For those trying to share the gospel with those in the Churches of Christ, there are two important doctrinal issues that you should be aware of that may help in avoiding some unnecessary confusion.
First, it's important to know that the Churches of Christ have made an understandable but false assumption that to be saved, all one has to do is read the Bible, believe it, and then fully cooperate with all the right moral and religious commands as they are found within the pages of the New Testament.
However, keep in mind this isn't the gospel of Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4) and that it doesn't take into account the dynamics of the fall of man.
The Bible tells us that because of Adam's sin, man is a sinner both by nature and by choice and that even as believers we all sin and stumble in many ways. Therefore we can never be good enough for heaven and this is why we are in need of Savior.
The GOOD NEWS is that God has provided forgiveness and the perfect righteousness we need and is available to all those who will place their faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:31 asks this question, “Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.”
In other words, faith in Jesus causes us to be what the law perfectly wants because His own perfect, sinless, and righteous life is given, credited, or imputed unto the believer.
The second item one should know is that when sharing the gospel with those in the Church of Christ and telling them of the righteousness of God that is given to us by faith in Jesus Christ, it's important to know that the Church of Christ concept of the doctrine justification by faith is flawed.
This is important.
You see, your belief that we are saved by placing faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is understood by them as teaching nothing more than salvation by merely believing the facts of the Christian faith.
So when you tell them we are saved by placing faith in Jesus Christ, what they hear is salvation by mere intellectual assent and that we are saved by simply believing the facts of Christianity.
And being well aware that even the demons "believe" and that just believing the facts does not save, the Churches of Christ "throw the baby out with the bath water" and thus rejects the entire doctrine of salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.
Therefore they embrace a mixed-up gospel theology of "water" baptism for salvation by default and seldom, if ever, come to a biblical understanding of how we are saved by placing faith and trust in the Savior.
Our message to share is that justification by faith does not mean salvation by merely believing the facts of the Christian faith, but rather it is believing that on the cross Jesus Christ took upon Himself ALL of God's wrath and anger for OUR sin, and that God punished Jesus so that He wouldn't have to punish us.
Please note, it's certainly possible to believe that someone is the president of the United States. However, just because you believe this to be true, doesn't necessarily mean you have faith in them as president.
Again, there is a radical difference between believing the facts of the Christianity, and placing your faith upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Message to share
Now convincing them that there is a radical difference between intellectual assent or belief and faith in Jesus Christ is only half our problem.
We still must be able to show where the doctrine of justification by faith is found in the Scriptures.
Personally, as one who has grown up in the Churches of Christ, my first reaction after being introduced to this doctrine taught was, "That's interesting. I wonder where they found this in Scripture?"
Though it may be hard for some to believe, I had simply never heard this doctrine before and I was curious to know how people could come to such a conclusion based upon the Word of God.
It wasn't until later that I found out that there are 154 passages in the New Testament that tell us salvation is by placing our faith and in Jesus Christ, that it is systematically taught in the book of Romans in chapters 3, 4, 5, 9, 10 & 11, and because of a doctrinal controversy is also addressed in Galatians, chapters 2, 3, 4 & 5.
In other words, be sure to do your homework and be ready to show where this doctrine is systematically taught from the Word of God and be ready to show that it is not some abstract or obscure doctrine taken out of context from a few passages of scriptures.
What is important?
Finally, may I say there will be a tremendous temptation to argue with someone in the Church of Christ over some point of their doctrine, such as their belief system of "water" baptism for salvation.
Here we can agree that we are identified/ baptized into Christ when we are saved. However, let us be clear that what we are talking about is true, actual, or Holy Spirit baptism, rather than rite, ritual or "water" baptism, which is the believer's outward sign or symbol of that event.
Galatians 3:2 says, "I would like to learn one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?"
Our point is that it is only by the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ given to us by faith that we can ever hope to stand in the presence a infinitely Holy God, without blemish and free from accusation.
It is when we hear the gospel and believe it and place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ that God responds by giving us new birth through the baptism of the Holy Spirit that comes upon us at conversion.
Eph. 1:13-14 says, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession-to the praise of His glory.”
Thus, good works now evident in the life of the believer are not our own personal contribution to our own salvation, but is merely the result of our new life and new spiritual birth that occurs when a person places faith in the Jesus Christ.