VI WHY NOT BE JUST A CHRISTIAN?

Religious people seem to realize more keenly than before the importance and even necessity of Christian unity. But before we can have the unity which the Bible teaches and demands, some practical means of attaining it must be employed. It seems to me that it would be well to begin by emphasizing some points of agreement—in other words, let us see how close together we are, at present, and then we will be in better position to discuss the points of difference. I believe in religious debates, have engaged in such myself and shall be glad to do so again whenever the opportunity presents itself, but in this sermon I want to emphasize the truth upon which most religious people are already agreed.

I Points of Agreement

I believe we can say that most of those who claim to be followers of Christ are agreed upon the following points:

A. General Statements

1. God is.

2. The Bible is His word written by men as they were guided by the Holy Spirit.

3. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.

4. The world needs a Savior and has no power by which to redeem itself from sin.

5. Redemption or salvation is to be had through Christ and only through Him.

103

B. The Plan of Salvation

If we agree upon these five points, then, we also agree that there is a plan of salvation, for these points imply such a plan. It may be that we can get closer together upon the items of this plan than you have thought we could. We will all agree that faith is the very foundation of the plan (John 3:16). All accept the fact that repentance is essential (Acts 17:30). Everyone agrees that the plan of salvation includes the confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God (Matt. 10:32, Acts 8:37, Rom. 10:10). Some make additions to this simple Biblical confession, but I have never heard of anyone’s subtracting from it. When the comprehensiveness of the term “Christ” is understood, it is obvious that no additions are needed. Everyone who agrees on the foregoing will also agree that Jesus commanded baptism and promised salvation to those who believed and were baptized. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16:16). We will all agree that Peter said, as the Holy Spirit prompted him, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). We will agree 104 that Ananias said to Paul, “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16), and also that the Holy Spirit said through the Apostle Peter, “The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 3:21). It is also generally agreed that when one has been immersed he has been baptized. There are some who believe that sprinkling or pouring will do as well, but all agree that immersion is safe. Furthermore, it is generally agreed that when one believes and repents, confesses his faith, and is immersed for the remission of sins in the name of Christ, he is saved. Some believe one is saved before completing this program, but all will agree that he is saved when he has completed it. So here again we find the ground of unity.

C. Christian Worship

The next question is, “What should one do by way of worship and Christian service after becoming a Christian?” In these realms, also, there are many important points of agreement. In reference to public worship all will agree that it is proper for Christians to meet upon the first day of the week and sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and make melody in their hearts unto the Lord; lay by in store as they have been prospered; pray unto their Father in heaven; teach and be taught; and eat the Lord’s 105 Supper in memory of Him who died for them. Some dare to add to these items of worship, some dare to subtract from them; but all agree that they are scriptural and sufficient. When Christians come together upon the first day of each week and perform these five Biblical items of worship to God, doing so in spirit and in truth, they know that their worship has pleased their Maker and Redeemer. This, then, is the ground of unity in our worship on the Lord’s Day. In such a program all Christians could take part and go away believing that they had done all that was required and nothing that was condemned.

D. Christian Service

In reference to Christian service there is general agreement upon the broad principles that should govern. Everyone will subscribe to the Golden Rule (Luke 6:31) and to the Royal Law (Jas. 2:8). We agree that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world, that we should love our neighbors as ourselves, and that we should do unto others as we would have them do unto us.

II The Sufficiency of the Plan

The above is a brief outline, then, of points upon which there is very general agreement. Let me ask you, dear friend, if you can think of anything essential to salvation which is not covered, at least in a 106 general way, in this outline. If one follows the plan presented here, do you not agree that he will be saved in heaven at last? Can you think of anything else which is needed to insure one’s eternal salvation? I believe you cannot.

Upon the sufficiency of this plan I am sure we are agreed. This being true, would it not be wrong to include anything else? Would it not be wrong to insist upon adding something to this simple Bible plan and thereby cause division and destroy the possibility of the unity that the Bible requires? If the above plan is sufficient to take one to heaven, what more do you desire? Why add anything to it? Would it not be wrong to add anything else?

Another question: “What will the following of this plan make of one?” I am sure we will also agree that it will make him a Christian and only a Christian. Let it be noted that one can do all that is suggested above and which we have agreed to be sufficient unto salvation without belonging to any denomination. You can believe, repent, confess your sins, and be baptized without belonging to any denomination. You who have done so can meet in groups upon the first day of the week and worship God as the Bible directs without becoming members of any denomination, and you can certainly perform your duties in the field of Christian service without joining a denomination.

107

III More Points of Agreement

But while we are in this agreeing business, let us take it even further. In this country there is a large religious community known as the Baptist Church. This group includes many fine people. Many of them are honest, intelligent, cultured, refined, and good citizens. They have taken their denominational title from their emphasis upon immersion as being the only scriptural baptism, in contrast to those who accept something else. I agree with the Baptists that immersion is baptism and that nothing short of immersion will meet the definition of baptism found in Romans 6:4 or Colossians 2:12. I agree with them that the Greek word “baptidzo” is properly translated by the word “immerse.” But I can agree with them upon this great truth without belonging to the Baptist denomination. I can fully accept the very truth from which the Baptist Church has taken its name and still be just a Christian.

The Methodist Church is one of the largest in this country. I have more kinspeople in that denomination than in any other. For all of their good points I give them due respect and credit. Because of their insistence upon method and system in their religious work, they were nicknamed Methodists many years ago. This name was later accepted by them as their denominational title. I agree with the Methodists that system and method are important. I endeavor to be systematic and orderly in every phase of my work 108 and activity. I believe that the Lord’s work should be carried on orderly. “Let everything be done in decency and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40). We should use order, then. We should use the Bible order. But one can certainly do this without belonging to the Methodist Church.

Why should one exalt the name of this one aspect of Christian activity to the point of adopting it as a religious title? One can be methodical without being a Methodist. Just as one can be systematic without being a Systematist. One can be just a plain Christian and practice everything the Bible teaches in reference to order and system.

When I was attending the Union Theological Seminary, one of my professors told me that the New Testament churches were “congregational presbyterian.” He explained his statement by saying that each congregation was independent of all other congregations and that each was overseen by a group of men known as elders or presbyters. I agree with him exactly. According to his explanation his statement was entirely correct. But I am not a member of the Presbyterian Church. One can believe all the Bible teaches upon the presbytery and practice the same without belonging to the Presbyterian denomination. Why should this characteristic of church government or organization be exalted by using it as a religious or denominational title? One can be just a Christian and still believe and practice what the Bible teaches in reference to the presbytery. One does not have 109 to be a member of the Presbyterian Church to obey God concerning the presbytery.

One can believe in the universality of the Gospel without being a Catholic or Universalist. One can believe in the second coming of Christ without belonging to the Adventist denomination. One can teach and practice holy living without belonging to the Holiness Church. If one had to join the Baptist Church because he believed in baptism and the Methodist Church because he believed in method and the Presbyterian Church because he believed in the presbytery of the local congregation (1 Tim. 4:14) and so on down the list, what would he be when he had finished? One can agree with the denominations on the very truth from which they have taken their names, insofar as they have taken their names from truth, without belonging to any of them.

IV Some Important Conclusions

One can believe all truth and obey every commandment of God without belonging to any denomination. Can you think of an exception to this statement? Can you think of any truth which you cannot believe or any commandment that you cannot obey without joining a denomination? I don’t believe you can. Can you think of any truth which you cannot accept or any commandment which you cannot obey while being just a Christian?

Isn’t it sufficient to be just a Christian? Isn’t it 110 wrong to be something different from or more than a Christian? Since one can be a Christian without joining any denomination, then why join one? Would it not be wrong to join one, since denominationalism is division and division is wrong? Let me emphasize the statement that I can believe all truth either in the Bible or out of the Bible and obey every commandment of the Lord without joining any denomination.

This being true, what then does it take to make one a member of a denomination? Believing truth will not make one a member of a denomination, because he can believe all truth on the outside. Obeying God will not make one a member of a denomination, because he can obey God on the outside. If believing truth and obeying God will not make one a member of a denomination, then what will do so?

To become a member of a denomination, it is obvious that one must believe something besides the truth or do something besides obey God. Since believing all truth and obeying all God’s commands will not put one in a denomination, then he must believe something different from the truth and do something which God has not commanded or leave off something which He has commanded, in order to become a member of a denomination. It seems to me that these conclusions are inevitable and unanswerable.

But it may be that some of my hearers are already in some denomination; hence, I raise this question: “What must you do to get out of a denomination?” 111 The answer is, retrace the steps which you took in going into it. Some seem to think that in order to give up denominationalism and to be just Christians that they will have to forsake all that they have ever held as dear and precious in the field of religion. This is a mistake. Believing truth did not put you into a denomination. In order to come out of it, you will not have to forsake any truth. It will only be necessary for you to reject the error which you accepted in becoming a member of a denomination.

In order to come out of a denomination, you will not have to cease obeying God upon any point. It will only be necessary for you to change your conduct on those points where you have been disobeying Him. Since believing truth did not put you in, you will not have to forsake truth in coming out. Merely give up the error that you accepted, believe the truth revealed in the Bible and obey God; then you will be a Christian, not a denominationalist.

In order to come out of a denomination, you will not have to quit believing that God is, that the Bible is His word, that Jesus is His Son and the Savior of the world. You will not have to quit believing in, and teaching, and practicing, faith, repentance, confession and baptism as the conditions of salvation. You will not have to forsake any of the five items of worship outlined in the Bible. You will not have to forsake any scriptural service to your fellow-man.

Again I repeat, one can believe all truth, obey every command of God, be a Christian, live the Christian life, die in the Lord and be saved forever 112 without belonging to any denomination. Since it is unnecessary to be a member of a denomination, it is wrong to be so. Any non-essential which causes division is wrong. “Come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord. Touch no unclean thing” (2 Cor. 6:17). “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf” (1 Pet. 4:16). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

113