Jump to content
  • Welcome Guest

    For an ad free experience on Online Baptist, Please login or register for free

Does Anyone Have Suggestions On How...


Recommended Posts

  • Members

to witness to people of the Church of Christ?  I was going to ask for suggestions.  Brother Larry mentioned them in another post, so I thought I would ask for some tools in how to witness to them, especially about things such as eternal security of the believer.  Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Their prOBlem is that they go to various passages in the Bible to prove their doctrine of salvation. They have so many things added, and they are so indoctrinated, that it's hard to get them to see the simplicity of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4...

 

1 Corinthians 15:1-4
1   Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2   By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3   For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4   And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

 

Sorry for the enormous words, but Paul lays it out so plainly...as a matter of fact...he DECLARES what the gospel of salvation is. If there was anything meant to be added, why didn't the Holy Spirit inspire him to include it in his declaration of the gospel? Why? Because nothing else is required!

 

Anything...ANYTHING...ANYTHING added to that or taken away from that is "another gospel".

 

God be with you sister!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Way more than eternal security, you need to tackle right off the bat their belief that you must be baptized in order to be saved.  They do not understand this passage any more than Nicodemus did:

 

John 3:5-7 (KJV)
5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7  Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

 

They are unable or unwilling to see the term "born of water" as a physical birth, but for whatever reason have no trouble seeing born of the Spirit as a spiritual birth.  They do not really understand while man has a physical birth (after the breaking of a woman's water during labor), that he is born spiritually dead.  They have already fulfilled the water portion of this scripture at birth with their physical birth, there is nothing more needed except to come to Jesus by faith for a Spiritual birth. As long as they cling to a works salvation requiring baptism in order to be saved, I question their salvation.

 

Bro. Garry

In His will.  By His power.  For His glory.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Here's what you'll be dealing with...I posted this somewhere here before, but I can't find it...so I'm re-posting it here now.

 

According to an article from the flyer that is sent out from the local Church of Christ, they were answering why they believe things like baptism are a requirement for salvation.  Their basic argument was this...

 

You have to take the Bible as a whole.  Yes, we are saved by grace through faith, but there are key passages throughout scripture that gives other requirements for salvation.  You have to take them all into account.

 

Here is "salvation" (and their proof verses) according to the flyer from the Church of Christ...

  1. God's Grace (Ephesians 2:8)
  2. Christ's Blood (Romans 5:9)
  3. The Holy Spirit's Gospel (Romans 1:16) By the way, there's nothing in that verse about "The Holy Spirit's Gospel"! Hmmm...matter of fact, there's nothing in the whole Bible about "The Holy Spirit's Gospel"!!!
  4. Sinner's Faith (Acts 16:31)
  5. Sinner's Repentance (Luke 13:3)
  6. Sinner's Confession (Romans 10:10)
  7. Sinner's Baptism (1 Peter 3:21) Sinner's baptism? It's bad enough that they are including baptism; however, they are calling it "sinner's baptism"...and 1 Peter 3:21 is directed at saved people...not lost sinners!

    1 Peter 3:21
    The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

    Not only that, how is Peter referring to baptism in saving us? It's right there in the verse...NOT the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God. Baptism saves our conscience toward God, because we have OBeyed Him by being baptized.

  8. Christian's Work (James 2:24) Oh dear...James 2:24 is talking about us being justified...in man's eyes, not God's...that our works are proof to others of our conversion.  I didn't know the Church of Christ believed in a works salvation!

  9. Christian's Hope (Romans 8:24) If you read the surrounding verses, you will realize that this "hope" is directly tied to FAITH.  It's not a separate requirement!

  10. Christian's Endurance (Revelation 2:10) If they are going to use this verse to prove their doctrine, does that mean a saved person only has to endure 10 days?

    Revelation 2:10
    Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

    Hey...wait a minute...call me crazy, but that says nothing about being saved.  It does say that you'll get a crown of life though.

Okay...without going into detail about how wrong they are in so many areas...according to them, you have to take all of these scriptures into account...and "apply" them in order to be saved.  I just have a couple of questions...

  1. How were people saved BEFORE all of the books were compiled together? The early church didn't have access to all of these books they mentioned.
  2. Was Paul lying to the Romans when he wrote and told them how to be saved? After all, all they had was his letter.  If so, those poor Romans were dealt a bad hand by Paul!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Thanks so much, brothers.   The IFB church we will be missionaries out of is in West Virginia, although we are looking for property in Ohio to live.  Our friends are missionaries out of Scotland and Europe.  They will be heading back to Scotland in a year, and have asked for our help in building up the small church they planted in WV.  Our IFB pastor friend is leaving the church in the capable hands of one of his nephews to pastor.  Anyway, CoC is all over the place in southeastern, OH and SE WV.  I am told by my friends that they are a tough nut to crack.  When they go door to door the people are downright nasty to them.  I have been so used to witnessing to Roman Catholics and Muslims.  Oh, my word.   I have to get prepared for a whole other ballgame.

Thanks, NN for posting their beliefs.  I am going to save these answers in my computer for further reference.  Lots of work to be done for the Lord.  Thanks again, guys!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

Wow-so things are so bad here that Scotland is sending missionaries to the US? I know I have heard of missionaries coming to the states out of Mexico, but when the morally bankrupt UK starts seeing a need for missionaries here, man things can't get much worse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Been dealing with these type of people for almost the whole 27 years of my 'saved' life.

The scriptures are clear if you look at them with 'saved' eyes.

That is why they don't believe 'right'.

Their supportive verses, according to the autOBiography of Alexander Campbell who started their heretical sect, are numerous.

All from the KJV.

 

Here are a few they focus on: Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, 1 Peter 3:20,21.

 

Get those down and you can disarm them. (in my experience)

 

[Reading his autOBio might be a good thing too.]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Wow-so things are so bad here that Scotland is sending missionaries to the US? I know I have heard of missionaries coming to the states out of Mexico, but when the morally bankrupt UK starts seeing a need for missionaries here, man things can't get much worse.

 

No, not quite Ukelelemike.  LOL  Although, I wouldn't be surprised in the future if this were true.   ;)  Our missionary friends are from the USA.  They met at Bible college.  Her parents are missionaries, so she grew up that way.  Her husband is my first pastor's second oldest son.  He grew up in Cleveland, OH and is a missionary out of Cleveland Baptist Church.  His older brother is my pastor.  He was saved as a boy, and God called him to be a missionary to Scotland when he was a teenager.  They planted four churches there.  They have been in the states for four years and planted this church in WV.  Also, since IFB churches support foreign missionaries, they lost the support of 12 IFB churches while here.  Now, they are traveling through the USA raising support to start another IFB church in Scotland.  He will do things differently, though.  He is coming back to the states every few months from Scotland.  And, my hubby and I will go to help in Scotland for a month, two times a year.

   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Been dealing with these type of people for almost the whole 27 years of my 'saved' life.

The scriptures are clear if you look at them with 'saved' eyes.

That is why they don't believe 'right'.

Their supportive verses, according to the autOBiography of Alexander Campbell who started their heretical sect, are numerous.

All from the KJV.

 

Here are a few they focus on: Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, 1 Peter 3:20,21.

 

Get those down and you can disarm them. (in my experience)

 

[Reading his autOBio might be a good thing too.]

 

That's quite a long time, GP.

Thank you for the scriptures.  I will memorize them for future use.  I will also get the autOBiography of Alexander Campbell.     

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Way more than eternal security, you need to tackle right off the bat their belief that you must be baptized in order to be saved.  They do not understand this passage any more than Nicodemus did:

 

 

Here's a good verse for the baptism = salvation prOBlem.

 

Luke 23:41-43

 

When the man got saved while hanging on the cross, he surely didn't get baptized. Still Jesus said that the same day he would enter into paradise.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Here's a good verse for the baptism = salvation prOBlem.

 

Luke 23:41-43

 

When the man got saved while hanging on the cross, he surely didn't get baptized. Still Jesus said that the same day he would enter into paradise.

 

Thank you, Paid4.  I was actually thinking about the thief on the cross when thinking about how to witness to CoC people.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Moderators

Here's a good verse for the baptism = salvation prOBlem.

 

Luke 23:41-43

 

When the man got saved while hanging on the cross, he surely didn't get baptized. Still Jesus said that the same day he would enter into paradise.

Definitely great scripture for this purpose, but of late the argument has been, (lame though it may be), that the translators put the comma in the wrong place, and that instead of saying, "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.", that it SHOULD say, "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee To day, thou shalt be with me in paradise."  

 

Notice the move of the comma from behind 'thee', to behind 'today', which also necessitates the movement of 'shalt', to AFTER 'thou'.

 

So, to maintain their way of thinking, they have to change scripture. This is often done more with SDA's, but I am certain the CoC will agree with them. So be prepared to argue it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Definitely great scripture for this purpose, but of late the argument has been, (lame though it may be), that the translators put the comma in the wrong place, and that instead of saying, "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.", that it SHOULD say, "And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee To day, thou shalt be with me in paradise."  

 

Notice the move of the comma from behind 'thee', to behind 'today', which also necessitates the movement of 'shalt', to AFTER 'thou'.

 

So, to maintain their way of thinking, they have to change scripture. This is often done more with SDA's, but I am certain the CoC will agree with them. So be prepared to argue it.

Good Point but nevertheless, he was not baptized between the cross and the grave. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.



×
×
  • Create New...