RESTORING THE CHURCH TO ITS FORMER GLORY

By Bill Brandstatte

    My wife and I enjoy watching a television program where a young lady restores old houses. She says she restores them “to their former glory.”  We today need to restore the church to its former glory. When the Lord comes back He wants the church to be glorious. (Eph. 5:27)  Paul wrote, “To Him be glory in the church by Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 3:21)  What about the church today?  Does it look like what it did in the glorious days of the New Testament?  Let us consider some ways to restore the church to its former glory. 
    We need to get back to the name and identity of the church as the New Testament records. There are thousands of churches across our great land. These all have a variety of names, and have different teachings and ways of worship.  The early church bore the name of Christ. It was glorious because, He was its head.  All that was done was to glorify Him. In Eph. 1:22, 23, Paul declares that Jesus is the head of the body, His church. Then in Eph. 4:4, 5 Paul states there is one body.  Paul wrote that there should be no divisions. (1 Cor. 1:10) He taught and ordained the same thing in every church he visited. (1 Cor. 4:17; 1 Cor. 7:17) 
    Does this kind of unity exist today? Does the name the church wears really make a difference? In New Testament times the name pointed to God and Christ.  Often it was identified by location. 
    For example, Paul wrote to the “church of God which is at Corinth”. (1 Cor. 1:2). Paul mentions in Rom. 16:16; “The churches of Christ salute you.” The early church never wore the name of a man (Jn. 20:28). We see an amazing unity in passages that identify the church with God and Christ. 
    In Acts 20:28, the church is referred to as the “church of God”.  This passage also tells us that the church was purchased with the blood of Jesus. When He died, the church got its start.  Jesus was God before He was in the manger.  (Jn. 1:1)  He was also God when He came.  (Matt. 1:23)  He stated in John 10:30, “I and my Father are one.” Thomas confessed Jesus as, “My Lord, and My God”.  (Jn. 20:28)  We see an amazing unity in passages that identify the church with God and Christ. The Lord wants His church to be glorious. Let’s do all we can to make it that way. 

– Bill Brandstatter preaches for the Marion Church of Christ in Marion, IL. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://marionchurchofchrist.com/

Restored

By Don M Aycock & Mark Sutton

      Have you ever rummaged through your attic or your basement and found something you had forgotten that was important to you...? You look at that picture or hold that object, and your mind floods with memories that put a smile on your lips or a lump in your throat. You wonder how you could have forgotten about it because it was so important.
      King Josiah started a program of restoring the temple in Jerusalem, which had been neglected. In the process of the restoration, workmen found a book that had also been neglected. It was the "Book of the Law." Scholars believe that it was the book of Deuteronomy, or at least key portions of it. When Josiah heard its content, he was personally grieved, and then he led his people in a process of national reformation.
      The Word of God has that kind of power. How could anyone stand up to its strength and act unmoved?
Many people today ignore the Bible and act as if it were nothing but a dusty collection of ancient tales. But it has the power to restore men and nations to their proper relationship with God.
      Do you need restoration? Like Josiah, do you need to be shaken out of your ruts?

- From Don M Aycock & Mark Sutton, Still God’s Man, pg. 106; via The Central Message, the weekly bulletin of the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY.  Jim Faughn serves as an elder and preacher for the congregation.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website at: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org

Restoration Principles

1. The All-sufficiency and the Alone Sufficiency of the Scriptures.

2. The Right of Private Judgment in Matters of Opinion.

3. A “Thus Saith the Lord” in Matters of Faith and Practice.

4. Christian Unity on the Basis of the New Testament Authority.

5. Calling Bible Things by Bible Names.

6. Disavowal of Human Creeds.

7. Christ the Only Creed.

8. The Name Christian to Be Worn to the Exclusion of All Human Designations.

9. The Autonomy of the Local Congregation.

10. Recognition of the Authority of Christ.

11. Rightly Dividing (Handling Aright) the Word of Truth.

12. Conditions of Pardon Preached as Set Forth in the New Testament.

13. Restoration of the Church of the New Testament, in Creed, Name, Doctrine, Order, Membership and Worship.

14. Lives Lived Obedient to the Righteousness of God.
[This list is from the Green’s Lake Road church of Christ bulletin. It did not give credit to authorship, origin, etc., but the contents are something every generation needs to know—Shane]

- Via The Lake Hills Letter, the weekly bulletin of the Lake Hills church of Christ in Chattanooga, TN. Shane Robinson preaches for the congregation. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://lhcoc.org/