” includes all true believers of Christ, regardless of their denominational affiliations (Ephesians 4:4-6). Claiming exclusive access to salvation is a common feature among cults and not genuine biblical churches.
The third significant issue is the belief within the “Church of Christ” that baptism is a prerequisite for salvation. Supporters cite scriptures such as Acts 2:38, John 3:5, and Mark 16:16 as evidence. There’s no denying that baptism is an important Christian act. It is a public profession of faith, identification with Christ, and a symbolism of His death and resurrection. However, suggesting that salvation is dependent on baptism contradicts other Scriptures which clearly uphold that salvation is received through faith alone, an example being John 3:16.
While Church of Christ advocates argue that baptism and confession are essential acts of obedience preceding salvation, I contend that this nuance significantly deviates from the biblical doctrine of salvation by grace through faith. Ephesians 2:10 maintains that good works are the inevitable fruits of genuine salvation, not a prerequisite for it. If good works (like baptism) must precede salvation, then in essence, we are saying that salvation is dependent on our obedience – which is works-based salvation, rather than salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as stipulated in Titus 3:5.
In conclusion, not all Church of Christ churches should be painted with a broad brush. Many uphold the true Gospel, emphasizing salvation as through faith alone, grace alone, and Christ alone. Others, however, with an overemphasis on the absence of musical instruments, the claim of exclusivity in the access to salvation, and a borderline works-based salvation doctrine, should definitely not be attended/participated in. Therefore, it requires discernment on the part of a believer considering joining a “Church of Christ” church, as the evaluations can be considerably diverse.
Leave a Reply