What you need to know

When sharing the gospel with those in the Church of Christ, there are two doctrinal items that one 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 assumption that to be saved, all one has to do is to read the Bible, believe it, and then accomplish all the same commands that the New Testament believers did at salvation, commands like repentance, confessing the name of Christ and being "water" baptized for the forgiveness of sins.

Now on the surface this may sound easy enough.

But if you have been a Christian for any length of time, you know that this isn't the gospel and also that it doesn't take into account the dynamics of the fall of man.

The Bible tells us that, because of Adam's sin, we were made sinners. (Romans 5:19 )

And that even as believers, we all sin and stumble in many ways.

We know that man can never be good enough for Heaven.

That is why we are in need of a Savior.

Galatians 2:17 says that "If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!"

Our point to the Church of Christ is that Christianity is not a "go-and-do-to-get-saved" religion as they unfortunately believe (i.e. justification by works),

But rather it is a "believe-that-Jesus-Christ-paid-the-penalty-for-our-sins-that-we-deserved" to be saved religion (justification by faith).

The "go and do" is done only after we are saved and born again.

The second item one should know ( which has no direct relationship to the first ) is that when sharing the gospel with those in the Church of Christ and telling them of the righteousness of God that comes to us by faith in Jesus Christ,

It's important to note that the Church of Christ concept of justification by faith ( a doctrine which they reject ) is flawed.

This is important.

You see, "justification by faith" is understood by them as nothing more than "salvation by merely believing the facts of the Christian faith."

So when someone says that "we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ," what Church of Christ members hear is that "we are saved by simply believing the facts of the gospel."

And being well aware that "even the demons believe" and that just believing the facts of the Christian faith does not save, they have unfortunately "thrown the baby out with the bath water" and have rejected the entire doctrine of salvation by personal faith in Jesus Christ.

Thus, they have embraced a "salvation-through-works-of-grace" gospel theology by default.

What we need to do is be able to tell them that the doctrine of justification by faith does not mean 'salvation by merely believing the facts of the Christian faith,' but rather believing that Jesus Christ took upon Himself all of God's wrath, anger and righteous indignation for our sin. And if God has spent all His anger for our sin out on Christ (and He has if we have trusted Christ as our substitute), He is no longer angry at us.

Note, it is possible for a person to believe that George W. Bush is the 43rd president of the United States. But believing this historical fact doesn't necessary mean that a person has faith or confidence in him as president.

Again our point is that there is a radical difference between believing the historical facts of the Christian faith and having personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Message to share

Now convincing them that there is a radical difference between a belief in God 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 Scripture.      

Romans 3:21 through 4:25 is a good place to start. Romans 3:21 says,  "But now a righteous- ness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."

The last part of Romans chapter 9 and all of chapter 10 may also prove to be very helpful.

Here Paul contrasts the righteousness that is by the law, "the man who does these things will live by them" ( which is the very essence of Church of Christ theology ), with the righteousness that is by faith, "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Galatians chapters 2 and 3 can also be very helpful.

It seems amazing to me that we know all about Galatians chapter 1, "If we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel other than the one we preached to you.." But the real point of Galatians was to refute those who held a faith plus works gospel theology.

Galatians 2 and verse 15 says "We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law."

Ephesians 2 and verses 8 and 9 says that "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith...not by works..."

And in Philippians 3 Paul talks about "..not having a righteousness by of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith."

It should be noted that there are even passages in the Old Testament that tell us about the doctrine of justification by faith.

Genesis chapter 15 and verse 6 says that Abraham "believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness" and Paul even addresses the circumstances leading up to this event in Romans chapter 4.

Isaiah 7:9 says "If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all." 

And in Romans chapter 1 Paul refers to another Old Testament passage, Habakkuk 2:4, which says "But the righteous will live by his faith."

What is important?

Finally, try not to lose sight of what's important.

There is often a tremendous temptation to debate someone in the Churches of Christ over some point of doctrine, such as their view of non-instrumental music, their non-celebration of Christmas, or Easter, or their doctrine of water baptismal remission of sins.

Here you can agree with them that according to 1 Peter 3, baptism does save us- if we are talking about real, actual, or Holy Spirit baptism. Rite, ritual or "water" baptism is but a sign to real baptism.

Galatians chapter 3 verses 2 and 3 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 key point is that it's by faith in Jesus Christ, rather than our own moral goodness, water baptism or church membership, that we become new spiritual people.

It is when we hear the gospel and believe it and put our faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that God responds by giving us new birth through the baptism of the Holy Spirit that comes upon us at conversion.

Thus, good works now evident in the life of the believer are merely the result of the believer's new spiritual birth in Christ and not our personal contribution to our own salvation.


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