The church of Christ started on the first Pentecost day after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Everything in the Bible before this Pentecost day pointed ahead and everything after this Pentecost day pointed back to the church. In other words, everything before the first Pentecost day after the resurrection of Jesus said the church was to come, but after this Pentecost day said the church was in existence.
Within six months of the cross Christ said he would build His church (Matt. 16:18). Please notice that it was in the future. “I will build my church.” A little child knows that “will” is future tense. Tell a child, “We will go get some candy” and he will understand that it is in the future tense even though he is only two or three years of age. Jesus said before the cross he “would build his church” (Matt. 16:18); and there are those who say it was already in existence. These people say John the Baptist started Jesus’ church.
Mark said that the church, or kingdom, would be established within the lifetime of some standing by (Mark 9:1). If the kingdom has not come, as some contend, then we have some people somewhere that are over 2,000 years old. Of course, it is absurd and ridiculous to think that such is the case. The church is spoken of as being in existence for the first time in Acts 2:47. People were added to it daily. After Acts chapter 2 the church is always spoken of as being in existence. Always before Acts 2 the church was to come or be established, but after Acts 2 it is always spoken of as being in existence. The church is mentioned over 100 times after Acts 2, and in many of those places it is obvious that it was in existence then and there.
There was a great falling away that started about 70 A.D. This falling away went so far that it did not resemble the church that Christ started on Pentecost day. Before Alexander Campbell came to America the church of Christ was already established in America. Campbell became a member of the church of Christ and did much to spread the news about it in this country. Campbell, even though a great scholar and thinker, missed some truth and did not understand the biblical way in some things.
My faith and the faith of many in the church of Christ did not start with Alexander Campbell nor any other uninspired man. If anyone can show me where I have based my faith on Alexander Campbell or any person other than Christ and His Word, then, I will gladly give up the church of Christ. If anyone can prove to me that the church of Christ is nothing more than a manmade institution, then I am ready to change. If anyone can prove to me that the church of Christ started later than the day of Pentecost, then I am ready to give it up.
Every true church of Christ was started by Jesus. Every true church of Christ follows the Bible and the Bible only. Every true church of Christ has the Lord’s Supper each first day of the week (Acts 20:7). Every true church of Christ has only vocal music (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16-17). Every true church of Christ stands up for truth (I Tim. 3:15). Every true church of Christ stays separated from the world (I John 2:15-17; James 4:4).
In some cases some churches of Christ have let the gap down and one cannot tell them from the rest of the world. Some are ashamed of Jesus and His church. They are ashamed of the gospel of Christ (Rom. 1:16-17). Some compromise the truth and give a distorted view of the people of God. Unless they repent they will burn in a devil’s hell for these things (Rev. 21:8; Matt. 25:31-46).
All the faithful people of God are open with the truth. They tell people what the Lord says. They stand up for their convictions. God is displeased with church members that apologize for the teachings of the Bible! I am so happy and thankful to be a member of the Lord’s church!
– Malcolm L. Hill January 12, 1934- June 26, 2012
