By: John Mitchell
The church of Christ, began 50 days after the resurrection of Jesus, on the day of Pentecost. On that day, Peter, and the other apostles, boldly preached the gospel to a large crowd of people. Approximately 3,000 people came forward to repent of their sins, and be baptized. (Acts 2:37-42) These first members of the body of Christ, were taught by the apostles, to obey the gospel, and to be faithfully committed to the will of God. They were expected to grow spiritually, and to boldly preach the gospel to others. In turn, those others would preach the gospel to others, and on, and on. The body of Christ kept growing, and increasing in the number of members.
Please keep this in mind, this increase of new Christians, was happening at a time when Christians were being persecuted, and killed, for being Christians. When a person became a Christian, it meant they were risking their lives to be a follower of Jesus, by obeying God’s plan of salvation for us. Because, in love for us, Jesus willingly died for us, they were willing to live for, and to die for Jesus. They could see that the law couldn’t save them. Nothing but the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, can save any of us! During the short time, compared to eternity, that they were going to be on this earth, the Christians were not going to let any persecution, or pain, or suffering, or even their own death, rob them of an eternity with God in heaven! Nothing was going to take their eternal salvation away from them! They risked their death, to share the gospel. Members of the early church of Christ, loved and respected God, and did not fear man, or what man could do to them.
Now, in this present time, the church of Christ membership is decreasing during a time of no persecution.
In today’s church of Christ, sadly, some members, love and respect man, and do not fear God, or the judgement of God. They do not share the gospel because it might offend someone, and they don’t want to risk not being liked by their friends. They keep their beliefs to themselves, because they wrongly say that their beliefs are personal, and not to be shared with others, who might not agree with them. Why is today’s church of Christ showing signs of dying? Some people have said, it is because the gospel, the word of God, is not as powerful, as it was back there in the beginning of the church? No! They are wrong! The following scriptures, and others also, show that Jesus and the word of God never change. God, through His scriptures, clearly shows us that the gospel is just as powerful today, as it always has been, and always will be. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the word was God.” (John 1:1) “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) “For I am the Lord, I do not change;” (Malachi 3:6) “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
I believe the decline in membership, is because of a decline, in the dedication, and obedience, to preach the gospel, on the part of some members. I’m including myself in this. I need to be more faithful in obeying God’s commandment, to preach the gospel to the lost. We live, and work, and socialize in the midst of a world of lost people, all around us, every day. If our children, and other family members, are not members of the body of Christ, they are also the lost. We need to be teaching the gospel to all the lost, for their salvation.
Do we preach the Gospel as boldly as the first members of the body of Christ did, in the early days of the church of Christ? I believe that in our time, the members of the body of Christ, are not out boldly preaching the gospel of Christ. If they have been, I would not have lived for 71 years, before anyone, ever asked me, if I knew anything about God’s plan of salvation, or invited me to attend a church of Christ worship service, or a bible study. After the resurrection of Jesus, He commanded His apostles and other followers, to preach the gospel to all people. (Acts 10:42) Jesus commanded us to be a hearer, and a doer, of the gospel. (James 1:22-26) If we are just hearing the gospel at worship service, and not studying it, and not living what we heard, and not sharing it with others, then the worship service to us, is just coming to a social club, to visit with some friends of ours. If we are not enduring some amount of hardship, or inconvenience, in our effort to preach the gospel to the lost, then, why are we not obeying, and serving God? In Matthew 10:22, and 24;13, and in Mark 13:13, they all say that, “If you endure to the end you will be saved.” No effort, no works of faith, no reward. Paul said, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2nd Timothy4:7) In Romans, 1:16 Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the Power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, to the Jew first, and also for the Greek.” Are we ashamed of the gospel? Are we ashamed that our churches are small, and that there are so many mega churches, with memberships in the many thousands. This is not a popularity contest, of the most popular belief, must be the right belief. The belief that follows and obeys, God’s plan of salvation for us, in the Bible, is the only true and right belief, no matter how many, or how few follow and obey it. Jesus said, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14)
There are many other churches. None of them were founded by Jesus. Each and every one of them were founded by people. Most were founded by men, some were founded by women. Remember the church of Christ, is, the church of Christ! The only one founded by Jesus Christ! Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6) “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21) (2ndPeter 3:9) tells us, that it is not the will of God that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Many scriptures tell us that it’s God’s will for us, that we seek the lost, and preach the gospel to the lost, and lead them to repentance. Whether or not they accept the gospel message is their free will decision. It is our duty, as a Christian, to present the gospel to them.
How long has it been, since you presented the gospel message to anyone?