The Lord Jesus founded his church during His 33 year ministry. The church was built on the chief corner stone of Himself, the Messiah, Christ Jesus.
*Jesus asked Peter who Peter thought He was. Peter replied in Matthew 16:16 "..., Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God."
*Jesus then said to Peter in verse 18, "And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Peter, for himself and his brethren, said that they were assured of our Lord's being the promised Messiah, the Son of the living God. This showed that they believed Jesus to be more than man. Our Lord declared Peter to be blessed, as the teaching of God made him differ from his unbelieving countrymen. Christ added that he had named him Peter, in allusion to his stability or firmness in professing the truth. The word translated "rock," is not the same word as Peter, but is of a similar meaning. Nothing can be more wrong than to suppose that Christ meant the person of Peter was the rock. Without doubt Christ himself is the Rock, the tried foundation of the church; and woe to him that attempts to lay any other! Peter's confession is this rock as to doctrine.
*Ephesians 2:19 states that we are part of the church: "Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
*Christ is the chief corner stone of the church:
Ephesians 2:20: And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.
Christ's Church
Christ's sacrifice and death for our sins was the culmination of a plan that God began before time. This plan, after its completion, instituted the church. The church is the bride of Christ and that is why it bears his name, The Church of Christ.
*Revelation 21:2: And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
*Ephesians 5:23: For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the savior of the body.
*Ephesians 5:24: Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
*Ephesians 5:25: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.
Bible Beliefs
"No law but love, no book but the Bible, no creed but Christ's." —Thomas Campbell
The Church
It is our stance that there is only one true church; Christ's church. Ephesians 4:5 states "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." This is the Church of Christ referred to in this verse and no other.
Membership
There is only one way to become a member of the Church of our Lord Jesus. We must follow his plan of salvation.
*Faith—
Romans 10:17: Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.
*Belief—
John 3:16: For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that, whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life.
*Repentance—
Luke 13:3: I tell you, nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
*Confession—
Matthew 10:32: Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
*Baptism—
Acts 2:38: Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
*Faithfulness—
James 1:12: Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
Our Stance
We feel that any subject has a Bible answer. The Bible is the Word of God. It is the manual for life and living.
