Argument against beliefs of traditional Church of Christ as opposed to other Christian denominations?

Question

What are some arguments against the beliefs/practices of traditional Church of Christ? Supporting scripture? Does anyone know the history or basic theology of Church of Christ? If there is no governing body, how do the churches maintain a level of consistency since the Bible is open to a certain level of interpretation? Is Church of Christ a dying denomination? Does it also seem that the majority of members of traditional Church of Christ congregations are less educated (especially since many of their preachers do not hold theology degrees)? I am open to any insight into this topic! I am wanting to learn as much as possible, and these are many of the "arguments" I have heard thus far. It also seems that Church of Christ believe only they are going to heaven. Is that true? Are they similar to a cult? What are some things I have missed? Why should I or why should I not choose to join a traditional Church of Christ? Thank you!

Thank you for the thorough answers. A few more questions: I understand that the CofC wants to take the Bible as literally as possible. So what about when important verses contradict each other? What happens then? And how does the CofC adapt to a changing world? For example, CofC's don't use instruments, but they use projectors. The Bible didn't say to use projectors in worship. And what about slaves? Do you not reject slavery? I know that may be a typical example, but I am curious.

Answer 1

Wow! You’ve asked a lot of questions, but they are good questions. We should ask what the Bible says about the doctrine of churches!

I am a member of the Church of Christ. I want you to find out what the Bible says about our doctrine! Please, however, before you reject our doctrine, compare it to the Bible!

If the things we teach do not agree with the Bible, please reject them! If they are what the Bible teaches, however, accept them!

The Church of Christ wishes to speak where the Bible speaks, be silent where the Bible is silent, do Bible things in Bible ways, and call Bible things by Bible names. That is how there is consistency among churches of Christ. There is an acceptance of the same standard of authority!

Can we understand the Bible alike? I believe we can!

In Acts 2, there were about 3000 that all heard the same message, all understood it the same way, and all obeyed it the same way! When they did this, God added them to the church and they continued in the same doctrine! (verses 42-47) They had the type of unity that we should strive for! Such unity must be based on the Word of God!

Jesus prayed for such unity. In John 17:17, He prayed to the Father, “Sanctify them (the apostles) through the truth; Thy word is truth.” In verse 20, Christ prayed for those who would believe on Him through the words of the apostles. Today, we believe on Christ through the things they wrote in the New Testament, so this is a prayer for us.

So, what was Christ’s prayer? “That they be one!” (John 17:20-21) He prayed for unity!

The apostle Paul also pleaded for such unity! He said Christians should “all speak the same thing” and have “no divisions”! (1 Corinthians 1:10) How many is “all”? How many divisions are “no divisions”? Again, to do this, we must rely on the scriptures for our authority in doctrine! Only then can we “speak the same thing”!

Jesus said He has "all authority" and the apostles should teach the things He had commanded them. (Matthew 28:18-20) If we are "teaching as doctrine the commandments of men" then our worship is "vain", or useless, in God's eyes (Matthew 15:9, Mark 7:7)

Paul declared the whole council of God. (Acts 20:27) There is no man-made doctrine we need to add to that. [In fact, if we teach anything else, we are condemned! (Gal. 1:6-9!)]

The scriptures are to be used for our doctrine, to correct error, and to teach. Using them in this way we can be completely furnished with all we need! (2 Timothy 3:17-17, 2 Peter 1:3)

God knows us better than we even know ourselves! To say we cannot understand His word is to say that He was either unwilling or unable to give His word in a way that it could be understood. I don’t believe He is either unwilling or unable!

Why would there be such verses teaching that we should have unity based on scriptures that we cannot understand? Again in Acts 2, about 3000 understood it alike! Paul said, “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand…” (Ephesians 3:4)

This may not be easy! There are some things that are hard to understand (2 Peter 3:16), but we can understand what we need to know to all speak the same thing! We may have to give up our own desires to “preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:1-3), but we must surrender our will to the will of God!

By all means compare the things taught by the Church of Christ to the Bible! If we teach what is in the scriptures, accept it! If the things we teach are not according to the Word of God, then reject it! (And let us know where we are lacking.) But, please, Please, PLEASE do not make up your mind before you have learned what we teach and searched the Scriptures to see if it is true!

Any church should not object to such a comparison to Scriptures! In fact, they should insist on it!

We should have the attitude expressed in Acts 17:11, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

Below are some links that tell more about the Church of Christ. The first is a free 6-lesson video Bible study. The last two are articles that discuss if the church of Christ believes they are the only true church. Please read these and compare them to the Bible! Look up the scriptures provided!

Thank you for your good questions!

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Edit to answer your additional questions:

The Bible does not contradict itself. If two verses appear to contradict each other, then at least one of them is not properly understood. More study is needed.

(Note if there is a difference in time periods, who is speaking, who is being addressed, the circumstances surrounding the event, if a word is used in a different sense, etc.)

Also, since the Bible does not contradict itself, if two churches contradict each other in doctrine, then at least one of them must be teaching error by contradicting the Bible. They both can not be in agreement with the Bible if they teach opposing doctrine.

About the changing of times.

Soloman declared, "there is no new thing under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9). The New Testament says, " Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines." (Hebrews 13:8-9)

Note that Jesus Christ never changes, so our doctrine should not change.

Now about the specifics you mentioned.

The Bible tells us to "go teach". It tells us to go, but it does not tell us how to go. We can go by walking, horse, car, sending a letter, boat, etc. "Go" is a generic command.

In music, however, the Bible specifies "singing" as the type of music in the church (Eph. 5:19, Col 3:16-17). The New Testament did not just say "make music", but it said "sing", "making music in your heart".

To use instruments is to produce another type of music, but when we sing with the words projected on a screen, or with the members using a song book, etc., the only type of music being produced is still just singing. Exactly that which is authorized.

To tell a congregation to sing a song, speaking to one another, the command implies that the people must know the words to the song. How this is accomplished is not specified. If a person holds a song book, and makes music "speaking to one another", then the only type of music being produced is that which is authorized.

Here is another question where I answered this in more detail:
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AuRhsMkkmjFQrGWpOJb09vjty6IX?qid=20060920134458AAsgMa3&show=7#profile-info-3e9ae9c1d171fd7b0e86a3a9351396f3aa

Answer 2

The Church of Christ is not a denomination, a denomination is defined a part of something else. The Church of Christ is patterned after the original Church that Jesus founded through Peter in the book of Acts. All things religiously done by the Church of Christ is governed by the teachings of the New Testament, IE the letters to the Churches. Each Church is independent with Elders to oversee each.
No it is not a cult, one can leave at any time, that means turn away from God. One can not join the Church of Christ, according to Acts 2:47, God adds to the Church not man.
Education, no comment.

In Ephesians 5:19, Paul told the Church what instrument to use in singing to God. The heart.

The use of a projector is not said either for or against in the Bible, but we are told to teach and this is one method as is sitting on padded seats.
Respectfully.

Answer 3

There is good and bad in all denominations. I attend Baptist Church and I see the faults in that Denomination. Maybe the Church of Christ is a good Denomination. I do not know because I have not attend Church of Christ and I have not researched it much. If you do a search for the History of ANY particular denomination you will find that all sources you read have inconsistancies. If you look at historical books written by the Church of Christ you will see only positive things about the denomination. If you read books not written by the Chruch of Christ you will see negative things. As far as being educated or not, Churches do not want you to read books outside their denomination. So yes they believe what the Church of Christ tell them as is the same for all other Denominations. I reccommend that all Christians read a secular book on the History of Chrisianity and find out how the denominations came about. Most denominations believe they are correct and they are the only ones going to Heaven. If my church ever asked me to give a speech on "How Great the Baptist Denomination Is" that wouldn't go very good. I would probably be banned from all Baptist churches after that. LOL.

Answer 4

I know it's been a long time since this was posted, but I would just like to add that holding a theology degree doesn't make you scriptural or correct. And not having one doesn't make you uneducated. If that were the case, nobody in the Bible would be credible - but of course, they are. Jesus didn't use the doctors, lawyers, and "high" people of the land - he used the fishermen, the tax collectors, the common people. So I would challenge you to consider whether or not holding a degree is really necessary to be correct. :)

Also, as some have stated, the Bible does not contradict itself. To claim that would be an indictment against God. The Bible is the inspired Word of God and is perfect. Where you believe you find contradictions, I would challenge you to consider the context. Usually "contradictions" arise because people take verses out of context. :)

The world does change, yes. But God doesn't and His word doesn't. Of course cultural things change, physical things change, but spiritual things do not. God is the same today, tomorrow, and forever.

The Church of Christ explanation as I have heard it in my lifetime of attending there as far as musical instruments goes is that the Bible says clearly "sing and make music in your heart". Since it says to sing and nothing else, the C of C takes that as a commandment to only sing. In the Old Test. they were commanded to use music - the New Test says to sing. *shrug* Since there is nothing about projectors at all and there is no command to use or not to use them, and it's a tool to teach, I assume that's why they think it's okay.

However, I would challenge the idea that all Churches of Christ think the same. This used to be more of the case, but many Churches of Christ nowadays are more denominational than anything else. The name on a building is not going to save you - but ensuring that they worship in accordance with God's will is what's important.

I would not say that the C of C is similar to a cult really. We don't say people can't leave, for instance lol. While some C of Cs do seem to be more concerned with converting people to the C of C rather than Christ, I don't think it would be a fair estimation to say that you can only be saved through the C of C. I think that C of C members believe that only C of C members go to heaven. But I don't. That's God's decision. I DO know that the Bible gives us direction on how to worship and I think it's important to hold to what is expressly commanded - in all contexts - where spiritual things are concerned. Obviously if it's a command from God then it's something we need to pay attention to.

Also - there was never a governing body in the early Church if you read about it in the Bible - because Christ is the head of the church. Not a man or an organization. So that's why we don't have a governing body. :)

But your salvation is about obeying Christ, not any man or woman regardless of their affiliation. Don't get too hung up on the name of the building. Just allow the Bible to be your guidepost. :) It's the truth and it won't change, no matter how often people do.

Hope that helps you out.

Answer 5

I am a Christian though not a member of the "Church of Christ" so I'm hoping that my comment will count.
You bring up that their preachers are less educated than those who have attended and graduated from schools of theology. I have to mention that neither did Christ or his apostles attend schools of theology in their day and they were also looked down upon by the religious authority at that time. The early Christian church was also classified as a cult. This is found in scripture.
Not to offend, I just wanted to bring this point up.

Answer 6

Hi Betty,
There are many in here that will tell you a group of hogwash about other churches. It should be our job to wade thru this and find the one true CHURCH that follows what the NEW TESTAMENT tells us. It should do exactly what we are told to do in the New Testament and have adequate examples of things that were done in the scriptures. The Church of Christ has two basic groups one is Non-Denominational which means it exists as the original Churches did and keep everything separate not gathering their moneys together with other churches to send out and leave many decisions to those who are not given Biblical authority to do so. The Denominational Churches of Christ in many ways are following ideas that were begun by other denominations rather than by GOD and printed in HIS HOLY SCRIPTURES. HIS WORD should be our ONLY SOURCE of TRUTH. When an earlier writer mentioned the Campbellites of the 1800s, he was sadly mistaken. There were Churches of Christ in theis country long before Campbell or that era. There have been people following the scriptures long before the Catholics started their little home-made religion. Peter was not what they point to at all. Read the scriptures. Christ did NOT appoint him to head Christ's Church at all. The question of Mechanical Instruments in worship occur even in churches of Christ. I attend a Non-Instrumental Service at this time and it is beautiful! We are commanded in the scriptures to "sing" there are separate words used for listening to music, using instrumental music and for singing. The words used were for "singing". Man added the instruments much later. Why do not these same people talk about this?? Because they like to follow the croud rather than GOD. Everything that we do in the services at our Church can be backed up with scriptural references. These people will not do the same. They add too many of man's ideas to their worship to ever say this. If you have questions, please write me. I will gladly answer your questions at any time. Have a wonderful evening.
Thank you,
Eds (A simple Christian)


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Bama,
Very well written.
Thanks,
Eds


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Answer 7

A quick search found this:

http://www.williamsburgchurchofchrist.org/doctrine.htm

That worship has to be a cappella as a requirement smacks of legalism to me:

"The mention of musical instruments is conspicuously absent in these passages. Historically, the first appearance of instrumental music in church worship was not until the sixth century A.D., and there was no general practicing of it until after the eighth century.

Instrumental music was strongly opposed by such religious leaders as John Calvin, John Wesley and Charles Spurgeon because of its absence in the New Testament."

Absence != not allowed. The Bible doesn't talk about a lot of things, but that hardly means they're not allowed by Christians.

Answer 8

The C of C comes from the Campbellite movement like other cult and cult like groups. What they all have in common is that they claim to be a restored Church and have a hatred for Christ's Church. Most all Christian cults have a foundation in the Campbellite movement including Jehovah Witnesses, Seventh Day Adventists, Branch Dividians, Mormons and others.

In Christ
Fr. Joseph

Answer 9

The Catholic Church is the real and original traditional Church of Christ. The Stone- Cambellite Movement began in the 1800s and the different churches of Christ(Christian,Disciples,etc) are just fragmentations of that movement which originally meant to bring Christians together.

Answer 10

I was raised in a 'Church of Christ', and became a deacon, before I left it intentionally; including my asserting the false doctrine the 'preacher' gave in the sermon moments before. To make a long story short, there were 7 major deviations from the scriptures. (See my profile). The independence of each congregation is one of the things that make it difficult to 'stereotype' all congregations. For more info; email me soon here regarding which 'specific' you question.