____________________________________________________ THE GOSPEL OBSERVER "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19,20). ____________________________________________________ December 15, 1991 ____________________________________________________ Denominationalism Versus Bible Unity by Tom Edwards There is a great need for religious unity in our modern times. Denominationalism continues to sprout in many directions and confuse society with its numerous, conflicting beliefs. It seems that many prefer to merely overlook this by saying, ``It really doesn't matter where one goes to church.'' If that be true--and since each of these denominations teach contrary doctrines--then one could also say that ``It doesn't really matter what one believes.'' Is this, however, what God's word teaches or even indicates? Does it not make any difference to God as to how we believe, how we live, and how we worship? Denominationalism is man-made, and to worship the Lord on the basis of a man-made system is vain (Matt. 15:9). Is not God's divinely inspired instructions on how to worship in spirit and in truth sufficient? Must man give God a helping hand by adding that which isn't to be found in the Bible? And does man have the right to eliminate portions of God's inspired New Covenant which he feels is not all that important? See 2 John 9-11. God is not the one to be charged with the religious division that is so common in our times, for He is not ``the author of confusion'' (1 Cor. 14:33). Neither should we condone these various departures from the truth of God's word, as if we each have a right to attain heaven in our own way. Though man can choose or not choose, there is only one way that leads to heaven, and that is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Isn't it strange, though, that if I told some of those who believe it makes no difference what religious affiliation one is of, that I'm a Baptist-Catholic-Presbyterian-Methodist-Lutheran-Jehovah's Witness-Mennonite-Adventist-Mormon-''Christian,'' I would probably be viewed as having some type of mental problem. There is no way that anyone can soundly accept everything that is being taught in the name of religion today as being true. For to do so could be likened to calling red and white the same color or saying hot and cold are the same temperature. Just these few thoughts should impress upon us the need to have unity among God's people. Furthermore, Jesus not only prayed that believers would be one with each other and with God (John 17:20-23), but He also died so that they could be (Eph. 2:14-18). What is a person inadvertently saying about this prayer and death of Jesus, when he teaches that we can each go to the ``church of our choice,'' that it ``doesn't really matter if we all believe the same things or not in matters of faith,'' and that ``Jesus approves of all denominations''? To make these assertions is to overlook what Jesus agonized to accomplish by His own life and death. People are often ridiculed today when they speak of the ``one'' church in the New Testament, but why should this be when there is only one which the Bible speaks of? Jesus said, ``I will build my CHURCH'' (Matt. 16:18)--not ``CHURCHES.'' Paul, who declares there is only ONE God, ONE Lord, ONE Faith, ONE baptism, ONE Spirit, and ONE hope, also includes that there is only ONE body; this ``body'' being the church (Eph. 4:4-6; Eph. 1:22,23; 5:23). Not every church is a church that belongs to God. Jesus spoke of this metaphorically by saying, ''...Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be rooted up.'' And concerning the truth that the Lord will build His own church, the psalmist declares, ``Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it....'' (Psa. 127:1). In writing to the Corinthians, who had been guilty of factionalism, Paul admonishes, ``Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment'' (1 Cor. 1:10). We need to also keep in mind that all of the passages in the New Testament that speak of the need for unity is said with reference to the Lord's church--without even the thought of modern-day denominationalism. The point I would like to stress from this, however, is that if the Lord was concerned with the same type of church remaining in unity, what will become of those that are not even the same type of church? No, we cannot be blind to the fact that not all churches are the same. In the religious world, there is a vast difference being taught about the plan of salvation; how can this be minimized? Some teach ``once saved always saved,'' while others teach that salvation can be lost. Some teach ``sprinkling,'' while others teach ``immersion.'' Some teach that Jesus was just a created angel, while others teach He is an eternal God. Our plea today should be, Let's just get back to the Bible and be simply Christians. We need to learn to accept the Bible and the Bible alone as our only creed in religious matters--not the human creeds that have only done more to promote religious divisions. As someone once said about human creeds, ``If it does not have as much as the Bible, it is not enough. If it has more than the Bible, it has too much. And if it is the same as the Bible, who needs it? Let's just go according to the Bible.'' May it be our desire to be what God wants us to be and to be satisfied with His plan of salvation and His instructions as to how we should live, serve, and worship Him. For this is the only way toward religious unity that is pleasing to God. ___________________________________________ PREACHING by John Clark Paul's first letter to the Christians in Corinth cost him much. As I meditate on the price Paul paid I have grave doubts about the poor price I pay in my own preaching. It pained Paul to write so sternly to those he loved. It was essential, but it was not easy. ``Heaviness,'' ``sorrow,'' ``affliction,'' ``anguish of heart,'' ``grief,'' and ``tears'' are his words--words throbbing and sobbing and telling us of the heart of this great man. In Ephesus the apostle labored ``by the space of three years'' and had a tearful time of it. ``I ceased not to warn everyone night and day with tears'' (Acts 20:31). A New Testament Jeremiah mixing truth and tears! As a weeping writer, Paul warned the Philippians of the enemies of the cross (Phil. 3:18). There are many facets to a man's character. A true picture of Paul cannot be gained by weighing only one of his qualities in the scales of our judgment. I confess that I have too often emphasized Paul's forceful preaching and fierce opposition to error and false brethren at the expense of other qualities in the man that ought to be imitated by all gospel preacher. Two Extremes: Thinking only of a tearful Paul, a preacher can become a spineless sentimentalist. Think only of Paul as a debater and antagonist of error and you may ``root out,'' ``pull down,'' ``destroy'' and ``throw down'' but will hardly be equipped in temperament to ``build'' and ``plant'' (Jeremiah 1:10). Some men will call themselves defenders of truth when in reality they are demagogues; others talk of how much they love others and how kind they are when in reality they are loose with truth and are compromisers. Both are extremes. Though they appear to lead in opposite directions, their end is the same. Bigotry sees everything, except itself, wrong; broadmindedness sees nothing wrong. They are twin extremes of error. Attitudes: We are suggesting that when a man preaches to others he can be neither cruel nor compromising; neither merciless nor maudlin. To be sound and forceful, a preacher does not have to be ``full of sound and fury'' signifying an ill-temper. To be kind and considerate he does not have to be patronizing and pleasing. Will not every Christian profit from a scrutiny of both the substance and the spirit of New Testament preaching? As the ``how'' of preaching the word is important, so is the ``how'' of hearing the word. Can we demand that men hear it with the proper spirit if we do not preach it with the proper spirit? How Preach The Word? How did a ``faithful minister of Christ'' (Col. 1:7; 4:7) preach in the first century? They were ``bold'' (1 Thess. 2:2) not brash and belligerent. They ``reasoned'' with men out of the scriptures (Acts 17;2,3). Give us men in the ministry who know their Bibles! Their preaching was ``not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile.'' They did not preach ``pleasing men'' nor did they ``of men seek glory.'' Nor at any time did they use ``flattering words'' or ``a cloak of covetousness'' (1 Thess. 2:3-6). They were ``gentle'' among the brethren like ``a nurse taking care of her children'' (1 Thess. 2:7--RSV). Yet on occasions they rebuked, those that sinned, before all (1 Tim. 5:20). They put the brethren in remembrance of their duties, dangers and their privileges (1 Tim. 4:6; 2 Tim. 2:14). They knew as the Lord's servants that they ``must not be quarrelsome but kindly to every one, an apt teacher, forbearing, correcting their opponents with gentleness'' (2 Tim. 2:24,25--RSV). They ``exhorted and comforted and charged'' their brethren ``as a father doth his children'' (1 Thess. 2:11). They were ``set for the defense of the gospel'' (Phil. 1:17), but in doing so they conducted themselves so as to ``adorn the doctrine of God our saviour in all things'' (Titus 2:10). They were not ``like so many, peddler's of God's word; but as men of sincerity'' (1 Cor. 2:17--RSV). ________________________________________ Tri-State CHURCH OF CHRIST 1314 Montgomery Avenue, Ashland, Kentucky 41101 Sunday: 10:00 A.M. Bible class 10:50 A.M. Worship 6:30 P.M. Worship Wednesday: 7:30 P.M. Bible study evangelist/editor: Tom Edwards (606) 325-9742 e-mail: tedwards@zoomnet.net Gospel Observer web site: http://www.zoomnet.net/~tedwards/go ________________________________________