Is It Still Possible to be Simply Christians?
By Kyle Pope
When
Jesus came to this earth He declared His intention to build His church (Matt.
16:18). The New Testament identified this church as His body (Eph. 1:22-23),
and declared there is only “one body” (Eph. 4:4). In spite of these
clear teachings many in modern times deny that it is still even possible to be
what Christians were in the New Testament. Is the goal of being simply
Christians without any denominational affiliation still even possible or must
Christians concede to some unavoidable denominational identification?
Some Important Questions
To answer this question we must
first ask ourselves a few other very important questions.
1. Are Christians commanded to be united? Yes. Paul commanded the
Corinthians, “that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no
divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind
and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10). This is a condition toward
which Christians must aspire.
2. Does God ever command things that are
impossible for us to do? No,
God never expects anything from us that we are incapable of doing. When God
gave the Law to Israel, He made it clear that the commandment of the Law was “not
too mysterious for you, nor is it far off” (Deut. 30:11)—it was near and
accessible “that you may do it” (Deut. 30:14). The same is true of the
Law of Christ (cf. 1 Cor. 10:13). So, if we are commanded to be united, we must
conclude that it is possible to be united in doctrine and practice.
3. Is God pleased with Christians being divided
in doctrine and practice?
No. Jesus prayed that His disciples might be one (John 17:21), but He also
warned them not to turn aside to false teaching (Matt. 7:15-20). We must
conclude that it is God’s will that His disciples remain united in faith and
practice and to do otherwise is to act contrary to God’s will and in a manner
displeasing to Him.
4. Can Christians depart from sound doctrine and still
remain a part of Christ’s body?
No. Jesus warned individuals that those who do not bear fruit will be cut off
from Him (John 15:5-6). Jesus also warned churches unwilling to repent that
they would be removed from His presence (Rev. 2:5). If an individual,
therefore, departs from following the word of God he or she does not remain a
part of Christ’s body. John taught, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide
in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of
Christ has both the Father and the Son” (2 John 9). Groups of individuals
who have departed from following God’s word cannot, therefore, be representative
of sound congregations of those who are a part of the Lord’s church.
5. Is it ever necessary for Christians to
separate themselves from those in error? Yes. The church is to withdraw from one who refuses
to repent when rebuked for sin (Matt. 18:15-17). Withdrawal from the
unrepentant is aimed at the restoration of one in error (1 Cor. 5:5) and to
keep the church sound (1 Cor. 5:6-8). An unrepentant Christian from whom the
church has withdrawn may still be considered a brother (2 Thess. 3:15), but he
or she is not in an acceptable relationship with God. Christians must not “keep
company with him that he may be ashamed” (2 Thess. 3:14). Those who have
never come to Christ cannot be counted as brethren. We may seek to teach such a
person (cf. Acts 18:24-26; 19:1-5), but one who expresses tolerance and
acceptance of that which is outside of the doctrine of Christ “shares in his
evil deeds” (2 John 10).
Confronting the Reality of
Division
In spite of all of these clear
teachings in Scripture, it is clear that division exists among those who call
themselves Christians. Let’s consider a few questions about this:
1. Does simply calling oneself a “Christian”
truly identify him or her as a Christian? No. Jesus said there would be those who would call
Him “Lord” and yet by refusing to do His will be denied as His disciple on the
Day of Judgment (Matt. 7:21-23). It is the Bible not human beings that define
who is and is not a Christian, or disciple of Christ (cf. Acts 11:26).
2. What determines whether an individual or group
truly belongs to Christ? Jesus
said that abiding in His word determines if one is or is not His disciple (John
8:31). We must conclude therefore that if a group calls itself a part of Christ
and yet does not teach and practice what is taught in the Bible, such a group
cannot truly be said to be a part of Christ.
3. What is a “denomination”? We can understand how to define a
denomination by considering the etymology of the word itself. In Latin the word
nomen meant, “name.” This came into English in our word nominate,
which means literally to “name” a person for a task or office. The prefix de-
when added to this word, either intensifies the primary meaning, or adds the
sense of “away” from the thing named. To denominate something is
to distinguish it in name from something else. Two things of a different
“denomination” are not the same thing in nature or quality. A penny is not a
nickel—a dime is not a quarter, etc.
The Bible never uses the word
“denomination,” but in English the dictionary defines a denomination as “a
recognized autonomous branch of the Christian Church” (New Oxford American
Dictionary). This very definition shows the unscriptural nature of this concept.
Jesus told His disciples, “I am the vine, you are the branches” (John
15:5). The “branches” of the Lord’s church are individual disciples. An
individual is either part of Christ or outside of Christ. To be autonomous is
“acting independently or having the freedom to do so” (New Oxford American
Dictionary). An individual cannot be autonomous. Paul declared, “I have
been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me”
(Gal. 2:20). Individuals have freewill, but we cannot act independently of
Christ. Paul taught that Christians have become “slaves of God” (Rom.
6:22). In the same way, groups of people are either part of Christ or outside
of Christ. If they are a part of Christ they are the same in nature and
identity. When Jesus taught His disciples not to elevate disciples one over
another, He explained, “you are all brethren” (Matt. 23:8). We cannot denominate
something from another thing and yet say it is the same in identity and
nature.
We can speak of local
congregations as autonomous, but that refers to issues of leadership. The New
Testament teaches no church government higher than the eldership of local
congregations (Acts 14:23) and yet lower than the headship of Christ (Eph.
5:23). One eldership does not rule over another church. In this sense congregations
are autonomous, but even congregations must be in submission to the headship of
Christ (Eph. 5:24). If two congregations are different and distinct in practice
or teaching, one (or both) is either obedient to God’s word or in rebellion to
God’s word. So, the individuals who are a part of that group are not, therefore,
part of the church that belongs to Christ.
4. Is biblical unity accomplished by accepting unity
in diversity? No.
Paul taught the same things “everywhere in every church” (1 Cor. 4:17). The
Bible teaches patience and respect for conscience (Rom. 15:1), but it also
warns that one may “condemn himself” by approving of that which is wrong
(Rom. 14:22). Christians are taught to oppose apostasy. Paul commanded the
Romans, “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and
offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them” (Rom.
16:17). On a personal level brethren are to bear with one another, teach one
another, and be patient with one another, but that must never involve tolerance
of sin or endorsement of error.
There are clearly matters of
judgment in which congregations have the liberty to choose different ways to fulfill
the Lord’s commands. For example, while the church is commanded to sing
or speak to one another in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Eph. 5:19; cf. Col.
3:16), we are not told how many songs, or what order in which those songs must
fall during a time of worship. We are not told whether the songs are to be in
four-part harmony, or whether a congregation is to sing from a printed songbook
or from a projection of the words and music. If congregations differ in these
matters of judgment it does not compromise their unity or their obedience to
the word of God—they are still fulfilling the Lord’s instruction to sing or
speak to one another in song.
On the other hand if a
congregation decides to add a mechanical instrument into their song worship the
members of that congregation are adding an activity to this instruction that
the Lord has not commanded. To sing or speak is not the same
activity as playing an instrument. The words of Scripture do not
authorize this addition. It is therefore a departure from Scripture that
compromises abiding in the word of Christ (and therefore compromises unity
between brethren). On a personal level faithful Christians may try to work with,
teach, and persuade a brother or sister who improperly approves of this
addition, but if this unauthorized act is compelled upon a group of Christians
it must be opposed and rejected. If a group refuses to end this unscriptural
act, a faithful Christian must remove himself from identification with such a
congregation.
Can We Still Be Simply
Christians?
We have attempted to logically
and in an orderly fashion consider the issues pertinent to this question. After
doing so, we can answer emphatically, yes we can still be nothing more and
nothing less that what Christians were in the New Testament! Let us end by considering
what this question really means. Sadly, even among brethren who once championed
the call to be “Christians only” more and more from within our own ranks
concede to the terminology of the world. What are we really saying if we do that?
What are the logical consequences of taking such a position?
On one extreme, if it is not
possible to be simply what Christians were in the New Testament then we cannot
identify ourselves as “simply Christians.” Instead, we must be “Stone-Campbell
Christians” or part of the “Church of Christ” denomination. The Bible condemns
party names whether those names represent respected brothers in Christ or not
(1 Cor. 3:4). Further, the term “churches of Christ” (Rom. 16:16) is
used in Scripture of congregations of the Lord’s people who are in a saved
relationship with Him, but never of some segment of the church universal that
is a subset of the body of Christ.
On the other extreme, if it is
not possible to be simply Christians without some denominational allegiance, we
must accept that one can abide in Christ while failing to abide in His word!
Are denominations following the word of God? No. They are divided in doctrine
and practice and have adopted things that are outside of the word of Christ.
As we saw above, by definition a disciple of Christ abides in His word (John
8:31). One cannot have a relationship with God while stepping outside of the
doctrine of Christ (2 John 9). If I can be a Christian in a denomination then I
am saying I can be a disciple while refusing to abide in the word of Christ.
“What About Grace?”
Someone might say at this point—“But,
what about grace?” It is clear that our salvation is not accomplished by
our meritorious, and flawless ability to follow the Law of Christ, but by the
merciful willingness of God to forgive our sin by His grace through the shed
blood of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:8). All souls fall short of God’s glory (Rom.
3:23), and “all those things which you are commanded” are simply “what
was our duty to do” (Luke 17:10). So, even when we do what we should we
still need God’s grace!
We must note, however, some
important facts about the grace of God. Is it universal and automatic? No.
The soul outside of Christ will die in sin (John 8:24), and be condemned to
hell. Paul said, “Through HIM [i.e. Jesus] we have received grace” (Rom.
1:5, emphasis mine). If one has not put on Christ in obedience to the gospel
(Gal. 3:27), he or she is not yet a recipient of “the grace of God that
brings salvation” (Titus 2:11).
Someone
might then say, “But what about those folks that are so close?” The
Bible does speak of those who are “not far from the kingdom of God” (Mark
12:34), but being close to the kingdom is not the same thing as being in
or a part of the kingdom. Notice this in the example of Apollos.
When Aquila and Priscilla learned that Apollos “spoke and taught accurately
the things of the Lord” and yet “he knew only the baptism of John” (Acts
18:25), they did not say “Oh, you’re a John the Baptist Christian—Let’s
be in unity brother!” Scripture tells us, “they took him aside and explained
to him the way of God more accurately” (Acts 18:26). We can appreciate
those we may meet in the denominational world who have a respect for God’s word
and are close in their understanding of many things. But if we fail to explain
to them the way of God more accurately or somehow communicate to them that
they are acceptable before God in a condition in which they do not abide in the
word of Christ we are contradicting the word of God! Our task is to be “good
stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet. 4:10), not to put ourselves
in the place of God passing judgments He has not revealed!
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