Our worship is governed by the affirmation of Jesus in John 4:24: “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Our worship is a spiritual exercise, coming from our hearts, but it must also be according to the truth of God's word. What does the Bible tell us to do in worshipping God?
The Lord's church assembles on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7), Sunday, to partake of the Lord's supper. This is done to begin the new week with a solemn remembrance of our Lord's death (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Jesus died for our sins (Matthew 26:26-29).
We are also to sing. The early Christians sang praises to God (Ephesians 5:19). This singing was not for entertainment, but served the purpose of teaching and admonition (Colossians 3:16). Vocal music is the only example of music in the New Testament.
Prayer characterized the early church (Acts 2:42). In our prayers to God we give thanks and praise His name. Jesus Christ is our mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) and our high priest (Hebrews 4:14-16). Therefore, our prayers must be addressed to God in the name of Jesus (John 16:23).
The early Christians took up a collection to support the work of the church (1 Corinthians 16:1-2) and today we do the same. The finances of the church of Christ are free-will offerings of the members as God has prospered them.
And, when we meet we receive knowledge from lessons humbly presented by preachers of the gospel. God has commanded us to teach His Word (Matthew 28:19-20). We must learn God's Word so that we can grow stronger in Christ, teach others, and overcome false teachings (2 Timothy 2:2; 2 Timothy 4:1-5).
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| Our toddler class learning about the great catch of fish in Luke 5. We are blessed to have wonderful Bible class teachers! |
About Salvation
"What must I do to be saved?" is the most important question ever asked (Acts 16:30). The gospel teaches us what we must do in response to the God's call to be saved.
First, we must hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Bible teaches that "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the
Word of God" (Romans 10:17). This
is the reason it is so important that the Gospel be preached to the whole world
(Mark 16:15).
We must also believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (John 3:16; Matthew16:16). If we fail to believe in
Jesus we will be lost eternally (John 8:24).
We must also repent of our sins (Acts 17:30). Repentance means to decide that your sins are
wrong and that you will no longer commit them.
Confession is another of the commands of the gospel (Romans 10:9-10). We must admit and profess our faith in Jesus
before others. Jesus said that we must be
willing to confess Him before men if
we want Him to confess us before the Father (Matthew 10:32-33). Many of the rulers of Jesus' day believed and
had faith in Him, but they needed to do more (John 12:42-43).
The gospel also teaches that we must be baptized. Jesus made it
part of His great commission (Mark 16:16). Before baptism we are dead in our sins. Baptism is a symbolic burial in water to
remove those sins (Romans 6:4).
We must also earnestly continue
living a faithful life devoted unto God and His good work (Revelation 2:10, 1
Tim.4:16).
The Church of Christ
The church of Christ is not a denomination or any religious organization founded by man. The foundation of the church of Christ is Jesus Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 3:11).
The organization of the church of Christ follows the simple pattern given in the New Testament. The name "church of Christ" simply means that the church belongs to Christ. The local gathering of Christians is a "church of Christ" and can be collectively called the "churches of Christ" (Romans 16:16). Jesus Christ purchased the church with His blood (Acts 20:28) and salvation is found only in the name of Christ (Acts 4:11-12).
The membership of the church of Christ is made up of all those who hear the gospel of Christ (Romans 10:17); believe in Jesus Christ, God's Son (John 3:16; Acts 8:37); repent of all their past sins (Acts 17:30); confess that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the living God (Romans 10:9-10); and are baptized (buried) in water for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38). Those who remain faithful unto death will receive the crown of life (Revelation 2:10; Galatians 6:7-9).
The Bible speaks of but one church, the church of Christ (Ephesians 4:4). God wants everyone to do His will and be saved (1 Timothy 2:3-4). He has promised to save those who do His will and destroy those who are not following His commands (Matthew 7:21-23).
If you are not already, why not become a member of the church of Christ today so that you may have eternal life?
