A RESPONSE TO FALSE CHARGES

On Monday, March 27, 2006, Nancy Grace hosted a prime-time segment on CNN about the recent tragedy that occurred in Selmer, Tennessee. She had a number of guests on the program, most of whom attempted to offer some insight to the legal situation as it unfolds. One of her guests, however, was there for a different reason.

Grace asked Tom Ruhkala, a Baptist minister, “I’ve been researching the Church of Christ. I don’t know that much about it. What can you tell me?” Why Grace chose to have a Baptist on the program to tell her about the “Church of Christ” is beyond me. Ruhkala’s response was full of misconceptions and untruths. Let’s examine a few of those false charges leveled against the bride of Christ.

1) “Well, the Church of Christ is a relatively new church. It was started about 150 years ago by Alexander Campbell.” The church of Christ actually dates back nearly 2000 years to the Day of Pentecost, around 30 A.D. Beginning then, all who repent and are baptized for the remission of sins are added to the church by the Lord (Acts 2:47). Alexander Campbell did not start the church of Christ, though he did do a great deal of good to bring restoration ideals to the minds of people and he is to be commended for that.

2) “And it’s, unfortunately, a very legalistic sect, and they tend to use methods of intimidation and pressure tactics.” Legalism is defined, “Strict, literal adherence to the law or to a particular code, as of religion or morality” (dictionary.reference.com/search?q=legalism). Normally, in a religious context this term is used derogatorily and carries with it the connotation that the laws which are bound by man are not bound by God. Certainly, we do not seek to obey commands that are non-existent or to make up new laws for man to obey; such is squarely against New Testament teaching (Revelation 22:18-19). We do, however, seek to obey all that God has commanded His followers as we “diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). The Scriptures tell us that Christ “became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:9), thus we want to obey Him in all things.

Concerning “methods of intimidation and pressure tactics,” it is possible that Ruhkala has confused the Lord’s church with the International Churches of Christ (“Boston Movement”), a group that does use anti-Biblical methods in order to gain converts to their religion. The Lord’s church, however, does not use such “tactics.”

3) “Well, they claim that if you’re not baptized by one of their ministers, that you’re doomed to hell.” Ruhkala here makes an allegation without any proof, and it is not a new allegation. Denominationalists have long accused the Lord’s church with this very thing, but it is without any merit whatsoever. If the person being baptized understands what he is doing, that it is for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38), and that the Lord will add him to His church (Acts 2:47), then it matters not who is administering the baptism.

As to the necessity of baptism for salvation, that is clearly revealed in God’s Word. Read Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:3-6, Galatians 3:27, and I Peter 3:21. How can one read these passages and still believe that baptism is not required by the Lord?

4) “It kind of is a borderline cult, unfortunately….The tactics that they use are sometimes just – not only un-biblical but unethical, and they can be very ungracious, unfortunately.” In what sense is the church of Christ a cult? According to Ruhkala, his assessment is based on the “exclusivism” of the church. He calls it a “narrow sect.” It’s ironic that he should use those words. Jesus described the way unto life as “narrow” (Matthew 7:14); that way was considered a “sect” in the first century as well, and “every where it is spoken against” (Acts 28:22).

Things have not changed much in the past 2 millennia. We must “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (I Peter 3:15). Do not let errorists such as Tom Ruhkala intimidate you, but rather “be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58).