OBSERVABLE CHANGES

In my lifetime I have observed many changes in our society, some good, others bad. In the last 20 years I have seen several changes appearing in our churches.

Until recently our formal greeting for fellow-Christians was "Brother or Sister Smith, or Jones." For many it is now Mr. or Ms. From the Scripture, we learned that Peter referred to Paul as "our beloved brother Paul" (II Pet. 3:15). Jesus said to his disciples, "all ye are brethren" (Matt. 23:8). He pointed to his disciples and said, "Behold, my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother" (Matt. 12:49-50). Paul said, "ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:27). Since all Christians are children of a common Father in heaven, we must of necessity be brothers and sisters in Christ.

In days past our brethren reserved the use of brother and sister to those who were fellow-members of the body of Christ. When addressing or referring to those of other religious bodies they generally spoke of them as Mr. or Mrs. since they were not members of the Lord's church. Now, with the new ecumenical spirit brought in by the promoters of the change movement, I fully expect we will be hearing some folks referring to Bro. Brown of the Episcopal Church, or Bro. Black of the Catholic Church Or Bro. White of the Baptist Church.

In days past when a preacher of the church of Christ spoke of "the church" he meant the church of Christ, that particular church which Christ built, the church revealed in the New Testament. It was not used to identify the Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox or any other denomination, cult or sect. Now however, change agents commonly speak of "the church" with clear reference to the Roman Catholic Church even in those centuries of her cruel and bloody persecution of believers like us who dared to defy her in their attempt to serve Christ. To change agents, the church includes all their denominational neighbors, no matter how foreign their faith and worship be to the New Testament of Christ. Strangely those champions of change no longer view the church of Christ of which they are members to be the church of Christ that Jesus built!

The term Christian was used primarily to refer to fellow members of the church of Christ. They were in the Lord's kingdom because they had been born of water and Spirit (John 3:3-5). They were in Christ, since they had been baptized into him (Gal. 3:26-27). They claim to be Christians, without denominational affiliation (I Pet. 4:16). They took the Bible alone as their standard for their faith, worship and practice. They wore only the name Christian and eschewed all denominational suffices. Now agents of change extend the honorable name Christian to any and all who confess Christ, regardless of their denominational connection or their imperfections of their faith and practice. Even those who preach another gospel (Gal. 1:6-9) are afforded this sacred name.

These, among many other items, are the changes being introduced into the faith and practice of Christ's church.
What will be the end thereof?
JHW