This is probably the most asked question to members of the church. The first thing we need to consider is that it really does not matter what I think nor does it matter what you think. But it does matter what the scriptures teach. God has revealed what we are to believe in His Word. We must first define “church”. In the religious world today there are many, many thousands of different churches. Each entity teaches its own brand of religion. They have similarities and they have differences and one thing for sure is they all teach something different. When the New Testament talks about the church it is talking about one group of believers. Paul wrote in Eph. 4:4 there is one body. That one body is the church, “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body”, Eph 5:23. The word body and church are used interchangeably in this passage. Since Christ is the head, shouldn’t the body wear the same name? In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said “I will build My church.” If Jesus built the church and it is “HIS” church, should it not wear His name? We have an example where the Bible refers to the church as the church of Christ, Rom. 16:16. Since the church is called the bride of Christ (Rev. 21:2) John captured the inspiring scene of the Holy City, “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” In Old Testament prophecy the Holy City and New Jerusalem was symbolic for the church. Since the church is the bride of the Lamb, shouldn’t she bear His name? The scriptures teach without question that the church of the New Testament is the church of Christ. We must remember that just because a group calls themselves a church of Christ does NOT mean that they belong to Him. When we are talking about the church of Christ the Bible speaks of, we are talking about the group that will go to heaven. “For the husband is head of the wife, as also “Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body” Eph. 5:23. What body will He save? He will save His body, the body that belongs to Him, The church.

Is the church of Christ denomination the only ones being saved? That is really the question most people are asking. This question assumes that the church is a denomination. The word “denomination” defined is the number of times a unit can be divided.” According to the Word of God there is only one body, (Eph. 4:4) and that it should not be divided. 1 Cor. 1:10 says, “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” Divisions as we have them in religion today are in violation to the prayer that Jesus prayed in John 17:11, “Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.” Beginning in verse 20-23 Jesus prayed, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.”

Many sincere people do not understand that the church of Christ in the New Testament is not a denomination. The inspired apostle Paul said that Jesus is the Savior of that body (Eph. 5:23). The real question should be, “What must I do to become a member of that church that we read about in the Bible?”

 

Acts 20:28 “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”