"WHY I BELIEVE"
In Undenominational Christianity
INTRODUCTION
1. In our previous study, we talked about the church...
a. Of which Jesus spoke in Mt 16:18
b. That grand company of people made up of those who are saved
c. Loved by Christ, and highly esteemed in the Scriptures
2. Most professing Christians would agree with what was described in
that study...
a. That the church "universal" is the body of Christ, made up of the
saved
b. That the church "local" refers to saved people in a geographical
area who work and worship together as a local congregation
3. Yet many today see no harm in presenting an altered picture of the
church to the world...
a. A picture in which local churches are divided into various
denominations
b. Where people are not simply Christians, but Catholics, Baptists,
Methodists, etc.
[I am persuaded that such is wrong, and firmly believe in
undenominational Christianity. What is that, you ask? And why is
denominationalism wrong? First allow me to define our terms...]
I. DENOMINATIONALISM DEFINED
A. WHAT IS A DENOMINATION...?
1. "A large group of religious congregations united under a common
faith and name and organized under a single administrative and
legal hierarchy." - The American Heritage Dictionary of the
English Language
2. "A religious organization uniting in a single legal and
administrative body a number of local congregations."
- Webster's Dictionary
3. Simply put, a denomination is a group of congregations joined
together under some governing body
a. The number of congregations can be as few as two or more
b. The governing body might be a synod, presbytery, convention,
another church, or even an individual
c. Through their tie to a governing body above the local
congregation, by definition they are "denominated" from all
other congregations that do not submit to the same authority
4. Some examples:
a. The Roman Catholic Church is a denomination made up of those
churches that submit to the pope in Rome
b. The Eastern Orthodox Church is a denomination made up of
those churches that submit to the patriarch of
Constantinople
c. The Anglican Church of England is a denomination made up of
those churches that submit to the archbishop of Cantebury
d. The Lutheran Church (Missouri Synod) is made up of those
churches that submit to the synod in Missouri
e. These are just a few of the thousands of different
denominations that now exist!
B. WHAT IS DENOMINATIONALISM...?
1. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English
Language, it is:
a. "The tendency to separate into religious denominations"
b. "Advocacy of separation into religious denominations"
c. "Strict adherence to a denomination; sectarianism"
2. Again, Webster's Dictionary defines it as:
a. "Devotion to denominational principles or interests"
b. "Narrow emphasizing of denominational differences:
SECTARIANISM"
3. For the purpose in this study, I also apply the term to any
approval of the denominational division which exists today
a. I concede that many people in denominations today are not
all that devoted to their denominational principles or
interests
b. But by membership in a denomination they are by implication
advocating separation into religious denominations
[Is denominationalism really that bad? Am I suggesting that one cannot
serve Jesus faithfully while participating in such religious division?
Yes! Here is why I believe denominationalism is wrong...]
II. DENOMINATIONALISM DECRIED
A. IT IS UNSCRIPTURAL...
1. That is, it is without Scriptural support
a. There is no basis in the Bible for local churches being
divided up into various denominational bodies
b. There is no denomination that can go to the Bible and say,
"See that passage? There is our church (denomination)!"
2. In the New Testament...
a. Local congregations were independent, self-governing
b. Church organization was limited to within the local
congregation, with elders (also known as pastors, bishops,
overseers, presbyters) appointed to oversee only the
congregation of which they were members - cf. Ac 20:17,28;
1Pe 5:1-2
3. The only authority above the local church was Christ and His
apostles...
a. Once the church began, apostles were not replaced after they
died
b. But through the Word of God, the authority of Christ and His
apostles continues
4. Individuals, synods, conferences, etc., that presume to usurp
authority over local congregations today do so without
Scriptural authority
B. IT IS ANTI-SCRIPTURAL...
1. Not only is it without scriptural support, it is contrary to
what the Bible teaches
2. It is contrary to the prayer of Jesus for unity among His
believers - Jn 17:20-23
3. It is condemned by Paul in his epistle to the church at Corinth
a. There are to be no divisions among believers - 1Co 1:10-13
b. Sectarianism is a sign of carnality - 1Co 3:3-4
4. It opposes the efforts of Christ on the cross! - Ep 2:14-16
a. Jesus died to break down the wall of division
b. Jesus died to reconcile man to God in one body
c. Just as sinning works against the efforts of Christ on the
cross (for He also died to put away sin), so it is with
denominational division!
C. IT IS HARMFUL TO THE CAUSE OF CHRIST...
1. Jesus knew that unity among His disciples would be "the final
apologetic" (Shaeffer)
a. Cf. "that the world may believe" - Jn 17:21
b. In view of Jesus' words, we should not be surprised when
unbelievers are slow to accept the gospel coming from a
divided church
2. Many point to the divided condition of those professing to
follow Christ...
a. Atheists and agnostics often use religious division as an
excuse not to believe in God
b. Non-Christian religions (such as Islam, Judaism, etc.) often
use denominationalism as a reason not to believe in Christ
3. Denominationalism has also given support and encouragement to
the rise of cults
a. Mormonism started in reaction to the denominationalism of
Joseph Smith's day
b. "Jehovah's Witnesses" use religious division to encourage
people to follow their strictly-controlled organization (a
denomination itself)
D. OTHERS WHO VIEWED DENOMINATIONALISM AS WRONG...
1. Martin Luther, the leader of the Reformation Movement:
"I ask that men make no reference to my name, and call
themselves not Lutherans, but Christians. What is Luther? My
doctrine, I am sure, is not mine, nor have I been crucified
for any one. St. Paul, in 1 Cor. 3, would not allow Christians
to call themselves Pauline or Petrine, but Christian. How then
should I, poor, foul carcass that I am, come to have men give
to the children of Christ a name derived from my worthless
name? No, no, my dear friends; let us abolish all party names,
and call ourselves Christians after Him Whose doctrine we
have." - Hugh Thomason Kerr, A Compend of Luther's Theology
(Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1943, p. 135)
2. John Wesley, another great reformation leader, among whose
followers are Methodists, Wesleyans, etc.:
"Would to God that all party names, and unscriptural phrases
and forms which have divided the Christian world, were forgot
and that the very name [Methodist] might never be mentioned
more, but be buried in eternal oblivion." - Universal
Knowledge, A Dictionary and Encyclopedia of Arts, Science,
History, Biography, Law, Literature, Religions, Nations, Races,
Customs, and Institutions, Vol. 9, Edward A. Pace, Editor (New
York: Universal Knowledge Foundation, 1927, p. 540)
3. Charles Spurgeon, one of the greatest Baptist preachers who
ever lived:
"I look forward with pleasure to the day when there will not be
a Baptist living! I hope that the Baptist name will soon
perish, but let Christ's name last forever." - Spurgeon
Memorial Library, Vol. I., p. 168
CONCLUSION
1. Again, denominationalism is wrong because it is...
a. Unscriptural
b. Anti-scriptural
c. Harmful to the cause of Christ
2. That is why I and many others profess undenominational
Christianity...
a. Throwing aside the shackles of denominationalism
b. Following Jesus Christ in the freedom of gospel liberty that comes
from being simply Christians!
c. And what may surprise some, doing so while "being like-minded,
having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind" - cf. Ph
2:2
3. How is this possible? It begins with two things...
a. A strong desire to follow Jesus Christ and His prayer for unity
- cf. Jn 17:20-23
b. An understanding of the carnal nature of division, and why
denominationalism is wrong - cf. 1Co 3:3-4
If you believe in Jesus and His church, then simply be a Christian, a
disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, and put away any hint of
denominationalism. Find or start a local church that is determined to
be nothing more than a church of Christ...! - cf. Ro 16:16
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