Why do the churches of Christ insist that their name is scriptural?
Question:
Why does the "Church of Christ" insist that their name is scriptural when it cannot be found anywhere in the Bible? The church is referred to as the "church of God" eight times in the Bible, but never is it called the "church of Christ." The verse they use is Romans 16:16, but it doesn't say "church of Christ." Where does the Bible call the church the "church of Christ"?
Answer:
"Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you" (Romans 16:16).
There are a variety of names used to describe the church that belongs to Christ. "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it" (Matthew 16:18).
The congregations were known as:
- the churches of Christ (Romans 16:16)
- the church of God which is at [name of some town] (I Corinthians 1:2)
- Or just plain church of [name of some town] (Colossians 4:16; I Thessalonians 1:1; II Thessalonians 1:1; Revelation 2:1; 3:14)
The entire body of Christians across the world was called:
- Church of God (I Corinthians 10:32)
- Church of the Living God (I Timothy 3:15)
- The household of God (I Timothy 3:15)
- Church of the Firstborn (Hebrews 12:23)
- Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 7:21)
- Kingdom of God (I Corinthians 4:20)
- Kingdom of Christ and God (Ephesians 5:5)
- Kingdom of the Son of His Love (Colossians 1:13)
- Kingdom of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (II Peter 1:11)
- Body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:27)
Any of these names would be acceptable for a congregation of Christians located in an area. Each name emphasizes a particular spiritual aspect of the people who worship God as Christians and gives emphasis that the church belongs to the Son of God. A congregation of Christians striving to follow the Scriptures will select one of these names, but just because a group uses one of these names, it does not necessarily mean it is faithfully following Christ. Several congregations mentioned in Revelation 2-3 prove this point.
Question:
Can we call our groups Iglesia Ni Cristo as far as our dialect is concerned?
Answer:
The phrase means "Neither a church nor Christ" when translated from Spanish, so obviously that would not be an appropriate name for a group that claims to follow Christ. But in Filipino, it means "Church of Christ," which would be appropriate.
