We contend that as a local congregation we can be pleasing to God by allowing Christ to rule over us without any denominational structure. We also contend that we can be “Christians only” without any denominational affiliation. We all can agree, if we are willing to allow the Bible to be our guide, that there were no denominations during the times of the apostles of Jesus Christ.
Disunity is bad in every realm whether it be in sports, politics or religion. But the real question is this: “What does God think about religious division?” I have already established the principle of allowing the Bible to give the answer to everything that we believe religiously. So what does the Bible teach on this great subject?
Lack of Unity Leads to Unbelief
Just before Jesus went through the ordeals of suffering and death, He prayed for Himself, for his apostles, and for those who would later believe in Him through their word:
John 17:13-21 "But now I come to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves. 14"I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15"I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one. 16"They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. 18"As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. 19"For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth. 20"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
Jesus knew that a lack of unity among disciples would lead to unbelief in the world.
The apostle Paul taught much the same thing in 1 Corinthians 1:10-11: “Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.” In another place Paul prayed, “Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul’s greatest indictment of religious division is found in Galatians 5:19-20 where he places it among the works of the flesh: “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,” etc.
As we read these passages, we need to ask ourselves a few questions. “Do all believers in denominations speak the same thing? Are there any divisions that are works of the flesh? Do all denominational believers speak with one mouth?” The answer to all of these questions is a dismal, “No!” Over 760 separate religious denominations exist in the United States alone, all claiming allegiance to Christ. But they all teach different things that contradict the others. Yet they all claim to teach their distinctive doctrines right out of the Bible. What blows my mind is that some even brag about this state of religious affairs by stating that it is the wonderful world of religious diversity.
There are many examples of how the religious world ignores the prayer of Jesus. Several years ago Newsweek magazine had this notice:
The Good Shepherd Baptist Church in Denver, Colo.,Has refused to meet the payments on a small stucco building it contracted to buy from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in 1965—precisely on the
ground that the property already belongs to God. The Baptists say “the Holy Spirit revealed to them that once you buy a church property, it belongs to the Lord and nobody can sell it.” The Lutherans say, “But the Holy Spirit did not speak to us in this way. The Baptists got it from a special revelation and there is no way to deal with that.” (“Divine Property?” Newsweek, July 5, 1971, p. 51).
When it comes to justifying religious division, many great leaders of the past are totally ignored:
Martin Luther
“I ask that men make no reference to my name, and call themselves
Not Lutherans, but Christians. What is Luther? My doctrine, I am
Sure, is not mine, nor have I been crucified for any one. St. Paul,
In I Cor. iii, would not allow Christians to call themselves Pauline or
Petrine, but Christian. How then should I, poor, foul carcase that I
am, come to have men give to the children of Christ a name derived from my worthless name? No, no, my dear friends; let us abolish all party names, and call ourselves Christians after Him Whose doctrine we have.” (Hugh Thomson Kerr, A Compend of Luther’s Theology [Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1943], p. 135. Also cited by Lewis W. Spitz, Ph. D., Our Church and Others [Saint Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1969], pp. 23-24).
When I lived in Kansas City, I saw a huge sign off the freeway that read, “Martin Luther Lutheran Church”. In much the same way people say that they honor Christ yet ignore what He taught.
John Wesley
Another great reformation leader, John Wesley, among whose followers are the Methodists, Wesleyans, etc., said:
“Would to God that all party names, and unscriptural phrases and
forms which have divided the Christian world, were forgot and that
they very name [Methodist---LM] might never be mentioned more,
but be buried in eternal oblivion.” (John Wesley, Universal Know-
ledge, A Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Arts, Science, History, Biography, Law, Literature, Religions, Nations, Races, Customs,
and Institutions, Vol. 9, Edward A Pace, editor [New York: Univer-
sal Knowledge Foundation, 1927], p. 540.)
In direct violation of his plea, his followers still call themselves Methodists, Nazarenes, and Wesleyans.
Charles Spurgeon
One of the greatest Baptist preachers who ever lived said this:
“I look forward with pleasure to the day when there will not be a Baptist living! I hope that the Baptist name will soon perish, but let Christ’s name last forever.” (Spurgeon Memorial Library, Vol. I, n.d., p. 168.).
Instead of Spurgeon’s desire coming true, there are at least twenty-six different Baptist denominations in this nation alone.
People seem to have no problem with a multitude of preachers teaching contradictory doctrines, all making claims that their teaching comes right out of the Bible. Some even claim that what they teach has been revealed by the Holy Spirit, as if the Holy Spirit would reveal such conflicting ideas! If we march a parade of preachers throughout the week teaching conflicting doctrines some would praise this as wonderful diversity. After all, we all have the right to interpret the Bible differently. When we make such statements we are actually blaming God for not making His thoughts plain in the Bible giving rise to such differing views. But if a single preacher would do the same thing, we would think that he is absolutely crazy!
The Fruits of Denominationalism
The biggest enemy of religion is religion itself. The fruits of Denominating the body of Christ have been disastrous. Jesus prayed: “that they may all be one…that the world may believe.” A failure to heed His words has produced much unbelief and even atheism. Benedict Spinoza was a prominent Dutch Philosopher blamed theological creeds with all their contradictions as his rationale for becoming an atheist. Voltaire was a famous French philosopher blamed the contradictions and abuses of Roman Catholicism for his atheism. David Hume was the foremost Scottish philosopher and blamed the creeds of Calvin and Presbyterianism for his unbelief. Diderot was an eminent French encyclopedist who blamed the creeds of orthodoxy for his atheism.
Robert Owen
Robert Owen was perhaps the greatest European atheist of the 19th century. He was a genius and a philanthropist, and concerning his background before debating Alexander Campbell, historian Bill J. Humble says:
“At the time when Robert Owen came to debate Campbell in 1829,
he was 58 years of age and already a world figure of renown, appeal-
ing to the popular imagination by his schemes for the betterment of
humanity, and arousing the ire of united clergy by his denunciations
of all religions. This international figure was born in New Montgom-eryshire, North Wales, on May 14, 1771. At an early age the boy was enrolled in a day school where he evidenced a precocious mental development; for at seven he had mastered all the information which
his instructor could impart and was himself teaching. The intellectual growth of the young man was so rapid that before attaining his tenth birthday, he had investigated a number of theological works and examined their contents so critically as to lead himself to doubt the fundamental nature of all religion.” (Bill J. Humble, Alexander Campbell and Controversy [Rosemead, CA: Old Paths Book Club, 1952], p. 81.)
At one time Charles Darwin, the renowned agnostic, studied to be a clergyman in the church of England. Why did Darwin, a believer in Christ and a creationist, later become the chief promoter of the general theory of Evolution with world wide influence? Why did he become the chief apostle of godless evolution? His son and his biographer, wrote:
“We had an earnest conversation about going into Holy Orders; and
I remember his asking me, with reference to the question put by the Bishop in the ordination service, ‘Do you trust that you are inwardly moved by the Holy Spirit, etc.’ whether I could answer in the affirmative, and on my saying I could not, he said, ‘Neither can I, and therefore I cannot take Orders.’ (Francis Darwin, Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, Vol. 1 [New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1889], p. 147.)
It was not that Darwin claimed to reject Christ, or the Bible. He rejected a doctrine that was not even in the Bible, something in the creed book of the Church of England! Darwin’s works influenced the minds of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin, and Hitler, and gave them the “ethical basis” for many of their horrible actions. Why would anyone say that religious division isn’t really so bad?
Robert Ingersoll, the greatest atheist of the last third of the nineteenth century claimed that theological creeds led to his religious downfall.
Charles Smith
Charles Smith, the first president of the American Association for the Advancement of Atheism, explained how he became an atheist:
“Let me tell you something of how I came to be an Atheist. I used
to live in Maud, Oklahoma—was there before the town was built;
and have lived in Shawnee. I was in this town some twenty years
ago, working for the Farmer’s Union. I joined the First Methodist church. A few years later, I went to a Methodist school, Epworth University, in Oklahoma City…The next session I sent to the State University at Norman. I tried to continue to believe the Christians religion, but began to investigate its doctrines. One day when watching a football game with my pastor, I asked him if he believed the virgin birth story, and the Adam and Eve story. He said, ‘Why, of course not.’ I demanded: ‘Why do you not tell your congregation that?’ He replied: ‘That would do a great deal of harm, and no good’.” (Charles Smith, Oliphant-Smith Debate [Nashville, TN: Gospel Advocate Company, 1952], pp. 23-24.)
Human Creeds and Other Gospels
Widespread religious division and confusion has become the great tool of the Devil to spread disbelief. It is not the teachings of Christ that are confusing, but rather, it is men who multiplied their own creeds and churches founded upon such creeds, and thus make void the word of God, as Jesus Himself said:
“….And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophecy of you: ‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THE LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. ‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN,’” (Matthew 15:6-9).
The apostle issues some very strong warnings about those who would pervert the gospel of Christ:
“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!” (Galatians 1:6-9)
Denominational creeds are designed to unite the faithful, but in reality such creeds institutionalize division. They may promote unity within a particular denomination, but such creeds establish a wall of separation between themselves and other denominations. Is that the unity for which Christ prayed?
Denominational creeds also impeach the wisdom of God. Those who write creeds do not believe that the Bible alone can establish unity, and that their creed does a better job. It also impugns the wisdom and good will of Christ. The Bible claims that in Christ we have everything that we need for “life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3), which He promised (see John 14:26; 16:13) and is affirmed by the apostles (see 2 Timothy 3:16; Jude 3, etc.). Was the work of Christ so ambiguous in revealing God’s will that it needs the help of human creeds?
“Human creeds not only harm the reputation of God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, who brought the complete revelation into the world, but they cause inestimable harm to believers in Christ. Rather than obey Paul’s command to test everything to see if it’s genuine (1 Thess. 5:21), and “prove what is well pleasing to the Lord” (Eph. 5:8-11), those who place their confidence in creeds are obligated to approach the Bible with an interpretation already placed upon it” Sam Dawson
Defending Denominations
Some people dismiss religious division as being a necessary evil, as they say, the only other alternative is “lock step” conformity. How about just simple faith in Christ and in His word? How about appealing only to the Bible for all we believe and practice? Is this such a novel idea? Those who promote religious division believe that it is a good thing. They use such illustrations as Christ and the branches (see John 15:1-3) or the illustration of a “Wagon Wheel”. They teach that the “branches” in John 15 represent different denominations instead of individual believers as the context clearly states: "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. 3"You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. John 15:1-4. As to the “Wagon Wheel” illustration the “spokes” represent different ways to the “hub” or Christ. That is nice illustration, but what does it illustrate that can be found in the Bible? Instead of many ways to go to heaven, Christ said that “I am the way, the truth, and the life”.
Can We Just Do It God’s Way?
In this publication, I have tried to emphasize doing things God’s way. I am convinced that all of the great fundamentals of salvation, the church, and how we ought to live is clearly stated in the word of God. You can read the Bible and you will never learn from it how to become a Baptist, a Methodist, a Presbyterian, Catholic or any other kind of denomination. This should tell you something about denominations. On the other hand, you can read the Bible alone and learn how to be saved, how to become part of the church (body) of Christ, how the church was organized and other such things. This illustrates that we need the Bible, but we do not need human creeds which always foster division. I am not saying that everything in the Bible is easy to understand. Surely the Bible itself distinguishes between the “milk” of the word and “meat” of the word. The Bible is very clear as to what it takes to become a Christian and in Christ there is great room for growth and development. But the only creed we need is the Bible itself and in Christ all of our needs are provided.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is for all men regardless of race or religious background. The gospel is for the Jew as well as the Greek. The gospel is for the Pharisee as well as the Sadducee. The gospel is able to break down all ways that separate men and women. The New Testament Christians were willing to leave their sectarian divisions and unite in Christ. The same gospel is for those affiliated with various denominations. If the truth be told, we all came out of different backgrounds with our own bias and even prejudices. But obedience to Christ means that we drop all of those things that are foreign to Christ and just become Christians only and be governed by the Bible only. For this is the only thing that can bring about true unity in Christ.
The gospel of Christ does not tear down anything that people believe and practice that is in harmony with His teaching. If you believe in ONE GOD you do well. But even so, you can only obtain forgiveness through Jesus Christ! If you believe in the high morals set forth by God and reject all ungodliness including homosexual practices, you do well. But real unity can only take place on the basis of our fellowship with Christ according to the word of God. We may agree on the importance of teaching that God created all things and we may be on the right side of the cultural battles taking place today. But unity in Christ is more than this. It is not the Bible plus something else. It is not Christ plus something else. Some say, “I am a Christian first and a Baptist (substitute your own name) second.” Why not just be an un-hyphenated Christian – a Christian first, last, and always? What if a Christian in Corinth had told Paul, “Look, I am a Christian first but I am a follower of Peter (Paul or Apollos) second?” Would this not be the opposite of what Paul wrote? (see 1 Cor. 1:12-15).
Unity Is Only In Christ
Perhaps the greatest statement on unity is found in Ephesians 4:1-6. Paul admonished the Christians in Ephesus: “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all humility and gentleness with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Only God can produce such unity, but it is up to God’s people to preserve that which God has established. Then Paul states the great platform of unity: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.” Do we actually believe there is only ONE BODY (not many), there is only ONE SPIRIT (not many spirits teaching conflicting things), there is only ONE HOPE (not the “here and now” hope, but eternal life), there is only ONE LORD (not following the Lord of your choice), there is only ONE FAITH (not the many faiths advocated by men), there is only ONE BAPTISM (not the many “baptisms” taught by men) and only ONE GOD. What a simple summary of the unity of which Christ is the author.
Here is a brief summary of the first four issues of Pitching For The Master. In the September, 2006 issue, I emphasized the importance of allowing God to tell us what to do. Authority comes down from God, then Christ was given all authority, and in turn Christ authorized His apostles to teach by the power of the Holy Spirit, and finally they wrote scripture which carries the full authority of God. Then the October, 2006 issue dealt with how we may have fellowship with God. The November, 2006 issue emphasized the importance of the church or how we may have fellowship with one another in Christ. You may order any of these back issues from us.
I have for many years believed in the way of Christ without denominationalism. I realize that these concepts do not agree with the thinking of many people. But my concern in this is to teach only what I can find in the Bible. It is very difficult for many to see Christ without looking through the glasses of denominational theory and practice. But if we are really honest, we realize that the great divisions in the denominational world has created many great problems for those who want to simply be disciples of Christ. There has been a great wall built between the people and the Bible and that wall is the sectarianism of religious division.
Future issues will contain more than just one theme. I welcome any comments about anything that I may write, even if you don’t agree. I will certainly give you arguments consideration. I have changed my mind about many things through the years. One thing I enjoyed about my life in professional baseball was all of the contacts I had with such a cross section of people all over this country. I especially looked forward to any conversations about the Bible itself and how the great issues of life find real solutions in the wisdom found in the Bible. It has been a great journey!
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