5 Questions for "Church of Christ" members

1) Do you believe people who've never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel are going to Hell?

2) Do you consider "The Church of Christ" to be the building you enter, or the entirety of Christians throughout the world?

3) How do you interpret various passages of the Bible, since there is no singe authority to interpret it? Would you agree that the Bible is difficult to understand in some places? Is there any disagreement at all in your church concerning any verse in the entire Bible?

4) Do you believe someone is morally responsible for sin if they are objectively wrong in interpreting scripture?

5) Do you think you have the ability to infallibly interpret the word of God? In other words, is it possible for you to be in error in any of your beliefs?

Thanks for your time!

why just COC members? just curious.

Well, the question is aimed at COC members mainly because they didn't respond to these questions when I asked them in another post. But it can apply to anyone I suppose.

It doesn't look they are responding here, either. Actually, this probably belongs in the denomination-specific section, except, of course, the CoC is not a denomination.

I was a member of the CofC for many years, so I can answer the questions based on what members I encountered thought.

The Exodus said:

1) Do you believe people who've never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel are going to Hell?

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Most would say yes, and that the "monkey is on their back" to take the gospel to those who have never yet heard.

The Exodus said:

2) Do you consider "The Church of Christ" to be the building you enter, or the entirety of Christians throughout the world?

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Most would say there are Christians outside the Churches of Christ. Most understand that the Churches of Christ is a denomination.

The Exodus said:

3) How do you interpret various passages of the Bible, since there is no singe authority to interpret it? Would you agree that the Bible is difficult to understand in some places? Is there any disagreement at all in your church concerning any verse in the entire Bible?

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Please don't think that CofC interpretation is entirely uniform, because it isn't. Every tradition has its own framed approaches, and the CofC approach is founded in the Restoration Movement. But not only are there different interpretations, there are about 6 different splits in the noninstrumental CofC. If someone tells you that the CofC is the NT church that you should attend, then simply ask: which one? The one with no Sunday school? Or the one with one-cup in communion? As for Bible study, most of the time is spent in the NT, especially early Acts and the epistles. Some of the highlights of the OT are hit, but the minor prophets are rarely covered. Many are uncomfortable with Revelation. In fact some in the 1950s wanted to remove Revelation from Scripture.

The Exodus said:

4) Do you believe someone is morally responsible for sin if they are objectively wrong in interpreting scripture?

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The question is worded a bit awkwardly, but no. Older CofC arguments drank deeply from the well of Scottish common sense, and some want to perpetuate that view. However these days the majority of CofC folks distance themselves from that approach.

The Exodus said:

5) Do you think you have the ability to infallibly interpret the word of God? In other words, is it possible for you to be in error in any of your beliefs?

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Well, most CofC members think that CofC practices and beliefs are closest to that found in Scripture. But that is true of just about any other Christian community. Many CofC members are amenable to correction of beliefs, if shown from Scripture. Again, this is true of other communities as well.

The Exodus said:

Thanks for your time!

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You are welcome.

LDG