Do people still say, “the Church of Christ think they are the only ones going to heaven”? An expression I haven’t heard in a long time was mentioned in a Bible class at church last night. I just can’t imagine anyone would still ask that about us today unless they heard it from an older generation of Church of Christ folks. In fact I’m 55 years old and no one ever seriously asked me that question when they found out I was going to the Church of Christ. It was like an urban legend. You heard about its happening, but never experienced it. However, there are those of the Church of Christ persuasion that claim it is true and has happened to them. Oh, and before I go any further…No, we don’t believe we are the only ones going to heaven. God would be mighty lonely in heaven if that were true.
Christians, followers of Jesus, seekers, sinners, righteous, faithful believers in the Son of God are the only ones going to heaven. I don’t believe that Elijah was a member of the local Church of Christ or any other fellowship when he was taken up to heaven. Christ had not been born in the manger yet, so how could he? What’s more, Jesus was Jewish! A Rabbi! Not a member of The Church of Himself.
In Hebrews 11, Paul writes about many men from ancient times that were made righteous through their faith in what they could not see. He writes that God has prepared a place for them. Therefore, we see it is the faithful, righteous believers that will go to heaven.
(Hebrews 11: 13b-16) …And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. 14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
That country the strangers are searching for is not the Church of Christ. When we hear about the wars, death, pain, and suffering the Evil One is causing on earth, all of mankind should long for a better place. That place is heaven where we won’t cry, have pain, or die. We can’t be so ignorant as to believe that Church of Christ Christians are the only ones that long for a better place. How absurd to even think that would be true!
To my Church of Christ brethren, let’s squelch this urban legend right now. Make it a page on the Snopes website and people can see that it simply isn’t true. Let’s teach them it isn’t true by our acceptance of fellow Christians of all faiths to illustrate that the same blood of Jesus saves us all. Our mission should be more about getting the Good News about Jesus Christ out to the people who truly don’t know Him, than trying to answer absurd questions. Questions or responses to questions about which church is going to heaven should never even come up in our conversations. Let us not put thoughts into people’s minds who are trying to formulate opinions about Christians by bringing up old rumors. Drive that old topic over the cliff with the demonized swine. Don’t rescue it by dragging it up again in any conversation about God.
The Church of Christ is part of a diverse family of Christians created by God. It isn’t your church affiliations that will save and give you a home in heaven. Christians are believers in Jesus Christ and follow his teachings to be born again. Christians, not a particular religious group, believe they are going to heaven.
2 comments:
I never heard this growing up except from Church of Christ people themselves, making light of our own heritage. It was included with jokes about dancing.
However, I will say that it doesn't help matters much that most Churches of Christ won't fellowship with other denominations. Even on a small scale I think that most congregations will join other's of different denominations at various functions. And why not? But, if the idea was ever discussed in a CoC setting, it was scandal. I know that Chad took some kids to a couple of things that were extra-denominational and he felt the need to keep that fact quiet. Why should he? It's ridiculous. If you want that stereotype/rumor to go away, it's going to take some active steps and not word of mouth.
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