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To what denomination did Peter, James, John, the 3000 on Pentecost (Acts 2:38-47), Cornelius, the Ethiopian eunuch, Lydia, the Corinthians, and the Philippian jailer belong (as well as everyone else we read about in the book of Acts)?  The answer, they belonged to none. They were simply members of the body of Christ, which is the Lord’s church (Eph. 1:22,23; Col. 1:18,24), yet they were not members of any denomination as we know them today (Eph. 4:4-6). All who were saved became members of this body (Eph. 5:23), the church, by virtue of the fact that the Lord added them to it (Acts. 2:47). Yet they belonged to no denomination.  They had been delivered from the “power of darkness”, or the world, and were now translated into the “kingdom of God’s dear son”, which is the church (Col. 1:13, 14, 18), but still they were not members of any denominational church. They had been called into one body (Col. 3:15).

Just so, today, if a sinner believes in Christ, and is baptized, just as the 3000 on Pentecost were, the eunuch, Lydia, Cornelius, the jailer, etc., such would make this person simply a Christian, but nothing more (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:36-41; 8:35-39; 16:14,15; 16:30,34; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:26,27). This would not make him a member of any denomination.  And if a great number should do this, would they not have the same status?

Should this number come together on the first day of the week to worship (Acts 20:7), identify themselves simply by the name of Christ as did the apostles and early Christians, accept and teach the Bible as their only rule of faith and practice, have such leaders to serve as the Bible authorizes, and believe and observe the same teachings in the same way as the apostle and early Christians did, and as are set forth in the Bible, would they not simply be the Lord’s church without being a denomination?

We believe this is the position taught in the Bible and that all of us should take. The Bible only makes only New Testament Christians, no more and no less, and as New Testament Christians we are members of the New Testament church, and that alone. If upon repenting and being baptized the Lord adds us to His church, like in the first century, why be joined to anything else? With the possession of the Word of God in its entirety, why think that we must have man-made creeds and rules of faith? Why call ourselves by denominational names? We believe in Christ. He is our creed, and we do what He says. Consequently the New Testament is our only rule of faith and doctrine (no man-made creeds).

Does this sound good to you? Does it sound too good to be true? Most people will say that they actually believe that this is the way it should be, but getting them to implement it is another thing. Really, it is not a matter of opinion or optional. Christ purchased the church with his own blood (Acts 20:28). The church belongs to him.  This is a very serious matter, and it is of the utmost importance that we listen and do what he says (Jn. 12:48).

- Via Sword & Staff