Whenever people use the wrong frame of reference for thinking about a subject, their conclusions will be skewed to the degree that their frame of reference misrepresents the subject. If we want to think clearly and accurately about a subject, we must begin with the proper frame of reference.

To illustrate the need for identifying and using a proper frame of reference, consider a researcher attempting to reconstruct a 25 member family tree out of a photographic database of 100 different people representing a span of 95 years. If the researcher's reconstruction of familial relationships is only based upon the physical characteristics in the photos and the apparent age of the photo, this could provide some clues and probably yield some accurate conclusions. Invariably, however, such a method would also introduce some error. Physical appearance is not the appropriate paradigm for trying to reconstruct someone's genealogy.

If we want to think clearly and accurately about a subject, we must begin with the proper frame of reference. When analyzing sectarianism, denominationalism and the Lord's church, we need to first understand the correct paradigm for speaking about being God's people. Even the ecumenical Catholic scholar Hans Küng has admitted, "There is so much that is called Christian. But is it all Christian just because it is called Christian? .... No, with the best will in the world I cannot call it Christian" (Hans Küng, Why I am Still A Christian, p. 30) Even those who are ecumenical realize that there is a need to have a principle for identifying what is truly Christian. Similarly, to speak biblically about the Lord's church will require beginning with a biblical perspective.

To seek an accurate understanding of the Lord's one church (Ephesians 4:4) in our world today, need not be an unhealthy excursion into an overactive exercise of judging. Actually, it is fundamental for whether I can know and have confidence that I am truly a member of the Lord's church.

The Right Questions

Scripture states, "The Lord knows those who are his." 2 Timothy 2:19 What matters is how God and Christ identify the Lord's church. Accordingly, those questions which should be important to us regarding the Lord's church are: Are we capable of understanding the Lord's perspective on who he considers to be his people? Can I know if Jesus would claim that I am in the body of Christ?

While some might regard it as a lofty goal or even arrogant to claim to be able to know the Lord's perspective, it is not haughty if scripture has revealed it to us. If people desire to understand who the Lord recognizes as members of his one church, there is the need to understand the principle by which the Lord identifies his people. Only if we can know what this principle is and if it is something which we can apply to our religious context, does it become possible for us to accurately identify whether we or anyone else belongs to the Lord's one true church.

After the first section of this article wades through a number of common but I would suggest erroneous perspectives for speaking about the Lord's church, the latter part will attempt to allow scripture to describe how the Lord recognizes those who belong to the one church. Accordingly, if we wish to speak and think biblically about the one church, we would need to adopt such a perspective.

The Wrong Frameworks

The Wrong Framework: Titles of Churches

It has been my experience that many people both within our fellowship as well as outside of it often attempt to speak about the Lord's church through using the titles of modern religious fellowships. The diversity of opinion has ranged from "all (or these) churches are groups within the Lord's one church" (denominationalism) to "only those who meet in buildings with our name belong to the true church" (sectarianism). Admittedly, the use of fellowship titles as a means for speaking about whether certain church fellowships are understood to be included or excluded from the Lord's church can be a type of shorthand for describing different doctrinal practices that could be deemed critical.

At best, speaking about the Lord's church by using the framework of fellowship titles provides a simple manner for applying some other more fundamental principle to our religious context. At worst, the use of fellowship titles has degraded into fallacious equivocation, that is, assuming that because I can read the name of my fellowship within scripture that this proves my fellowship is or is part of the Lord's true church. For example, just because a scriptural phrase is used by modern humans to designate their own religious fellowship proves nothing about how God might view that group. Furthermore, to take a biblically descriptive phrase and transform it into a title for distinguishing one group from another involves using a biblical phrase in a manner foreign to how it was used in scripture. It would be naive and simplistic to claim that just because a modern fellowship employs the same title as a descriptive phrase found in scripture that it is therefore the same entity in God's eyes.

The modern use of biblical phrases have as their foundation the claims of man without any guarantee that God agrees. Even biblical phrases such as: churches of Christ, church of the firstborn and church of God can not be a reliable standard for accurately identifying the Lord's church. While it is appropriate at the very least to use biblical designations for speaking of ourselves, the necessary framework for speaking accurately about the Lord's church must be anchored in something other than the titles which well-intentioned human beings have affixed to their church fellowships. If we wish to possess a biblical understanding regarding who the Lord recognizes as his people, we must use the same principle the Lord uses.

The Wrong Framework: Historical Continuity

Some might describe the boundaries of the Lord's church within our religious context by pointing to an unbroken historical lineage through constructing a continuous institutional existence or a succession of institutional leadership. However, from scripture it is clear that, while it might be possible for God's people to have a traceable unsevered lineage, the mere fact that a particular tradition might have the ability to lay claim to a continuous historical link to some anchor point in the past proves nothing about whether the Lord will recognize the modern group as being his own.

Most of Christendom will immediately acknowledge that one form of historical lineage, physical descent, is clearly not the means by which God recognizes his people. By demonstrating that not all of those descended from Abraham were in fact God's Israel, Paul emphatically denied that physical descent is the means by which God determines who his people are. See Romans 9:6-13; 11:2-6 Yet, this false base of confidence was embraced by the Jews. Luke 3:8; John 8:33-47

If it is possible for a church to apostatize, then just as Paul rejected physical descent so too a continuous institutional link to the past would prove nothing regarding how God views a particular individual or church fellowship. If a church can apostatize, then although religious ceremonies could continue and there might be a succession of institutional existence or of leadership, that church body would have ceased to be the Lord's church.

Scripture points to the possibility of apostasy:

Galatians 5:4; 1:6-7 Although when Paul wrote to the churches of Galatia he was writing to those "known by God" (Galatians 4:9), yet already some of them had been severed from Christ and had fallen from grace as a result of embracing new doctrine. It is clear that at least certain elements of doctrine, not historical succession, was important for the Lord.

Revelation 2:5 The Lord himself warned the church at Ephesus that they had fallen from where they had been. And, unless they repented he would remove their lampstand, that is, they would no longer be his congregation.

2 Thessalonians 2:3, 7-12 Paul spoke of a great apostasy which would occur resulting in the Lord condemning those who failed to love the truth.

1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 4:3-4 Paul described that some would abandon the truth/ faith and turn aside to myths and doctrines taught by demons. It was through paying close attention to his life and doctrine that Timothy would save both himself and his hearers. 1 Timothy 4:16 Again, historical continuity was not the principle by which God was recognizing who his people were.

There is no security in being able to trace a historical line back to the early church. Apostasy can occur and it would produce illegitimate children. Historical continuity is not the basis by which the Lord identifies his people. If we wish to possess a biblical understanding who the Lord recognizes as his people, we must use the same principle the Lord uses.

The Wrong Framework: Our Characteristics

Christians are to have many characteristics. They are to be loving, forgiving, doing good toward others and living moral lives. But just because someone possesses one or more godly characteristics does not make that individual a child of God. If it did, then being saved would be based upon our works, that is, upon our characteristics of goodness. Since our salvation is not based upon our works ( Ephesians 2:9; Titus 3:5), then accordingly, the salvation given to those in the Lord's church can not be based upon the good they might have done.

To develop this a little further, disciples of Christ are to love others. In fact, the way Jesus' disciples love one another is how the world will recognize that they belong to God. John 13:35 Furthermore, Jesus also taught that in order to be a child of God a disciple's love should not be selective, but rather must be universally expressed. Matthew 5:44-48 When distinguishing in 1 John between those who had truly been born of God and those whose claim to belong to God was false, John pointed to the essentiality of a disciple's love when he wrote, "everyone who loves has been born of God." 1 John 4:6

But can anyone say, because that guy is so loving he must therefore be a child of God? Since salvation is not based upon works (e.g. our goodness or our characteristics!) and since having the eternal life which belongs to those who are children of God requires responding to Jesus (1 John 5:12; Acts 4:12; John 14:6), just being a loving person does not make anyone a child of God. According to a biblical framework, it would be erroneous to hold to the perspective that just because someone was a loving person this meant that God recognized that individual as belonging to him.

One of the characteristics of God's people is that they will love others. In fact, if someone is going to be a child of God that person must be loving. But just loving others does not make a person a child of God.

Other characteristics which God's people are to possess include forgiving others based upon the model of how God forgives people. They are to live godly moral lives. They are also expected to do good works. Ephesians 2:10; 1 Timothy 6:18-19 These are just a few of the many characteristics God's people are to have. But none of these characteristics which someone might possess is what causes that person to belong to God.

If we wish to gain a biblical framework for understanding who the Lord recognizes as his people, we must use the same principle the Lord employs for recognizing his people. Since salvation is not based upon our goodness, (that is our characteristics of doing good) we can know that being a good person is not the biblical framework for identifying what makes a person a child of God.

The Wrong Framework: Someone Believes Jesus is Lord and Based on This Alone Claims to Be A Part of the Church

Because of texts such as Romans 10:10, 13 (e.g. "everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved"), some readers will be convinced that what I have written can not be right. But if they will continue to read, they will discover that perhaps they have misunderstood scripture.

Scripture does teach that we are saved by believing in Jesus and it is through faith that we become sons of God! John 3:16; Galatians 3:26 Hence, it is biblical to speak of the principle of salvation by faith as being a necessary identifying mark of the Lord's church. However what scripture means by this and what modern man means by this can be two entirely different ideas.

As a result of the New Testament's teaching that salvation is by faith, some have concluded that everyone who genuinely believes in Jesus can therefore claim to be a member of the Lord's church and can know that God recognizes him or her as his child. Accordingly, they will use a denominational style of language to speak about the Lord's church in our modern context.

The point of the wedge - an initial consideration

It is very sad and I do not enjoy writing that Jesus taught there will be those who have called him Lord and who had even been motivated to perform many wonderful things in his name, but he will claim he never knew them. Matthew 7:21-23 Just because someone claims to follow Jesus and acknowledges, "Jesus is my Lord" does not in fact make that person a child of God. Similarly, John wrote that there would be those who would claim to belong to God but they were liars. 1 John 2:4

The wedge grows thicker - understanding the biblical concept of salvation by faith

Some might respond to the above paragraph, "while it may be true that there will be those who claimed to call upon the name of the Lord, they must not have truly believed in Jesus because scripture says that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." Therefore, such a person might claim that texts such as Matthew 7:21-23 can not be construed as evidence that something more than a genuine belief in Christ is required in order to belong to the Lord's body.

Although I will not go into depth here since I have written at length elsewhere about what I understand to be a misinterpretation of scripture, let me respond briefly with the following suggestions.

First, regarding verses such as Romans 10:10, 13, May I gently suggest that to use these verses as proof texts that "you only need to genuinely accept Jesus as Lord in order to be saved" represents ripping those verses out of context? Consider Romans 10. Paul was not writing a handbook to teach the non-Christian how to be saved. He was writing to Christians about the specific barrier which had prevented many of the Jews from responding to Christ so that they might be justified by faith! Accordingly, what he wrote was not an exhaustive description of how to trust in Jesus in order to be saved, but rather, Paul pinpointed those particular obstacles of faith which had prevented the Jews from responding with faith. However, if they would respond to Jesus in faith they too would be saved since all who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Since Acts 22:16 reveals an additional aspect of what it means to call upon the name of the Lord which is not mentioned in Romans 10:10, 13, it should be clear to the objective reader that within the context of the gospel to call upon the name of the Lord is a shorthand expression for faithfully responding to Jesus for salvation. This phrase does not provide us with an exhaustive list of how to call upon the Lord.

Second, if someone does assume that being saved by faith involves merely genuinely asking Jesus to save you and then following through with the lifestyle of a disciple, that person finds himself or herself accepting a position which causes scripture to contradict itself since scripture also describes salvation as a result of active obedience! Salvation can not be both through merely but genuinely believing in Jesus as well as through obeying some command resulting in activity.

Third, a harmonious interpretation of all the scriptural references to the salvation which comes through Jesus reveals that to believe in Jesus as described in scripture requires more than simply and genuinely asking Jesus to come into your heart to save you. Biblical faith in Jesus which does result in salvation and membership in the Lord's body requires a person to trust in Jesus in the manner which the gospel prescribes. In other words, just as it is naive to claim "we are part of the Lord's church because we are using a biblical name for our fellowship," so too the error of equivocation occurs when a person assumes, "I have been saved by faith because I believe in my heart that Jesus is Lord." This affirmation will be confirmed later in this tome.

If we wish to gain a biblical understanding regarding who the Lord recognizes as his people, we must use the same principle the Lord uses. Belonging to God is not based upon what people might claim to be true nor even upon genuinely but merely believing that Jesus is Lord and asking him into one's heart.

The Right Framework: Covenant

1) Through Covenant, God Takes People To Be His People

Throughout biblical history God has consistently chosen to offer by grace a promised relationship to various individuals and groups of people. We call this promised relationship a covenant. Through the covenants offered to Abram and his descendants, then to the nation of Israel during the time of Moses and finally to those who would receive Jesus, God has chosen (elected) certain people to become His very own possession. He has promised to be their God.

"I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations, to be God to you and to your descendants after you." Genesis 17:7

"Now, if you will fully obey my voice and keep My covenant, then among all the peoples you shall be My own possession. Although all the earth is mine; you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words that you shall speak to the sons of Israel." Exodus 19:5-6

"All of you stand today before the LORD your God: ... in order that you may enter into the covenant with the LORD your God, and into his oath which the LORD your God is making with you today, in order that today he may confirm you as his people, that he may be your God as he promised you and as he swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Deuteronomy 29:10,12-13

"You have declared this day the LORD is your God, and that you will walk in His ways and keep his statutes, his commandments and his laws, and that you will listen to his voice. And the LORD has today declared you to be his people, a treasured possession, as he promised, and that you should keep all his commands;" Deuteronomy 26:17-18

"Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, "Be silent O Israel and listen! This day you have become a people for the LORD your God." Deuteronomy 27:9 The context of this verse is tied to the events already described above in Deuteronomy 26.

"Tell them, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant which I commanded your forefathers in the day that I brought them out of Egypt, from the iron furnace,' saying, 'Obey my voice, and do according to all which I command you; so you shall be my people, and I will be your God,'" Jeremiah 11:3-4

Describing the ministry of Jesus we read, "This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they shall be my people. ... For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." Hebrews 8:10,12 Jesus himself spoke of this covenant and its promise which his death would create when he said, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." Matthew 26:28

It is important to realize that everything written to and about Abraham's descendants are describing those who were offered the covenant which enabled them to be God's people. Similarly, everything written in the New Testament to and about the church describes those who were/are in covenant with God as his people through the work of Christ.

2) By Establishing A New Covenant, Jesus Founded A New Covenant Community (The Church) Which God Has Elected To Take As His Own Possession

By grace God has made it possible for us to belong to him as His children if we will receive Jesus. John 1:12-13 In order for us to be able to use this knowledge to know whether I or anyone else truly belongs to God (that is, whether I or others are in the Lord's church) we need to understand:

1) how Jesus made it possible for people to belong to God and

2) how people are to receive Jesus.

Jesus' blood enables people from all nations to belong to God. Revelation 5:9 Through his blood, Jesus created a new covenant community whom God has promised to take as his people and to remember their sins no more. Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 9:15 Those who enter into this new covenant community are described in scripture as being "in Christ" or "in the body of Christ" as "new creatures." They have been released from the condemnation of sin in order to serve God and righteousness. Romans 6:1-18

Keep your eyes on the blood of Jesus. Not only did Jesus' blood create a new covenant whereby God takes people to belong to Him as His holy people, his blood also made it possible for these people to be forgiven (which is one of the promises of this covenant). Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 8:10; 9:14-15; Ephesians 1:7; Romans 3:24-25 Accordingly, Jesus' blood makes it possible for someone to both live with a clear conscience and to be certain that "I belong to God.". Hebrews 8:10; 9:14; 10:22

The power of Jesus blood to purchase people for God and give them a clean conscience lies woven within the messages of Ephesians and 1 Peter.

Ephesians

Paul writing to the saints described himself and them with "in Christ we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins ..." (Ephesians 1:7) Paul described this community who had been redeemed by Christ's blood as "remember that formerly you were separate from Christ, excluded from the citizenship of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. ... So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God's household." Ephesians 2:12-13, 19-20

1 Peter

Similarly, 1 Peter was written to those who had been sprinkled by Jesus' blood. 1 Peter 1:2 For this reason Peter could proceed to describe these who had been covered by Christ's blood as being "a chosen race, ... a holy nation, a people belonging to God ... once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God." 1 Peter 2:9-10. Peter was able to know that he was writing to the Lord's church! Also, he could write about their "pledge of a good conscience toward God" which came as a result of Jesus. 1 Peter 3:21

3) By receiving Jesus as the gospel directs, people enter the new covenant community thus becoming God's people

When we look at modern Christian fellowships, all of them provide instruction how someone can receive Jesus. The answers can vary from one group to another. One predominant answer is that through saying a sinner's prayer a person invites Jesus into his or her heart. Another answer is that through the act of christening (sprinkling water is called baptism) even a baby is said to enter into Christ's covenant community. What matters is what scripture teaches.

Like other New Testament passages, such as John 1:12-13 which describes the necessity of faith in Jesus, Galatians 3:26 teaches that certain people became children of God (saved) as a result of their faith in Jesus. Fortunately for us, the Greek sentence continues on to also explain how they trusted in Jesus. They were baptized into Christ. Galatians 3:27

Consistently throughout the New Testament whether by historical example or doctrinal teaching, those who were born again and thus became children of God (saved) and members of the Lord's church were those whose response to the word of God involved trusting in Christ by obeying the gospel message through being immersed. John 3:3-5, Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:22-23; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:41, 47; 8:12, 35-36. (For those who might object to this last statement, my response to the typical objections is handled at the end of this article)

Applying The Biblical Framework

 

The Need to Apply the Framework

As we have already seen, belonging to God involves more than simply making the claim to know God or to call Jesus Lord. 1 John 2:3-6 For an individual or a group to claim to be part of the Lord's one true church is not sufficient. Such a claim must be grounded upon a reliable basis.

There is the need to use scriptural words and phrases such as: "Christian," "Lord's body," "the church," "believe in Jesus" in a biblical manner. Nothing of worth is gained by infusing upon these words new and creative definitions.

Avoid Interpreting Our Religious World Through Misguided Perspectives Which Lead to Denominationalism and Sectarianism

For the reasons previously outlined, if we are to think and speak biblically about the Lord's one church, we can not afford to employ some well-intentioned albeit misguided principle that would skew our understanding. I will suggest that if we begin with a biblical understanding of covenant as being the principle by which the Lord recognizes those in His church, we will avoid both denominationalistic and sectarian perspectives.

• The framework of covenant would not lead us to conclude that all denominational churches are simply small groups making up the Lord's one true church. Why?

If a religious fellowship which seeks to serve Christ fails to teach its "converts" how to biblically receive Jesus in order to become a child of God and thus enter the Lord's body, how could its members belong to the Lord's church? For example, if a religious fellowship is simply teaching people to accept Jesus in their hearts as the Son of God by saying a prayer, what biblical basis is there for understanding that they have entered the new covenant of Christ? Nowhere does the Bible teach this manner of receiving Jesus nor does it give an example of someone being added to Christ's body through this manner. The misuse of texts such as Acts 4:4 is treated within the web article A Child of God by Faith.

How can a religious fellowship or someone who claims to be a "believer" actually be in the Lord's church if that individual or group has not entered the covenant by faith through baptism? How can someone be in the new covenant when he or she has not relied upon Christ in the manner that our Lord has requested?

• The framework of covenant would not lead us to unequivocally assert that the Lord's church must be scattered throughout all the different churches and denominations. Why?

Since many fellowships do not accurately teach how to respond to Christ in order to enter the Lord's church, how can their members be part of the Lord's one body? Accordingly, how could those who follow their teachings become a part of the Lord's body?

• The framework of covenant would not lead us into the sectarian thinking that the Lord's church is only comprised of those who meet in buildings with a particular name such as "church of Christ." Why?

When people respond to Jesus as the gospel directs, God adds that person to the Lord's church. Acts 2:41, 47 Whether, they or we choose to worship and live according to God's will is another matter. But both they (and we) have become members of the Lord's true body. It is the Lord who will judge both their service and doctrine as well as our own . 1 Corinthians chapters 3 and 4

The point I am trying to make can be illustrated by an island with some shipwreck survivors. Imagine that this small group of survivors have a Bible at their disposal. They read it and realize their need for Jesus. They respond in faith to Jesus by being immersed in his name. They gather to worship God for what he has done for them through Christ. Wanting to show their allegiance to Christ for all who might later visit their island, they erect a sign which reads, "The Way." Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23 Would this small fellowship who might describe themselves as members of the church of the Way belong to God? Of course they would.

Although it is appropriate for us to hang the sign " church of Christ" or the more syntactically correct titular designation of "Church of Christ," it would be unbiblical to claim that only those who use this title possess an exclusive franchise on salvation. For anyone to make such a claim involves changing the identity of the Lord's church from God's universal offer of Jesus' covenantal blood to the limitations of a specific title. Nowhere does scripture even hint at such an idea. On the contrary, within scripture the Lord's church and those individuals in Christ are recognized as such because of the blood of Christ and then these people are described with various descriptive phrases.

 

Speaking And Thinking Biblically About Christ's Church

The previous section was negative, how not to think. Turning now to the positive, what does a biblical perspective of the Lord's church look like in our religious world? Scripture reveals that those who have entered the new covenant are brought into Christ's body of believers. God has added everyone to Jesus' covenant community (the Lord's church) who has received Jesus in the manner which the gospel directs. If I or anyone else has trusted in Jesus for salvation by obeying the gospel (Romans 6:17-18; 1 Peter 1:22), I can be confident that God has forgiven me and added me to the body of Christ. I can regard those individuals and fellowships where people have biblically responded to the gospel as members of the Lord's church. The basis for this thinking ignores the title of the fellowship, rather it focuses upon the grace extended through Christ's blood.

The major point of this article is simply this: if we are going to think and speak biblically about the Lord's church, we must begin with how God recognizes those who are His. The Lord does not use signs hanging over doorways, a continuous historical lineage, being good people or merely possessing a genuine belief in Jesus as God's Son and the Messiah in order to identify His own. The principle by which our Lord recognizes his own is through covenant.

A Brief Response to Potential Objections And Questions

1) Is immersion as a faith response to Christ the only key for identifying those who will end up being saved?

No. In some texts such as 1 Corinthians 10, Paul warned the baptized community that if they were to be idolatrous as ancient Israel had been that they too would be destroyed. Apostasy is possible. Also in 1 Corinthians, Paul warned the church that God will destroy those who teach a message which destroys the Lord's people, that is His temple. 1 Corinthians 3:9-17 Other New Testaments letters such as Galatians have served to warn the church that distorting certain elements of the original gospel message would cause them to fall from grace. Galatians 5:2-4 For Jesus' teaching which touches upon this subject consider Matthew 13:41, 47-49; Matthew 25:1-30 A full outline responding to this question is beyond the scope of this article.

The New Testament warns God's people that they can fall from grace. While God through grace has provided salvation and there is no merit we can offer which can save us, God's servants can be cast out if they are not faithful.

2) Do not texts like Romans 10:17 and Acts 4:4 (not to mention the thief on the cross) prove that baptism is not required in order for someone to be saved?

The following links to other articles, respond to such objections and questions.

What About the Thief on the Cross?

Biblical Faith (Acts 4:4, Romans 10:17, etc.)

The words we use and the framework by which we think dramatically shape our understanding and eventually lead to our behavior. Accordingly, there is tremendous value in using biblical words in scriptural ways. This should include our language about the Lord's church. 

Barry Newton, Copyright © 2002 Revised 2003

Other articles which might be of interest:

Calling Upon the Name of the Lord

When God Says, "You Belong to Me"

Is Requiring Obedience to the Gospel "Works Salvation"?

Something More Than A Characteristic - The Source (Role of the new covenant in identity issues)

John 3:16 - The Simple and Beautiful Message of the Gospel

Baptism in the New Testament

Reading Room

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