Featured Is the Church of Christ a cult?

Absolutely. The word "cult" is thrown around way too much.

 

This thread seems to have diverted into a discussion of the shortcomings of Catholicism as well as commentary on John MacArthur vs. N. T. Wright. Let's get back to the Church of Christ for a bit. One misconception is that they are KJVO. They are not. I go to a Church of Christ in my town about once a year and I have never heard them read from the King James Bible. Like Baptists, they are very diverse in their choice of Bible translations.

Another thing, someone implied they are insular and exclusive. That may be true of some of the smaller congregations but the ones I am familiar with are open and welcoming. They also practice open communion.

As for whether they are a denomination, they are clearly just as much of a denomination as Southern Baptists, American Baptists, Reformed Baptists, etc. They have their own publishing house, Gospel Advocate in Nashville. They have a number of colleges and universities, the most prominent one in our area being David Lipscomb University in Nashville. They even have their own seminary, Sunset International Bible Institute in Lubbock, Texas. Yes, I know many of you don't regard "Baptist" as a denomination and that's OK. You can set yourself apart from Catholics and mainline Protestants by saying that fiction but, hey, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it's probably a duck.

 

MacArthur is excellent when it comes to new testament scripture until he gets to Revelations..he says that you can take the mark of the beast and still be saved! I was really disappointed when I heard him say that!

 

Well as for that rabbit -- I would never argue that nobody out there is handing out the not-a-christian label to JW's and Mormons etc. Certainly Walter Martin did it in his book "Kingdom of the Cults" and certainly MacArthur is prone to doing that as well.

I just don't find that very useful and it is more than a little misleading. It is much more valuable to identify the doctrines that they teach that are in opposition to the Bible than to get stuck on "labels" as if coming up with some "label" proves something.

Catholics excelled at coming up with "labels and name-calling" to condemn Protestants "with a mere label" to sway the illiterate masses. Not a good history on that one.

 

Talk about straining at the gnat and swallowing the camel!! I did not know he took a leap off of that cliff.

Do you have a reference for that?

 

There is a youtube video of him saying it and he validated it on his website! It's not hard to find! I was talking to pastor from Lamb and Lion ministry and he was shocked MacArthur had said it himself!

 

Either way it is the unforgivable sin because it is a rejection of Christ...MacArthur should never have went there! What he said was blatantly clear but he is wrong!

 

I believe the JEW, of that day, could not be "saved" from the wrath that was to come upon 'that generation' apart from the act of profession of water baptism.

38 And Peter said unto them, Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39 For to you is the promise, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call unto him.
40 And with many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, Save yourselves from this crooked generation. Acts 2

As much as some of you seem to resist the idea, God indeed AVENGED the murder of His Son on 'that generation' in culminating the Mosaic Covenant, along with the curses laid out in Lev 26/Dt 28 upon their progeny for generations to follow.

 

So we should never try to evangelize atheists, because they've rejected Christ already? I'm not sure I'm following.

 

I will make it clear to you what the bible says about taking the mark of the beast! I don't care how prominent MacArthur or anybody else is..God is the final and only authority!

Revelation 14:9-11King James Version (KJV)
9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand,

10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Scripture makes it clear you cannot be saved should you take the mark of the beast! How much clearer can it be?

 

I am at least a 4 point Calvinist myself..I just struggle with the idea of predestination!

 

I actually prefer to keep an open mind and stay away from man made doctrines but most would see me as a Calvinist I suppose..The bible is the ultimate authority I subscribe to! The bible tells us we don't need men to teach us..we have the anointing of the Holy Spirit that will teach us!

1 John 2:27King James Version (KJV)
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

BB seems to be having problems today!

 

That would mean the bible contradicts itself which it does not..understand that Paul was referring to spiritual gifts which do not exist today!