In This Issue

• DID THE KING REJECT HIS KINGDOM?

• THE “UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST” AND THE CHURCH OF CHRIST ARE NOT THE SAME!

• AMERICANIZING THE CHURCH

• MORE INFORMATION...

DID THE KING REJECT HIS KINGDOM?

John tells us that after the feeding of the 5,000, “Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone (John 6:15). Mark, in his account of the gospel, informs us that Jesus went to the mountain to pray, Mark 6:46.

But why did Jesus resist the attempt of the crowd to make Him a king? After all, before His birth, an angel had said to Mary, “He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end" (Luke 1:32-33). Also, when He stood before Pilate, the Roman governor asked Him, “‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world…’” (John 18:37).

So, why did Jesus resist their efforts to make Him a king? The simple fact is that their concept of His kingdom was the farthest thing from His mind – and His intentions regarding the kingdom had never entered their minds. As He said to Pilate in John 18:36, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." In spite of the common concept in the Jewish minds, Jesus had never had any intention of being an earthly monarch. He had absolutely no political ambitions. He had no interest in carnal warfare against the Romans, or anyone else. His warfare was a spiritual struggle against Satan and the forces of evil. His goal was not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them, Matt. 1:21; Luke 19:10; John 10:10.

Isaiah, “the Messianic prophet,” had foretold the peaceful nature of Christ’s kingdom. “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it. Many people shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isa. 2:2-4).

This passage was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, Acts, chapter 2, when the word of the Lord went forth from Jerusalem and devout Jews from every nation under heaven determined to walk in His ways. These individuals from numerous cultures, speaking various languages, etc., were at peace with each other because they were at peace with God under Jesus as King in His peaceful, spiritual kingdom.

“Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:44-47).

Jesus rejected the carnal kingdom some attempted to thrust upon Him because His reign was to be a spiritual reign, which He received after He ascended to the Father in heaven, Acts 2:30-35; Dan. 7:13-14.

– Clarence R. Johnson

THE “UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST” AND THE CHURCH OF CHRIST ARE NOT THE SAME!

Lately, several people have asked about the organization known as the “United Church of Christ.” The group has been in the headlines for the last few months because of its endorsement of the homosexual agenda. Its Synod met recently and passed a resolution to approve same-sex marriages. One source suggested that approval rating in the membership for the decision is about 80%. That is, the majority of the membership favors “gay marriage.” Naturally people are curious about the group since “Church of Christ” is a part of the organization’s title. Some members of the Lord’s church (the church of Christ) have been asked about the approval of “gay marriage,” as if the “United Church of Christ” and the church of Christ are the same. One dear sister was even asked by a co-worker what she would do now that “her church” was endorsing homosexuality. They are not the same, and people need to know the difference.

The “United Church of Christ” was founded in the late 1950’s. The easiest way to describe the group is by drawing attention to other groups. Think of the controversy surrounding the Episcopalian religion not long ago because it confirmed a known homosexual to oversee a diocese. People thought, “they are definitely a liberal group.” If it can be imagined, amplify the liberalism of groups like the Episcopalians or the Disciples of Christ and you will have an idea what the “United Church of Christ” is like. Their endorsement of homosexuality alone should say something about this newly formed denomination.

The group is organized by human standards. Mead records the structure of the organization, stating, “Beside the local church stand the associations, conferences, and the general synod. Local churches in a geographic area are grouped into an association… Associations are grouped into conferences… It meets annually, and its main function is to coordinate the work and witness of its local churches and associations, to render counsel and advisory service, and to establish conference offices, centers, institutions, and other agencies.”

Synods, presidents, clergy/laity distinctions, conferences, and such like clearly distinguish the “United Church of Christ” from the church built by the Lord in organization. The UCC is a man-made organization ruled by men; the church of Christ is a divine organism guided by its head, Jesus the Christ. For the friends and neighbors who ask, please show them the biblical basis for true organization – in order for them to understand that the UCC is just the work of a man. The statement made in Acts 14:23 is a good starting point. “And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.” In every individual congregation, the apostles appointed a plurality of qualified men, 1 Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-11, to oversee, protect, and feed the local flock, Acts 20:28; 1 Thess. 5:12-13; Heb. 13:17; 1 Peter 5:1-3. The words used of these men – “pastors,” “overseers,” or “bishops” – merely describe their role within the local church. This is important for several reasons. For one, it establishes the autonomy of each local congregation. No eldership or congregation has the oversight of another. The government is self-contained. Remember that the church is a divine monarchy, so the ultimate source of authority is the Christ. While the actions of each congregation are certainly open for scrutiny, Rev. 2-3, there is no earthly headquarters to which local congregations report. Their King is in heaven, not on earth. Next, it shows that scriptural organization requires a plurality of “pastor/elders” and not one. The very idea of “one pastor over a church” (denomination) or “one man (pope) on earth over all congregations” (Catholicism) is the same corrupted doctrine that spawned a great apostasy in the mid-second century A.D. In local churches there are also to be deacons, Phil. 1:1. While their work is not equal to that of an eldership, it is no less important. The qualifications, 1 Tim. 3:8-13 and the name itself describe their important work – the work of service. Yet everyone is important in the Lord’s body. There are no “clergy/laity” separations; this is foreign to the word of God. Elders, deacons, and all members of the church of the Christ are members one of another. This pattern is not evident in the “United Church of Christ.” Thus it bears no connection to the Lord’s church.

Those interested in an in-depth study of the UCC should reference the organization’s self-published materials, especially the sections that detail the documents they consider authoritative. It is certain that in the UCC, man-made documents and creeds get high praise and attention on par with the Bible. Councils (like the Nicaean Council of A.D. 325) are accepted as God-ordained which demonstrates the Catholic roots of the group. However, the Lord teaches that His people have no rule of faith and practice but the Bible, 2 Tim. 3:16-17. The New Testament is the “once-for-all” delivered pattern for the church, Jude 3, and it provides all the necessary guidance for “life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3). Everything man needs to know to serve God faithfully in this life is provided in the Bible. Accordingly, no group is “of” God if it does not follow the book God gave. While the UCC might be glad to say Bible, it does not consider the Bible to be an objective and exclusive source of authority. That is the difference between the UCC and the church of Christ.

Another notable difference between the two is the UCC’s use of women in the role that God gave specifically to men. Many preachers for the UCC are female. Yet the Bible is clear; “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” (1 Tim. 2:12). God designated men to lead in spiritual matters, 1 Tim. 2:8-15. This is also a difference between the Lord’s church and the “United Church of Christ” denomination.

Other notable differences include the UCC’s tolerance toward unethical activities, their employment of unauthorized innovations in worship (like mechanical instruments of music), their founding date/place, their corrupted plan of salvation, etc.

The point is that while the designations for both groups share some similarities, there is a world of difference between the two. It is unfortunate that the similarities have caused a bit of confusion, but it has also provided an opportunity to “give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Pet. 3:15). Since people are asking, why not take the chance to tell them about the true Lord’s church and at the same time voice opposition to the sinful practice of homosexuality? Surely this is redeeming the time and thus pleasing to God.

- David H. Smith, Defender, Vol. 34, Number 9

AMERICANIZING THE CHURCH

The Lord’s church is universal, not American. And for that matter it is not northern or southern USA. With no earthly headquarters, there is no one legislating for Christ’s congregations how some things He has not specified have to be done. Many years ago, when I was a young man, I recall asking Ray Votaw as we took a walk through his neighborhood in South Africa, “Brother Ray, what do you think a congregation would look like if it had no Catholic or Protestant influences?” Imagine a totally uninfluenced group of saints in some remote place, what would their services look like? I do not recall his answer, but knowing brother Ray, he knew where I was coming from. One thing he never tried to do, nor did I, was try to Americanize foreign churches.

In watching a documentary on Mormon missionaries recently, one such missionary said that they have to bring America into the foreign churches, for it is so obvious that Utah, Joseph Smith, and the hierarchy of their church headquartered in Salt Lake City are integral to their religion, that it would be foolish to try not to. But, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) is an American church. Christ’s is not.

- Whit Sasser, Exhortations and Stuff

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