Coptic - I am going to attempt to address all of your comments/questions in this post except the comment about the name of the church that will be separate.
Something to remember is that since each church is autonomous and their are multiple different churches that use the name “church of Christ” you might find my beliefs different from what others might say or what you might have heard in the past or will hear in the future.
Solar,
Then the history of Jehovah Witness, Mormons and Oneness Pentocostals has nothing to do with getting into heaven…then the question for you
how do you believe you get into heaven?
I don’t really understand your question, but let me answer it as best I can.
What I think get you into Heaven. First and foremost you have to believe in God and that Jesus Christ is His one true Son and Jesus came to Earth to die for our sins and that He rose again and ascended into Heaven. I believe that you need be baptised (full immersion) based on that belief and a confession that you believe it and you ask for your sins to be forgiven.
Thats the first thing. But you aren’t done after that.
I believe that you have to follow the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles, which is over course recorded in the Bible. You have to repentant of your sins and ask God to forgive you of them. I know that it is by God’s grace we are allowed into Heaven and we show our thankfulness of that Grace and our Faith by our Works.
I hope that answers you question.
Solar,
I want you to be accurate. Catholic Christian, Orthodox Christian, Protestant Christian is entirely accurate. Anything other than that is perjorative. You want accuracy then be accurate. You are not a Christian. You are a Protestant Christian descendant from the Campbellites professing to be Christian by designation, now that is accurate.
Actually the most accurate description might be fundamental Christian or Restoration Christian. I wouldn’t describe CoC as Protestant since Protestant Churches were Protesting against certain beliefs by the Catholic Church back in the middle ages. Where as the Restoration Movement was started primarly by people that were attempting to Restore the Christian Church away from all man-made things that had entered in. And most, if not all, the leaders of the Movement were from “Protestant Churches” and not Catholic Churches.
But in general when I sit in Mass and I hear the priest talk about Catholic in other locations, he says “Catholics” the same goes for “Lutherns” or any other denomination. The only time I ever heard him mention a church of Christ, he used the term “member of the church of Christ in Lafayette” Which is very similar to what my particular church does.
Solar,
Beliefs are beliefs and not necessarily true. Mormons believe they restored the church. How do you see that one.
True, As far as the Mormans go, I refer to Galations 1:6-12 (NASB)
“6
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!
10
For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
11For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 12*For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.”
Solar, In order to be accurate you yourself said you must look outside the Bible and that would include Josephus and Eusebius. Your conclusion that the Catholic Church formed in 400 AD is based on learning from somewhere since you were not there. Explain the Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox and the Chaldean Christians of today formerly the Nestorians and now part of the OHCAC.
I agree, looking at multiple sources does give you a big picture of the history, but again I refer to what is said in Galations 1:6-12. If what someone says doesn’t agree with Biblical teaching then it is accursed. As far as the other churches go, I don’t know where they came from, I would assume it has to do with Gnostic gospels or other misinterpretations or disagreements with the Catholic church. I haven’t really looked at their history much because Catholic history is far more interesting and relevant.
Here is what I want to know. Where does the so called “church of Christ” stand on two issues and their relatives…Homosexuality and Masturbation; Abortion and Contraception: Where does the “church of Christ” stand on these issues?
Homosexuality - generally understood to be temptation toward sinning like every other sin. God gives the ability to ignore and turn away from the temptation. The sin is being a homosexual, but giving into the sin of committing homosexuality.
Masturbation - Same thing, sexual sin. Masturbation is a result of lust and a sin just like adultery and homosexuality. Can be controlled and turned away from.
Abortion - Baby Killing, simple.
Contraception - Slightly more complicated because it isn’t really talked about much outside of families. Most people I know dont have a problem with physical barriers (condoms, etc) or drugs (the Pill). But would have a problem with the emergency contraception pill. I personally didn’t have a problem with the the pill until I took the NFP class and learned how it worked. Now if I was in a situation of using something other then NFP, we would not be using the Pill but I still believe physical barrier protection is acceptable.
