GREENSBORO, Ga. (BNC) — Eric Ramseur was an atheist who discovered his need for God. He went to the closest church to his home in Clarksville, Tenn., and attended faithfully. But the denomination’s use of a creed book disturbed him.

As he asked a pastor at that church questions about the Bible, he kept getting directed to the creed book.

Then, when he went to a Christian college, he was warned not to let that group of Christians change him. But there was a problem, Eric wrote.

I was determined to stay true to what the Book of Discipline told me to believe about the Bible. I was determined to stay out of this church that had attempted to hold this dear friend of mine accountable. There were just two problems, I was already questioning the Book of Discipline and “those church of Christ people” were answering my questions with the Bible. AND IT MADE SENSE! I would go back to my room at night in tears, calling the worship minister back at the local denomination saying, “I don’t know what to do. What they’re telling me seems to be true, but if I change then I can’t do the things I did there.” I would then be instructed to follow my feelings and pray a prayer after reading the Book of Discipline.

In his post, Eric jumped quickly to an appeal to old friends and school mates.

So, here’s my plea to you, friends and family whom I love dearly. Consider what your church taught you to do about how to gain a relationship with God. Maybe they told you to pray a prayer and ask Jesus into your heart. Maybe they told you to just believe and confess Jesus. Whatever they told you to do, if they left this very important step out then they have left out a lot of truth from their teaching.

Eric recalled why he stayed in the denomination as long as he did.

When I was still in this particular denomination I would look at verses like Acts 2:38, Acts 22:16 Romans 6:3-4, Galatians 3:26-28, Colossians 2:11-13, Titus 3:5-7 and 1 Peter 3:21 and wonder how it was that they could pour water on someone’s head or even immerse and say it was because we were already saved. It made no sense, and yet I stayed, because that’s where all of my friends were.

But in the church of God he discovered a difference.

The church of Christ is not a denomination. We seek to teach the truth in its fullness and we continue to study to make sure we stay within the teachings of Scripture. Our worship must conform with the teachings of the New Testament and our lifestyle must align with the example of Christ. If you are worshipping in a denomination today, it is my prayer and my hope that you have taken these words in the kindness it was intended and are willing to follow the Lord wherever His word takes you. I’m sure you have made many friends and have family members who have been longtime members of a particular denomination, but once you know the truth about the Lord’s church and His salvation you must realize you are only accountable to yourself and to God. I have lost many friends and family because of the realization of truth and how it really will put a sword between families. The best understanding I’ve come to is that even as I have made enemies because of the truth, I have gained an even larger family in the church.

Today, Eric works as a gospel preacher with the Lake Oconee congregation. He met his wife Brianna while attending Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, TN. Eric graduated from the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver with a Bachelors in Theology in 2010. He is currently enrolled in Bear Valley’s Masters in Biblical Studies.

Eric and Brianna, have four children: Malachi, Isaiah, Naomi and Titus.

Eric ended his post yesterday with an appeal.

Truth isn’t an island. We must discuss it, but please remember I love you and want you to be able to enjoy salvation in eternity and that’s why I wrote this article.

Eric’s entire post may be read at this link.

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