Please note that on this page, you will have available to you a link to all Scripture references referred to here. A separate and smaller window will open up with the Scripture you click, so you can read the actual text we are referring to. I will try, also, to provide more than one translation (in the future), to help you in your understanding of the Scripture. The window will have a close button on it where you can close it and continue where you left off.
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NOTE: Clicking on the Scripture References underlined will bring up the text of that verse. |
Christ Is Our Creed
There is one creed which all Christians believe and follow: "I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God." (Matthew 16:16) This is our creed.
We have no additional creed. The belief of the church is stated fully and completely in the Bible. There is no other manual or discipline which the members of the church follow. The Scripture guides us to eternal life.
Christ founded His Church upon Himself, and not upon a book, a statement, or a series propositions. Jesus Christ is the creed of the church in the New Testament. It is the only statement of faith that the Bible requires of anyone who wants to become a Christian. Man-made creeds are often barriers to unity of the followers of the Son of God: THEY SHOULD BE REMOVED.
Christ is the creed upon which this congregation, this Christian Church is founded.
We Wear The Name Of Christ
AS PERSONS, WE WEAR HIS NAME:
The Bible refers to the church as the bride of Christ. Now the bride should wear the bridegroom's name; not the name of the bridegroom's friend, John the Baptist, not the name of the Bridegroom's servants; Luther, Calvin, Wesley, or Campbell. The name "Christian" was enough to distinguish the early followers of Christ. The name Christian is still good enough. Other names create division and strife. It is enough to be a Christian. We would persuade people to be Christians, and have all of Christ's people wear Christ's name. (Acts 11:26)
AS CONGREGATIONS, WE WEAR HIS NAME:
Since the church belongs to Christ, congregations also wear His name, the Christian Church or the Church of Christ. We refuse to wear any name but His. His name will some day be exalted above every name. (Philippians 2:9-11)
Can you think of a better name for a person or a church to wear than "Christian?"
God's Plan Of Salvation
God's Plan of Salvation is recorded in the Bible, and answers the question, WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED? Because of God's love and grace, He has recorded this plan:
You must BELIEVE in the Lord Jesus Christ.
You must REPENT of your sins.
What is Repentance?
You must CONFESS your faith in Jesus Christ
You must be BAPTIZED.
| In every case, immersion is indicated as the New Testament method of baptism. | ||
You must be FAITHFUL until death. Then the Lord will take you to Heaven where you shall dwell with Him forever.
Remember, God gave His Plan of Salvation, not to suit you but to save you.
The Lord's Baptism
HAVE YOU BEEN BAPTIZED AS CHRIST COMMANDS?
Unfortunately, Baptism is often the subject of argument and division. See what the Scripture says about it. Baptism is a command of the New Testament.
| There is one Baptism. (Ephesians 4:5) |
1. What is the purpose of Baptism?
| Washing away of sin. | |
| Remission of sin and gift of the Holy Spirit. | |
| Into Christ and put on Christ. | |
| Show His death, burial and resurrection. | |
| Walk in newness of life. | |
| Salvation and entrance into the kingdom. | |
| Go on way rejoicing. |
2. Who may be Baptized?
| Believers (old enough to believe) | (Mark 16:16) (Acts 18:8) (Acts 8:12) |
| Those old enough to learn and obey. | (Matthew 28:19-20) |
| Those who repent. | (Acts 2:38) |
| Those who would confess Christ. | (Matthew 10:32) (Acts 8:37) |
How is baptism performed?
Baptism Requires |
Immersion |
Sprinkling |
|
| Much water | (John 3:23) |
Yes |
No |
| Going to the water | (Acts 8:36) |
Yes |
No |
| Going down into the water | (Acts 8:38) |
Yes |
No |
| Coming up out of the water | (Acts 8:39) |
Yes |
No |
| Burial, Resurrection | (Romans 6:4) (Colossians 2:12) |
Yes |
No |
| A birth | (John 3:5) |
Yes |
No |
The Lord's Supper
Communion
The purpose of the Lord's supper is threefold:
1. Why?
It's a memorial. Jesus said, "This do in remembrance of me."
(Luke 22:19)
It is communion with Christ. "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?"
(I Corinthians 11:26)
2. Who?
When Christ instituted the Lord's Supper, He gave it to His Followers. He has never taken it from them. Today the Lord's Table is spread for all His people. To the Lord's Table we can neither invite nor bar. The communion is personal between a Christian and His Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Lord's Supper for all the Lord's children.
3. When?
We learn that breaking of bread had it's prominent part in worship of the early church. (Acts 2:42; Acts 20:7) The New Testament Christians met every Lord's Day to partake of the Lord's Supper.
The church for many centuries observed the Lord's Supper weekly. John Calvin said, "The change was a contrivance of the devil." John Wesley advised his people to spread the Table each week.
Christ Is The Head
"(God) hath put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that fillith all in all." (Ephesians 1:22-23)
Christ Is The Head Of The Church
For centuries men and councils have ruled the church. Often their intentions have been honorable. But religious chaos all around us shows us that men have failed. Let us have confidence in our Lord's ability to lead and govern His church.
How can Christ rule? First, Christ promised to send His Holy Spirit into our lives to "teach us all things" (John 14:26). The presence of His Spirit is promised (Acts 2:38). We need to be lead by His Spirit (Romans 8:14). Second, we have His Word, the Bible, which shows God's plan for the church.
How can Christ be the head of the church today? He leads His church by His Spirit and by His Word. Often we at Christian Church Of Santa Clara block His way and we fail. But our goal is to let Him lead by His Spirit and by His Word.
Christ Is The Head Of Our Worship
The hymns sung, the prayers offered, the sermons heard are all centered on Christ. He is the subject of every worship service. Even the money we bring in worship shows our love for Christ.
For us, the highlight of each worship service is the Lord's Supper. We gather as a family of God to remember Christ in a vivid way. He wants us to remember Him in this way (I Corinthians 11:23-30).
Christ Is The Head Of Our Individual Faith
"Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with the patience the race which is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." (Hebrews 12:1-20) He is the author and the finisher of our faith. Without Him we have nothing-no faith, no hope, no salvation, no pattern for daily life, no example to follow, no goal to achieve. We look to Him as the Head of our lives.
Who Needs The Church?
The church needs you - however, you need the church. You can ignore the message of the church at the risk of losing your soul. Christ chose the church as His tool for the sharing of His message. The church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23) and the bride of Christ (Ephesians 5:25-27).Everyone needs the church. The church dare not leave people alone until all men come to Christ and His church.
Edgar A. Guest said, "To say that I don't need the church is mere bravado. I needed it when my father died. I needed it when we were married, and I shall need it again sooner or later, and need it badly. I am in good health now and could, I suppose, get along nicely for a time - But what sort of a man is he who scorns and neglects his best friend until his hour of tribulation? If Sunday finds you not among those who gather together to worship God, how will you dare presume upon Him in time of stress and trouble and sorrow? The church will never refuse to help you. She calls! Do you dare refuse her?"
What About The Christian Church?
Early in the nineteenth century there was an unrest among the churches in America. Many in all denominations believed that the followers of Christ should lay aside the traditions of men and go back to church and the New Testament.
Walter Scott, James O' Kelly, Barton W. Stone, Thomas Campbell, and Alexander Campbell were among the brave pioneers of the frontier who said, "Discard all denominational names, creeds, and the divided spirit." These men appealed to all believers to be "Christians and Christians only." There purpose was not to start another denomination, but to call the people back to the church of the New Testament. They desired to restore the unity and simplicity of the early church as it existed before it was corrupted. Their goal was to be the church as it is described in the New Testament.
That is our goal today.
OUR PLEA IS STILL A PLEA FOR THE RESTORATION OF THE CHURCH DESCRIBED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. IN NAME, ORGANIZATION, WORSHIP, DOCTRINE, SPIRIT AND PRACTICE.
The plea is needed and relevant to our day.
Questions And Answers About The Church
What Is The Church?
The church is composed of Christian believers, who have accepted Christ, obeyed the gospel, and remain faithful. (Colossians 1:18; Acts 2:47) The church is neither Protestant nor Roman Catholic. It is the "body of Christ" which is described in the Scriptures.
Is The Church God's Or Man's?
It is God's in the sense that He planned, purchase, and built it. Christ is the Head of the church (Matthew 16:18; I Corinthians 1:2)
When Did The Church Begin?
The church began on Pentecost, ten days after the ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit came in power inspiring the Apostles to proclaim the gospel message of redemption for the first time, and 3,000 people repented and were baptized. (Acts 2)
What Is The Purpose Of The Church?
The church is to teach the gospel, to make disciples, to baptize penitent believers, and to teach them: "to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." (Matthew 28:19-20)
Let the church help you know God.
What To Expect From Us
You can expect a friendly Christian welcome.
You can expect to find a group of Christians assembled to worship God through Jesus Christ His Son. The worship consists of hearing a Bible's message, praying, singing, observing the Lord's Supper and giving our tithes and love offerings. We strive to worship as Christ directs in His Word.
You can expect these Christians to have a wholesome respect for the Bible, the sole and complete authority in Christianity today.
You can expect to hear everyone urged to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. All will be entreated to BELIEVE in Christ (John 8:24), to REPENT (Luke 13:3-5), to CONFESS CHRIST (Matthew 10:32), and to be BAPTIZED INTO CHRIST (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38). All Christians are urged to be faithful in worshipping and serving the Lord as the New Testament teaches.
You can expect classes, activities and programs for all ages.
What Type Of Church Government?
We have no earthly headquarters. Christ is the head of the church. (Colossians 1:18) Each congregation follows Christ and His teachings. The New Testament tells of no organization larger than the local congregation.
What type of government does the church use? Our government is congregations. The elders (mature Christian men chosen by the congregation) are the main leaders. But all members are consulted when major decisions are made. The elders, like all Christians, are to follow the teaching and the Spirit of Jesus Christ.
Who are officers of the church? In the New Testament times there were five offices: apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors, and teachers. (Ephesians 4:11) The apostles and prophets were temporary offices that were eliminated after the church was well established. Today we have three offices: pastors, teachers, and evangelists. In the New Testament the terms "pastor, elders, and bishop" refer to the same office They are the shepherds of the flock.
Another office is mentioned, deacon. The deacon is "to serve or to minister" to the business of the church. (Acts 6) and (I Timothy 3:8-13)
To fulfill legal and business needs, the church also has trustees.
We Belong to NO Denomination
Christianity thrived for centuries before denominations began. The New Testament tells all about the church but does not mention denominations. Changes in the church are recorded in man's history but not in the Bible.
Did the 3,000 people who were baptized on Pentecost (Acts 2) belong to a denomination? NO! They simply followed Christ. That is all we need to do today. Be a Christian without belonging to a denomination.
Denominationalism divides Christians into groups and makes them a certain type of Christian. Denominations place importance on names and practices which are not found in the Bible. Division and man-made ideas confuse people and may cause people to miss Christ. What sin!
But the merger of denominational offices will not produce Christian unity. Mergers produce larger denominations. Mergers result in making a powerful super church. We fear this. Europe has suffered from super churches for centuries. How can we heal the divisions without creating the "super church?"
We plead for the denominations to eliminate those barriers which make one man a Presbyterian, another a Methodist, another a Baptist, another a Congregationalists, etc. The Bible only will make Christians only. No man can improve upon the requirements of the Bible. Let all churches follow the Bible as their only authority. Only in God's book can we find God's will for the church.
Christ Is Everything
Christ said to Peter ," I will build my church." The church is His. (Matthew 16:18) "For other foundation can no man lay than which is laid, which is Jesus Christ."(I Corinthians 3:11) Since the church belongs to Christ, we wear His Name, only. Christ is the Head of the Church, He is our creed-the creed that needs no revision. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
In answer to life's most important question, "What must I Do?", we answer as Peter did, "Repent and be Baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) We practice the New Testament baptism-immersion of the penitent believer in water to shoe death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. (Romans 6:4)
We observe the Lord's Supper each Lord's Day, "And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them." (Acts 20:7) This indicates weekly communion.
The Scripture alone sets our rules of faith and practice. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (II Timothy 3:16-17) Where the Book speaks, we speak; where the Book is silent, we are silent.
Christians are to give to the work of the church. "Freely ye received, freely give," is the admonition of Christ. Jesus said, "These are the things you should have done, (referring to tithing) without neglecting the others." (Matthew 23:23) Paul urges, "On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come." (I Corinthians 16:2)
Christ said He would come again. Speaking of the Lord's Supper, Paul said, "For as often as you eat this bread, and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He come." (I Corinthians 11:26) "You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect." (Luke 12:40)
You see, Christ is everything to us. What is He to you? The Christians at Christian Church Of Santa Clara will help you find Him. Give us that chance to help you meet the Master.