The Way Out of Religious Division - Part One

Following Jesus Without Denominationalism
The Way Out Of Religious Division - Part One

In our previous lesson, I began this series by defining the terms denomination and denominationalism.
"denomination" - a group of congregations that are joined together under some governing body, that effectively serves to distinguish and divide them from other congregations
"denominationalism" - advocacy of separation into religious denominations
I also suggested three reasons why "denominationalism" is wrong. It is un-scriptural (i.e., without scriptural support). It is anti-scriptural (Jn 17:20-23 "I am not praying just for these followers. I am also praying for everyone else who will have faith because of what my followers will say about me. I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me. I have honored my followers in the same way that you honored me, in order that they may be one with each other, just as we are one. I am one with them, and you are one with me, so that they may become completely one. Then this world's people will know that you sent me. They will know that you love my followers as much as you love me."; 1 Co 1:10-13 "My dear friends, as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, I beg you to get along with each other. Don't take sides. Always try to agree in what you think. Several people from Chloe's family have already reported to me that you keep arguing with each other. They have said that some of you claim to follow me, while others claim to follow Apollos or Peter or Christ. Has Christ been divided up? Was I nailed to a cross for you? Were you baptized in my name?"; 3:3-4 "because you are not yet spiritual. You are jealous and argue with each other. This proves that you are not spiritual and that you are acting like the people of this world. Some of you say that you follow me, and others claim to follow Apollos. Isn't that how ordinary people behave?") It is harmful to the cause of Christ (by discouraging people from believing in Christ - Jn 17:21 "I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me.") But is it possible for people today to simply be Christians, without being a member of any man-made denomination? The answer is "Yes!" Indeed, by following the example of Jesus Himself, we can be members of His body, the Lord's church, just as we read about in the scriptures!

To see how, let's start by noticing Jesus' own example in the religious climate of His day. When Jesus came to this earth, the Israelites were living under the Law of God as given by Moses. In that law, God had not made any provision for the division of His people into religious sects or parties. Yet, by the time of Jesus, the Jews had formed several distinct religious parties:
Pharisees (somewhat conservative)
Sadducees (very liberal, the "modernists" of their day)
Essenes (radical isolationists)
Herodians, Zealots (political religionists)
It was assumed that all who were serious about religion would be associated with one of these groups.

To which of these groups did Jesus belong? He belonged to NONE of these groups! Instead, He maintained a "nonsectarian" relationship with God to the very end. As an Israelite, living at a time when the Law of Moses was still in effect, He was simply an "Israelite". In addition, He encouraged all to live by the Law while it was still in effect - Mt 5:17-20 "Don't suppose that I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning. Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you that not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen. If you reject even the least important command in the Law and teach others to do the same, you will be the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. But if you obey and teach others its commands, you will have an important place in the kingdom. You must obey God's commands better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don't, I promise you that you will never get into the kingdom of heaven." In other words, He encouraged all to simply be what the Law of Moses intended them to be (i.e., "Israelites").

What would Jesus be today? Would He be a Baptist, or Catholic, or Presbyterian, or Methodist, etc.? If He was simply an Israelite then, would He not simply be a "Christian" today? That was certainly what His disciples came to be called - Ac 11:26 "He found Saul and brought him to Antioch, where they met with the church for a whole year and taught many of its people. There in Antioch the Lord's followers were first called Christians." The example Jesus has set for us is clear: just be what God originally intended under the Law which is in effect. Since in the New Testament (the "law of Christ" 1 Co 9:21) the disciples of Christ were called "Christians", so we should be! Not only should we be content with being "called" Christians, we should also be concerned with "just being Christians". Nothing more, nothing less!

But how can we be sure that we are simply Christians, members of the church we read about in the New Testament? It helps to see what the Bible tells us about the Lord’s church in the first century. Jesus promised to build HIS church - Mt 16:18 "So I will call you Peter, which means "a rock." On this rock I will build my church, and death itself will not have any power over it." The word "church" comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which means "a called-out group, an assembly, a congregation". Therefore, Jesus was promising to create His own group of people who have been "called"; called out of sin or called out of the world. Note also that it belongs to Him, not to any man or man-made leader or organization.

The church Jesus promised to build was established through preaching the gospel. How does this "calling" take place? According to the apostle Paul, we are "called" by the gospel of Christ - 2 Th 2:14 "God used our preaching as his way of inviting you to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." On the first Pentecost after the ascension of Christ, we see by preaching the gospel Peter "called out" those who were willing to express their faith in Jesus - Ac 2:38-41 "Peter said, "Turn back to God! Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will be given the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you and your children. It is for everyone our Lord God will choose, no matter where they live." Peter told them many other things as well. Then he said, "I beg you to save yourselves from what will happen to all these evil people." On that day about three thousand believed his message and were baptized." Notice that those who gladly responded in faith, repentance and baptism were "added". To what and by whom were they "added"? We find the answer in verse 47: "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." The day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Lord's church (His "ekklesia"). This "called-out" assembly or group was created when the gospel was proclaimed and people responded to it.

The church Jesus built expanded through preaching of the gospel. At first, the church existed only in Jerusalem. As the gospel spread, and people responded to it, groups of these saved people in various cities met together. Each group became known as a church in a local sense (in contrast to the church universal which is made up of all those saved throughout the world). For example, during Paul's first missionary journey, many such churches were established - Ac 14:21-23 "Paul and Barnabas preached the good news in Derbe and won some people to the Lord. Then they went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Pisidia. They encouraged the followers and begged them to remain faithful. They told them, "We have to suffer a lot before we can get into God's kingdom." Paul and Barnabas chose some leaders for each of the churches. Then they went without eating and prayed that the Lord would take good care of these leaders." By simply teaching the gospel of Christ, a local church was formed when those who obeyed the gospel joined together in their work and worship.

The church that Jesus built was edified through the apostles doctrine. Though united in Christ, these local churches were independent of any human association or federation of churches. Christ directed them through His inspired apostles, as they taught them how to worship and work together - Ac 2:42 "They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together." Sometimes this teaching by the apostles was done directly, other times by appointed emissaries - 1 Co 4:17 "That's why I sent Timothy to you. I love him like a son, and he is a faithful servant of the Lord. Timothy will tell you what I do to follow Christ and how it agrees with what I always teach about Christ in every church." Just as often, the teaching was done through the epistles or letters written by the apostles - 1 Co 14:37 "If you think of yourself as a prophet or a spiritual person, you will know that I am writing only what the Lord has commanded."; 1 Ti 3:14-15 "I hope to visit you soon. But I am writing these instructions, so that if I am delayed, you will know how everyone who belongs to God's family ought to behave. After all, the church of the living God is the strong foundation of truth."; 2 Th 2:14-15 "God used our preaching as his way of inviting you to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. My friends, that's why you must remain faithful and follow closely what we taught you in person and by our letters."; 3:14 "Be on your guard against any followers who refuse to obey what we have written in this letter. Put them to shame by not having anything to do with them." When we read what the Bible says us about the Lord's church, we learn that by responding to the gospel and paying close heed to the "apostles' doctrine" (cf. Ac 2:42), people in the first century were able to be Christians only, without all the confusion prevalent today. Is it possible for us to do this today? Yes! Here is the way out of religious division. Accepting the call of the gospel is the first step. We will examine the way out of religious division as we continue this lesson in part two.

God Bless,
Jim Newsted
Shamrock, Tx

Even though you can't see the air, It doesn't stop you from breathing
Even though you can't see God, It doesn't stop you from believing
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