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The Amish Voice 14
Christianity Without Christ
As ridiculous as it may sound, I'm afraid
that many religious people and
organizations are attempting to practice
Christianity without Christ. Some have
been doing it for so long that they don't
even know they are doing it. Once
again, I'm going to lay most of the blame
on institutional and denominational
religion.
As I study the history of the early New
Testament church in the book of Acts, I
read that disciples of
Christ were first called
Christians in a town
called Antioch (Acts
11:26). Prior to that,
disciples of Christ were
simply referred to as
members or followers of
"The Way" (Acts 9:2 and
24:14).
The early church did not
have church buildings to
meet in. It did not have
pews to sit in. There
were no clergy or earthly hierarchy. The
early Christians met in one another's
homes. They almost always shared a
meal together. They met whenever and
wherever they could.
In the first century, there were many
different groups of Christians in different
parts of the world – but Christians were
Christians no matter where they were.
They were disciples or followers of
Christ – and that's all. There were no
divisions or denominations. In 1
Corinthians 3:3-5, we find that a few of
the early Christians tried to create
divisions within the church. The apostle
Paul quickly put a stop to this.
The early church was referred to as the
body of Christ, with each individual
Christian being a part of it (1 Corinthians
12:27). Jesus is the head of this body
(Colossians 1:18). God created the
church to be a living and active organism
based entirely around Jesus Christ –
NOT on anyone or anything else; and
that is exactly the way it should
be. After all, it was Jesus Christ who
paid the penalty for the sins of the
world. It was Jesus Christ who provided
a way for mankind to be reunited with
God. It was Jesus Christ who provided a
way for us to escape eternal
damnation. In John 14:6, Jesus said,
“I
am the way, the truth, and the life: no
man cometh unto the Father, but by
me.
How can we build a church or a
religion around or on anything or anyone
else?
In the little town of Cheyenne Wells,
Colorado, there are at least five different
churches – all with a different name and
a different set of doctrines and
beliefs. Folks, that is absolutely
ridiculous!
I am sorely afraid that many of today’s
so-called Christians spend more time
worshiping
their
man-made
denominations, doctrines, traditions,
buildings, programs, etc. than they spend
worshipping their Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ. Basically, they are serving and
worshipping themselves. God forgive
them!
The following is a portion of a prayer
Jesus prayed shortly before he was
arrested and crucified. He started out
praying for himself, and then he prayed
for his disciples. Finally, he prayed for
all future believers:
Neither pray I for these alone, but for
them also which shall believe on me
through their word; that they all may
be one; as thou, Father,
art in me, and I in thee,
that they also may be
one in us: that the
world may believe that
thou hast sent me. And
the glory which thou
gavest me I have given
them; that they may be
one, even as we are
one: I in them, and thou
in me, that they may be
made perfect in one;
and that the world may
know that thou hast sent me, and hast
loved them, as thou hast loved me
(John
17: 20-23).
Christianity without Christ is NOT
Christianity, and it will NOT save
us. As I said before, we need to get back
to the fundamental teachings and
practices of the New Testament
church. The things that we do need to
be based on Christ and the teachings of
Christ. We need to do whatever we can
to make Jesus' prayer (above) come true.
In 2 Timothy 3:1-5, the apostle Paul
warns about godlessness in the last
days. He says the so-called religious
people will not be lovers of
God. Instead, they will be lovers of
Dangers of the 20th Century, Parts 2 & 3
—By Kit Pharo
—Continued on next page—
CHRISTIAN
without
CHRIST
IAN
=
I A
m
N
othing
John 15:4-5
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of
itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him,
the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.