The People of the Book

What is the church of Christ?  That is a question that is asked much more often than it used to be.  People used to know us very well, especially in the area of the country known as the Bible Belt.  One reason that the church of Christ flourishes in regions like that is its strong connection to the Scriptures.  Everything we do, we prove it by the Bible – first.  “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21).

The nobility of the Berean synagogue rested in the determination they had to prove all things by the Scriptures.  Paul and Silas came to their town preaching a new message and performing miracles to confirm what they said.  But their word was not accepted merely on the basis that they said it.  It is written of them in the Scriptures:  “Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

We understand that all that we need in order to be saved and in order to please God is provided for us in the Inspired Word of God.  “Every scripture inspired of God is also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which is in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, furnished completely unto every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).

Sometimes people are surprised when they come into our assemblies to see so much time devoted to reading and expounding on the Scriptures.  They expect more singing and praying, and some sort of program that is designed to entertain or impress.  Our time together is spent mostly in Bible study, whether it be Bible classes or sermons, because the Bible is where God speaks to us, it is a revelation of his Divine Will.

Our purpose is to go back to the Bible to become what God wants us to be.  The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “Thus saith Jehovah, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls (Jer. 6:16).  The old paths constitute the way of righteousness, the way back to God.

Paul told Timothy, “Hold the pattern of sound words which thou hast heard from me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.  That good thing which was committed unto thee guard through the Holy Spirit which dwelleth in us” (2 Tim. 1:13-14).  We are told also by Paul, “Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other” (1 Cor. 4:6).  To go beyond is to lose fellowship with God, and thus stand again in the condemnation of our sin.  “Whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God: he that abideth in the teaching, the same hath both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9).  In the church of Christ, we do not mind people asking us where in the Bible something comes from.  That is where are roots are, that is where we live, and that is where we will stay.  And so we are sometimes referred to as the "People of the Book."

The church of Christ is God’s invention, built by Christ, and paid for by his blood.  It consists of people who have humbled themselves to do the will of the Father as expressed through Jesus.  “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you” (James 4:10).  “Though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered;  and having been made perfect, he became unto all them that obey him the author of eternal salvation” (Heb 5:8-9).

You can become a part of the church of Christ, that is, the church that Jesus built (Matt. 16:18).  The Bible tells how you may do that, and we would like to study with you.  We want to invite you to all of our services and Bible classes, and especially during this week of meetings.  If we could, we would also like to set up a private study at your convenience.  Won’t you study with us?