Just a Christian

Mark Dunagan
11/08/15 - Sunday Morning

Just a Christian

So it is clear that in the New Testament there was only one body to which all Christians belonged (Ephesians 4:4).  Even the denominational world concedes this:  “It is most likely that in the Apostolic age when there was but ‘one Lord, one faith, and one baptism’, and no differing denominations existed, the baptism of a convert by that very act constituted him a member of the church… Now it is different” (The Standard Manual for Baptist Churches, Edward T. Hiscox, p. 22).  Since then things have really changed.  At the turn of the 20th Century some 1400 denominations were in existence and by the end of the 20th Century the number had multiplied to over 45,000.  Obviously such is not the path to unity among God’s people, rather it reflects an attitude of doing your own thing and making the church into whatever human personal preferences dictate.

Is it Possible to Be Just a Christian?

That is, is it possible to be a Christian without being a member of any man made religious group?

• On the Day of Pentecost Peter commanded the audience to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38) and 3000 believed the message, were baptized and were added by the Lord to the church that He established (Acts 2:47).
• The Holy Spirit says that the disciples in Antioch were called Christians (Acts 11:26).  Observe that they were not called a certain kind or flavor or Christian, but just Christians.
• Peter tells his audience that God is glorified when we suffer as a Christian and proudly wear or live up to that name (1 Peter 4:16).
• In the First Century an entire generation of Christians served God, spread the gospel all over the Roman Empire (Colossians 1:23), and pleased God without being a member of any denomination.  Rather, they were members of congregations that simply followed Christ.

Should I Be More than a Christian?

That is, should I be a Catholic-Christian, or a Protestant Christian, a Baptist or Methodist-Christian? 

• First, we are strongly told to follow Jesus and obey His teachings (Matthew 7:21). Jesus warned us that on the Last Day there would be many professed believers in Him who never really were following Him (Matthew 7:22-23). 
• The early church faced people who said that it was not enough to simply be a Christian, one needed to be a Christian and something else.  For example, in Acts 15:5 some believers in Christ were trying to teach that in addition to being a Christian one needed to observe the Law of Moses.  In Colossians chapter 2 Paul warns us against falling for the lie that Jesus is not enough (2:3ff).  The early church not only faced those who said that one needed to keep the Law of Moses in addition to being a Christian, but also people who tried to combine being a Christian with human philosophy (2:8), man-made traditions (2:8) angel worship (2:18), and asceticism (2:20-23).  

Denominations:  Too Small and Too Big

The word “church” is used basically in two different ways in the Bible.  The term can be used to cover God’s people everywhere on the planet (Ephesians 1:23-23).  It is also used in reference to a local congregation (1 Corinthians 1:2; Philippians 1:1; Acts 14:23).  The term is never used in reference to a collection of churches that is somehow different in teaching and practice from other churches, that is, a denomination. 

Doctrinal Unity Expected

“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” (1 Corinthians 1:10).  This passage is much like Ephesians 4:4-6 where unity is based on godly attitudes (4:1-3) and correct doctrine as well (4:4-6).  Observe that this is not a weak or vague kind of unity, rather it is very specific.  For example, in the Corinthian letter, which commands God’s people to all agree, the terms of agreement include: The proper practice of church discipline (Chapter 5).  The correct view of what is morally right and wrong (6:9-11).  Marriage, divorce and remarriage (Chapter 7).  Meats sacrificed to idols (Chapters 9,10).  The Lord’s Supper (11:20-34).  The purpose, proper use and duration of spiritual gifts (Chapters 12-14).  The correct teaching on the resurrection at the last day (Chapter 15).

I know that some people ridicule the idea of doctrinal unity being possible.  Yet it is clearly commanded here and in other places (2 John 9).  In addition, in Acts chapter 15 the church faced a very controversial subject and those who loved the truth all came to the same understanding:  “It seemed good to us, having become of one mind” (Acts 15:25).   Some cite all the religious division in the world or even divisions that have happened in the Lord’s church as proof that doctrinal unity is impossible. 

• Yet citing human failure is not the same as citing Scripture.  The world is equally filled with people who have fallen away from the faith but such does not prove that living the Christian life is impossible, or that the gospel is not the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).    
• The presence of division never means that God has failed or that the Bible is not clear.  Rather it is proof that some do not love the truth as they should (2 Peter 3:16). The existence of such divisions only reinforces the idea that we need to completely follow the word of God rather than human wisdom or tradition.
• Let us stop listening to those who do not believe in the power of God and His word.  I have found that good hearts throughout the world, in any time and in any place can understand Scripture and practice it. 
• Equally remember that God’s family and plan have never been popular (28:22).  So we should never be surprised when people either mislabel, misrepresent or simply dislike the Lord’s church (1 Peter 2:12).

The Path to Unity

“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 word may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:20-21).

Such unity will only happen when we are absolutely dedicated to following the teaching of Jesus that was revealed by the Holy Spirit through the apostles (“their word”; John 16:13). 

The View of Divergent Groups

In the First Century we do find divergent groups that were departing from the teachings of Christ.  Such groups included the Judaizing teachers (Acts 15:1), those who denied the resurrection at the last day (1 Corinthians 15:12).  Others who claimed that the resurrection had already happened (2 Timothy 2:17-18), the Gnostics (1 John 4:3), and the Nicolaitans (Revelations 2:15).  Such groups are never viewed as being right with God.  God never told the early church to simply leave them alone, don’t judge them or that grace would just cover them.

Are Partial Churches Acceptable?

By partial I mean congregations that were doing certain things right but equally failing in other areas.  Sometimes people seek to downplay the error taught by denominations by saying that “ they teach some truth”.  The trouble with this view is that it ignores that God condemned the Judaizing teachers, who did teach some truth.  Added to this, congregations that still taught the truth in various areas but no longer taught it in others, were told to repent or face the reality of no longer being His church (2 Corinthians 12:20-21; Galatians 5:4; Revelation 2:4, 14, 20).  So to remain the Lord’s church a congregation cannot specialize in only one area of Scripture and ignore the rest. 

The Path is Always Open

No matter where or in what age we live one can simply be a Christian and worship with a local congregation that follows God and is not part of any denominational organization.  I say this because the seed that produced Christians and the church that Jesus established (Luke 8:11) still exists today (1 Peter 1:23-25).   In like manner, the death of Jesus is still relevant and powerful and the practice of baptism still exists. So today we can still be baptized into Christ and thus only wear the name of Christ (Christian) (1 Corinthians 1:13).

Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.net
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net