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 On
page 375, of some church history (I failed to jot down the book)
I read “While many of the congregations divided., the
church did not divide.” (The book is unimportant, as this
is an erroneous conception of church that is repeated every day
by conservative and liberal brethren.) We persist in
making “the church” some kind of corporate body of
churches, functional or otherwise. which can remain
united (?) or divide.
This
is a purely denominational concept, without Bible precedent; and
encourages further errors, such as “churchhood” organization
and work.
Re-read
the quotation in the first paragraph. and ask yourself, “Which
or what church “did not divide?” The universal body
of Christ — the church which is his bride, and for
which He died, is made up of all saints, it is a
brother-hood, not a church-hood; i.e., the units or parts of
this “one body” are individuals, not congregations. (1 Cor.
12:12-f. Jn .15:1-6) If one person leaves the truth, denies the
faith, he separates himself from the faithful, and in this sense
“the church” divided.
If
one is thinking of the one universal church splitting into two
or more parts, each equally acceptable before God as “a church”,
I can only say this is completely contrary to Bible teaching
concerning the “ONE CHURCH.” As illustrated by the human
body, 1 Cor. 12:20, “Now are they many members (individuals,
rft) yet but one body.” Great segments of members may cease to
walk in the light, but the so-called “mystical” body of the
Lord remains “ONE”—
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consisting of all those who faithfully
follow the Master, whether great or few in
number. In what building they worship, or with whom they sever
or retain social ties, has nothing to do (per se) with
their being His church.
We
have often said (I plead guilty) “the church divided” over
missionary societies, and instrumental music, to form the Church
of Christ and the Christian church, Such statements are poorly
framed. There have been times when great issues arose among
brethren, and wholesale numbers left the truth, enamored with
the ways of the world. Congregations divided — what was once a
single “team”, with members agreed to work and worship as
one; became two or more “teams”, each now an independent
group. But there existed no “churchhood” amalgamation in the
first place, with divine right, hence there could be no “church”
(in this larger sense) division.
A
“Church of Christ” denomination and a “Christian Church”
denomination may result from some sort of “party” division;
but the church that belongs to Jesus Christ has never, and will
never come into existence in that way.
The
non-denominational concept of the Lord’s church is not an easy
thing to maintain. Even with a clear understanding of the
matter, one lives in an environment that constantly threatens
this pure truth. Add to this the fact that thousands of folk
neither understand, nor are seriously concerned, and it is
little wonder “we” have divisions. My hope is in the Lord,
not in “our” party.
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