Denomination

Is the "Church of Christ" Denomination a Religious Cult?

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• published: 11 Mar 2011
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See our playlist entitled, "Dealing with "Saved by Works & Baptism", "Church of Christ" with 71 videos at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLBD55090718DA6D3D. Larry Wessels, director of Christian Answers of Austin, Texas/ Christian Debater (see our YouTube channel CANSWERSTV at https://www.youtube.com/user/CAnswersTV; websites http://www.BibleQuery.org, http://www.HistoryCart.com & http://www.MuslimHope.com), is joined by Bob L. Ross, director of Pilgrim Publications, the world's leading publisher of the works of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (http://www.pilgrimpublications.com), and Pastor Jackson Boyett of Dayspring Fellowship (http://www.DSF.org) for this presentation. Bob L. Ross has written four books ("Campbellism, Its History & Heresies," "The Restoration Movement," "Acts 2:38 and Baptismal Remission," & one against the Campbellite doctrine against musical instruments in worship) on Campbellism & its associated sects, a group that had its start during the early 19th century when four primary founding men named Thomas & Alexander Campbell, Barton W. Stone & Walter Scott "discovered" the "Ancient Gospel" which was water baptism for the "remission of sins" & works of righteousness to keep from losing your salvation. Acts 2:38 is one of the more controversial verses in the Bible regarding baptism and whether or not it is the requirement for salvation. Some use this verse to say that one must be baptized in order to be saved. But when you look at the verse, and others, you will see that it does not teach baptismal regeneration, that baptism saves, or that baptism is necessary for salvation. First of all, rarely is doctrine ever made from a single verse. We need to look at all of what God's words says about a subject in order to accurately understand what it teaches. I will briefly tackle this verse in the following manner: In Acts 2:38 the main verb is metanoesate (change mind), the aorist direct imperative (a command) of metanoeo which means to repent (change mind). This refers to that initial repentance of the sinner unto salvation. The verb translated "be baptized" is in the indirect passive imperative (a command to receive; hence, passive voice in Greek1) of baptizo, which does not give it the same direct command implied in "repent." The preposition "for" in the phrase "for the remission of sins" in Greek is "eis," unto or into, and it is in the accusative case (direct object). It can mean "for the purpose of identifying you with the remission of sins." It is the same preposition we find in 1 Cor. 10:2 in the phrase "and were baptized unto Moses." Note that both contexts are dealing with baptism and identification. In 1 Cor. 10:2 the people were baptized or spiritually identifying themselves with the purposes and vision of Moses. Repentance, therefore, is presented as identifying an individual with the remission of his sins even as baptism following repentance provides an external identification visible by others. Repentance is something that concerns an individual and God while baptism involves others. That is why baptistheto (let be immersed) is in the passive voice indicating that one does not baptize himself but is baptized by another usually in the presence of others. Repentance, however, is an act taking place within a person's heart as the Holy Spirit moves in the sinner. This verse is not demonstrating that baptism is essential for salvation, but that baptism is the thing which we receive in order to publicly identify ourselves completely and totally with Christ as a manifestation of the inward work God has done within us. Other verses dealing with salvation Justification is the work of God where the righteousness of Jesus is reckoned to the sinner; so the sinner is declared, by God, as being righteous under the Law (Rom. 4:3; 5:1,9; Gal. 2:16; 3:11). This righteousness is not earned or retained by any effort of the saved. Justification is an instantaneous occurrence with the result being eternal life. It is based completely and solely upon Jesus' sacrifice on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24) and is received by faith alone (Rom. 4:5; 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9). No works are necessary whatsoever to obtain justification. Otherwise, it is not a gift (Rom. 6:23). Therefore, we are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1). So, we must ask if baptism is necessary for salvation, then why did Paul downplay it and even exclude it from the description of what is required for salvation? It is because baptism isn't necessary for salvation.