'WHY THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS NOT A DENOMINATION'.

Welcome back everyone and I do hope this series of lessons has been and will continue to be of benefit to many. We conclude our series today and I will have something new for you next week. Thank you again for your prayers on my behalf and I pray for each of you as you continue to serve our Great God. So here we go with the conclusion of;

'WHY THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IS NOT A DENOMINATION'.
"Around the turn of the 19Th century, there arose, simultaneously, in different places around the world,
under the direction of different men, an effort to unite all professed Christians by restoring this true and
only church of Christ, in doctrine, life, and practice. Those making up this movement identified
themselves with the church of Christ (nondenominational) by following the New Testament pattern
without human additions or subtractions, without denominational names, organizations, creeds, or
practices. The growth of those taking this position has been astounding."

"It is true that in the last half-century some who professed this position have been unfaithful to it, and have tried to form another denomination around the movement by crystallizing the name “Disciples of Christ” into a sectarian name, by making an organization known as the United Christian Missionary Society (and its successor) the governing body over Christian congregations, by formulating human rules for the
church and for the Christian ministry, and by subtracting from the ordinances of the church revealed in the
New Testament by denying the necessity of immersion for baptism. Those who desire to remain
Christians only, and abhor unscriptural denominationalism, endeavor to escape these errors which lead
back to the morass of human divisions."

"It is this undenominational position alone which will bring about Christian unity, for professed Christians can never be united on man-made schemes and plans on which all will not, and cannot, agree. But the church revealed in the New Testament is simple enough to be followed and to unite all professed
Christians. According to God’s Word (John 17:21) it will only be when this unity is attained that the
world can be won to Christ."

"We exhort those who have been clinging to and supporting denominational names, practices, disciplines, and organizations to forsake these human foibles, and adopt the name of Christian only, and practice the commands of the New Testament alone in obedience to the authority of Christ, instead of the authority of the creeds and organizations of men. Let those who claim to hold this position be zealous in advocating it, scripturally qualified to defend it, and spiritually consecrated to making it appealing."

May God bless until we meet again.