312 W Chicago Blvd
Tecumseh, MI. 49286
517-423-6087
Tecumseh, MI. 49286
517-423-6087
Tecumseh Church of Christ
Where The Focus Strives to Always Be Jesus!
Where The Focus Strives to Always Be Jesus!
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There is a lot of confusion in the world regarding religion, and in particular, regarding the church of Christ. Some of that confusion is of our own making, because we ourselves don’t often know the “whys” behind what we do or who we strive to be.
Take for instance the sign out front. It says “Church of Christ”. WHY? To most people it is a sign indicating something like a “brand” preference. Just like some people are FORD people, some CHEVY people, and some CHRYSLER people, etc. The world has fostered the idea that all the religions who claim Jesus are essentially the same, just different “brands” of the same thing. That is what we mean when we speak about denominations.
The word denomination signifies a division or a segment. We use the word to refer to the different divisions of our currency. We also use the word to refer to different divisions of Christianity. "Denominationalism" means devotion to denominational principles or interests. Hence you have, according to the web, over 20 different “brands” represented in Tecumseh: 1 -- Assembly of God church, 4 - Baptist churches, 1 - Bible church, 1 - Catholic church, 1 -- Church of God, 1 -- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1 - Community church, 1 - Episcopal church, 1 -- Friends (Quaker) church, 1 --Jehovah's Witnesses church, 2 - Lutheran church, 1 - Methodist church, 1 - Nazarene church, 1 - Presbyterian church, 1 -- Seventh-day Adventist church, and ourselves. What is the difference?
It doesn’t take much studying before someone comes to the conclusion that it should not be this way. The Bible speaks so much of unity among those who follow Jesus. And some try to solve the problem by saying that they are non-denominational. With this term, they are trying to get across the idea that they are not a part of the divisions. But much of what is referred to as "non-denominational" is actually "inter-denominational." "Inter-denominational" accepts all beliefs; a true "non-denominational" rejects all man-made doctrines and strives to follow only what the Bible teaches. Indeed, that is the heritage of the church of Christ, although the term preferred historically is undenominational; meaning before division. The church of Christ seeks to follow the New Testament example and pattern for worship and for doctrine, “speaking only where the Bible speaks and being silent where the Bible is silent.” In other words, being only Christians.
There is a basic message that the name we call ourselves is intended to remind us of, which we are often not aware of or have forgotten. It is the simple fact that church of Christ is not a name brand, but an indicator of possession. It is an indicator that we are Christ’s church. The word church is simply a word translating the Greek word ecclesia, which means, “a called out people.” It was used of political parties, groups that gathered for a shared purpose or activity (like a club), and it was used to talk about subjects of a kingdom or those owned by a master. The New Testament writers used this word to emphasize that we have a new identity that is associated with Jesus. And this identity is ours because we belong to Jesus in a special way. How? Let’s notice a few statements:
"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark. 10:45). The imagery implies that we are held in captivity from which only the payment of a ransom can set us free, and that the ransom is nothing less than the Messiah's own life. Our lives are forfeit; His life will be sacrificed instead. In death, Jesus takes our place, 1 Timothy 2:5-6, "Christ Jesus . . . gave Himself as a ransom for all men."
When indicating the costly price paid by Christ to ransom us, the commonest word used by the New Testament authors was neither "himself" nor His "life" but His "blood." It was "not with perishable things such as silver or gold," wrote Peter, "that you were redeemed . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" (1 Peter 1:18-19). The writer to the Hebrews, steeped as he was in sacrificial imagery, emphasized that Christ was victim as well as priest, since "He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood.” God in Christ has bought us with His own blood (Acts 20:28).
Jesus Christ has bought us with His blood; therefore, we belong to Him. This is the reason for the Sign Out Front! This fact should motivate us to holiness as individual Christians. Since He bought us … our bodies … our lives . . . our very being, are His. We have no business becoming slaves of anybody or anything else. Once we were the slaves of sin; now we are the slaves of Christ, and in His service we find true freedom. To whom do you belong? Something to think about . . .
Take for instance the sign out front. It says “Church of Christ”. WHY? To most people it is a sign indicating something like a “brand” preference. Just like some people are FORD people, some CHEVY people, and some CHRYSLER people, etc. The world has fostered the idea that all the religions who claim Jesus are essentially the same, just different “brands” of the same thing. That is what we mean when we speak about denominations.
The word denomination signifies a division or a segment. We use the word to refer to the different divisions of our currency. We also use the word to refer to different divisions of Christianity. "Denominationalism" means devotion to denominational principles or interests. Hence you have, according to the web, over 20 different “brands” represented in Tecumseh: 1 -- Assembly of God church, 4 - Baptist churches, 1 - Bible church, 1 - Catholic church, 1 -- Church of God, 1 -- Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1 - Community church, 1 - Episcopal church, 1 -- Friends (Quaker) church, 1 --Jehovah's Witnesses church, 2 - Lutheran church, 1 - Methodist church, 1 - Nazarene church, 1 - Presbyterian church, 1 -- Seventh-day Adventist church, and ourselves. What is the difference?
It doesn’t take much studying before someone comes to the conclusion that it should not be this way. The Bible speaks so much of unity among those who follow Jesus. And some try to solve the problem by saying that they are non-denominational. With this term, they are trying to get across the idea that they are not a part of the divisions. But much of what is referred to as "non-denominational" is actually "inter-denominational." "Inter-denominational" accepts all beliefs; a true "non-denominational" rejects all man-made doctrines and strives to follow only what the Bible teaches. Indeed, that is the heritage of the church of Christ, although the term preferred historically is undenominational; meaning before division. The church of Christ seeks to follow the New Testament example and pattern for worship and for doctrine, “speaking only where the Bible speaks and being silent where the Bible is silent.” In other words, being only Christians.
There is a basic message that the name we call ourselves is intended to remind us of, which we are often not aware of or have forgotten. It is the simple fact that church of Christ is not a name brand, but an indicator of possession. It is an indicator that we are Christ’s church. The word church is simply a word translating the Greek word ecclesia, which means, “a called out people.” It was used of political parties, groups that gathered for a shared purpose or activity (like a club), and it was used to talk about subjects of a kingdom or those owned by a master. The New Testament writers used this word to emphasize that we have a new identity that is associated with Jesus. And this identity is ours because we belong to Jesus in a special way. How? Let’s notice a few statements:
"The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark. 10:45). The imagery implies that we are held in captivity from which only the payment of a ransom can set us free, and that the ransom is nothing less than the Messiah's own life. Our lives are forfeit; His life will be sacrificed instead. In death, Jesus takes our place, 1 Timothy 2:5-6, "Christ Jesus . . . gave Himself as a ransom for all men."
When indicating the costly price paid by Christ to ransom us, the commonest word used by the New Testament authors was neither "himself" nor His "life" but His "blood." It was "not with perishable things such as silver or gold," wrote Peter, "that you were redeemed . . . but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect" (1 Peter 1:18-19). The writer to the Hebrews, steeped as he was in sacrificial imagery, emphasized that Christ was victim as well as priest, since "He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood.” God in Christ has bought us with His own blood (Acts 20:28).
Jesus Christ has bought us with His blood; therefore, we belong to Him. This is the reason for the Sign Out Front! This fact should motivate us to holiness as individual Christians. Since He bought us … our bodies … our lives . . . our very being, are His. We have no business becoming slaves of anybody or anything else. Once we were the slaves of sin; now we are the slaves of Christ, and in His service we find true freedom. To whom do you belong? Something to think about . . .
The Sign Out Front
