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 In
years past one of "our" preachers would take this as a
subject, and "tear the hide off'n" denominationalism.
He would point out that "the church" is the body
of Christ, Eph. 1:22-23; the bride of Christ, 2 Cor.
11:1-2; the kingdom of Christ, Col. 1:13, Matt. 16:18-19;
etc.; and that Christ has but one body, bride, kingdom. He would
point out that the way into Christ -- "putting on"
Christ -- is the way into the body, etc., (Gal. 3:26-27; 1 Cor.
12:12-13; Rom. 6:3-4) hence, only those who walk this way
are "in Christ" and all who walk this way are
added to the same body, family, kingdom, etc. That leaves
no place for Christians in "other churches"!!
You
know -- I think he was right about it!! That's the way it is!!
But there were false conclusions drawn in the early days, even
as now. Some missed the figurative nature of the above
expressions; tending to equate Christ's church with some
imperfect "party" -- and truth with the party
practices; and perhaps even elevate the "plan" and the
"Church of Christ" party above the Lord Himself. The
preachers were not wholly to be blamed. Simple points were made
for simple people, some of whom refusing to grow up. It happens
today.
Today
we have liberal thinkers who say there are Christians in
"other churches." They discount plain Bible teaching
re. baptism, the worship, etc., and glorify the so-called
"pure heart" of subjective thinkers. These liberals
see sectarianism among the saints (expressed in paragraph above)
as justification for concluding that no "true" or
"sound" church of the Lord exists today. They ridicule
the idea of a "sound" functioning church.
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Others,
bowing to popular demands, say there are Christians in
"other churches." Hidden in the fine print is the
explanation that these are the once faithful saints who have
gone astray; and they fail to stress what God says about those
who deny the Lord that bought them. (2 Pet. 2:1-f) The liberals
grasp this "middle" (?) position as sop of
encouragement.
It
does seem we could learn something by all of this. Faithful
gospel preachers can not cease to proclaim the points made in
first paragraph because someone understands them in a sectarian
way. It is their obligation to instruct -- enlighten. The
scriptures do say there is one body. (Eph. 4:4; 1 Cor.
12:12-13) Now if hearers color this with sectarian conceptions
it becomes our duty to erase the color -- not throw out the
basic teaching.
If
brethren have "institutionalized" the church, and
"sectarianized" the church of Christ; we must attack
the error -- distinguish between so-called "Church of
Christ" doctrine and objective scriptural teaching. We
gravely blunder when we leave the impression that the subjective
philosophy, social gospel, emotion pricked sectarian is a
"Christian" in the true sense of the word, and heaven
bound. The Bible doesn't teach it.
Honest,
truth-seeking pilgrims in and out of Christ's church are
hungry for the bread of life, and welcome humble efforts to save
their souls.
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