Expert: Marvin Howard - 8/24/2004

Question
what are some of the doctrinal differences between your church and all the other Christian churches out there?

thanks!

Answer
Hi!

Michael, I will do my best to answer this. For such a short question it has quite an involved answer. There are many differences. I will stick to some of the most noticable, and the most important. I will try to be brief.

First, let me note, there are denominations out there which carry the same description as the church; that they belong to Christ (Romans 16:16). It is my contention, that any religious group, which ignores or contradicts any part of the Bible, is not the church. Likewise, any group that twists the Word to fit a preconceived notion (false doctrine) is not the church. These people wrest the scriptures, to their own destruction, not bothering to try to understand for themselves. They take the words of man over the Word of God.

For a detailed chart of the denominations' origins (including the dates many of the false doctrines were added), please see:

http://www.geocities.com/preacherman_1962/ChurchHistory.html

The first thing you will notice about the church as compared to the denominations out there, will probably take the longest to explain. I do not care how rich (or poor) a congregation is, you will not find an instrument there. We are not alone in this. The Eastern Orthodox (Greek) catholics and the Primitave Baptists share this practice with the church. There are many reasons.

1) In English, Ephesians 5:19 specifies "sing." It doesn't say "play." If a verse which says "sing" can be used as authority for instruments, then verses which specify "unleavened bread and fruit of the vine" for Communion also give authority to place "hamburgers, fries, and cokes" on the altar. Neither type passage gives authority for anything else.

In the Greek, it is only slightly different. Most groups fall on this difference for their authority. Remember, I mentioned the Greeks in my previous paragraph. They should know this language. But, I digress. Here is the difference. The Greek has the word "psallo" for "making melody." "Psallo" does, in fact, mean "play." This is where the majority of denominations stop. "Psallo," here, is accusative case, persent tense, second person, plural, active voice, and the imperative mood. I am not going to try to teach you the Greek language in this answer. Yet, you must know this combination demands the instrument which is to be played will also be named. It is. Is it the harp which David played? Is it a piano or organ? No! It is the human heart.

2) The same authority used to add instruments to worship (the Old Testament) also demands the use of animal sacrifice. If we were to use the animal sacrifices today, we would be denying the efficacy of Jesus' blood. Yet, we are told that if we try to keep that law, and fail in one point, we are guilty of all. Therefore, to keep the instruments, we must keep the animal sacrifices. This is an impossible task to accomplish and still get to heaven.

3) Mechanical instruments were not even introduced until after 600 A.D. This is too late to be part of the faith which was delivered one time for all; Christianity (Jude 3).

Also keeping with history, Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Spurgeon, and others condemned it. Comments were made such as, "I have no objection to an organ being in the church building, provided it is neither seen nor heard."

4) Terminology demands church music is vocal. I am sure you are familiar with the phrase "A Cappella." This is a Latin phrase (the primary language for the first substantial denomination). You know it is vocal music. Knowing its definition, are you ready to hear its translation? "A Cappella" translates to "Of The Chapel." Since "A Cappella" (vocal) music is music which is conducted in chapels (church buildings), places where instruments are used are necessarily not church buildings.

Next, let's look at baptism. Baptists say it is immersion, while catholics say it is sprinkling. Baptists say it is not necessary for salvation, while catholics say it is but mistakenly practice rhontism in its place. They are not alone. Is one right? Can both be right? What does scripture say?

1) Romans 6 describes its mode as a burial. I would dearly love to see some of these people try to bury a dead relative by standing them up in a corner, throwing a single handful of dirt at them, and declaring the job complete. Also, The very word, in Greek, means to immerse. Of the over 90 instances a form of the English word is used, exactly 1 refers to sprinkling, and that is refering back to the Old Testament sprinkling of blood. When we come to this instance, there is even a different form used than elsewhere.

Phillip took the Ethiopian eunuch into the water to be baptized. John the Baptist baptized in rivers because there was "much water."

2) Baptists take a passage in Ephesians 2 and add the word "only" to faith. With this addition, they fall under the condemnation of Galatians 1:8-9. James 2:24 is the only place where the phrase "faith only" is used. There, it is in a negative spiritual context. "Faith only" is a false doctrine, invented by Luther, and espoused by Calvin: it is completely man made.

3) Contradicting Calvinism, Romans 6:3-4 says that baptism puts us into Christ. I have a question. Is salvation a Spiritual blessing? Of course, it is. Where are all Spiritual blessings? Ephesians says all Spiritual blessings are in Christ. Therefore, salvation is in Christ, since it is a Spiritual blessing. Calvinism (Baptists' and others' doctrine), by claiming that baptism isn't necessary, make the claim that we are saved before we get into Christ.

I Peter 3:21 says baptism saves us. Mark 16:16 (and the other Gospels) place baptism before salvation. Acts 2:38 says baptism remits sin. Acts 22:16 declares that baptism washes away sins because it is calling on the name of the Lord (obeying His authority, c.f. Mark 16:16).

Scripture is specific on the subject. We are left with no "wiggle room." Baptism is only, and always, immersion. Baptism is necessary to get into heaven (provided you are old enough to hear and have faith, as faith is described as a prerequisite for baptism).

There aren't many denominations out there that teach both of these are correct. In fact, if there is one (out of the 4000+ in existence), I don't know about it. For more proof that Calvinism is
Anti-Christ(ian) please see:

http://www.geocities.com/preacherman_1962/archive9.html

Titus 1:5 declares there were elders (pastors, bishops, presbyters, overseers) in every city. This is plural. If the congregation is big enough to have pastors, it will always have more than one. And guess what? The pastor isn't the preacher. They are different jobs. For a more detailed explanation and proof of this, please see:

http://www.geocities.com/preacherman_1962/archive10.html

I Corinthians 16:2 deals with the collection or contribution. Every denomination understands that when it says the first day of the week, it means every first day of the week. The Jews were to observe the sabbath (seventh) day of the week. They understood it to be every seventh day of the week. Acts 20:7 declares the Lord's supper (followed by preaching) was done on the first day of the week. This was after passover and the Roman, pagan holiday of "Easter." Most denominations, though demonstrating an understanding of the language, neglect this service most weeks. This is in spite of it being the very reason we are to gather.

I Corinthians 12-14 declare that "tounge speaking" is done away. Yet, we see many denominations misunderstand what it was in the first place (speaking actual languages which were not studied), and declare the practice to still be valid. For proof of this, please see:

http://www.geocities.com/preacherman_1962/archive3.html

Matthew 25:33 declares that the good and bad will be judged at the same time: not 1000 years apart. I Thessalonians 4:17 declares that once we leave earth, we aren't coming back ("so shall we ever be with the Lord"). John 18:36 declares that Jesus would, after His trial, never rule the kingdom from earth. The "rapture" (a term not even found in scripture) is a man made idea, and unscriptural. For more proof of this, please see:

http://www.geocities.com/preacherman_1962/archive5.html

and

http://www.geocities.com/preacherman_1962/archive6.html

I think the shortest way to answer your question is that the church is the only religious organization which practices everything in the New Testament, with no additions or deletions. All of the denominations fail in at least one point. If they didn't, they wouldn't be divided from us contrary to Jesus' prayer for unity in Gethsemane. The church is unique from all of the denominations.

I pray you have been edified by this. Due to the length of the answers, I have omitted much, even with the extra information in the links. If you have any other points you would like covered, please feel free to ask.

In His Service,
Marvin Howard
preacherman_1962@yahoo.com
preacherman_1962@bellsouth.net
braswell_church@bellsouth.net
http://www.geocities.com/preacherman_1962