Gaston St. Church of Christ

The Church

   In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said to Simon Peter "And I say unto thee, that thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it". From this passage we can see that Christ is the builder or founder of the new testament church and that he called this church his church. Any church founded by someone other  Christ is not Christ's church. David  in the old testament said  "Except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it"(Psalms 127:1) If the Lord did not build the house(church) those who did build it labored in vain. Jesus said, Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up (Matthew 15:13). No one should be a member of any spiritual household, religious body, or church which man was responsible for starting. One should be a member of the church Christ established. Again we read Matthew 16:18 Jesus said "I will build my Church.

THE RECORD OF THE PAST TWENTY CENTURIES REVEAL THESE FACTS CONCERNING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PROMINENT RELIGIOUS BODIES:

       TIME                      PLACE                            FOUNDER                              CHURCH

       606   A.D.               ROME                               BONIFACE III                    ROME CATHOLIC

     1520   A.D.               GERMANY                     MARTIN LUTHER            LUTHERAN

      1534   A.D.              ENGLAND                       HENRY VIII                       EPISCOPALIAN

     1536   A.D.               SWITZERLAND             JOHN CALVIN                   PRESBYTERIAN

     1550  A.D.                ENGLAND                       ROBERT BROWNE            CONGREGATIONAL

    1607  A.D.                HOLLAND                        JOHN SMYTHE                 BAPTIST

    1739  A.D.                ENGLAND                        JOHN WESLEY                 METHODIST

    1830  A.D.                AMERICA                        JOSEPH SMITH                MORMON

    1830  A.D.               AMERICA                         WILLIAM MILLER         ADVENTIST

    1866  A.D.                AMERICA                        MARY BAKER EDDY     CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST

    1872  A.D.               AMERICA                        CHARLES T. RUSSELL   JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

                                                                          ETC, ETC, ETC,

   The church Christ established and which is founded on him was started in the city of Jerusalem on the first day of pentacost following the resurrection of Christ (Acts chapter 2). The prophets long ago predicted the coming kingdom of the Messiah (Isaiah 2:2-4 Daniel 2:44). This kingdom was not a physical kingdom but a spiritual one (John 18:36) and was realized in the founding of the church of Christ.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

   There is only one place to go for answers about the church. The bible, the word of God tells all about God's church, and it clearly presents the one church!  The bible says "There is one body, one spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God". (Ephesians 4:4-6). Jesus prayed for unity of his people "that they may all be one" (John 17:21).

  How did the variety of the present day "churches" come into existence? The church always has been made of human individuals capable to human error. The apostle Paul warned the church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:10-13 not to follow men, not even good men instead of Christ. In the same verse he asked, "Is Christ divided"? Implied in his answer, No! Division comes from men and their views and especially when we look to men rather than to the bible for our guide.

   The denominational system of religion developed slowly as men departed from God's plan of salvation. Some examples of unauthorized additions are holy water, sprinkling instead of total immersion, introduction of instrumental music into worship, etc.

Deuteronomy 4:2"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you". Also Revelation 22:18-19 "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: (v19) And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book". The book of Proverbs 14:12 warns "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death". Jesus said there would be those who professed the name of the Lord and who did works in his name, who would be lost. He said those who did the will of his Father who is in heaven would enter heaven (Matthew7:21-23). We must make sure we are members of Christ's church (the one described in the new testament) having complied with his will, and having been obedient to his commands! On this basis we shall be judged (John 12:48).

   "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth".

                                                                     2Timothy 2:15