The Danger of Embracing Denominationalism

Originally by: Jim Deason

 

FILING INFORMATION:

98027

Subject: denominationalism

Preached Originally: 05/24/98 – Rapid City, SD

 

I.  Introduction

A.    Some of the saddest words in all the Bible are found in Judges 2:6-10

1.    These are the words of apostasy- of people departing from God. Only the third generation from Joshua. 

2.    Someone has well said, "We are never more than one generation away from total apostasy."

3.  Moses had warned of this possibility... Deut. 6:4-15

B.    Let me describe what happened to Israel at this point in their history

1.    First, there was a time when the Law of God was taught.  People not only knew the law, but they could and did recite the law.  This was what kept them faithful; their distinctiveness from the nations around them was constantly kept before them.

2.    There came a time when the teaching stopped. People knew the law, but for whatever reason (many reasons, do doubt), it wasn't taught.

3.    Just a short generation later, children grew up who did not know the law. Maybe they remembered a tradition or two, but the law of God was unimportant to them because they had not been taught.  They mistook the silence of their parents as indifference and a license to choose their own way.

4.    And finally, they did.  They chose the way of the world, the way of idolatry, the way of Baal, over the way of God.

5.    The story of the Judges, from this point onward, is cyclical.   Their unfaithfulness brought upon them God's punishment.  They would repent, God would relent.  This happened over and over again.

C.   The fundamental problem with Israel was that they lost sight of their distinctiveness as the people of God.  And they did so because of their failure to keep before the people that which set them apart from the      World: the Law of God.

D.   I want to say that we are not immune to this same problem.  Just as in Israel's day, there is an ever present danger of losing sight of our distinctiveness as the people of God and, being attracted by it,      embracing the syst em of denominationalism around us.  By so doing, we would depart from the ways of God.

E.    In this lesson I want to do three things.

1.    Define/Deny Denominationalism

2.    Describe/Defend Undenominational Christianity

3.    Detail/Diagram A Pattern Of Apostasy

 

II.              Defining/Denying Denominationalism

A.    What is a denomination?  Does God approve of denominations?  If so, we should.  If not, we shouldn't!

B.    Simply put, denominations are different groups of religious people using different designations, wearing different names, teaching different doctrines, and practicing different things.

C.   The American Heritage Dictionary correctly defines denominationalism as, 1. The tendency to separate into religious sects or denominations.  2. Advocacy of such separation.

D.   What does God say?

1.    John 17:20-21

2.    1 Cor. 1:10

3.    Eph. 4:3-4

 

III. Describe/Defend Undenominational Christianity

A.      When one turns to the Scripture without any preconceived ideas, a clear image of undenominational Christianity begins to emerge.  God's Way was plan and simple.

B.     God's eternal purpose was to establish his church - Eph. 3:10-11 - Prophesied, prepared, and produced

1.     Jerusalem

2.     33 A.D.

3.     Pentecost (Acts 2)

4.     Purchased by the blood of Christ

C.     All, in order to be saved, must obey the one plan of Salvation

1.    Hear the Word of God... Rom. 10:17

2.    Believe... John 8:24

3.    Repent of sins... Luke 13:3

4.    Confess... Rom. 10:10

5.    Baptized... Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38

D.     The saved are added to the Lord's body... Acts 2:47; 1 Cor. 12:13

1.     There is "one" body... Eph. 4:4

2.     We are to attain and maintain that unity

3.     Eph. 4:3; John 17:20-21; 1 Cor. 1:10

4.     There is no mention of even one denomination found in the NT.

E.     The saved in any given locality were ORGANIZED at God's direction

1.    Elders- to oversee.

2.    Deacons- to serve.

3.    Preachers- to preach.

4.    Teacher- to teach.

5.    Members- to function.

F.      As a body, the saved wear only authorized designations.

1.     This means that we must reject the use of unauthorized designations so typical of denominationalism.

2.    What was the church called in the NT?

a.    Church of Cod... 1 Cor. 1:2

b.    Church of the first born... Heb. 12:23

c.     Churches of Christ... Rom. 16:16

d.    Body of Christ... Col. 1:24

e.    Bride of Christ... Rev. 21:2

f.      House of God... 1 Tim. 3:15

G.     Individually, the saved wear only authorized designations... (reject names of human origin).

1.     Christians... Acts 11:26

2.     Saints... Rom. 1:7

3.     Children... Gal. 3:26

4.     Disciples... John 16:8

5.     Priests... 1 Pet. 2:5

6.     Brethren... Gal. 6:1

H.     The saved WORSHIP as God directs... (necessarily rejecting any mode of worship of human origin).

1.     Lord's Supper... Acts 20:7

2.     Bible Study... Acts 20:7

3.     Prayer... 1 Thess. 5:17

4.     Singing... Eph. 5:18

5.     Giving... 1 Cor. 16:2

I.        The saved recognize the parameters of activity in which God has charged the church to engage.

1.    Evangelism...  Acts 13:1-3

2.    Edification...  Eph. 4:11-16

3.    Benevolence...  Acts 11:27-30

J.      Our faith must begin and end with a "thus says the Lord."  This is undenominational Christianity.

 

IV. Detail/Diagram A Pattern Of Apostasy.

A.      Historically speaking, gospel preachers and local churches have viewed the denominations as counterfeit churches spawned in the minds of men.

B.     There once was a time when, almost universally, we stood together to say denominationalism is sinful.

1.     Contrary to Jesus' prayer for unity... John 17:20-21

2.     Contrary to the singular nature of the kingdom - Matt. 16:18

C.     There are four stages from unquestioned faithfulness to complete apostasy…

1.     Spoken Understanding...  Bible is taught. Distinctive message is emphasized.  People know the Word of God, can recite it, are                committed to keeping it.

2.     Unspoken Understanding...  The distinctive message is believed but ceases to be taught.  General themes are given greatest emphasis.

a.    People don't want to preach a plain message or mention names for fear of "offending".  They don't want to sit through those kind of Bible classes or hear those kind of sermons. 

b.    There is the desire for acceptability and credibility with other religious groups.

3.     Unspoken Misunderstanding...  A new, untaught generation arises.   The silence of their parents has been mistaken as       indifference and license to "do their own thing". 

a.    Things once understood are no longer understood.  In some cases people know what they are supposed to believe and tradition is accepted, but they don't               know why. 

b.    They may say something like, "We may be Christian's only, but we're not the only Christians."  And the door is open for...

4.     Spoken Misunderstanding...  Here is where we reap the consequences of our failures to teach and preach a distinctive                message. 

a.     People among us, openly declaring their conviction that the church of Christ is just another denomination, one                among many.

D.     Where would you say we are in this continuum?

1.     There are some, who are now openly having fellowship with denominations and openly preaching denominational doctrine.

a.     Max Lucado

b.     Rubel Shelly

c.      Joe VanDyke

d.     The list is more than a few.  In fact, institutional churches are being swept with this neo-liberalism. 

1.     The more conservative preachers among institutional churches are in a panic.

2.    Brethren, let us not think that we are immune!

2.      Some of the same signals are being seen among us.  It may be later than we think.

 

V.  Conclusion.

A.    Jesus has taught us what to do...

1.    Know the Word... John 8:32

2.    Be skilled in it's use... 2 Tim. 2:15

B.    Preach and teach  it plainly... 2 Tim. 4:2-5

C.   Have no participation in unscriptural actions.

1.  Eph. 5:11

D.   Have no fellowship with false teachers... 2 John 9-11

E.    Brethren, I understand that this flies in the face of modern thought.  Modern thought is  of unity in diversity.

1.    Popular thought is toward ecumenism ("Let's not get into an argument.  Let's just be one in Christ and agree to disagree on doctrine and not say anything else about it.").

2.    But this is impossible if we want to please God and live by His Word, the Bible!

F.    The Way of Jesus Christ is a doctrine of distinction.  It is a doctrine of separation from the world unto the holy ways of God.  God wants us to be different, and different we must be!