Ashamed to Wear His Name

I'm a bit behind with the news of Nancy Grace and her diatribe about the churches of Christ on CNN the other day. I only heard about it Tuesday and was viewing some blogs today and comments that had been made concerning her interview with the Baptist preacher. I was not shocked by his gross misrepresentation of the church nor her other guest's attacks on the Lord's body. I was not surprised he called the church a cult and accused it of being narrow-minded. Peter tells us in 1 Pet. 4:12-14 that we should not think it strange when we are tried and reproached for the name of Christ. Rather, he says when this happens, we are blessed because we have the glory of God resting upon us.

I was angered, however, by many, many of the comments posted to these blogs by people who supposedly call themselves members of the Lord's body. Repeatedly I read how, "thank goodness, the church is no longer strict with God's word and how it is becoming more and more main stream, as though that were a good thing." These members were ashamed of the doctrine that the church teaches on baptism and strict adherence to the word of God. One man even told how, when asked where he worshipped, he would tell people he was a member of the United Churches of Christ--does he even KNOW what they are and teach. He said he was so embarrassed to let people know he was a Christian (in the strictest sense of the word).

Jesus Christ died for this "narrow-minded" doctrine and bought this church with his blood. How dare we be ashamed of what He has taught us to do and how He has taught us to worship. We need to be proud to call ourselves members of the church of Christ--the church that truly belongs to Christ. I am thankful to be called a child of God, how about you.

Dana Burk