Brent Kercheville
We have noted in previous lessons that the word church in our Bibles is the Greek word ekklesia, which simply means people called out of one relationship or location and into another. Therefore, when we speak of the church of Christ in the scriptures, we are talking about people who have been called out of the world and into a relationship with Christ. We also noted that there is a distinction between the universal and local church in the scriptures. Sometimes the scriptures refer to all the saved that have every lived in any location, which we call the universal church. This concept is seen in passages like Matthew 16:18 and Hebrews 12:22-23. We also see the scriptures refer to the church in a local sense, referring to a certain geographical location of Christians. This concept can be seen in passages like 1 Corinthians 1:2 and Revelation 2-3. Last time we took another step in our understanding the Lord’s church. We found that the Lord’s body is undenominational, meaning that it does not consist of a coalition or association of local churches. John 15:1-10 and Hebrews 12:22-23 show that the Lord’s church is made up of saved individuals, and not denominations, institutions, or churches. Today we are going to see that when we understand that the Lord’s church is not a denomination (consisting of local churches), then we will be able to resolve an assortment of problems that arise when speaking to unbelievers. In our lesson today, we will see how our language and speech ought to change with this proper understanding of the Lord’s church. Do You Think You Are the Only One Who Will Be Saved? Universal sense When someone asks this question, there are three possible concepts that questioner may have in mind. A simple yes or no answer will not be sufficient until we understand what the questioner is driving at. First, we must understand the person is asking if we think only the church of Christ will be saved. If the person is using the phrase “the church of Christ” in the universal sense, then the obvious answer is yes. The Bible tells us that all the saved from the past and present are in the Lord’s church. We see this in Acts 2:47 that those who were being saved were added by the Lord into His church. By definition, the Lord’s body only consists of the saved and no others. There is not any wickedness and any disobedient person who is in the Lord’s body. But we need to note that it is rare that the questioner has this concept in his or her mind when asking the question. The person is not asking if all the saved are saved. The person is not asking if everyone in the Lord’s body is saved. This is usually understood. Local sense The questioner may have the local sense in mind. Sometimes the questioner is asking us if we believe that the only ones who will be saved are those who belong to our local church. We know that the answer to this is no. No where do the scriptures teach that our local church will be saved. There are two reasons for this. First, we know that there are Christians in other states and other countries who do not belong to our local church. We know that there are Christians in Jerusalem who already died that were never part of our local church that are saved. Second, we know that there are those who belong to this local church that may not be saved. This was true in the first century as well as today. 1 Corinthians 5 we see that there was a fornicator who had fellowship with the church in Corinth, but was not in fellowship with God and was at that time not saved. In Revelation 3:1-6 we see that there were only a few that were faithful to Christ in Sardis. Though many were part of the local church in Sardis, only a few were saved. Therefore, if someone is asking if we believe that being joined to the local church where we attend will save them, we know the answer is no. Salvation is determined by being in fellowship with Christ, not by being in fellowship with a local church. Denominational sense Often the person who is asking this question is asking us if the only people who are saved are those who attend places where they call themselves the church of Christ. The questioner is asking if the collection of churches which call themselves the church of Christ are the only ones saved. As we noted in our last lesson, this is a denominational concept that we must fight against. The Lord’s church is not made up of local churches. The church of Christ is not made up of churches, it is made up of saved people. But the questioner is not thinking of the church as people, but as a collection of churches. Therefore, we must take care how we answer this question. If we answer yes, then we are perpetuating the concept that the Lord’s church is a denomination, made up of local churches of Christ. However, if we say no, then we are conveying to the questioner that other denominations are also saved. Neither of these concepts are true. So how should we answer this question? I believe we need to answer the question scripturally. Notice Mark 16:16, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” According to this passage, who will be saved? Those who believe and are baptized. We need to tell people that only those who have obeyed the commands of Christ will be saved. Only those who are in fellowship with Christ, and not in fellowship with the world will be saved. In Mark 7:6-9 and in Matthew 7:21-23 we see that simply being religious will not save someone. Religious appearance is not what Christ has called us to. We must have total obedience to His word. Only those who have obeyed the commands of Christ will be saved. If the Lord’s body is undenominational, as we have proven it is, then we need to speak of the Lord’s body in such a way as to communicate that it is undenominational. I Am a Baptist or Methodist or _______. What Are You? Church of Christ Sometimes when someone approaches us and says, “I am a Baptist, what are you?” our reaction can be to answer back “church of Christ.” But again, we need to consider what our answer is conveying to the person who is asking it. Do we believe that I myself, as an individual, is the church of Christ, a church of Christ, or church of Christ? No. By definition, the word “church” means that it has more than one person. The word church is a collective noun denoting that it has a plurality of members. One senator cannot say that he is Congress. One sheep cannot say that it is flock. Neither can one Christian say that he or she is church of Christ. It simply is not true. One individual is not the universal church because the universal church consists of all the saved from time past to present, including people in other countries. One individual is not a local church because it consists of all the Christians in a geographically area that have decided to work and worship together. What we need to recognize is that the person is asking us what denomination we are. When the questioner states the denomination they are and then asks what we are, they are implying in the question that they want to know what denomination we are. If we answer “church of Christ,” then we are again perpetuating a denominational concept of the Lord’s body. Just Christians What we need to tell people is that we are Christians. They will usually respond that they know that we are Christians, but what kind are you, or what denomination are you? But we are not any kind of Christian and do not belong to any denomination. We are simply Christians and this is what we see in the New Testament. In Acts 11:26 we see the disciples called themselves Christians in Antioch. In Acts 26:28 King Agrippa did not say that he had almost been persuaded to become church of Christ. He had almost been persuaded to become a Christian. In 1 Peter 4:16 we read that Peter identifying the followers of Christ as Christians. He says there, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” We also need to identify ourselves to the world as Christians, and not communicate to others a denominational concept. We do not find in the scriptures one person identifying himself or herself as church of Christ. 11
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By Samuel Matthews “36 Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:36-37). KJV Loved ones, are you S. A. V. E. D? Is Jesus your SAVIOUR? Has Christ ATONED for your sins? Do you have the VICTORY in Jesus? Are you assured of ETERNAL life in heaven? Are you DELIVERED from Spiritual death? In this brief series, we have with love been discussing the Bible’s teaching as to how one becomes just a Christian. The question should now be asked, “What must I do to be added to the ONE faith and ONE body of Christ”; in other words, “What Must I Do To Be Saved?" (Acts 16:30). Friends, the Bible says there is “ONE BAPTISM" (Eph. 4:5). Jesus commanded His disciples to go and teach all the world the saving Gospel or good news of His death, burial, and resurrection for our sins (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Mark 16:15-16). Jesus said to teach them, baptize them, and keep on teaching them... everything else that He's commanded (Matt. 28:19-20). The one baptism must then be something man administers! Man cannot baptize you with the Holy Spirit or with fire, both of which were given as a promise, NOT as a command to be obeyed (Matt. 3:11; Luke 24:49). Man can only baptize with water! Therefore, the one baptism spoken of in Eph. 4:5 and Matthew 28:19 is water baptism. In keeping with the Lord's command, Philip baptized the eunuch with water (Acts 8:35-39), and Peter commanded the household of Cornelius to be baptized with water (Acts 10:46-47). You too as a penitent believer must be immersed in water to be born again… saved from your past sins (John 3:5; 1 Pet. 3:21). My friends, the blood of Jesus frees us from sin (Matt. 26:28; Rev. 1:5), and Jesus shed His blood in His death (John 19:34). But how do we get into the death of Jesus so that the merits of His shed blood might be ours? The Bible says, “we are buried with him (Christ) by baptism into death” (Rom. 6:3-4). Therefore, the one baptism is a burial or total immersion in water into the death of Christ (Col. 2:12). You have NOT been baptized if you were only sprinkled with water while an infant, or had a little water poured on your head. A person must be totally immersed (buried) under the water in baptism. The one baptism puts you into Christ (Gal. 3:27; Rom. 6:3). Notice the powerful thought contained in Rom. 3:24: “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” In Christ we are: saints (Phil. 4:21), new creatures (2 Cor. 5:17), fellow workers (Rom. 16:3-9), one body... not 300 different denominational bodies (Rom. 12:5). In Christ we have SALVATION (2 Tim. 2:10), all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3), and the love of God (Rom. 8:38-39). The Bible says we get into Christ by grace through faith as we do God's will (Eph. 2:4-8; 1 Cor. 1:30; John 6:65). God's grace teaches us (Tit. 2:11-12). We are taught to believe in the name of Jesus (John 2:23; 3:16; 8:24; Acts 4:12), love and obey Jesus (John 14:15), repent of our sins (Acts 2:38; Luke 13:3), confess Jesus as Lord, the Son of God (Matt. 10:32-33; Rom. 10:9-10), and be immersed (buried, baptized) into Christ (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:27)... where salvation is found (2 Tim. 2:10). Baptism into Christ is God's plan for man's new birth (John 3:3-5). Baptism washes away our sins by the blood of Jesus (Acts 22:16; Matt. 26:28). Baptism saves us NOW (1 Pet. 3:21; Mark 16:16). Baptism puts us into the one body, the church (1 Cor. 12:13; Acts 2:47), the kingdom of God’s dear Son (Col. 1:13). Loved ones, for believers to be one we must teach, believe, and obey only the Bible. We receive the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit when we are immersed in water (Acts 2:38; 5:32), after having repented of our sins and confessed our belief that Jesus is the Son of God (Acts 17:30; Matt. 10:32-33). We arise from the watery grave of baptism IN CHRIST... a new creature... a Christian... a child of God (Rom. 6:4-7; Gal. 3:26). In the days of the great flood, God used only one Ark to save the people... all who were saved were inside that one Ark (1 Pet. 3:20; Gen. 6). When the Israelites crossed the Jordan and fought against the walled city of Jericho, God used only one house to save Rahab's family... all who were saved were inside that one house (Joshua 2:12-14; 6:25). Today, if you desire to have eternal life; to be saved from the wrath of God to come; to escape the burning fires of hell; then you must get inside God's spiritual Ark... the house of the Lord (Heb. 3:1-6)… the church of Christ. The churches of Christ are a fellowship of Christians who believe the Bible to be God's communication to man (2 Tim. 3:16), and therefore have responded to its teachings (Luke 24:46-47). We acknowledge Jesus as the only head (ruler, monarch, sovereign) of the church (Eph. 5:23). We are organized according to the biblical example with elders (bishops) and deacons (Phil. 1:1), and we worship God according to biblical instructions (John 4:22-24). As Christians, we are approved of God and not ashamed to do His work because we study His word diligently (2 Tim. 2:15); grow spiritually (Phil. 1:9); pray always (1 Thess. 5:17; Luke 18:1); assemble with the saints (other Christians) whenever possible (Heb. 10:25), but always on the first day of the week – Sunday (1 Cor. 16:1-2); sing without mechanical instruments, making melody in our hearts (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16); partake of the Lord's Supper every Sunday (Acts 20:7, Matt. 26:26-29); cheerfully give as we purpose in our heart (2 Cor. 9:6-8); become living sacrifices to God (Rom. 12:1-2); continue in good works (Gal. 6:9-10; 2 Tim. 3:17); and are faithful unto death (Rev. 2:10). Our plea is that all mankind might become, “fellow-heirs, and of the same body” of Christ (Eph. 3:6), according to the eternal purpose of God which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Eph. 3:11). We pray that you will choose the truth of God's word as you work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil. 2:12). Please humble yourself and visit a congregation of the churches of Christ at your next opportunity (Rom. 16:16), and remember, you can be JUST A CHRISTIAN (Acts 26:27-29)! To the God of heaven be the Glory as His Will is done (1 Corinthians 10:31). Please pray for wisdom, for me and my wife, Cynthia, and for the Liberty NW church of Christ meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA. We are praying for you, and we love you all so much. Samuel. By Samuel Matthews
"4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, ONE FAITH, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Eph. 4:4-6). KJV Loved ones, in our above text, the Bible speaks of seven "ones." These seven "ones" represent God's Divine Plan of Unity (vs. 3)... One Body; One Spirit; One Hope; One Lord; One Faith; One Baptism; and One God. Now most believers will agree that the ONE GOD is the Father; the ONE LORD is Jesus, the Christ; the ONE SPIRIT is the Holy Spirit; and the ONE HOPE is our hope of Eternal Life in Heaven through Jesus. Believers should also agree concerning the other three "ones" ...the ONE FAITH, the ONE BODY, and the ONE BAPTISM! In this post we will speak plainly about the one faith and the one body. The Bible says there is one faith, and Christians must earnestly contend for it (Jude 3)! In Part 1 of this series, we named more than 25 different “faiths” from the Adventist to the Universalists. We know they are all different because you can't become one by obeying the teachings of another. You get the Baptist faith by attending a Baptist church and hearing and obeying the Baptist word (whatever they teach). You get the Catholic faith by attending a Catholic church and hearing and obeying the Catholic word (whatever they teach), etc. You cannot become a Baptist by attending the Catholic church. WHY NOT? Because the Catholics do not teach the same thing that the Baptists teach. Neither do the Mormons teach the same thing that the Adventists teach, etc. The Bible, however, does NOT teach believers to be in different “faiths” (1 Cor. 1:10; 2 Cor. 13:11). Including the cults, these 25+ different “faiths” are looked upon in the eyes of the world as “Christianity.” The Bible says nothing about “Christianity”; i.e., different faiths. The Bible teaches that God has ONLY one Faith – the faith of the Son of God (Galatians 2:20) – the Christian faith (1 Peter 4:16). Hopefully, you are now asking, "How can one obtain God's one faith?" Well, we know how to obtain any one of the “faiths” of so-called “Christianity”… simply attend their worship service, hear what they preach, and obey what they teach! To obtain God’s one Faith, the Bible says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). Since the Bible (66 books) is the only written word of God, we must study, hear, believe, and obey what it teaches (2 Tim. 2:15; John 6:44-45; Matt. 7:21; Luke 6:46), especially the 27 books of the New Testament. If you have not heard (believed and obeyed) God's word, you do not have God's one faith, and you are NOT pleasing to HIM (Heb. 11:6). God wills to “gather together in one all things in Christ” (Eph. 1:10). Therefore, God wants all who believe that Jesus is the Son of God to be ONE (John 17:20-23; 20:30-31). The question should now be asked, "Since most denominations claim to teach the Bible, why do we have so many different faiths?" Well, the Holy Spirit said in 1 Tim. 4:1, that some would depart or leave “the faith”; i.e., the faith that comes by hearing and obeying the word of Christ (Heb. 5:8-9). After departing from the word of God they would begin “giving heed to” (listening to and obeying) the “doctrines” or teachings of Satan. These hypocritical doctrines would be teaching lies because the conscience of those who advocate them are “seared with a hot iron” (1 Tim. 4:2). Unfortunately, many believers and some of their leaders (reverends, fathers, apostles, etc.) are blind to the fact they are following the creeds of men (Acts 17:23; Matt. 15:7-9; 2 Cor. 4:3-4). Being raised from birth in a particular faith, they take for granted that their "church" was built by the Lord... when in fact, they are following a man-made faith organization which one day will be rooted up (Matt. 15:13-14). [Please take a moment and Google the history of your particular faith. Except for the Catholics, it may surprise you to learn that it is less than 600 years old]. This naturally leads into a discussion of the ONE BODY (Eph. 4:4). The Bible says there is one body (1 Cor. 12:12, 20, 27; Eph. 4:4)! Whose or what body is it? The church of Christ is the body of Christ! Jesus established only one spiritual body, or one church, of which He is the Head (Col. 1:18). God has given Jesus, “22 To be the head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body” (Eph. 1:22-23). There is only one body; therefore, there is only one church... the body of Christ (the church of Christ). Jesus didn't say He would build His “churches” (plural), but He did promised to build His church (Matt. 16:18). Friends, only the church of God belongs to Christ (Acts 20:28). Thus, being uncontented with what the Lord has established, men have formed many different “religious bodies” and have encouraged people to, "Join the church of your choice." There are too many “religious bodies” in the world to count; however, these man-made bodies are not the ONE body of Christ. Rather than calling people into the many different “religious bodies” founded by men, the Lord calls all people into the one body He established (Col. 3:15; 2 Thess. 2:14). Rather than directing people to be baptized into one of the many different “religious bodies,” the Holy Spirit instructs all people to be baptized into Christ’s one body (1 Cor. 12:12-13; Gal. 3:27). Rather than directing people to try and be reconciled to God in the church of their choice, the Bible places reconciliation to God in the one body of Christ (Eph. 2:16). History proves that all denominational and world religion churches were built and named by man. Most western denominational bodies claim they teach and follow the Bible! Well my loved ones, that just can't be true. The fact is (as we have already discussed above in speaking about God’s one faith), denominational doctrines teach you how to follow their particular faith... whether it be Methodist, Lutheran, Nazarene, or whatever... they all teach you how to follow their particular faith; and thus, become a member of their particular body, their church. Knowing these things would come about, the Holy Spirit warns the deceived members of man-made churches that they are following the doctrines and commandments of men, and worshipping God in vain (Matt. 15:8-9). The Psalmist said, “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it” (Ps. 127:1). Friends, Jesus built only one church... His church... His body (Col. 1:24). Jesus has first place (preeminence) in only one church (Col. 1:18). Jesus purchased with His blood only one church (Acts 20:28). Jesus adds the saved to only one church (Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 12:13; Mark 16:16). Jesus will return one day for only one church... His church... the church of God – the church of Christ (Acts 1:11; 1 Corinthians 15:24; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; Rom. 16:16). To be continued… “God has ONE Baptism.” To the God of heaven be the Glory as His Will is done (1 Corinthians 10:31). Please pray for wisdom, for me and my wife, Cynthia, and for the Liberty NW church of Christ meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA. We are praying for you, and we love you all so much. Samuel. By Samuel Matthews
“And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). KJV Loved ones, as always this series will be the truth (John 17:17) and written with love (Eph. 4:15). We thank God that His mercy and manifold blessings are allowing you to read and study it. Therefore, please don’t become my enemy “because I tell you the truth” (Gal. 4:16). It's our prayer that you will clear your mind of all religious prejudice and diligently study each scriptural reference from your Bible with an honest and good heart (2 Tim. 2:15; Luke 8:15). It's also our hope that you will understand the “grace and truth” given you from God the Father by the Lord Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Now please take a deep breath, fasten your seatbelt, and hang-in-there, for this series is going to tell it like it is! Friends, do you claim to love Jesus, our Lord, and our God? We believe that many of you reading this post truly are striving to love and obey the Lord from your heart (Rom. 6:17). That’s good because Jesus commands: “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). So, if you absolutely love God you will believe and obey what His Word or Son says (Heb. 1:1-2; Luke 6:46; Matt. 7:21-27). Why, because God Speaks Through His Word – THE BIBLE! The Bible is the written Word of God (1 Thess. 2:13); the written Truth of God (John 1:1-2, 14; 14:6; 17:17); the written power of God (Rom. 1:16; 1 Cor. 1:24). In the Bible we find “all things that pertain unto life and goddess” and the “exceeding great and precious promises” of God (2 Pet. 1:3-4). In the Scriptures we also find the peace of God (Phil. 4:7), the knowledge of God (Col. 1:9-10), and the salvation of God (Acts 28:28). The Bible contains the only "doctrine" which will equip “the man of God… unto all good works” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). The wise person will take heed to God’s word, because one day it will be used as the basis for judgement (John 12:48). The Comforter, the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16), revealed the word to the apostles (John 14:16-17; John 16:13-14). They wrote it down in the Bible so that we might read and understand the mystery of godliness (Eph. 3:3-5; 1 Tim. 3:16). The mystery of Christ is, “That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel” (Eph. 3:6), has been revealed through the word of God. Friends, God desires for the peoples of all nations (Jews and Gentiles) to be in “the same body.” God has only ONE body (Eph. 4:4). That body is His church (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18, 24), or the kingdom of God’s dear Son Jesus, the Christ (Col. 1:13). The Bible presents the soul saving Gospel (or good news) of Jesus Christ. It plainly tells the sinner how to become a member of God’s ONE body (1 Cor. 12:12-13, 27). The three facts of the Gospel state, “3 That Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:1-4). By faith (Rom. 10:17), the three commands of the Gospel are belief in Jesus as God’s Son (John 3:16-18; 8:24; Matt. 10:32-33), repentance of sins (Acts 17:30; Luke 13:3, 5), and immersion (buried) in water baptism (Rom. 6:3-4; Acts 8:35-39; 10:47-48). The three promises of the Gospel are the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ (Acts 2:38; Matt. 26:28; Rev. 1:5), the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32; Eph. 1:13-14), and entrance into the church or eternal kingdom of God (Acts 2:41, 47; Matt. 16:18-19). The Gospel is the word that Christ commanded to be preached to the whole world (Matt. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; 1 Cor. 9:16), NOT the book of Mormon or the Catechism. God wants mankind to obey the Gospel (Rom. 10:16), and further, it is something that man must obey, or he will be eternally lost (Jam. 1:21-25; 1 Pet. 4:17; 2 Thess. 1:7-9. Since the Gospel of Christ is God's power to save the believer (Rom. 1:16), should we seek another way or power? The answer is definitely NO! (Gal. 1:6-9). The Bible calls God's people Christians, priests, children, disciples, saints, and brethren (1 Pet. 4:16; Rev. 1:6; Gal. 3:26; Col. 1:1-2). Christians are taught to do all in the name (by the authority) of Jesus (Matt. 28:18-19; Col. 3:17), rather than by the authority of the Pope, King Henry VIII, Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, John Wesley, Joseph Smith, Jr., Charles Russell, Charles Parham, Mary Baker Eddy, Ellen G. White, or any other man or woman. Therefore, God's people are NOT called: Adventists, Amish, Anglicans, Apostolic, Baptist, Buddhist, Catholics, Congregationalist, Deist, Episcopalians, Holiness, Jehovah Witnesses, Jews, Lutherans, Masons, Mennonites, Methodist, Moonies, Moravians, Mormons, Moslems, Muslims, Nazarenes, Orthodox, Pentecostals, Presbyterians, Protestants, Quakers, Reformed, Unitarians, Universalists, etc. The above human manufactured names keep the religious world divided. As seen in our text, “Christian" is the NEW name given by God to His disciples (Isa. 62:2; Acts 4:10-12; Acts 26:28). Penitent believers must be willing to discard all human religious names and wear the name "Christian" only... for the name you wear tells who you belong to (1 Cor. 3:3-9; 2 Tim. 2:19)! To be continued… “God Has ONE Faith.” To the God of heaven be the Glory as His Will is done (1 Corinthians 10:31). Please pray for wisdom, for me and my wife, Cynthia, and for the Liberty NW church of Christ meeting in Portland, Oregon, USA. We are praying for you, and we love you all so much. Samuel. Ron Halbrook
Xenia, Ohio Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you`! or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Cor. 1:10-13) The first Christians claimed no human merit and were forbidden to exalt my human leaders (Matt. 23:1-12). The “worthy name” of Christ was a sufficient banner and the only badge of identification (Jas. 2:7). Jesus Christ had shed His blood and sinners received the benefits of that redeeming . blood when they were baptized in His name. Christ is not divided – His people must not divide. Since the Bible teaches this so plainly, we may well wonder why there are so many denominations today. A world which accepts this situation might be shocked to learn what God thinks of it. The more we study what the Bible says, the more ,we will understand the dangers of denominationalism. Why So Many Different Denominations? Modern denominationalism ranges from the Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) which emphasizes traditional creeds, to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) which is so broad as to include the likes of the now-defunct Peoples Temple with its communistic-style leader Jim Jones. Jesus Christ warned that during the first century false Christs and movements falsely claiming to be His own would arise (Matt. 7:13-23; Acts 15; 1, 2, 3 Jn.). Counterfeit Christs and churches multiplied after the first century but were overshadowed from about the 600s to the 1400s by the monolithic power of Roman Catholicism. Most dissenters from Catholicism during these Middle Ages were adopted into the Catholic fold, persecuted out of existence, or else died a natural death. Beginning in the 1500s, several efforts were made to remove the most extreme corruptions from Catholicism, but it rejected from its fold the reformers instead. Reformation movements were inaugurated under Martin Luther (1483-1546), Ulrich Zwingli (1484-1531), and John Calvin (1509-64) – resulting in Lutheran, Reformed, and Calvinist crusades. Lutherans were based largely in Germany. Reformed and Calvinist groups, based in Switzerland, often converged and formed various phases of Presbyterianism. While Lutherans and Presbyterians spread their teachings in Europe and sought political power, more radical reformers who were generally labeled Anabaptists (because they re-baptized people who had been sprinkled as infants) attempted to reproduce the New Testament church in strict detail. The visions and experiments with that restitution concept varied and were sometimes bizarre, but seed was sown contributing to the rise of such bodies as Mennonites; Independents, Baptists, Quakers, and several varieties of Brethren. King Henry VIII (1491-1547) engineered a break with Roman Catholicism that resulted in only mild religious reform but in a separate Church of England or Anglican Church. Overall, the Protestant Reformation changed the religious landscape of the West from one dominated by Catholicism to one dotted with nationally established churches in competition with smaller parties. The major churches of Europe were to be represented in America: (1) Roman Catholic; (2) Lutheran; (3) Reformed and Presbyterian (including mixed groups of Puritans, Separatists, and ., Congregationalists); (4) Anglican (Episcopal in America after the Revolution, and the Anglican offshoot Methodism); and (5) assorted radical reformation groups such as Baptists, Quakers, and others. Some of these major groups were further divided internally along lines of national origin, language, and culture (for instance, Lutheran, Reformed, and Presbyterian churches were splintered). The process of division has continued in America as well as in other countries. A summary on the origin of some major groups formed since 1500 and found in modern America is provided on the chart (Time, Place, and Founder). Time Place Founder Church 606 Rome Boniface III (first “universal bishop”) Roman Catholic 1520 Germany Martin Luther Lutheran 1534 England Henry VIII Episcopal 1536 Switzerland John Calvin Presbyterian 1550 England Robert Browne Congregational 1607 Holland John Smythe Baptist 1739 England John Wesley Methodist 1830 America Joseph Smith Latter Day Saints (Mormon) 1830 America William Miller Adventist 1866 America Mary Baker Eddy Christian Scientist 1872 America Charles T. Russell Jehovah’s Witnesses The number of divisions is difficult to compute, depending on how many fringe elements, factions, cultists, and self-styled religions are included. The standard Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches lists 296. Arthur C. Piepkorn’s seven-volume Profiles in Belief (issued by Harper & Row) enumerates 735 North American groups, but J. Gordon Melton’s new Encyclopedia of American Religions (Consortium Books; $75) counts 1,187 denominations in the U.S. alone! Prominent Characteristics of Modern Denominations Historians and other analysts have made a few generalizations about the confusing medley of churches arising after 1500. Some appearance of unity with each other and even with Roman Catholicism centers around certain themes deemed the core of Christianity: “namely, the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus” (Kenneth Scott Latourette, A History of Christianity [New York: Harper & Bros., 1953], p. 1472). Many of the groups have continued to acknowledge a few post apostolic age formulations of faith such as the so-called Apostles’ and Nicene creeds. “However, a minority either rejected these, or, endeavoring to go back to the primitive church and its beliefs and practices as pictured in the New Testament, declined to be bound by creeds” (Ibid., p. 996). All the groups can be identified negatively by their rejection of the Pope and “the corruptions for which the Pope stood,” including the invocation of the saints, the cult of the Virgin Mary, indulgences, and the obligatory celibacy of the clergy (ibid.). Positively, a few distinct ideas widely held include: (1) appeal to the Bible rather than tradition, Pope, or the Roman Catholic Church as the authoritative revelation of God’s will; (2) salvation by faith – generally understood as “faith alone”,- rather than by the works stipulated by Roman Catholic leaders of the Middle Ages; and (3) the priesthood of all believers, rather than the dominant role of the priestly hierarchy in Roman Catholicism. These generalizations have been complicated since about 1875 by the development of Liberalism or Modernism which rejects all external authority – Bible, Church, Pope, creed, or any other. Latourette summarized, Indeed, what we call Christianity changed from time to time. In most of its forms what came from Jesus and his apostles was regarded as primary and determinative, but other contributions entered, among them the cultural background of individuals and groups, the personal experiences of outstanding leaders, and inherited religions and philosophical conceptions (p. 1472). A modern denomination is an organized form of religion that begins with some things taught or practiced by Jesus and His apostles, but changes those things by the application of human conceptions. The changes are made in the name of progress, service, peace, love, or some other positive sounding term. A denomination is not an individual Christian. It is an organization larger than the local church to which local churches belong, but usually does not claim to be the whole body of the saved. Denominational boundaries are determined by such factors as a human designation or name which is worn, a creed composed by men, some favorite doctrine emphasized to the exclusion of other truths, close adherence to one or more human leaders, and institutional loyalty. Typical institutions generating denominational loyalty are the parent body which receives local churches, missionary boards, educational bodies such as colleges, publication houses, journals which attempt to speak for the denomination, summer camps, hospitals, old-age homes, apartment complexes, retirement centers, orphanages, and assorted humanitarian service organizations. The individual member of some denomination very often identifies such institutions with the church. He experiences a sense of pride and loyalty centered in them. Once the approved leader, parent body, or other important institution rules on a matter of faith or practice, the denomination as a whole tends to “line up” and to throttle any further open debate. Dissenters are seldom tried before ecclesiastical courts any more, but such people are easily labeled and their influence isolated by the bureaucratic machinery of the denomination. The most widely held view among denominations of all sorts is: it is not essential to a person’s salvation for him to join any denomination at all so long as he in his own way respects, serves, or worships God. If he wishes to honor God or serve humanity by joining one of the myriad denominations, one church is about as good as another. That is, God accepts and approves them all. With this background we may readily understand why there are so many denominations. The question is, does God really accept modern denominationalism? The Shocking Truth Most religious people today would be shocked to learn that, no, God does not accept modern denominationalism! We cannot wave aside the question by saying that religious people should not question one another’s faith and practice. Christ and His apostles spent much of their time challenging and teaching other religious people. We cannot wave aside the question by saying that we should “leave other people alone” in our preaching. In calling gospel preachers “Back to the Old Paths,” C.R. Nichol said, Exactly what will one teach and “let others alone”? If one preaches “God is,” the atheist cries: there is no God, let us alone! If you preach that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Savior, the Jew raises his voice, saying: “Let us alone.” If you preach that faith in Christ is necessary to salvation in this life, the Universalist insists that you leave him alone. If you teach that one must live the faithful Christian life, the Baptists declare you should let them alone, for they declare it IS NOT necessary to salvation to live faithful! If you teach that believers only are subjects of baptism (immersion) the Methodists and Presbyterians insist you let them alone. What can one preach and “let other people alone?” (Abilene Christian College Bible Lectures 1952 [Austin, Texas: Firm Foundation Publ. House], pp. 97-98). The question, “Does God accept modern denominationalism?” must be faced. All who claim to serve the God of the Bible must go to the Bible to learn what He does and does not approve. What man’s eye, ear, and heart cannot of natural power know – i.e. the wisdom of God – He Himself has revealed in the words of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:9-13). All who claim to respect the Bible as God’s Word are obligated to test every religious practice by the Bible. Knowing that false teachers abound, we must test every teaching by the apostolic word (1 Jn. 4:1-6). All who claim to believe in Jesus Christ must follow His word in all things and shun “the voice of strangers” (Jn. 10:4-5). Jesus asks, “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Lk. 6:46). In the excellent little book Can We Trust the Bible? (Earl D. Radmacher, ed; Wheaton, III.: Tyndale House, 1979), Edmund P. Clowny speaks precisely to the point: The authority of Scriptures cannot be separated from Jesus Christ. The Word of the Lord bears witness to the Lord of the word (p. 39). If we lose the Lord’s Word we lose the Lord (p. 41). We cannot separate the Lord Jesus Christ from the Bible. If we turn away from the Scriptures, and suppose that we are turning to Christ, then what we turn to is not the Christ of the Scriptures but a myth of our own imagination (p. 53). Other writers in the same little book underscore the close connection between God, His Son, and His revealed Word: Just as Christ himself is Life and Light, the words he has spoken are Spirit and Life (Robert C. Preus, p. 58). But just as Jesus Christ is God’s Son for the world, so Holy Scripture is God’s Word for the world . . . . Because the Bible is the Word of God, it is utterly trustworthy and utterly authoritative for our lives – not just relatively so, as being the best source we have, but absolutely so, as being God’s pure word of address which stands for all eternity (James I. Packer, p. 24). The Bible is the focal point both of God’s authority and of all that man can know about what God approves and accepts. What the Bible Says Ephesians points to salvation in Christ, the one head of one body, as God’s plan from eternity (1:4, 22-23; 3:8-11). Through Old Testament promises and prophecies, God unfolded this plan for salvation in Jesus Christ the seed of Abraham, in His kingdom alone, or under this one shepherd in His fold alone (Gen. 12:3 & Gal. 3; Isa. 2:1-5; 11:1-12; Dan. 2:44; Ezek. 34:23-26 & Jn. 10). In John 17, Jesus prayed for the unity of those disciples He personally selected and “for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one” – a unity to be based upon the word of truth (17:17-21). That prayer became a reality when, on the first Pentecost after Christ arose., Peter proclaimed the resurrected Savior. When thousands “were pricked in their heart” and cried, “What shall we do?” Peter told them, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized . . . . And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2). All were added to the same thing, to the one church, to the Lord’s body. This glorious gospel, this perfect salvation, this unity in Christ spread throughout the world with the same result. Upon hearing and believing the word, lost souls repented of sin, confessed Christ, and were baptized in water. Their sins were forgiven in the Savior’s blood and these precious souls became one in Him. They were known as “believers,” because they believed in Christ (Acts 5:14); “disciples,” because they were learners and followers of Christ (6:7); and “Christians,” because they belonged to Christ (11:26). These early Christians were without exception undenominational Christians. They belonged to Him without joining or taking the label of any other group, party, sect, religion, division, name, institution, or organization! We, too, can be Christians only, as they were. God planned for Christians to keep this unity in Christ in love and peace by serving Him in a local church (with no hierarchy or additional structure other than local elders, deacons, evangelists, teachers, and other saints working together; Acts 14:23; 1 Tim. 3), in a spiritual mission of spreading the gospel and in a simple worship (songs, prayers, Bible study, and “upon the first day of the week” the Lord’s Supper and fellowship in giving for the work of the church; Acts 2:42; 20:7; Eph. 5:19; 1 Cor. 16:1-2). Any tendency toward division through exalting human leaders was strictly forbidden (1 Cor. 1:10-13). Division through the formulation of human doctrines was also forbidden (Matt. 15:8-9; Gal. 5:19-21). “There is one body,” unity of organization; “and one Spirit,” unity of life; “even as ye are called in one hope of your calling,” unity of desire and expectation; “one Lord, ” unity of authority; “one faith, ” unity of message; “one baptism, ” unity of practice; “one God and Father of all,” unity of worship (Eph. 4:4-6). Those who refuse to abide in the doctrine of Christ destroy their unity with God and His people, and therefore must be rejected (2 Jn. 9-11). God does not, nor should we, accept denominationalism because: (1) God is undenominational, (2) the Bible is an undenominational book, (3) Jesus Christ is an undenominational Savior, (4) the gospel is an undenominational message, and (5) the New Testament church is an undenominational body. To resist the dangers of denominationalism, we must resist both without and within the church popular denominational concepts: God accepts any denomination, salvation by faith alone, unity in “gospel” with diversity in “doctrine,” various schemes of unconditional grace, creeds of men, fear of open debate, human organizations attached to the churches, and institutional loyalty. Let us maintain unswerving loyalty to Christ and uphold New Testament Christianity. This alone, God has revealed. This alone He accepts. |
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