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Speaking on a podcast called Christian History Almanac, historian Dr. Dan van Voorhis said he considers the churches of Christ to be “the most American of religious movements.”
Dr. van Voorhis called the church of Christ “the group that most embodies the America spirit, more than any other…” He said the revolutionary language of the Founding Fathers of America was “all over the theology of the Stone-Campbell group,” noting that the rejection of the creeds and confessions of denominationalism was analogous to the patriots’ rejection of the overbearing rule by the King of England.
Isn’t it interesting that a scholar recognizes that a group of people can be determined to free themselves from the bonds of human tradition and become subservient only to the word of God? While neither the patriots nor the Restorationists were inspired men, they all came to the realization that freedom of self-determination was an inherent right of man, given by God.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all men and women would seek to be genuinely free in Christ? After all, Jesus warned us about “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:9). Doing so leads to vain worship, He said. It also puts us under the rule of men, instead of God.
Let us be determined to remain in the true freedom of Christ, and throw away the traditions that add to or take away from His word. The Bible is enough (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3)!
Matt Clifton
BulletinDigest.com