I appreciate you visiting the Mt. Baker church of Christ website and for
sending in your questions.  I am happy to study this matter with you.

Your ask:
>    Joe,
>      After seeing your website I have these questions: How can one
> investigate the church of Christ?  Are they not individuals all over who
are
> known only to God (2 Tim. 2:19)?  Since they (the universal church) do not
> assemble together, how can one investigate them?  Isn't it only possible
to
> investigate a local church?

First of all, I am sorry for leaving a wrong impression by offering the
invitation to "investigate the church of Christ."  I will give careful
consideration to modifying that phrase to eliminate any confusion or
misstatement.  Thank you for pointing it out to me.

I am in full agreement with you that the universal church does not assemble
nor have any earthly organization which one may probe.  And, I agree that an
investigation of such things can only occur on a local level.

At the same time, I understand that the language "investigate the church of
Christ" can be used somewhat accomodatively.  Let me illustrate:

It is not wrong to say (as is stated on the web page in question) that the
church of Christ "exalts Christ as the only head of the church - Colossians
1:18."  This is gospel teaching which Christ's church believes and
practices.  Does only the local church exalt Christ as its head?  No, the
universal church exalts Christ as its head.  If someone _claims_ to be a
member of the church of Christ, yet by his actions or teachings he does not
exalt Christ as head of the church, his claim is invalidated.  Thus, in that
sense, the church of Christ (those who are saved in Christ) may be
investigated.

When someone is investigating a church, they generally do it on a local
level.  The local church is indeed the _proper organization_ to investigate
when investigating the church of Christ.  When we invite folks to
investigate the church of Christ we are urging them to see what the Bible
says about the church, both on the universal and on the local level (Matt.
16:16; 1 Cor. 1:2).  That is what is intended by the information on the web
site of the Mt. Baker church of Christ.

You also ask:
> Do we read about the church of Christ in Rom. 16:16?  In my Bible I only
> see local churches in this verse, not "the" church.

You are correct, Romans 16:16 speaks of local churches of Christ,
congregations in different locations.

Thank you for calling this to my attention.

Cordially yours,
Joe Price


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Joe R Price
joe@bibleanswer.com

Bible Answers
http://www.bibleanswer.com

Mt. Baker church of Christ
http://www.bibleanswer.com/mtbaker
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