• Is The Church Of Christ A Denomination?
• (Part Three)

• Introduction
• As we continue this study, we see that there are many in the world who participate in religious groups.
• We have shown that many in the Church of Christ are included in this division.
• But for true followers and those trying to be the ONE TRUE CHURCH that we read about in the Bible,
• We deny that this group is a denomination.
• Now, how do we show it to others.
• There are many ways to determine what is according to Scripture and what is not.
• What Does God Call His Church?
• To answer such a question, we must go to the Bible and see what God called His church and the names or descriptions of the members of His church.
• Study need only be made of the terms used by God to designate both His kingdom/church and His followers that we read in the Bible:
• Any name, description used that is not found in the Bible is wrong.
• It is wrong to wear a name that is not found in the Bible.

• Names/Descriptions Of The Church
• The true church was built by Christ. In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said that He would build His Church.
• It is His church because He built it (Matthew 16:18).
• It is His church because He died for it (Acts 20:28).
• It is His church because He purchased it with His blood (Acts 20:28).
• It is His church because He loves it (Ephesians 5:25).
• It is His church because He Is the Head of the church (Ephesians 1:22; Colossians 1:18).
• It is His church because He is to have first place in all things to the church (Colossians 1:18).
• This church is referenced as being the body of Christ.
• It is referenced by individual congregations,
• It is referenced by a number of congregations in a region,
• It is referenced by a collective of all churches (Romans 16:16).
• It is sometimes call the church of God (Acts 20:28).
• That is because God gave Christ the authority to be head of the church (Matthew 28:18; Ephesians 1:22-23).
• Some terms the Bible uses to describe the church as it relates the relationships involved.
• The Body with Christ as head.
• Many members, yet ONE body (Romans 12:4).
• The church is described as a kingdom. One with a ruler and subjects.
• The church is described as a bride because of its purity.
• The church is described as a household (1 Timothy 3:15).
• The church is described as a building of God (Ephesians 2:21-22).
• The church is described as the temple of God (as in, where God dwells on earth)
• Sometimes it is referred to as simply as “The church”.
• Mt 16:18-19; Col 1:13)
• The churches of God In Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 2:14)
• A bride (Ephesians 5:22ff; Revelation 19:7ff),
• God's church (1 Corinthians 1:2),
• The Way (Acts 9:2; 19:9; 19:23; 24:14)
• The household of God (1 Timothy 3:15)
• A building of God (1 Corinthians 3:9; Ephesians 2:20; 1 Peter 2:4ff)
• A temple of God and of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16)
• The church of the firstborn (Hebrews 12:23)
• A city of God (Hebrews 12:12:22; Revelation 3:12, 21:1ff)
• and there are more designations and names found in Scripture.

• What Are The Members Called In The Bible?
• Members of Christ's church are called His brethren (Hebrews 2:12; Romans 8:29, 12:1),
• In the great commission Jesus instructed His apostles to go into all the world and make Disciples(students; learners) (Matthew 28:18)
• These disciples would become known as Christians (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16),
• These would be children of the kingdom (Matthew 13:38),
• They would be known as children of the Father and sons,
or sons of God and heirs of God (Romans 8:14; 1 John 3:1; Galatians 4:5-6)
• They are heirs of the promise and Abraham's seed (Galatians 3:29)
• They are THE faithful (Ephesians 1:1)
• They are also known as saints (Ephesians 1:1)
• Considered “beloved” by Paul and other NT writers.
• The scripture speaks of Christians with many descriptive terms.
• Certainly these designations, in addition to the references from Ephesians, indicate the true nature of the church, or body, of Christ.
• It is not now, nor has it ever been, referred to as a denomination with divine approval.
• Don’t The Denominations Do The Same?
• Don’t many of them consider themselves Christians?
• Of course they do.
• But what is a true Christian?
• One who obeys ALL that Jesus and His designated apostles gave us through the Bible.
• James 2 tells us one only has to be wrong in one point to be guilty of the law (James 2:10).
• They may have a scriptural name, but their practice and doctrine are different.

• CONCLUSION
• To represent the church as a denomination, either willfully or ignorantly, is to misunderstand and/or misrepresent God and His inspired word.
• Let us strive to do our best to speak of the church in scriptural terms and refer to it using scriptural ideas (cf. 1 Peter 4:11).
• In doing so we bring glory to God who planned it, and to His Son who died for it.
• We will also help those around us, young and spiritually immature Christians, and the world as well, come to a better understanding of this glorious body.

By Carey Scott based on an article by Jody Apple

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