By Louis Rushmore
Just what is the true significance of Christian baptism? The churches of Christ are accused of making to much of Christian baptism, and going on about it all the time. The churches of Christ accuse the denominational world of making too little of baptism, and treating it as a mere formality of little to no real significance. Unfortunately, many members of the churches of Christ likewise treat baptism with little more regard than a formality or magic formula. What place, though, does the New Testament give to Christian baptism; is it a mere formality, or does it have great significance?
The act of Christian baptism concerns the utmost commitment. Christian baptism imitates the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” (Romans 6:3-5)
It is by baptism that one is buried into a watery grave with Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:12).
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God Incarnate, died on Calvary’s rugged, cruel cross in our stead (1 Peter 2:24). It is only possible through the death of Jesus Christ that anyone can be ransomed from his or her sins (Matthew 20:28; John 1:29; Romans 4:25; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; 1 Timothy 2:5-6). Christian baptism is an immersion in water to imitate the death and subsequent burial of Jesus Christ, a resurrection from the water to imitate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and a walking in newness of life to imitate the living after death by Jesus Christ (Romans 6:3-5).
Being immersed in water through Christian baptism involves making a sacred commitment to Jesus Christ in acknowledgement of what he has done for us. You and I should have died the excruciatingly painful death on the cross instead of Jesus (and our sins would still not have been removed since we would make imperfect sacrifices). Jesus Christ merely asks us through Christian baptism to imitate the death, burial and resurrection that he experienced for us. What could be more significant and meaningful than that, to acknowledge what Jesus did for us in his death upon the cross in his own appointed way?
Being immersed in water through Christian baptism involves making a sacred commitment to Jesus Christ in exchange for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus Christ is not asking you and me to die on the Roman cross that our sins be removed (and our sins would not be removed had we died on the cross, because we would be imperfect sacrifices). Jesus Christ died in our stead that our sins could be taken away, and he asks us to imitate his death, burial and resurrection through Christian baptism. The New Testament is filled with Scripture citations that definitively (without doubt) teach that forgiveness of one’s past sins occurs when we imitate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ through Christian baptism; a few are:
“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” (Mark 16:16).
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” (Acts 2:38).
“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16).
“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:21).
The act of Christian baptism involves becoming a member of the body of Christ, his church. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13). The saved are added to the church by Jesus Christ himself (Acts 2:47). Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit participate in the addition of saved souls to the body or the church.
The saved and the church, then, are the same group of people. The saved of Acts 2:47 that Jesus Christ added to his church are the ones who heard the command to be baptized for the remission of sins and who were gladly baptized (Acts 2:38, 41). The apostle Paul wrote by divine inspiration that Christian baptism is the means by which the saved are placed into the Lord’s body—the church (1 Corinthians 12:13).
Consequently, the body of Christ or the church is blood bought (Acts 20:28). We who are saved are justified by the blood of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:9). We who are saved have redemption and forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:7; Colossians 2:14; 1 Peter 1:18-19). We who are saved are brought close to God through the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:13). We who are saved have peace with and reconciliation to God through the blood of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:20). We who are saved are washed from our sins by the blood of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:5).
The blood of Jesus Christ by which we are saved was shed in our Lord’s death, into which symbolically we are placed in Christian baptism (Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12). Christian baptism is neither a mere formality nor something to be entered into lightly. Christian baptism is serious business because it involves imitating the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christian baptism is serious business because it involves acknowledgement of what our Lord did for us, as well as a serious commitment to him.
Christian baptism is the only way the New Testament reveals that a non-Christian can come in contact with the blood of Jesus Christ, which takes away one’s sins. After one becomes a Christian through Christian baptism, he comes in contact with the saving power of the blood of Jesus Christ daily (1 John 1:7-9).

​

BY WAYNE JACKSON
Without question, the Bible is the most influential book in the history of the world. Some of the most brilliant minds of which the human race can boast have been drawn to this ancient volume.
In this article we call attention to several great truths regarding the Bible which are vitally important.
Origin
As to its origin, the Bible is ultimately from God. Mankind alone could not have written it if he would and he would not have composed it if he could. The Holy Scriptures are the word of God!
The psalmist declared, “Thy word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11; cf. 119:89, 105, 130). Our Lord himself announced that “man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).
And Paul had words of praise for the saints at Thessalonica in that they received the gospel message, not as the word of men, “but, as it is in truth, the word of God” (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
It is, of course, true that Jehovah employed men in conveying his word to the human family (some forty persons were used in writing the Scriptures), nevertheless, the ultimate source of the divine document is Almighty God himself, and the Bible simply cannot be explained upon any other basis!
Inspiration
But suppose it is conceded that the biblical message is ultimately from the Lord—can we be sure that the writers who penned the original manuscripts did so infallibly?
Yes we can, and the process by which Jehovah protected the integrity of his word is called “inspiration.”
Paul reminded Timothy that “every scripture is inspired of God” (2 Timothy 3:16). The expression “inspired of God” (literally in the Greek Testament, “God-breathed”) suggests that the divine author of the sacred writings breathed into the minds of his select penmen the exact message he wanted conveyed to mankind. And the biblical writers happily acknowledged this; they did not claim originality for their productions.
David, for example, affirmed: “The Spirit of Jehovah spake by me, and his word was upon my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2). Jesus declared that David, “in the Spirit,” referred to the coming Messiah as “Lord” (Matthew 22:43; cf. Acts 1:16). Paul wrote that the things “we [apostles] speak [are] not in words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Spirit teacheth” (1 Corinthians 2:13).
This is what scholars refer to when they speak of the verbal inspiration of the Bible; they mean that the very words of the Scriptures are God-given.
It is true, of course, that Jehovah utilized the talents, backgrounds, personalities, etc. of the inspired writers to convey his divine message. Nonetheless, it is an indisputable fact that the Lord so guided the sacred writers that they expressed Heaven’s will with absolute precision.
We have amply documented a great number of evidences for the Bible’s inspiration in our book, Fortify Your Faith, and we would encourage the reader to carefully study this material.
Transmission
The original writings, which collectively came to be called the “Bible,” have faded into oblivion. Not a single one of those original autographs remains—and doubtless for good reason. Men, had they access to those ancient scrolls, would likely worship them rather than their author. And so, in the providence of God, they have long since vanished.
Does that suggest, though, that the copies we now possess are not reliable as depositories of divine truth? Not in the least. Sacred oversight has seen to it that the Scriptures have been remarkably and accurately preserved—and the biblical record bears testimony to this.
For instance, Paul states that Timothy, from his earliest years, had known the sacred writings which were able to make the young man wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:15). The “sacred writings” to which Paul referred are the books of the Old Testament. (None of the New Testament writings had been penned as yet when Timothy was a “babe.”)
Timothy had perhaps been guided by his godly mother and grandmother (2 Timothy 1:5) who doubtless took him to synagogue services whenever opportunity presented itself. Though there is no mention of a synagogue in Lystra, Timothy’s hometown (Acts 16:1), there was one in Iconium (Acts 14:1), some twenty-one miles away.
In the synagogue, the sacred text would be read. Obviously, however, those ancient synagogues possessed only copies of the original Old Testament autographs. The integrity of those narratives was so preserved, though, that Paul could affirm that their original design remained in tact, that is, making men wise unto salvation.
Translation
The original text of the Bible was in three languages. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew (with some minor portions in Aramaic) and the New Testament was penned in Greek. Since most people do not read their Bibles in the original languages, they are dependent upon a translation.
The question is therefore appropriate: can one know that he is reading the genuine word of God even though he is employing a translation? Of course he can, and we need only to appeal to the New Testament itself to prove the point.
The most important version of the Old Testament was the Septuagint. In about 250 B.C., down in Alexandria, Egypt, the Hebrew Pentateuch was translated into Greek. The remainder of the Old Testament was done in piecemeal fashion, being completed by at least 117 B.C.
At the time Christ came to earth, this Greek translation had become the Bible of the Jewish people. This is doubtless why the writers of the New Testament, when appealing to the Old Testament, most often quoted from the Septuagint. In fact, of the three hundred or more quotations in the New Testament, the vast majority agree with the Septuagint.
The Lord Jesus himself frequently quoted from this version. Christ could even quote from the Greek translation and say, “Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God” (Matthew 22:31, 32), thus demonstrating that the translation process did not destroy sacred truth. Any time, therefore, a verse is faithfully translated from the original text to another language, the inspiration, hence, the authoritativeness of the initial word of God, is preserved.
Comprehension
But here is another question of great importance: what if one grants that the Scriptures have been faithfully transmitted and translated, is it not a fact that man’s mind is so hopelessly corrupt, and the Bible is a book so shrouded in mystery, that one cannot understand it without supernatural guidance?
No, that is not the truth (though it is commonly taught by both Catholic and Protestant theologians). Romanism alleges that the Bible “is but a dead letter calling for a divine interpreter” (Conway 1929, 76), which is supposed to be the clergy of the Catholic Church.
And many sectarian groups contend that man is so depraved by sin that he cannot comprehend the teaching of the Bible; he is thus in “need of an inward supernatural teaching of the Spirit” (Hodge 1960, 671). Both of these views are quite erroneous.
In the parable of the sower, Jesus said that the good soil is “he that hears the word, and understands it” (Matthew 13:23). Paul declared that those who read the words he wrote could “perceive” (understand) his understanding of the gospel system (Ephesians 3:4); later in the same letter he challenged: “[B]e ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (5:17).
It has never ceased to amaze me that a host of demoninationalists can all claim to have a supernatural, illuminating guidance of the Holy Spirit, and yet teach a hundred contradictory doctrines. What a reflection upon deity!
Any person who has an honest heart and strong desire to understand the will of God, if he will but exercise enough discipline to study hard, applying sound principles of interpretation, can comprehend the plain and essential elements of the Scriptures.
Demonstration
A mere theoretical knowledge of the Bible is worthless. Christ declared, “[B]lessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:28).
We must allow the word of God to work in us (1 Thessalonians 2:13), or as James has said, “[B]e ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22), for the word is able to build us up and give us the inheritance for which we long (Acts 20:32).
When we extol the Bible as the truth of God, and yet we do not allow the word to richly dwell within us (Colossians 3:16), we do a great disservice to the cause of truth.
For example, Paul notes that a lack of Christian conduct can cause the word of God to be blasphemed (Titus 2:5). By way of contrast, a faithful Christian life can attract favorable attention to the Scriptures (cf. 1 Peter 3:1). Our Lord was the perfect example of one who exercised truth, both in word and deed (Acts 1:1).
Proclamation
No one today has access to divine truth by means of any personal interview with deity. God does not speak in dreams, visions, or by a supernatural illumination of the Holy Spirit. Objective revelation has been made known through the completed Bible, and men will only be exposed to the message of the Scriptures as we distribute the sacred volume and proclaim its saving message.
The Lord’s commission obligates us to preach the gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15). “Preach the word,” was the burning admonition of Paul to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:2). Every single Christian must take seriously his obligation to teach the Bible consistent with his divinely appointed role, ability, and opportunity.
The church of today desperately needs to rekindle the passion of first-century evangelism. The Bible can only be effective when in contact with the human heart. Let us labor to sow the seed of the kingdom of heaven (Luke 8:11).
REFERENCES
Conway, Bertrand. 1929. The Question Box. San Francisco, CA: Catholic Truth Society.
Hodge, Charles. 1960. Systematic Theology. Vol. 1. London, England: James Clarke & Co.
Jackson, Wayne. 1974. Fortify Your Faith. Stockton, CA: Christian Courier Publications.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
Psalm 119:11; Matthew 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Samuel 23:2; Matthew 22:43; Acts 1:16; 1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:15; 2 Timothy 1:5; Acts 16:1; Acts 14:1; Matthew 22:31, 32; Matthew 13:23; Ephesians 3:4; Luke 11:28; James 1:22; Acts 20:32; Colossians 3:16; Titus 2:5; 1 Peter 3:1; Acts 1:1; Mark 16:15; 2 Timothy 4:2; Luke 8:11

​

Mike Willis

In recent years, the charge has been more and more frequently made that the churches) of Christ are just as denominational as any of the other religious groups in America. During the Memphis meeting with the Herald of Truth representatives, the charge was made that Lynn Anderson, preacher for the Highland Church of Christ in Abilene, had said, “You know, the church of Christ is a big, sick denomination, and I meant exactly every one of those three words, big and sick and denomination” (Memphis Meeting With The Representatives of the Herald of Truth, September 10, 1973, p. 36). The writings of men like Carl Ketcherside, Leroy Garrett, and the contributors to Voices of Concern repeatedly make similar charges that the church of Christ is just another denomination among the many which presently exist. Hence, I raise the question, “Is the church of Christ a denomination?”
What Is a Denomination?
Although the New Testament knows nothing of a denomination, twentieth century religions have accepted the situation of a multitude of churches as if they were approved of God. Several years ago, the different denominations used to fight among themselves over their distinctive doctrines; now, the denominations, being filled with the spirit of ecumenism, have agreed to quit fighting among themselves. Any denomination which continues the warfare with the other denominations is considered a disrespectable sect whereas those who have quit fighting with the other denominations is considered a respectable denomination.
Because modern man accepts denominationalism, many have concluded that God also accepts denominationalism. However, there are two charges against denominationalism which prove beyond shadow of reasonable doubt that God disapproves of it. (1) God disapproves of modern denominationalism because He disapproves of religious division (cf. 1 Cor. 1:10-15; Eph. 4:1-6; Jn. 17:20-21). (2) God disapproves of modern denominationalism because He disapproves of the false doctrines taught by the various religious organizations (cf. Gal. 1:8-9; 2 Jn. 9-11). These two charges make it clear that God disapproves of modern denominationalism.
Recognizing that God disapproves of denominationalism, we all must be concerned with avoiding becoming a part of it simply because it is sinful. Hence, we need to know exactly what denominationalism is that we can avoid it. I know of no better way to describe what denominationalism is than to use as an example the religious organization instituted by Jeroboam. God had revealed the pattern of worship which He desired; when Jeroboam broke away from Israel and started an independent kingdom, he instituted a system of worship in Bethel and Dan which was in competition with the God ordained worship in Jerusalem. He tried to make the system of worship which he instituted as nearly like that which existed in Jerusalem as he could. Yet, his system of worship was one which was not divinely ordained worship. Just as God had revealed a pattern for Israel to follow in her worship, so also He has revealed a pattern for us today. Denominationalism is the rejection of God’s revealed pattern in order to establish a system of worship which one personally approves; it is the rejection of divinely ordained worship in order to establish a human system of worship.
How does one recognize a denomination? One must know the characteristics of a denomination before one can positively identify any religious group as a denomination. Hence, before we can answer whether or not the church of Christ is a denomination, we must know the characteristics of a denomination. The situation is the same as if I asked you, “Is the church of Christ a snark?” Before you could answer that question, you would have to know what a snark was. Until you knew the characteristics of a snark, you could not tell whether to classify the church of Christ as a snark or not to so classify it. Hence, one needs to know the characteristics of a denomination before he can tell whether or not to classify the church of Christ as one.
Here are some of the characteristics of a denomination: (1) It does not teach the divine plan of salvation; (2) Usually wears a sectarian name; (3) Has a creed in addition to the Bible; (4) Has organizational arrangements not characteristic of the New Testament church; (5) Practices items of worship not authorized in the New Testament; (6) Engages in unauthorized programs of work. Perhaps there are other characteristics of a denomination which might be cited but these should prove sufficient to test whether or not the church of Christ is a denomination.
Is The Church of Christ a Denomination?
1. The church of Christ is not a denomination because it teaches the Bible plan of salvation. Unlike the denominations which teach salvation through faith only and pervert the action, subject and purpose of baptism, the church of Christ conscientiously strives to teach the plan of salvation exactly as it is revealed in the Bible. Hence, in obedience to the Great Commission, we teach that faith, repentance, and baptism are all essential to salvation. Those who obeyed this gospel plan of salvation in New Testament days were added to the Lord’s church; since God is no respector of persons, I conclude that those who do the same thing today are made members of the same church-the Lord’s church and not a denomination in competition with that church.
2. The church of Christ is not a denomination because it wears only a Bible name. The names by which the church of the New Testament was called include the following: church of God (1 Cor. 1:2); body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23); Kingdom of God (Col. 1:13-14); churches of Christ (Rom. 16:16); etc. The church of Christ is called by any or all of these names. Not only is that so, but the churches of Christ persistently refuse to wear any name not found in the Bible. Hence, the church of Christ will not wear a name which glorifies a man, honors a religious ordinance, or exalts a type of church government. Hence, the church of Christ cannot be considered denominational because of the names which it wears.
3. The church of Christ is not a denomination because it has no sectarian creed. Whereas the various denominations have confessions of faith, church manuals, creed books, and disciplines, the church of Christ recognizes only the Bible as its statement of doctrine. One is expected to believe only what the Bible teaches in its direct statements, approved examples and necessary inferences; he is not expected to give allegiance to some human creed.
4. The church of Christ is not a denomination because it has no organizational arrangements other than those authorized in the Scriptures. The Bible reveals that the only permanent officers in the New Testament church are elders and deacons. You cannot read of arch-bishops, popes, brotherhood elders, etc. as officers in the New Testament church. (I must add that the liberal churches’ acceptance of organizational arrangements other than those revealed in the New Testament indicts them as denominational.) Hence, the church of Christ cannot be considered a denomination because of our organizational arrangements.
5. The items of worship of the churches of Christ are not denominational. Most denominations have perverted the worship of the New Testament church in more aspects than Jeroboam perverted the worship of ancient Israel. They have perverted the frequency of the observance of the Lord’s Supper, its elements, and its purpose. They have added instrumental music to the singing, organized choirs, and brought in special singing groups to entertain themselves. They have demanded that their members tithe; they pray in Mary’s name or in no one’s name at all. Their sermons are not the public proclamation of the word of God. In contradistinction to these, the churches of Christ are careful to practice New Testament worship. We give as we have been prospered on the first day of every week, we partake of the Lord’s Supper weekly, we sing making melody in our hearts instead of on some mechanical instrument of music, we pray fervently to the Lord through Jesus Christ, and our lessons are taken directly from the New Testament revelation. Hence, if the churches of Christ are denominational, it is not because of their worship!
6. The church of Christ is not denominational because of its program of work. The works in which the New Testament churches were involved included the following: evangelism, edification, and benevolence (relieving the needs of the poor among the saints). Whereas denominations are involved in building hospitals and colleges, establishing programs of recreatic becoming involved in social reforms and political matte the churches of Christ are careful to engage in only tho programs of work which are authorized in the Bible. (The liberal churches of Christ are indicted as denominations on the basis of their involvement in programs of work not authorized in the Scriptures.) Hence, if the church Christ is a denomination, it is a denomination because something other than its program of work.
Conclusion
If the church of Christ does not have any of the characteristics of a snark, how can I say that it is a snark Similarly, if the church of Christ does not have any of the characteristics of a denomination, what right does anyone have to charge that it is a denomination? So long as the church of Christ adheres to the Bible in its worship, work and doctrine, it will be the church which is revealed in the Bible. When and if it ever becomes involved in program of work, items of worship, or doctrines that are not revealed in the Bible, it will then be a denomination. Hence, I demand that those who classify the church as denomination point out the place wherein we are violating the Scriptures. Until a person can demonstrate that the churches of Christ fit the characteristics of denomination, he has no more right to classify them as denomination than he does to classify them as a snark. (By the way, the word “snark” is a fabricated word; you will not find it in your dictionary.)

Here is a pdf file with some excellent information written by Ron Turnbow Just click on the link to download the PDF.