Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-04-30
WHY / AM A
CHRISTIAN ONLY
(BY GILBERT JONES'


Church, or Disciples of Christ, which
is represented in this city by the
'rwcnty-fonrth Street Church of
Christ, and the Thirtieth Street Chris
tan church,
We usually hear the question asked,
Arc you Il church member, or TO what
church do you belong? AS if all that
was necessary to salvation was to
have ones name enrolled as n member
of some organization, or as If God had
more than one church-the Church of
Christ. Again we hear the question,
Arc you Methodist. Baptist, Prcsby-
tcrian, etc, and occasionally we hear
the question presented in a very hum
bic and modest form, Arc you Il Chris
tan?
What is a Christian? One who loves
Christ supremacy and obcys him from
the heart implicitly, as commanded In
the New Testament. What docs il
mean To be Christian only? That |
recognize no authority binding upon
me that is not found in the Bible; that
| am free from the theological spccll-
laiions Of men; that am content to lie
known simply as a follower of Christ,
tons; rcpdiating the doctrines, crceds
and opinions OF men as tests of mem
bcrsliip in the church; AMI that stand
upon Christ as my only hope OF saliva
ton. | am Il Christian only:
|. Because | recognize only the
authority Of Christ, who declared
tMatt. xviii, 1S): IAN authority in
heaven and on earth Is given unto me-"
If all authority in heaven and on earth
was given unto Christ, what authority
is there left for the church or any
body of men to change The ordinances
Of Chris''s appointment, or to sub.
tract from or add to his institutions
tosuit the tastes and convcnicnccs of
preachers anu people?
!. ,lcnoupcc the assumption of &C.
clcsiastical councils, synods, confer.
encrs, prcbytcricS, popcs, priests and
bishops TO lcgislatc in matters of faith
and conscience; such an assumption
the Biblo clearly shows To he con
10. III. Pct. Xxx. 81; IL. Tim. iii. IG, lO,
and experience has sadly demonstrated
II To be the cnuse of all the contentious
and divisions among religious people
the world over.
'fhth NSiiISl III tuC peSlilllIilS, vi
his ministry Matt. Iii. 1910 submit
ted TO baptism In order to fulfill all
righteousness, and embodied II i'm his
commission (Matt. xviii. 19)-his last
will and testamcnt--as the initiatory
rite into His church, no one has
authority to lcgi3latc for his church,
as was done by the Niccnc and other
councils and the falsely so-callcd in.
fallIblc pope Of Rome in 1911 and The
arrogant ecclesiastical bishops of
England in 1913, by changing baptism
from immersion to sprinkling.
! 3. Christ instituted 1.-The loaf and
the ciIp''-thc Lords Supper to com.
mcmOratc his broken body and shed
blood Matt XVI. 1928; |. Cor. ri.
23-2W. and to he observed OH the
memorial day Of his resurrection,
bringing life and Immortality to light
the first day Of the week (Acts Ii.
AZ; Xxx. O-and whoever so assumes
authority rs to lcgislate to change IL
10 once month, once in three months,
or once n year, or take IL away entire
~, as has been done by Roman Cath.
OliciSm and Protestant ccclcsiasticism,
such a one places himself outside the
domain Of the Church of Christ and its
blessings; and am Christian only
because the love of Christ con
strancth me" to observe tho ordi-
nanccs of baptism according to
Christ's symbol and command (Mat.
xviii, 10; John iii. S. Rom. vi. 3-G),
and the Lords Supper according to
the Masters desire and appointment
q. Cor. XII. 1929; Acts Xx ~
II. Because the divine authority de-
mands OF me TO rest upon the ono
divine foundation U. Cor. ill., ~; not
on human creed. tradition, ordinance
or discipline, but on the Foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Jesus
Christ being the chief cornerstone
tEph. ii. 90; Matt. xvi 1919. Isaiah
declared a foundation Elsa. xviii. lG),
and Paul and Peter leave no doubt
who that foundation was e. Cor iii.
II; !. Pet. ii. 800. Tho Church of
Christ. or the kingdom of heaven. is
founded upon p pcrson-,Jcslis Christ
as its King and Ruler, and his will
or authority is the supreme law, and
no man, or set of men, however good
or pure, can make laws or regulations
Tor his kingdom or set aside those he
has made. When Christ speaks, all
controversy ends; no appeal from his
decisions tMatt. xviii. 1S), and no
man has authority to abrogatc his
laws Cor j. IS; J. Pet. iv. ~; no
man has a right to change an ordi-
nance Of God tDcut. iv. 9; Rev. xxi.
is. 1!), nor right To darkcn or OBJ.
sciirc the word of God by writing out
discipline. confession or creed, and
then persuade men and women 10 ac.
ccpt his views or rules as authority in
the church IL Pet /. 20, u: ]. Cor l..
10; |. Cor. iii. IL II. Tim. Ill 1G, ~.
III. Because desire to he "a part
OF the church that alone Is fashioned
after the New Testament model in it's
organization. order anu administration
(Enh. ~. HIN q fhurch .ihnI cnn.