The Church Of Christ Is Undenominational
The majority of the churches in this land claim to be denominations. Even the church of Christ is accused of being denominational. To most people it is simply incredible that anyone could claim that a church is undenominational. Yet the church of Christ is not a denomination, and the purpose of this article is to set forth the teachings of the Bible on this subject, to show why we are not. The first thing that we shall discuss is:
The Universal Character Of The Gospel
Jesus said in Mark 16:15, "Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." Not to just a few, or to some sect or denomination, but "all the world," and to every creature."
Again, we read in Acts 10:34, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable to him." The adherents of denominationalism make God a respecter of persons, which Peter says he is not.
We further notice that the church of Christ is undenominational because the gospel is
Universal In Its Requirements
Note again what Jesus said in Mark 16:15, 16 — "Go ye into all the work and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned." In these words Jesus emphasized the fact that there is "no respect of persons with God." It doesn't matter where a person lives, what his race is, what age of the world he is in the requirements of the gospel are the same.
Denominationalism gives the lie to these words of Jesus. Modern day preachers tell us that everybody does not have to fulfill the same requirements. Jesus made it a universal rule that "he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Where Jesus made one rule for everybody, modern denominations say, "join the church of your choice"; or "you believe your way, and I'll believe my way." The church of Christ is undenominational because it does as Jesus did, observes one set of rules for everybody — those rules that Jesus himself laid down.
One of the marks of denominations is to require one person to do one thing to please God and other people to do something else. The gospel of Christ, however, is universal in its requirements. The church of Christ is the only church that is willing to abide by these rules laid down by Jesus.
In pursuing this subject we next notice the...
Non-Sectarian Results Of The Gospel
This phase of our discussion can be effected by some questions. The answers to the questions will prove our contention.
When Peter preached the gospel on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), and 3,000 people accepted it and were baptized, and they were added to the church (v. 47) — what denomination was it that they were added to? Which sect were the apostles promoting ?
When Philip went down and converted the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8), what denomination was he representing, and which sect did the eunuch join?
When the apostle Paul went forth, with his companions, on the missionary journeys, what denomination was Paul urging them to join?
When Paul wrote the church in Corinth, "that there be no divisions among you," and "that ye all speak the same thing," etc., what denomination was he speaking for? Which of the denominations today urges the kind of unity of which Paul spoke? Not a one. The church of Christ is the only church that today speaks exactly as Paul did in those days — and the church of Christ is not a denomination.
Which denomination(s) did Paul have in mind when he said, "All the churches of Christ salute"? The churches of Christ exist today, wearing the same name they did in Paul's day, and they are still undenominational as they were then.
To sum up: The church of Christ is not a denomination — because of the universal character of the gospel of Christ; because the gospel is universal in its requirements; and because of the non-sectarian results of the gospel.
When Paul was proclaiming the word of God to Agrippa (Acts 26), this man said, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." No sectarian handle or name of any kind, just a Christian. The church of Christ pleads today that people will become only Christians, nothing more, and nothing less. "Let there be no divisions among you." (1 Cor. 1:10.)