Christian Churches and Churches of Christ; Lutz, Henry Frey, 1868-1926 -- Biography; Restoration movement (Christianity)
In the evolution of the movement for Christian union, it was soon
discovered that human creeds, as standards of church or ministerial
fellowship, are divisive in their nature and prevent the reunion of
God's people. All claim to get their creed from the Bible; but since
creeds contradict each other in doctrine, they cannot all be right,
although they may all be wrong. Human creeds are responsible for most
of the heresy trials and have armed most of the infidelic attacks upon
the church. The only way to permanently solve the creed problem is to
restore the divine creed given by the Holy Spirit to the primitive
church. This is the only true Apostles' Creed and the only one that
will never need any revision. This is none other than the _divinity of
Christ_, the central truth of revelation and of Christianity. Jesus
said, in answer to Peter's confession, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of
the living God," "Upon this rock I will build my church" (Matt. 16: 16,
18). John declared of his Gospel, "These are written, that ye might
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye
might have life through his name" (John 20:31). Paul commanded,
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" (Acts
16:31), and said, "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid,
which is Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 3:11). This is what the Apostles
preached everywhere, and required as a condition for baptism and church
membership; and it is the only creed they ever required. The church is
not founded upon a system of speculative theology that even the learned
cannot understand, but upon the loving, divine personality of Jesus
Christ, the Son of the living God. Get Jesus in the heart, and belief
in his word and a Christ-like life will inevitably follow. This is the
only creed that can reunite divided Christendom. Christians cannot
unite on human leaders and their finite opinions, but they can all
unite on Christ.
_The Restoration of Bible Names._
It was further discovered that human names for God's people were
divisive in nature and a barrier to Christian union. There is nothing
in a name until it becomes authoritatively attached to a person or
thing, but after it becomes so attached, there is as much in the name
as in the person or thing. Since the name Andrew Carnegie became
attached to him, it is worth as much in money and influence as Mr.
Carnegie himself is worth. Thus it is that there is salvation in the
name of Christ. "For there is none other name under heaven given among
men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
The Bible names given to the church and to the followers of Christ,
express true ideas and relationships; while the human names since added
express false and unscriptural ideas and relationships. The church and
its members should be named after Christ because they belong to him;
for the same reason it is wrong to call them after any other person or
thing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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