CHRISTIANS ONLY

    If you were to ask some people if they were “Christians” they might reply “I’m a Methodist,” or “I’m a Baptist,” or “I’m a whatever.” Odd. You asked if they were Christians and they told what “flavor” they thought they were.

  That’s one of the dangers of denominational names – the loyalty to a denominational brand that often outweighs a person’s loyalty to Christ. NO ONE should do this. And that’s why the Restoration Movement has pushed so hard on the concept that “We’re not the only Christians, but we’re Christians only.” If we insist on being only Christians, it becomes harder to use a man-made name that divides us off from others. (See footnote)

   Recently a friend said to me “you’re an Arminian.” In other words, he was stating that I believed in the teachings of a man named Jacobus Arminius (who maintained that men and women have a free will).
  Now, while that’s probably true, I responded “No, I’m not an Arminian. I’m a Christian. Arminius didn’t die for me. And while I may agree with some (or all) of his teachings, I don’t belong to him. I belong to Christ… and that’s all I want.”

   Once I wrap myself around a mortal teacher - like Arminius, or Luther, or Calvin, et.al. - I begin to want to defend that teacher against all comers. In our brotherhood, some of the foundational thinkers were Thomas Campbell and Raccoon John Smith. These were decent men who shared a common desire to return to Scripture as the sole basis of doctrine and authority in Christ’s church. But they didn’t die for me. I belong to Christ, first and foremost.

   It should be the desire of all Christians to echo Paul’s words to the Corinthians: he “determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

 

Footnote: We need to be honest here. There are too many Church of Christ/Christian church folk who forget the first half of the motto “We’re not the only Christians, but we’re Christians only.” Those of the Restoration Movement must understand that they are not the ONLY Christians, but they must never forget that we called to be Christians ONLY.

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