Slightly more than 2000 years ago, our Lord Jesus Christ was born. He began His earthly ministry at the age of 30. During this ministry, He promised to build His Church (Matt. 16:13-18), which was unlike the religion of the Old Testament. It was different because it would encompass all people–both Jew and Gentile (see Mark 16:15-16; Matt. 28:18-20). He told us that the “gates of Hades” would not prevail against the Church. This simply means that even death itself would not prevent it from being established.
On the first Pentecost feast after the resurrection and subsequent ascension of Christ back to the Father (see Acts 1:8-11), His Church was established. Pentecost feasts were always on Sunday, so, the Church was established on Sunday. And, its worship, unlike the worship of the Old Testament, also commenced on Sunday. When this church was established, the terms of entrance into the Church-Kingdom, and the terms of salvation were announced as well:
Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ–this Jesus whom you crucified. Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38, NASB)
They had been convinced by the preaching and teaching of Peter (and earlier, by all of the Apostles) that Jesus was indeed their Messiah (the Christ). Consequently, they became believers. And, these believers were informed by Peter that they must both repent and be baptized in order to obtain the forgiveness of their sins. This is the way persons were saved then; it is also the way people must be saved today!
So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:41, NASB)
And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47, NASB)
Notice that the same things necessary to bring salvation to these people was required also for them to become members of His Church. Thus, the Church of Christ was begun on that day! In the beginning, there were no denominations at all, only the one Church that Jesus built (see Eph. 1:22-23; 5:23; 4:4-6; 2:16). It was not until much later, when men began to add things that neither Jesus nor His Apostles taught that denominations were begun. Today, several thousands of such denominations exist that were not begun by the Lord at all (see Matt 15:1-14). Man-made names and man-made creeds/doctrines separate people today from their Lord.
The Churches of Christ seek to call men and women back to the simplicity which is the New Testament Church established by Christ and His Apostles. There was simple worship engaged in by all Christians. There was a simple plan of salvation which we have briefly discussed above. And, there was a simple organizational structure for the church, which eliminated any earthly headquarters. Such was restricted to the local congregations, since Jesus is the only Head of the Church. No dioceses existed then; as a result, neither must they exist today. Only then, we believe, will Christ’s prayer for unity amongst His followers, actually be answered. We must go back to the simple pattern of New Testament Christianity found in the pages of our Bibles (specifically, the New Testament Scriptures). We invite you to investigate the Church of Christ. And, like the commendable Bereans of the first century, we urge you to search the Scriptures daily to see whether these things are so. (Acts 17:11, NASB)
Dick Sztanyo
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