We hear a lot today about identity theft. Unscrupulous fellows have found ways to discover the social security numbers, addresses, names, dates of birth, and other information related to one’s identity and used such things for nefarious purposes. In some cases individuals have become indebted overnight for cars, motor homes, and real estate because they lost control of their unique financial identity.
Psychologists also like to talk about identity. They’re referring to individualism or uniqueness. When one’s sense of purpose evaporates like the morning mist, they “don’t know who they are anymore” and they seek help to rediscover their identity.
Not too many years ago, a gospel preacher said that the churches of Christ were in an identity crisis. He said that we were going to have to change our identity if we wanted to be relevant in the modern world. To be fair, there are some cultural things within the church that may change as the culture changes. Architecture styles change over time; technology changes; fashion changes; the way the culture does business may change. On the other hand, there are some things which must never change if we are to maintain our identity as the church of Christ. Let’s consider a few of those things.
First, we must not change our worship. I’m not talking about what song book we use, the order of the activities, or whether we use Power Point or not. I’m talking about our actions in worship: prayer ( 1 Timothy 2:8), singing ( Ephesians 5:19, Hebrews 13:15), hearing/studying God’s word ( 2 Timothy 2:15), giving ( 2 Corinthians 8-9), and observing the Lord’s Supper every first day of the week ( Acts 20:7). This includes respecting God’s roles of authority for men and women in worship as well ( 1 Timothy 2:8ff). How we worship affects our relationship with God as His people because God demands those who worship Him to do so in spirit and truth ( John 4:23-24). The churches of Christ are unique in their worship and that uniqueness defines our identity.
Second, we must not change God’s plan of salvation. Some in “Christendom” have gone so far as to say that even faith in Christ isn’t necessary for salvation. Some teach that faith alone is necessary even rejecting repentance. Most believe that baptism is not necessary for salvation. The Bible clearly teaches, however, that baptism is prerequisite to salvation ( Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:16, Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16, Romans 6:1-11, Colossians 2:11-13, Galatians 3:27, 1 Peter 3:21). Hebrews 5:9 teaches that obedience is as much a part of God’s plan for man’s salvation as anything else. We must not change our teaching regarding the necessity of baptism in God’s plan for man’s salvation.
Third, we must not change what the Bible teaches regarding the church. The church is a necessary institution for which Jesus died and shed His blood ( Acts 20:28). There is only one body ( Ephesians 4:4) which is the church and Christ is its head ( Ephesians 1:22-23). It is not a body composed of many bodies ( 1 Corinthians 1:10-13). It has for leadership elders which is to say, shepherds (pastors) and bishops. These men are appointed based upon the scriptural qualifications found in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. The churches of the New Testament are also always represented as having a plural number of these governors, not just one. If how the local church is governed is simply a matter of opinion then anything goes in the church. We must not change God’s pattern for the organization of the church.
Fourth, we must not change what the Bible teaches regarding morality. “Christendom” has already abandoned Bible teaching on the above subjects and now we are seeing it abandon Bible morality as well. We must not change God’s teaching on marriage, divorce, and remarriage ( Matthew 19:6, 9). We must not change God’s teaching regarding sexuality. We must not change God’s teaching regarding pure speech and godly living. The doctrine of once saved, always saved has wreaked terrible havoc in the church. We must be faithful to the Lord and to His church in order to be saved ( Revelation 2:10). We must withdraw from those who refuse to live faithfully ( 2 Thessalonians 3:6).
Some churches of Christ are experiencing an identity crisis because they have compromised on exactly these things. It just goes to show that we only have an identity crisis insomuch as we lack desire to allow the Bible to rule. If we don’t know who we are then we haven’t been studying The Book. Identity crises come from knowledge crises and God’s word tells us that lack of knowledge destroys ( Hosea 4:6). Let us be zealous, study, and apply what we learn faithfully so that we may maintain our identity as the church of Christ.