Is God’s Grace Limited to the Churches of Christ?

In the March, 2014 issue of The Christian Chronicle (an international newspaper for the churches of Christ; published by Oklahoma Christian University) an article appears on page three, which is titled, “Muscle, a shovel and thousands of baptisms” (sic.). As you may have guessed already, it is about the phenomenal success of Muscle and a Shovel, a self-published book written by Michael Shank. Described as “a 46-year-old former electrician from Metropolis, Illinois,” bro. Shank credits his wife of 29 years, Jonetta, for convincing him to write the story of his conversion to New Testament Christianity. So far, the book has sold 67,000 copies and is in its fifth printing. Based on the feedback he has received, bro. Shank estimates that as many as 6,000 people have been baptized because they read his story and were convinced, just as he was.

As you might expect, the Christian Chronicle also reported that there has been some negative feedback from some readers. One Baptist preacher said that it’s “one of those rare books that will raise you blood pressure.” He went on to say, “You’ll either give it to everyone you know or put it into a shredder. There’s no middle ground.” Of course, that is just the kind of review one might expect from a denominational preacher. What was truly surprising—even shocking—to me was the criticism that came from an elder at the University Church of Christ, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Jay Guinn, who is also a featured writer for New Wineskins magazine, said that Muscle and a Shovel teaches “a false gospel.” The Christian Chronicle reports that Guin is concerned that “Shank has limited God’s grace to members of the churches of Christ.” He reportedly argues that, “for those with genuine faith in Jesus, grace covers ‘both our moral errors and our doctrinal errors.’” I know that Guin is not the first member of the Lord’s church to become a champion of denominational doctrine, but that does not make his statements any less discomforting.

The simple fact of the matter is that there are now many in the churches of Christ who believe that one does not have to be a member of the one and only church described in the New Testament, in order to be saved. These erring brethren echo the teachings of many denominations by arguing that baptism is not essential to our salvation, and that it does not matter how we worship God, as long as we are sincere in doing so, and that once a soul is saved, it will always be saved. That Guin takes offense to what is written in Muscle and a Shovel is not really surprising, but what I really don’t understand is why he remains a member of the church of Christ.

From the beginning of the movement to restore New Testament Christianity, members of the churches of Christ in the United States have been resolved to “speak where the Bible speaks and remain silent where the Bible is silent.”

• We teach that the New Testament describes only one church and that all others are counterfeit, because that is what the New Testament teaches (Mat. 16:18).
• We teach that people cannot be saved without being properly baptized, because that is what the New Testament teaches (Mark 16:16).
• We teach that how one worships God is equally as important as the attitude with which one worships, because that is what the New Testament teaches (John 4:24).
• We teach that it is possible for Christians to fall from the grace of God, because that is what the New Testament teaches (Gal. 5:4).

If Mr. Guin believes that what the New Testament teaches constitutes a “false gospel,” then I would humbly suggest that he might find more people who agree with his way of thinking among one of the many denominations.

The New Testament teaches that the grace of God is what makes the way of salvation possible (Eph. 2:8). It does not “cover” any of our errors. In order to obtain forgiveness for our sins, we must admit that we are sinners (1 John 1:9), we must repent of our sins (2 Cor. 7:10), we must confess our faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10), and we must come into contact with the blood of Christ through baptism (Acts 2:38; Rev. 1:5). If we have already been baptized, then we may have access to the cleansing blood of Jesus, whenever we ask for it (1 John 1:7). But, make no mistake about it: the Lord will not forgive us for our sins, if we will not repent of them, and if we will not ask for forgiveness (Heb. 10:26). Muscle and a Shovel is an outstanding, first person account of one man’s conversion to New Testament Christianity. Whether you are a Christian, or not, you need to read it!