Comments on: The Church: Christ’s One Body

By: Teresa

Teresa — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 06:27:18 +0000

1 Corinthians 12 Paul is in no way endorsing divisions. These so called churches of Christ you comment on are not true churches of Christ. They are not a division of the church of Christ, they are not “denominations” the church of Christ, because there is no denomination of the church of Christ. They are apostate churches they have fallen away from biblical doctrine. You did get one part of your comment right we are the body of Christ. Speaking of monetary denominations and the church are different. But if you want to do that you can, even when speaking of money, it’s the same money. It is not of a DIFFERENT KIND; it is all the same money. When you speak of religious denominations they are of a DIFFERENT KIND. They are not the same, they are not the ONE BODY Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 12. Why, because they do not speak the same thing 1 Corinthians 1:10. Speaking of money if you us a dime it is the same money it will not say to the one dollar bill because I am not the one dollar bill I am not money. Religious denominations are NOT THE SAME. The church of Christ is not a religious denomination because it was not taken out of another whole. It is the whole. Most of the religious denominations you see today were at first something else or off shoots of another. Not the churches of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul is in no way endorsing divisions, he is saying that the division that is present will point out those who are not true members i.e heresies. Religious denomination cannot be the churches of Christ i.e the ONE BODY Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 12 because they do not all speak the same thing. That is why we in the churches of Christ now we can fellowship with any true churches of Christ w/o worrying about what they preach/teach because we all follow that form of doctrine Romans 6:17. We are members of the one body and members in particular. A simplified way is to say you have how many bodies? One I hope. How many member of your body are there? Several I hope. You have several body parts arm, legs, etc. but how many bodies do you have? The same analogy fits with the One Body of 1 Corinthians 12. The members of that one body of 1 Corinthians 12 are not of a different kind but the same. In religious denominations you have a DIFFERENT KIND, you have the baptist, which probably used to be catholics etc. These are not part of the same body even amongst themselves they are different. Whereas I have yet to fellowship with any churches of Christ that differ amongst themselves, sure there are generic differences as to the time of bible classes, worship services, but all follow the same doctrine. If they the churches of Christ do not then they are also NOT a part of the ONE BODY of 1 Corinthians 12. Are Jehovah witnesses and the Catholics part of the ONE Body of 1 Corinthians 12, I say the cannot be because they teach and do differently from what Paul instructed. As do all the denominations you speak of. At least a dime knows it is money. Can you say the Sadducees, Scribes, and Pharisees are part of the One Body of 1 Corinthians? At least they would be closer than these denominations of today they were around at the time. When 1 Corinthians 12 was penned he could not be talking about any denomination you mention I don’t care what you views and beliefs are because THEY DID NOT EXIST.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 23:25:30 +0000

Actually Paul is not talking about the many different denominations when he talks about there being many members of the one body, he is referring to indiviual Christians.
Yes, there are those who call themselves church of Christ who practice and worship in ways different from New Testament doctrine. However, in my experiance, they are in the minority. I have visited many different congregations (mostly in Tennessee) and they mostly practice and teach the same thing. The only differences I have found is in program (i.e. the number of songs, etc.) and the way they partake of the Lord’s supper in the Sunday evening services. Some have those who need to partake stand or raise their hands, some have them come to the front of the assembly, and some have them meet in a separate room (which is the one I don’t agree with because the Bible says that we are to be together when we partake. I don’t remember the exact verse though.). Aside from these things we mainly teach and practice the same things.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:44:33 +0000

Norm ,

I think it is safe to say this falls into the category of absurdity. I do agree with you when you say that there is “ONE BODY” but to say this one body is contained ONLY in the Church of Christ cant be true. How do I know? because you speak of division but when I look into the Church of Christ I find divisions everywhere! “Conservative” “Liberal” “Hyperconservative” and the “One Cup Brethren” Norm by all senses of the definition you guys are a denomination though you say vehemently you are not. This is one of your foundational tenets. People ask themselves , “What’s the big deal? Who cares if they think they are a denomination or not?” The answer is that it’s not a big deal, unless you know the logic behind why you guys make the claim. It is simply this: if you accept being called a denomination, then that would relegate you to a position within the Body of Christ. But your claim is that you are not just a part of the Body of Christ, but that you are THE BODY OF CHRIST! The sad thing is to hear what great lengths you guys will go to in order to shun the label of “denomination.” you will actually redefine the term in such a way as to cause the unaware to agree with you. I have heard so many definitions for the word “denomination” over time that it’s hard for me to remember them all. The most common one that you guys use is that a denomination is “a group or thing that has come out from an original group or thing.” Now that fits the Church of Christ theology just fine, thank you, because it allows you to say that all denominations are “groups that came out from the original group” which, you guessed it, the original group is yourself haha… the Church of Christ! This also allows you to claim that you are not a true Christian and you are not going to heaven, because you don’t belong to the one and only, true Body of Christ. Convenient, but ignorant. A denomination is simply a certain type of the same thing, such as a denomination of money. Let’s say I had $50 in my pocket. And we’ll say that it was a $20 bill, two tens, and two fives. Each of those denominations is a form of paper money. They are different denominations and are of different values but they are each considered to be of the same currency. But according to the Church of Christ denomination, some of the bills are real money but others are not, because a denomination is a “group or thing that has come out from an original group or thing.” The obvious flaw in this scenario is called “circular logic.” Why is the Church of Christ not a denomination? Because “they are the true body of Christ!” And why are they the true body of Christ? Because “you are not a denomination!” The word “denomination” comes from the Latin word “nomin”, which means “name” and the prefix “de” means “of.” So, “de nomin” simply means “of the same name.” And in the case of the church, it would be of the same name… Jesus!

Paul addresses the issue of denominations in I Corinthians 11:18-19.

He says, “For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it.

19For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.

The Greek word used in this verse for “division” is schism, which simply means a division.

The Greek word used here for “factions” is hairesis, which means dis-unity.

So on the surface it seems as though Paul is condemning these divisions… or is he? In reality, under closer scrutiny, he is virtually endorsing these divisions or denominations. Why? Because he says in verse 19 that the divisions allow our congregations to be separated into groups that can be identified as “approved” or “not approved.”

If I go into a new city and I want to go to a Church of Christ, I simply look in the Yellow Pages under “Churches of Christ.” If I want to go to an Assembly of God, I do the same. This way I don’t unknowingly go to a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon). I’m sure that the Lord would prefer perfect doctrinal unity in all his congregations, but He knows that won’t happen this side of Heaven. Even the three Church of Christ denominations can’t decide on multiple cups, musical instruments or multiple loaves for communion. So basically we are back to square one, it doesn’t matter so much what you call your church (Church of God, Church of Christ, Church of Jesus Christ, etc.), but more importantly, what you teach.

Paul also addresses this issue in I Corinthians 12:12-31,

12″For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
14For the body is not one member, but many.
15If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
16And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
17If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
18But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
19If they were all one member, where would the body be?
20But now there are many members, but one body.
21And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;
23and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,
24whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,
25so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
26And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.
28And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.
29All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?
30All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?
31But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.

So we see that God says that there is one BODY of Christ (one Church) but is has many members or parts. Those parts all have their own individual callings and functions. Unfortunately, your denomination says to all other members of the body: “I have no need of you…you are not a part of the body!”