INTRODUCING OURSELVES

By Don Gardner, deceased.  Written while a missionary in South Africa

 

We set forth the following facts about the church of Christ that you may understand our distinctive plea and work.

 

1. WE STAND FOR THE BIBLE AS GOD GAVE IT AND HOLD THAT IT IS THE ONLY   DIVINELY INSPIRED BOOK IN THE WORLD (2 Timothy 3:16-17).   We uphold its perfection.   We maintain that it can be understood for it came from God.

 

We stand, therefore, AGAINST any idea or notion that is contrary to the Bible.  Conscience is not always a safe guide (Jeremiah 10:23).  Human opinion must never be exalted above what God has said.  We oppose that which cannot be proved by the Bible itself.

 

2.  WE STAND FOR THE CHURCH AS JESUS MADE IT.  It was then and now, a divine institution (Matthew 16:18).  It is thoroughly described in the New Testament.

 

We stand, therefore, AGAINST and change, division or counterfeiting of the church as Jesus made it (1 Corinthians 1:10; Romans 16:16-18).  A church with a human creed, with a human head, or with human inventions in its work or worship cannot correctly claim to be the church Jesus built.

 

3.  WE STAND FOR THE NAME OF CHRIST as the only religious name men should wear. The disciples were called Christians—nothing else (Acts 26:28).

 

We stand, therefore, AGAINST the wearing of human names.  Paul warned the people at Corinth against wearing the names of Cephas, Apollos, and Paul (1 Corinthians 1:10-13), We repeat this warning and urge all men everywhere to heed it.

 

4.  WE STAND FOR THE WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH, AS IT WAS DELIVERED FROM HEAVEN IN THE DAYS WHEN THE NEW TESTAMENT WAS WRITTEN.  This worship consisted of teaching (Acts 2:42, giving of money (1 Corinthians 16:2), prayer (Acts 2:42), singing (Ephesians 5:19), and observing the Lord’s Supper each first day of the week (Acts 20:7).

 

We stand, therefore, AGAINST all human innovations and additions to the things taught in the New Testament.  Such things as burning incense, instrumental music, pageantry and pomp, had no place in the worship of the early church (2 Corinthians 11:3).  Such things are not authorized by Christ.  We are warned not to worship in ways that God has not commanded.  Such worship is “vain” (Matthew 15:9).

 

5.  WE STAND FOR CHRIST AS THE ONLY HOPE OF THE WORLD AND THE ONLY SAVIOR OF MEN.  Only in Him may we have “redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Ephesians 1:7).  So we urge all men everywhere to become Christians and to be faithful to His will.

 

We stand, therefore, AGAINST anything and everything that will make human beings love the world more than they love the church of Christ.  We oppose all soul wrecking habits such as drunkenness, gambling, dancing, evil speech, dishonesty, and unfaithfulness that made men “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (1 Timothy 3:4).  We urge all men everywhere to set their “affections on things that are above, not on the things of the earth” (Colossians 3:2).

 

OUR PLEA

Let us make a complete return to the Lord and His way in our religious work and worshipl Let us restore the church of the New Testament in our generation, exactly as it was when inspired men left it on the earth.  Let us abolish and destroy anything and everything that would lead men away from God and His law.  We invite you to join us in the work of RESTORATION.