Can People Today Be Just "Christians"
without being members of a denomination?
So
many churches have lost touch with their purpose: saving souls. Their leadership
shows preference to a select few, offering a watered-down version of scripture
that only pays lip service to following God’s inspired word. (Read II
Timothy 3:16-17 for what the Bible has to say about itself.) As a result,
people are turned off by the hypocrisy and indifference of their church
leadership, and in disgust, some have decided that “Christianity is no longer
relevant.” This is unfortunate, because God says that Jesus Christ is "the same
yesterday, today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8) Jesus Christ and His
clear, simple teachings are just as relevant today as ever. Maybe even
more so!
The Bible is not hard to understand. It was
written for everyday people to read, think about for themselves and to put into
practice. So if you have felt a yearning to return to the simple and
uncomplicated religion taught by Jesus Christ, let us suggest that such a
possibility exists. Let us begin with the essential facts: Jesus Christ is
the Son of God. His coming (Genesis 49:10), His mission (Isaiah 53, Zechariah
6:13) and His new message (Jeremiah 31:31-33) were all foretold in the Old
Testament hundreds of years before He was born. Jesus Christ wasn’t simply “a
good man” but Himself said in Luke 19:10 that He came “to seek and to save that
which was lost.”
We invite you to study your Bible and decide for
yourself whether Christianity can exist today in a pure form. Don’t take our
word for anything. Read your Bible and decide for yourself. That is
truly what we are all about.
The Heart and Mind of Jesus Christ
The New Testament reveals the heart and mind of
Christ (Hebrews 9:15-17). By studying the New Testament, we learn that no
denominations existed– history shows that these came later. We read of people in
their faith obeying the conditions of God’s grace: they believed, turned to God,
repented of their sins and were baptized in order to be forgiven of their sins.
Being thus saved by God, they were added to the Lord’s people, or “church” (Acts
2:36-47). As the gospel spread, we see them assembling in congregations in
various locations, each local group under the oversight of its own elders (also
called bishops, overseers, pastors or shepherds) who did not answer to anyone
other than Jesus. These men could not make laws or be masters, but were only
given the responsibility of caring for the congregation as shepherds would a
flock (Acts 20:17, 28; I Peter 5:1-3). These early Christians only knew of one
headquarters: heaven, where their master, Jesus Christ, ruled over each of them
(Ephesians 1:23).
New Testament Worship: Simple, Uncomplicated and
Moving
New Testament worship was something that all believers participated in every
Sunday, not something they watched. On the first day of the week they would eat
the Lord’s Supper and hear preaching (Acts 20:7; I Corinthians 11:23-29). They
would share their mutual responsibilities by sharing their prosperity, and we
find no other examples or commands of collections other than this (I Corinthians
16:1-2). No hierarchy could tell them how much money to give. They had no
“church organizations” clamoring for their money and telling them how much to
"tithe," but they each “purposed in their own hearts” (II Corinthians 9:6-7).
In their assemblies they would all sing (Ephesians 5:19) and all would
pray while various men of the assembly would lead them (I Corinthians 14:15-16).
No one person performed the worship, but each worshipped his or her God as
commanded by Jesus Christ. It was simple but powerful, because each
person had a responsibility to worship in spirit and in truth.
They
were all involved, for each saved person was a priest (Revelation 1:5-6).
These men and women lived godly lives. They taught
others about Jesus Christ. They sent out preachers to other lands. They cared
for their poor. With their simplicity of faith, and with their understanding
that Jesus Christ was the head of the church, there was no need of
centralization. Without any type of organized machinery, the gospel was preached
throughout civilization in a short time (Colossians 1:23) and these early
disciples were known simply as “Christians” (Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; I Peter
4:16). They wore no other denominational name.
Pleasing God, Rather Than Men
Their religion was neither materialistic,
flamboyant nor recreational. They were not interested in impressing men with
ceremony, but were interested in pleasing God with the only thing that has ever
pleased God: contrite obedience to His commands (I Samuel 15:22). These New
Testament Christians preached the gospel to a troubled world, for they knew that
it was God’s power to save others, and not their own (Romans 1:16). Any other
appeal they would not make. The apostle Peter stated in Acts 5:29, "We
ought to obey God rather than men."
“If only this could be the case today,” many say.
It is. Men and women throughout the world have despaired of “organized
religion,” taking a stand to know no other master besides Jesus Christ, reading
for themselves the commandments of God. So can you!
At Mountain View, we worship and serve God in the
same way the early disciples did, and we would like for you to serve God in the
same manner: in simplicity, following His commandments. We’re not a part
of any denomination. We are all just “Christians.”
How about you? Would you like to be just a
“Christian” and to freely serve God, following Christ without being bound by
denominational laws and obligations? If such freedom appeals to you, please come
meet with us, or call us.
