Sunday Sermons
The Church and the Denominations
The Church and the Denominations
“Most denominational members would be surprised to discover that their chosen religious affiliation is less than five hundred years of age. Many people assume that the church of which they are members is ancient in origin, that it was divinely ordained, and that it is, in fact, a part of the church revealed in the New Testament. It has never occurred to them that there were no denominations, such as we know them, in New Testament days, that denominationalism did not come into existence until hundreds of years after the first century, and that the current scene of denominational division and multiple churches is completely inconsistent with God’s original plan (1 Corinthians 1:10-13)” (Spiritual Sword, January 2001, p. 1).
The church revealed in the Scriptures was planned from eternity (Ephesians 3:10-11), was established by Jesus Christ and purchased with His blood (Matthew 16:18; Acts 20:38). It was established on the first Pentecost after the death of Jesus (Isaiah 2:2-3; Matthew 3:1-2; Mark 9:1; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4; 47). In this chapter we find that when people were baptized for the remission of their sins, they were saved and added by the Lord to the church at the same time (Acts 2:38,41,47; Colossians 1:12-14). It is important to note that every person obeyed the same gospel, were all baptized for the remission of sins, were added to the same body, and wore the same name (Acts 11:26). At the present time however there are hundreds of religious denominations, all wearing different names, teaching different doctrines, practicing different forms of worship, proclaiming many different plans of salvation, and wearing different names in religion. “How could anyone conclude that the present religious climate is authorized by Scripture or that God is pleased by wholesale abandonment of His original plan?” (p. 1).
Jesus Prayed for Unity
John 17:20-21 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that 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 prayed that all who believed in Him through hearing the message preached or recorded by the apostles would be one. Carefully note the type of “oneness” for which Jesus prayed. It was not a unity in diversity, that is, a unity in which people hold to contradictory doctrines and yet agree to disagree. Instead, Jesus prayed for the type of “oneness” that exists between Himself and the Father. Jesus and the Father do not simply agree to disagree; rather they are like-minded in all things (John 10:30; 12:49-50). Notice that the standard on which this unity will be based is not human philosophy, but the teachings of the apostles on which Christians are expected to believe (1 Corinthians 14:37; 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 14 “If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame”); 2 Peter 3:2, 15-17).
1 Corinthians 1:10-13
“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”
“Twentieth century Christians have been exposed to a divided Christianity so long that they not only accept it but also praise it. Some see virtues arising out of denominationalism (e.g., competition in evangelizing, a religious group fitted to every man, etc.). God does not appreciate rifts in Christianity any more today than He did in the first century. The church must never forget that preserving and restoring the unity of the body of Christ is still a part of its divine mission” (Willis pp. 27-28).
“That ye all speak the same thing”: “To agree in what you profess” (TCNT). In contrast to dividing up the congregation into the different parties mentioned in 1:12. “No divisions among you”: That is, they were not allowed to split up into parties as was being done in verses 1:12. “Made complete in the same mind”: Have the same way of thinking, “unity of right understanding” (Lenski p. 40). “In the same judgment”: That which is the outcome of "mind" (frame of mind, state of mind), judgment, opinion, sentiment (Robertson pp. 72-73). “Being in the same realm of thought, they would judge questions from the same Christian stand-point, and formulate their judgment accordingly” (Vincent p. 188). Notice that this is a direct command for God’s people to “all agree” and that divisions, even divisions based on following a particular apostle in contrast to the others, is unacceptable.
The Apostasy Clearly Predicted
The New Testament, in very clear terms, predicted that there would be a huge apostasy that would hit the church that Jesus had founded (Acts 20:29-30; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:2-4). This would not be some kind of fringe movement; rather even the elders of various churches would turn away from the truth. The church would not simply lose a few members, but many would turn from the truth (2 Peter 2:2). There would not be just a few false teachers, but there would be an abundance of such men. This apostasy has already happened, this is seen by comparing the teachings of Catholicism with the warning in 1Timothy 4:3.
Historical Overview
Apparently the earliest apostasy in the church after the days of the apostles was the corruption of the eldership. In the New Testament, the terms elder, bishop, and pastor all applied to the same office (Acts 20:17,28; Titus 1:5,7; 1 Peter 5:1-3). Such men shepherded only one congregation, that is, the one in which they themselves were members (1 Peter 5:2). In the 2ndcentury A.D. we find existing an office called the “President of the Presbytery”, that is, one of the elders was designated by the special title “bishop” and was given rule over the other elders. The territory that this lead elder ruled was also expanded to include other congregations. This territory was called a “diocese”. These “bishops” began meeting in synods or councils, and the presiding bishop was given the title of Metropolitan. Not many years passed until such men claimed to have been empowered by Christ to dictate to the churches authoritative rules and manners, that is, claiming to make up rules in addition to those found in the New Testament (2 John 9). In the year 588 AD., the bishop (or Patriarch) of Constantinople, John the Faster, assumed the title of “Universal Bishop of the Church”. Just a few years later, in 606 AD, the title was bestowed upon the bishop of Rome. Hence we find a man claiming to be the head of the Church, which is an obvious violation of many passages, including (Ephesians 1:22-23).
Other Changes
By the end of the 2nd century some were teaching that all men shared in Adam’s guilt. In A.D. 253, Cyprian, a bishop of Carthage, held a council of sixty-six bishops, who decided that an infant should be baptized on the second or third day after birth. People started to believe that baptism admits infants into the church, of course this overlooks the clear teaching in Scripture which demands that the person being baptized must themselves believe that Jesus is the Son of God (Mark 16:16), and have sins of which they need to repent (Acts 2:38). In the middle of the 3rd century, we find the first verified case of substituting sprinkling for immersion. In this apostasy the baptism was viewed as having magical powers and the “clergy” (a distinction unknown in the New Testament) were the only ones allowed to administer baptism. By the end of the fourth century the controversy over human freewill intensified and centered around two men, Pelagius and Augustine.
The Teaching of Pelagius
· All men are born with the freedom to choose good or evil.
· It is possible to live without sin. Some have.
· Sin is not transmitted through heredity.
· Each soul is created sinless at the time of birth.
· Children are saved and do not need baptism.
· Baptism is for believers and is necessary for salvation.
· A person is saved by good works alone. Grace is available for those worthy of it.
The Teaching of Augustine
· Before sin, Adam had a choice of good or evil, but after his sin, he could no longer choose (depravity).
· Depravity is transferred by heredity and every child is born with the curse of Adam’s sin.
· Salvation is a result of God’s direct intervention that causes a man to want to be saved (no freewill).
· Past sins are forgiven in baptism.
The Reformation and John Calvin’s Teaching
· Total Hereditary Depravity: The inability to choose good is inherited from Adam.
· Unconditional Election: Man cannot choose God, so God has chosen those He will save.
· Limited Atonement: Christ only died for those God chose.
· Irresistible Grace: The Holy Spirit irresistibly brings a person to Christ.
· Perseverance of the Saints: Once, saved, always saved. Salvation cannot be forfeited.
Denominations Today
· Many modern denominations only accept the TIP of the above TULIP, even though this is inconsistent and Calvin said that if you accept one tenet, you must accept them all.
· This is one reason why people today struggle with an emphasis on obedience being necessary for salvation. Calvinism taught that obedience was a “work” connected to a Catholic sacrament.
· Therefore, baptism is now seen as a “work” that cannot have anything to do with salvation, even though Jesus and the apostles repeatedly linked baptism with salvation (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21).
· It is believed that how we worship is immaterial; any worship is acceptable as long as it is sincere. Yet this is not what Jesus taught (Mark 7:6-9).
Mark Dunagan/Beaverton Church of Christ/503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net/mdunagan@easystreet.com
