the church of christ is a false cult

[bg3198]

why?

1. eternal security is the gift of the Father

2. baptism is not required to be saved

3. the founders of the restoration movement were nontrinitarians

4. "the bible speaks we speak, the bible is silent we are silent"
For such a view the churches of christ teach many traditions of men not found in any
New Testament

5. c of c's preach in english
- where does the NT authorize english or mention english?

6. Their theology is based solely on ACTS, yet their interpretation of ACTS is nugatory.

 

[Avatar4321]

First, why on earth did you post this in politics rather than religion?

Second, which church of christ are you refering to?

Third, your list is very ambiguous. Are you saying they are wrong because they believe those things or because they dont believe them?

Fourth, let's for the sake of argument say that they teach false doctrine. How does that make them a cult?

 

[ST34]

ok so which church isn't false ?

 

[strollingbones]

my mil defines a cult as anyone church that adds to or removes from the kj bible....pretty much everyone but their church

 

[Douger]

The " church" of anything is a false cult.

 

[Avatar4321]

my mil defines a cult as anyone church that adds to or removes from the kj bible....pretty much everyone but their church

Which is pretty much why the word cult is meaningless in any serious discussion. All it means is "religious group I dont like".

 

[Bob Noxious]

"Cult" designates weirdos, like mormons.

 

[ST34]

or like christians

 

[Eightball]

I believe the OP is referring to the Campbellites who later renamed themselves the Church of Christ.

Actually, some theologians disagree on the severity of calling this church an out and out cult.

1. Regeneration/Salvation via physical/water baptism is indeed a very legalistic, and outright bugaboo with this church. It is not biblical at all. Where there are calls for, "Ye must be baptized" they/Campbellites have totally missed the context/understanding.

As I mentioned in another post/thread, according to the Campbellite's doctrine, the thief on the cross in whom Jesus, said, "Before this day is done, you will be with Me in paradise.", is not saved but very, very, lost. This is a big old contradiction to the Campbellites.

Legalistic interpretation of the bible has created some real big errors in many denominations, and non denominations, just as "too liberal" interpretation has done.

The Pharisees of Jesus' time were notorious at sponsoring legalism, and they made life so constricted for the average Jew, that Jesus seemed like a heritic when He came into the picture.

Just as Jesus and His disciples were picking and eating heads of grain in a field on the Sabbath, and were accused by the Pharisees of breaking the Sabbath rest(No work on the Sabbath), the Campbellites have also done likewise with the spirit or understanding of what water baptism was intended for.

Christian baptism is simply an outward symbolic(But very important symbol!), of an inward or spiritual change in the very innermost nature if the new Christian.

Water baptism can be likened to Galatians 2:20

20"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

The actually steps of water baptism represent 1. "Going in/under water." as being "buried, or dieing with Christ", 2. "Coming up out of the water", representing "being raised up with Christ in newness of life".

Galatians 2:20 succinctly reveals that the true Christian isn't just a person who's embraced a belief system based on the bible, but has actually experienced a spiritual regeneration done by God Himself.

It is no accident that the bible says that the Spirit of Christ, and the Holy Spirit are one. When a person trully believes in their heart that Christ is their salvation from their sinful life, God commits to major spiritual surgery on that individual. The old Adamic, or sinful nature is crucified with Christ's crucified life(Gal. 2:20), and the New Adamic life of Christ(Holy Spirit) comes to reside forever in that person's life.
******
Side note: Campbell who started the Campbellites, was originally a Presbyterian.

Also there are two wings of the Church of Christ, that were spawned during or after the U.S. Civil War. One branch was pro-slavery, and basically found in the Southern states, but now has proliferated throughout the North, and the church that split and would not abide in Slavery, is the other one.

Anyway, it took some heavy duty research years ago while I was in bible college to gleen out this information from the college library.

One marked difference between the two divisions of the Church of Christ is the "No musical instruments allowed in worship" rule. This division of the church worships in song or singing of hymns without a piano, organ, guitar, anything. Ironically, I've heard that the music director in some of these churches will get away with using a pitch pipe to get the congregation into synch or tune before tackling a church hymn.

Many mainstream denominations back during the strife of the Civil War divided permanently, and "slavery" was the issue. Sadly, many of these churches wouldn't state publically that this was the reason of the split, instead, went after some lame, and remote, and often unbiblical reason to split. Slavery divisions of church bodies was not something that was P.C., so as the Campbellites did, they did the musical instrument thing and other legalistic, non-biblical means to distinguish themselves from their counterparts.
*******
My wife was once a Church of Christ member, but gave it up before we married, as she saw the destructive, and unbiblical legalism that even tore her local Church of Christ church apart.

In fact many of it's members left and ended up in a non-denominational bible teaching Christian church that was doctrinally, very biblical, basing their stance on the Grace of God through Jesus Christ.
*****
If we were to accept that Campbellites stance that it is what the bible says and we do it, and what the bible doesn't say, we don't do it, then we would not be able to drive automobiles to church, nor meet in formal buildings called churches, but would need to walk or ride donkeys to church, and only meet in homes.
********
There are bonafide Christians in the Church of Christ(Campbellites), but they have hamstrung themselves via their legalistic approach to their bible doctrine. The do however make a very major error in the area of exclusivity. They believe that they are "the" true church of ACTS, just as the Mormons believe.

Now the Mormons aren't just legalistically off-beam, but also have followed alleged latter day prophets, who have bastardized and totally ignored biblical doctrine at it's very core, where we define the Person of Christ.

They also call themselves the Church of Christ........with the little disclaimer "of latter day saints".

The Campbellites do not meet the full criteria of "cult" but indeed lean on some unbiblical stances, but they "DO NOT" change the Person of Christ, doctrinally.

On the other hand, the Church of Christ of Latter Day saints is classified by well respected theologians as a "CULT", as they redefine the Person of Christ, His divinity, and the very teachings of the bible.

 

[JBeukema]

ok so which church isn't false ?

The Church of Agonoize?

[youtube]XuPGOAlzfHQ[/youtube]

 

[Avatar4321]

On the other hand, the Church of Christ of Latter Day saints is classified by well respected theologians as a "CULT", as they redefine the Person of Christ, His divinity, and the very teachings of the bible.

I dont know a single respected theologian who calls different faiths cults.

 

[jillian]

why?

1. eternal security is the gift of the Father

2. baptism is not required to be saved

3. the founders of the restoration movement were nontrinitarians

4. "the bible speaks we speak, the bible is silent we are silent"
For such a view the churches of christ teach many traditions of men not found in any
New Testament

5. c of c's preach in english
- where does the NT authorize english or mention english?

6. Their theology is based solely on ACTS, yet their interpretation of ACTS is nugatory.

why do you care what other people believe in if they don't impose those beliefs on you?

 

[Avatar4321]

why do you care what other people believe in if they don't impose those beliefs on you?

Because everyone has to agree with him or else he might have to consider that he's wrong.

 

[ABikerSailor]

my mil defines a cult as anyone church that adds to or removes from the kj bible....pretty much everyone but their church

Hmmmmmm............interesting..........

You state that anyone who takes away from or adds to the KJV Bible is a cult? Well.......considering that Rome (which was a pagan society), originally took the Torah out of Jerusalem. They also added to, as well as took away from, the Torah, which was the original book which mankind was told to not add to or take away from.

Oh yeah.........they also mixed in a lot of Pagan beliefs. Why else do you think that Easter and Yeshua's birthday are both on solstices?

Then......there's the problem of the Niecene council. You know......the ones that heavily edited the KJV Bible?

Might wanna try again with that definition. It sucks.

As far as how does God talk to people? He does it through your very life experiences. How many different religions should there be? Well........as many as the people who are truly seeking an audience with God. We've all got different lives, so why not allow different beliefs?

Or are you trying to limit God yourselves?

Remember........the Original Sin was to limit the Is.

Don't.

 

[amrchaos]

On the other hand, the Church of Christ of Latter Day saints is classified by well respected theologians as a "CULT", as they redefine the Person of Christ, His divinity, and the very teachings of the bible.

I dont know a single respected theologian who calls different faiths cults.

Hey, Avatar

You do not know any theologians, do you??

 

[ABikerSailor]

Avatar probably isn't really the brightest bit of enlightenment on these here boards.

 

[KittenKoder]

Technically all organized religions are cults.

 

[Avatar4321]

Hey, Avatar

You do not know any theologians, do you??

I know plenty. I just dont know any respected theologian that treat other religions in such a derogatory manner.

Do you respect such people?

 

[Avatar4321]

Technically all organized religions are cults.

True, but let's be honest. These people arent using the technical definition of a cult are they?

 

[Avatar4321]

Avatar probably isn't really the brightest bit of enlightenment on these here boards.

To each his own. I am sure a number of people think the same thing about you.

Of course, most people don't have a clue what enlightenment is.