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Doctrinal Discussions:
History Of The Church Of Christ
May 28, 2002
These studies examine the traditional doctrines held by the Church of Christ to see if they are actually taught in the scriptures. This is not an "anti-Church of Christ" site. I was reared in the Church of Christ and have been preaching since 1968 in the Church of Christ. My desire is that we walk righteously before God, not according to traditions of men. Bernie Parsons
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History Of The Church Of Christ
By Bernie Parsons - May 28, 2002
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Matthew 16:18 KJV
Hello, Family & Friends,
In August of 2001, I set forth a brief outline of the history of The Church of Christ titled "What Is The Church Of Christ?". It was my intention to develop this history further, but other obligations have restrained me until now.
I have heard two untrue and dangerous declarations in recent years: (1) The Church of Christ was formed in A.D. 33, was persecuted by the Catholic church, went into hiding for over a millennium, then re-emerged with the help of Alexander Campbell and his contemporaries. (Or, as some prefer, David Lipscomb and his contemporaries.); or, (2) The Church of Christ has been in existence since A.D. 33, with all of its present practices and doctrines in place for the past 2,000 years. Both of these depictions deny our own history, and are lies that have been put into place to legitimize the Church of Christ as a quasi-denominational organization, head off questions among our membership about our true history, and prevent having to deal with the accusations of our detractors. This is dangerous because it allows us to keep in place Catholic and Protestant doctrines, or variations thereof, under the pretense that this is what the church has always believed, taught, and practiced from the time of the Apostles. It is also dangerous because these are outright lies and the Bible declares that all liars go into eternal damnation.
Understanding our church roots is crucial to continuing the "restoration spirit" of our forebears in bringing the masses to Christ. This is not done through factions, sects, and cults that result from the splintering of religious bodies. Quite the opposite, it is accomplished through unity in spirit and truth. The warring that takes place between denominations is often because of a commonly shared history. Harsh and bitter feelings from centuries ago often drive current disputes and attacks. Sadly, most of the people involved in these religious battles don't even understand why they are fighting. It has been reduced to "I defend my side, because we are always right, and you are wrong".
The truth is that we still carry with us some trappings of the Catholic church, and many of the Protestant beliefs. To truly become the church of Christ that is patterned after the church described in the scriptures, we must understand our heritage, strip away the Catholic/Protestant concepts, and strive mightily to understand how the early church operated according to the will of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. To do so, we must carefully examine every practice, concept, and "code phrase" that the Church of Christ uses, and see if the church in the Bible truly embraced it.
The church of Christ--the body of Christ--began with Jesus. This church of Christ is described throughout the New Testament. It is found through the ages wherever and whenever godly men and women follow the teachings of Christ and His apostles and disciples.
After the first century A.D., men began to whittle away at the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, supposing it necessary to add to the body of information that was available by adding their own essays and thoughts as "clarification" to the "New Testament writings". Doctrines were quickly added to those practiced by the apostles and the earliest disciples of Christ.
We see the seeds of this departure in a writing attributed to Clement, whom the Catholic religion claims as a early Bishop, when he wrote in a document thought to have been written around 96 A.D.1
1 Clement 21:6 "Let us reverence our rulers;" is a statement that elevates church leaders to a higher status than our Lord, Jesus, allowed.
Matthew 23:1-12 "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
"But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
"But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
"But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."
This is enough to refute the statement of Clement, and the present practice of the Catholic religion, and her Protestant offspring, in regard to calling teachers and leaders in the church by titles, such as Father and Reverend. (Read "Titles For Church Leaders?".)
That Clement had departed from the faithful teachings of the apostles is evident when you read the story of the phoenix, a myth that he invokes to make a point. Our Lord, and His apostles, did no such thing as did this man, Clement.
11 Clement 25:2 "There is a bird, which is named the phoenix."
He went on to describe this mythical bird's resurrection every five hundred years. Neither Jesus, nor the Apostles, used any such myth in their teachings, and we should not.
The letter continues with a heavy-handed urging for the membership to submit to their leadership. It places emphasis upon obedience to the religious leadership, rather than to the Lord. This plea is unlike any penned by Paul, Peter, or James, or John, who make milder pleas to respect church leadership.
Hebrews 13:7 "Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you
the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation."
Hebrews 13:17 "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they
watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and
not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
Hebrews 13:24 "Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They
of Italy salute you."
1 Peter 5:1-5 "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."
1 Corinthians 11:1 "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ."
Galatians1:8-9 "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."
The second letter attributed to Clement shows even more departure from the writings of the apostles and earlier Christians. It is quite evident that a divergence from the apostolic church had taken place, and no wonder, for the movement was afoot during the lives of those apostles.
1 John 2:18-21 "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth."
Those who had diverged from the basic truths of our Lord had started a movement away from the word and will of Almighty God, trusting instead in the teachings and convenient explanations of man.
Another early writer, thought to be mid-second century A.D., set forth doctrines that are contrary to the teachings of Christ and the Apostles, yet I have seen some refer to this document as if it were in the realm of the writings of the Apostles. They quote from it as from Holy Scripture, and use it to put forth persuasive arguments. It is referred to as Didache.2 I have extracted some of those erroneous teachings, along with the scriptures that refute them to show why this document is not aligned with the teachings of Christ and His apostles.
2 Didache 6:3 "But concerning eating, bear that which thou art able; yet abstain by all means from meat sacrificed to idols; for it is the worship of dead gods."
This is in direct opposition to what Apostle Paul wrote:
1 Corinthians 10:25-31 "Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
Regarding baptism, we see the entry of heretofore unmentioned doctrines.
2 Didache 7:1-8:1 "But concerning baptism, thus shall ye baptize. Having first recited all these things, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in living (running) water. Didache 7:2 But if thou hast not living water, then baptize in other water; and if thou art not able in cold, then in warm. Didache 7:3 But if thou hast neither, then pour water on the head thrice in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Didache 7:4 But before the baptism let him that baptizeth and him that is baptized fast, and any others also who are able; and thou shalt order him that is baptized to fast a day or two before. Didache 8:1 And let not your fastings be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and the fifth day of the week; but do ye keep your fast on the fourth and on the preparation (the sixth) day."
The scriptures make no mention of running water, nor cold water, as preferable for immersion. No where is the pouring of water upon the head described or sanctioned. Neither fasting before baptism nor waiting a day or two are conditions found in scripture. Yet I have seen these conditions advocated by some. They draw their doctrines from Didache, not from the Bible. (Read "Baptism")
Acts 8:36 "And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?"
Acts 8:38 "And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him."
Romans 6:4-5 "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:"
Acts 16:33 "And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway."
Acts 22:16 "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
Baptism was immersion in water--as opposed to sprinkling or pouring, no particular type or temperature of water was specified, and it was always done immediately, and was never delayed.
2 Didache 8:3 "Three times in the day pray ye so"
1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 "Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
Romans 12:12 "Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;"
Hebrews 13:15 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."
He also went on to say that the communion, or Lord's Supper, which he calls the "eucharist", is to be done with a set incantation each time. He also commands closed communion, requiring the church to question the right of an individual to partake. None of this is scriptural. (Read "Body & Blood".)
Regarding teachers, he declares conditions to determine a false preacher. This is contrary to what Jesus and the Apostles taught.
2 Didache 11:3 "But concerning the apostles and prophets, so do ye according to the ordinance of the Gospel. Didache 11:4 Let every apostle, when he cometh to you, be received as the Lord; Didache 11:5 but he shall not abide more than a single day, or if there be need, a second likewise; but if he abide three days, he is a false prophet. Didache 11:6 And when he departeth let the apostle receive nothing save bread, until he findeth shelter; but if he ask money, he is a false prophet."
Didache 12:2 "If the comer is a traveler, assist him, so far as ye are able; but he shall not stay with you more than two or three days, if it be necessary."
Compare these statements to those of our Lord and His Apostles.
Matthew 10:9 "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.
And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence."
Acts 14:27 "And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles. And there they abode long time with the disciples."
Acts 20:2 "And when he had gone over those parts, and had given them much exhortation, he came into Greece, And there abode three months. And when the Jews laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed to return through Macedonia."
Acts 20:6 "And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days."
Acts 19:8 "And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God."
Acts 19:10 "And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks."
Galatians 1:18 "Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days."
We see here several of the doctrines of the Catholic religion, including the pouring of water on the head as a baptism, the declaration of the Lord's supper as the "eucharist", and the formal pronouncement of words over the serving of that "eucharist". We also see the doctrine of closed communion, contrary to what the Apostle Paul wrote--which is that a self-examination is to take place, not an examination by others.
1 Corinthians11:26-30 "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep."
There are other flaws in the doctrines in this letter, contrary to the scriptures. Yet it is seen as, and is, a foundational document for the Catholic religion. The foundational idea of a Catholic purgatory can be readily discovered in 3The Shepherd of Hermas, an early document (thought to be written about 150 A.D.) in which the writer purported to have been spiritually transported and given a vision. This Hermas is identified as the brother of Pius, "Bishop of Rome".
Among these writers, and others of the time and soon to follow--as Ignatius and others--there is a noticeable departure from the writings of the Apostles Paul and Peter. Where the two apostles placed emphasis upon the individual members behaving righteously, these later writers show a tendency toward emphasis of presbyters, deacons, and bishops. There is also frequent mention of the universal, or catholic, church--a phrase not used by the Apostles. By these evidences, we see an angling away from Apostolic doctrine toward doctrine shaped by men. Jesus established one collective body--those who followed Him--and the same was assumed by the Apostles.
In the 4Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephesians, we see the demarcation of this new concept of a lone bishop as lord over the congregation, a thing that the Apostle Peter warned against.
4Chapter VI "Now the more any one sees the bishop keeping silence,43 the more ought he to revere him. For we ought to receive every one whom the Master of the house sends to be over His household,44 as we would do Him that sent him. It is manifest, therefore, that we should look upon the bishop even as we would upon the Lord Himself."1 Peter 5:1-3 "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock"
Ignatius talks in this letter and his others of "the bishop" in the singular, which expression is contrary to that found in the letters of the Apostles Paul and Peter, wherein they refer to a plurality of elders as church leaders. There is danger in one man telling others what to do, as Jesus indicated.
Matthew 18:18-20 "Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
It is important to notice that two or three disciples, led by God's Holy Spirit, could agree upon the truth, whereas one man alone might be mistaken. This refutes the commonly accepted Catholic doctrine that Apostle Peter was the first "Pope" of the "church". They say that Jesus gave the keys of the kingdom to Peter, when in reality, our Lord bestowed them upon the Apostles as a group.
Matthew 16:17-19 "And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
Yet we find Ignatius in his various letters urging each group to "do nothing without the bishop", and to "reverence the bishop as the Lord". We see here the transformation from the autonomous congregations of the Apostles' writings, overseen and led by the elders, to a system of one man lording over the congregation. The stage is now set for even more egregious apostasy.
The later writings of Justin Martyr, as in the 5First Apology of Justin, Chapter LV.-Symbols of the Cross, indicate a substitution for the symbol of the cross in place of heathen symbols of worship. Nowhere did Jesus or the holy Apostles of His appointment indicate use of this symbol, so beloved by the Catholic and Protestant religions. We are to directly worship God the Father, and His beloved son, Jesus the Christ, with no intervening symbol as surrogate for our Lord.
One Irenaeus, thought to have been born around 125 to 130 A.D., and to have died 202 A.D., speaks of the Catholic Church, the (singular) Bishop, and so completely wrecks the accuracy of the scriptures that he is certainly apostate and his teachings cannot be followed by true believers. For instance, he refers to the church as having begun in Rome under the leadership of the Apostles Paul and Peter, when the scriptures validate that the church began in Jerusalem.
6Irenaeus, Book III, Chapter 3, passage 2: "by indicating that tradition derived from the apostles, of the very great, the very ancient, and universally known Church founded and organized at Rome by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul; as also [by pointing out] the faith preached to men, which comes down to our time by means of the successions of the bishops."
Luke 24:46-49 "And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high."
Acts 2:1 "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven."
Acts 2:47 "Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."
The scriptures prove that the Lord's church was "founded" in Jerusalem, not Rome. The apostasy of this man and his fellow worshippers is evident from passage 3 of the same writing:
63. "The blessed apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, committed into the hands of Linus the office of the episcopate. Of this Linus, Paul makes mention in the Epistles to Timothy. To him succeeded Anacletus; and after him, in the third place from the apostles, Clement was allotted the bishopric. This man, as he had seen the blessed apostles, and had been conversant with them, might be said to have the preaching of the apostles still echoing [in his ears], and their traditions before his eyes. Nor was he alone [in this], for there were many still remaining who had received instructions from the apostles. In the time of this Clement, no small dissension having occurred among the brethren at Corinth, the Church in Rome despatched a most powerful letter to the Corinthians..."
With this mention of "the episcopate", and "the bishopric" (singular) "succession", we see the extent of the apostasy. What clinches this is his reference to the letter written from the "Church in Rome". reprimanding the brethren at Corinth. Individual teachers such as Apostles Paul and Peter wrote such letters, but there was never a letter from one church usurping authority over another. In the Bible, each local church was overseen by a plurality of elders, served by a plurality of deacons, and handled its own affairs. One church did not oversee another church, nor did "the bishop" of one dictate to another.
We witness in these ancient writings the very apostasy predicted by Jesus and the Apostles, coming to pass as history unfolded.
Matthew 7:15-17 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit."
Matthew 24:24 "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before."
1Timothy 1:6-7 "From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm."
1 John 2:18-19 "Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."
Although I have not had ample opportunity to thoroughly study writings of some of the other ancient writers, upon a hasty review, a few of them seem to parallel the teachings of the Holy Bible. This makes me believe that while some individuals and entire congregations (churches) were apostate, there were still those who struggled to understand and keep the teachings of the Holy Scriptures throughout the ages. This is the true church of Christ, that world-wide body consisting of all diligent and dedicated believers, who followed the truth of the scriptures, not adding their own opinions and conjecture.
7Constantine Augustus, Emperor of the East, and Licinius Augustus, Emperor of the West, issued the Edict of Milan in 313, officially ending Roman persecution of Christians, and making "Christianity" the official religion of the Roman Empire, replacing the previous pantheon of Greek gods and goddesses. He bound church and state closely together, giving high rank and power to his local "bishop".
Those who departed from scriptural teaching soon found themselves at odds with each other, as is common when men bind their own will as if to override the will of Almighty God. As word of these disagreements reached the ears of the convert Constantine, he apparently requested a 8council of these "bishops" to meet to iron out their differences in 325 A.D. In 381 A.D., a second council met to create what is now known as the Nicene Creed.
Although history reveals that Emperor Constantine elevated Christianity from a state-persecuted religion to the state religion, we also see how local autonomy of each church began to be swallowed up in a centralized state-run religion. The modern Catholic Church is the descendant of this early apostasy. I shall not linger over the continuing digression from Biblical commandment and example by the Catholic Church over the centuries. Instead, let us move ahead to the formation of the Protestant Movement.
Protestant Movement
As the Catholic Church's offenses waxed worse and worse, with the word of man supplanting the Word of God, there were open rumblings within that body. In the 91380s, John Wycliffe took exception to several teachings of the Catholics and their pope. By the early 101500s, Martin Luther had lashed out at the rampant corruption that had eaten up this Roman entity. 11In 1534, King Henry VIII of England, wishing to have his marriage annulled so that he might marry again, was forbidden to do so by the pope and the Roman Catholic Church. He declared the Church of England (Anglican Church) to be under his direct control, breaking away from the pope. This type of control from the top, practiced by the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches is called episcopalian, or prelate, rule.
Calvinism
12John Calvin, a Frenchman living in the early to middle 1500s, was a prolific writer for the Protestant cause. His writings show a decided partisan and prejudicial slant against not only Catholicism, but also against other Protestant movements. Calvin supposed that each person will be eternally saved or destroyed by the predetermined will of God, and that the individual has no control over the matter. This conclusion appears to have been a violent reaction to the false teachings of the Roman Catholic Church about purgatory, prayers offered on behalf of the dead, payment of money for absolution of sins, and similar teachings. As men often do, in order to persuade their followers that a given system is false, they overreact by going to extremes in the opposing direction.
John Calvin, wishing to show that the Catholics were wrong to say that their leaders had the power to do away with sins upon payment of money, proclaimed that the power to take away sin lay only with Christ. However, in his zeal, he erroneously taught that man has absolutely nothing to do with his own salvation, all having been done by Christ. This absolves humans of any responsibility for their own behavior, placing the entire burden on Christ. The problem is that his followers often treat sin as a given, and trust that the blood of Jesus will continue to "cover" their multitude of sins. Contrary to scripture, this encourages would-be Christian to be lax in their lives, succumbing to sin.
Radical Reformation
13In the early 1500s, Ulrich Zwingli of Zurich (Switzerland) corresponded with Martin Luther about church reformation. He claimed the Bible as the sole source for doctrine, a radical reformation, attacking the Catholic Church's power. A colleague of his, Conrad Grebel, and a group of friends decided that infant baptism was not proper, and so instituted adult rebaptism. Their critics labeled them as Anabaptists, or "rebaptizers". The Catholic Church and the heads of state under their control sought to wipe out the Anabaptist movement.This is seen as the forerunner of "restoration", the concept of taking the church all the way back to its early state, as described in the New Testament scriptures.
The Church of Scotland
14In the mid-1500s, John Knox of Scotland, a Catholic priest, and a student of John Calvin, turned Protestant. He authored the Scottish Confession of Faith in 1560, and was a key player in the Scottish Reformation. 15The Church of Scotland, with its presbyterianism, was born of this Calvinist reformation movement. 16"Presbyterians were among the earliest Reformed immigrants to America. They settled up and down the east coast, and began to push westward into the American wilderness, founding congregations as early as the 1630s."
Presbyterianism holds that churches are to be presided over by a group of presbyters, or elders, as opposed to the Catholic method of a single Bishop ruling over a church, or even a group of churches. (In the Bible, the idea of bishops seemed to be the same as that of elders. I noted earlier in this writing that within the first century after Christ, many claiming the Christian belief system wrote of a single Bishop over a church, an idea that is not at all scriptural.)
Philippians 1:1: "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:"
Titus 1:5-7 "For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;"
1 Timothy 3:1-2 "This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;"
1 Peter 5:1: "The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:"
We see the words elder and bishop being used interchangeably, and we also see that there was a plurality in each congregation. Therefore, the Catholic concept of bishop is not according to the word of God. However, the presbyterian Protestants are also incorrect, in that they often have rulers over regions of a country, or over an entire country, or over the organization as a whole. This, too, is unscriptural. The Bible indicates several elders working in the church in each city, making the leadership local, or at the single-church level.
17From the state-sponsored Church of Scotland came the Free Church of Scotland, in 1843, which divorced itself from state sponsorship. Afterwards there were many separations and attempts at reunion within these bodies, and their offspring.
The Baptist Church
While all this was going on in Scotland, another 18separatist movement developed in England, in the Anglican Church (Church of England). Some of these, such as John Smyth and Thomas Helwys, fled persecution by escaping to Amsterdam. There they mingled with Mennonites, a branch of the Anabaptists. In 1611, Thomas Helwys returned to England to set up the first General Baptist church. Says Leon McBeth, 18"They believed in a general atonement, baptism of believers only, religious liberty, and other doctrines still associated with Baptists. The General Baptists also believed that it was possible for one to fall from grace or lose his salvation."
18Another Separatist group, the Particular Baptists, holding more closely to the Calvinist doctrine of election to salvation, came into being. Historians have concluded that the first Particular Baptist church began about 1638. By 1640, at least two Particular Baptist churches became convinced that baptism should be by immersion. Prior to that, they practiced sprinkling and pouring. Again, McBeth says 18"The First London Confession of Particular Baptists, adopted in 1644, says of baptism, 'The way and manner of the dispensing of this Ordinance the Scripture holds out to be dipping or plunging the whole body under the water.' The General Baptists were probably practicing immersion by 1650, but their first confession specifically calling for baptism by immersion only appeared in 1660."
18By 1650, the Baptist association was well established, wherein Baptist churches in a given area would cooperate and fellowship one another. General Baptists were first to develop a national General Assembly, apparently around 1653. These assemblies made determinations that were disseminated amongst the various local Baptist churches, but were not binding, leaving local autonomy intact.Leon McBeth has this to say about how Baptists view their origins, 18"Some have so emphasized the sense of continuity from Bible times that they find it difficult to face up to historical facts about Baptist origins. Some have even erected elaborate schemes, or "Trails of Blood," seeking to trace Baptists through all the centuries from Christ to the present. These theories are based upon assumptions, unreliable or nonexistent historical data, or faulty interpretation of Jesus’ promise that the gates of death should never prevail against his church. A Baptist today can have a real sense of identification with the teachings of Christ without trying to prove historical succession."
19Throughout the 1600s, Baptists exported their religion to America, starting in New England, then spreading to the American South by way of South Carolina. On May 18, 1814, Baptists in America met at Philadelphia and formed a national foreign mission society called the General Missionary Convention in an attempt to sponsor foreign missionary work, but still keep local church autonomy.
The Methodist Church
20Methodism grew out of the influence of John Wesley, a member of the clergy in the Church of England, in the mid to late 1700s. Methodism disagreed with Calvinism about predestination to salvation, and like the General Baptists, believed in freewill--that is, each individual chooses to repent and turn to God. 20"The Methodist Church has a Connexional structure rather than a congregational one. This is where the whole church acts and decides together. It is where the local church is never independent of the rest of the Connexion." In the late 1700s, Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke brought Methodism to America.
The American Restoration Movement
20Abner Jones was born in Royalton, Massachusetts, April 28, 1772. Raised on Calvinism, he first became a Baptist, but rejected their doctrines in favor of the Bible as his only guide. Apparently, Mr. Jones did not base fellowship upon particular beliefs, but more so on "Christian character". This soon put him at odds with the Baptists, who would no longer allow him to preach among them. J. F. Burnett says of Jones, 20"It will be of interest to know that the first church he organized was at Lyndon, Vt., in 1801. This was before his ordination to the ministry. The second church was organized in the autumn of 1802, at Hanover, N. H., and the third during the winter of 1803, at Piermont, in the same state. The first meeting-house erected under his labors was at Salem, Massachusetts. It was situated on English Street, was twenty by forty feet, and bore the name Christian Tabernacle."
Of his departure from Baptist doctrine, Jones wrote of himself: 21"After this search, I denied the name of a baptist, and so I have continued to do unto this day. I was then willing to own the names disciple, friend, and christian, unto which I still hold."
22Around 1793, Methodist minister James O'Kelly urged the union of all Christians under the name of Christ, using the scriptures as guide, laying aside all of the man-made doctrines and creeds. He wrote, 23"Again as each Church is called by a different name, suppose we dissolve those unscriptural names, and for peace's sake call ourselves Christians? This would be--'The Christian Church.'"
Thomas Campbell is thought to be the pivotal character for what became known by many in America as the Restoration Movement. 24Born in Ireland on February 1, 1763, his parents were Roman Catholics, who converted to the Anglican Church (Church of England). Thomas associated with the Seceder Presbyterians, and came to America on April 8, 1807. However, the Seceders did not affiliate with other Presbyterians, which Thomas Campbell did, partaking of the Lord's Supper (communion) with them. The Seceders cut ties with him in 1808.
Thomas Campbell was frustrated by the decades of dissent within the Separatist movements in England and Scotland. Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists fell out even within their own denominations, splintering frequently, often trying to reunite, usually to little avail. He desired that Christians unite together in fellowship
24Joined in America by his family on September 29, 1809, and in their company on October 19, 1809, he shared with son Alexander Campbell his Declaration and Address. Father and son discovered that both had renounced Presbyterianism, and both were determined to have only the Bible as their guide, abandoning all man-made creeds.
24On May 4, 1811, the Christian Association of Washington, Pennsylvania, constituted itself as the Brush Run Church, with Thomas Campbell as elder, Alexander Campbell as preacher, and four others as deacons. This church had its beginnings, not as a converted denomination, but as a group of Christians struggling to use only the Bible as their guidebook. 25The Brush Run Church, in 1815, became part of a nearby Baptist Association. Since the Reformers and the Baptists differed on key issues. By 1830, the Reformers cut their last ties with the Baptist Association and became known as "Disciples."
25Parallel to the work of the Campbells was that of Presbyterian minister Barton W. Stone, born in Port Tobacco, Maryland, December 24, 1772. (He died in Hannibal Missouri, November 9, 1844. ) Stone was educated as a school teacher and entered the ministry through the Presbyterian Church, serving a church in Cane Ridge Kentucky. After being an important part of the historic Cane Ridge Revival of 1801, Stone and several others formed the Springfield Presbytery, denouncing all human creeds and appealing to the Bible as the only rule of faith and practice.
They dissolved the Springfield Presbytery, publishing the Last Will and Testament of the Springfield Presbytery, whereby they dissolved their denominational ties to unite with "the body of Christ at large", simply referring to themselves as "Christians only".
25In 1832, Stone's "Christians" and the Campbells' "Disciples of Christ" agreed on basic beliefs and aims and united with a formal handshake in Lexington, Kentucky, and created a new Christian movement on the American frontier."
26"Several churches from the New England Jones-Smith, and Virginia O'Kelly movement also became a part of the Stone-Campbell merger. After the Civil War the Christian Connexion churches which did not merge established headquarters in Dayton, Ohio.9 In 1931 they merged with the Congregational Church, then with the Evangelical and Reformed Church, to form in 1957 the United Church of Christ."
We see the hand of God at work that zealous men from these different denominations almost simultaneously, and apart from one another, rejected denominational doctrines and man-made church names to be "disciples only", and "Christians only", with Christ the only head of the church--as indeed the Bible teaches.
The Problems With Campbellism
Alexander Campbell spent time in Glasgow, Scotland, in university studies. 27He seems to have picked up some of John Locke's philosophy regarding inductive reasoning. Campbell seized upon the scientific method as the basis for uniting all Christians in common faith and practice. While other Protestant religions employed "mystic" interpretation of the Scriptures in which the "spirit alone" rules, Campbell preferred reasoning upon the scriptures as the foundation for belief. Just as Calvin overreacted against the Catholic Church and swung to extreme positions of doctrine to indict, so Campbell overreacted to Calvinism, and adopted extreme doctrines to counteract Calvin's errors.
Campbell acknowledged the influence of western philosophy on religion. In his efforts to deny the unbridled mysticism of Calvinism, Campbell leaned too much to the scientific side, using as his teachers the likes of John Locke and Lord Francis Bacon. Unfortunately, Campbell's Lockean and Baconian system of inductive reasoning encourages students of the Bible to choose snippets of scripture from which to build doctrine. Using "necessary inference" as a basis for discovering "truth", many have embarked upon a destructive, disastrous journey. They place private interpretations upon scripture, a practice condemned by the Holy Scriptures.
2 Peter 1:20-21 "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."
Having thus "discovered a truth", they declare that those who do not agree with them to be "erring brothers", requiring "disfellowshipping". They erroneously invoke the scriptures about perverted doctrine in order to support their perversion of the gospel.
Galatians 1:6-8 "I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed."
Jude 1:3 "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."
2 Thessalonians 2:15 "Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle."
These contentious church members and preachers suppose that any challenge to their personal or congregational traditions and private interpretation is to be rejected, and mark the challenger as enemy of "the truth". Sadly, they are those who create schisms in the body of Christ, and when any would move to heal the wounds they cause, such a healer is branded as a "false prophet", a wolf in sheep's clothing, one who "does not hold the traditions which they have been taught". As a result, there is a continuous fracturing and splintering of the church as individuals attempt to ascertain what the scriptures teach using Campbell's inductive reasoning approach.
Born of a contentious Separatist and Reformist Protestant history, the Restoration movement's goal to unite all in the Spirit of Christ appears doomed to failure. This is evident in the 28Sand Creek Address and Declaration of August 17th, 1889, at Sand Creek, Illinois. The framers of this document set aside scripture in favor of their own concoction, which placed their stamp of approval upon contention and division within the church. The document closes with these words, "And now, in closing up this address and declaration, we state that we are impelled from a sense of duty to say, that all such as are guilty of teaching, or allowing and practicing the many innovations to which we have referred, that after being admonished and having had sufficient time for reflection, if they do not turn away from such abominations, that we can not and will not regard them as brethren." Thus was signed and sealed a declaration, not of union, as foreseen by the likes of James O'Kelly, Abner Jones, Barton W. Stone, and Thomas Campbell, but of dissension and division.
Which brings us to the formation of the present-day Church of Christ.
The Church of Christ
29Contemporary to both Alexander Campbell and David Lipscomb was Tolbert Fanning, born May 10, 1810, an influential figure in Tennessee and Kentucky. He built Franklin College near Nashville, Tennessee, in the mid-1800s. He died May 3, 1874. He edited a magazine known as The Gospel Advocate. Writes A.R. Holton, 30"He had a profound influence upon three people who were to greatly influence the restoration movement in the years to come. These three were D. L. Lipscomb, E. G. Sewell, and T. H. Larimore."
Fanning was opposed to the work of missionary societies, believing the church responsible for such an undertaking. He was also opposed to instrumental music in the church. He felt the need for colleges to educate Christian preachers, and felt that his magazine was a good way to spread the gospel. 31It is said the he drew his Christian education from listening to his Baptist mother, and Baptist, Methodist, and Presbyterian preachers, whom he occasionally heard. Later he fell under the influence of "Christian" preachers and thus was launched his preaching career. He traveled occasionally with Alexander Campbell, in that restorer's ministry.
32
He opposed the formation by the Disciples of a missionary society to preach the gospel abroad, as well as the use of instrumental music in church assemblies. Thus, while condemning what the church convention at Sand Creek did, he presided over the fractious withdrawal of the Churches of Christ from the Disciples of Christ.
The Church of Christ was formally established during the 1906 U.S. Census (1916 Census record), when David Lipscomb submitted to the U.S. Census takers that the Churches of Christ had indeed separated themselves from the Disciples of Christ. He resurrected the Tolbert Fanning magazine, Gospel Advocate. He also founded a Christian college in Nashville, Tennessee, which bears his name.
A History of Secession and Division
We need to acknowledge our history, for that history lets us understand the root of our schisms within the church of Christ. The Churches of Christ came to be as a result of Protestants attempting to "Reform" the Catholic Church, resulting in Calvinism and Presbyterianism. The "Restoration" of Thomas and Alexander Campbell and associates was their attempt to work with Presbyterians, Baptists, and Methodists to move these Protestant bodies into a restored church with Biblical roots by using the "science" of logic to ascertain the true Bible "pattern" for the church. Campbell urged them to abandon church names and be "Christians only", or "disciples only". Out of this "Restoration Movement" came the Disciples of Christ. In 1906, David Lipscomb submitted to the U.S. Census bureau that the Churches of Christ had parted company with the Disciples of Christ, primarily over the Disciples' use of instrumental music in the "worship service" (read "Church Assembly" and "Five Items Of Worship"), and their formation of a missionary society to spread the gospel. Prior to this, they were all considered part and parcel of the same church.
The Church of Christ purports to "speak where the Bible speaks, and is silent where the Bible is silent". I wish that this were so. I have dealt with many factions and sects within the Church of Christ, many of whom will not affiliate with other groups of the Church of Christ because some man, or group of men, have developed a new doctrine. When they are unable to persuade their "erring brethren" to come over to this newly devised doctrine, war is declared, and the new group shuns the old group in a move called "disfellowshipping". For those unfamiliar with the term, or the practice, it is akin to Catholic excommunication, or Amish shunning. Many bitter personal battles have been waged among brethren in the name of "unity". The bitter fruit is more secession, and more division.
Yet, as an entity known as the "Church of Christ", they tenaciously cling to certain assumed doctrines that bind them together. Some say that this is because those doctrines are scriptural, and that a thorough study of the Bible yields the same teachings and commandments. This sounds good on the surface, but is not the absolute truth. There are ideas and concepts taught in the church that one would be hard-pressed to substantiate with book, chapter, and verse. They are simply passed down verbally from one generation of preachers to the next. In other words, they are the traditions of men. Yet, anyone who questions these widely accepted teachings is found to be persona non grata, subject not only to "disfellowship", but is viciously attacked for raising legitimate questions. I speak from personal experience. (By the way, show me the word "disfellowship" in the Bible. It is a rather loose concept that allows any group or individual to abuse their relationship with other Christians, and with the church of our Lord. It is itself one of those man-made, but widely accepted, doctrines.)
Through the often-abused force of "disfellowshipping", not only is dissent not tolerated, but larger questions relating to the salvation of our souls are swept away in favor of heated discussions over hermeneutics--adopted by Campbellitish religionists as the "science" of Bible study.
The early "restorers" had a couple of interesting mottoes that should still drive the Church of Christ. One is "We speak where the Bible speaks, and are silent where the Bible is silent". Another is, "In matters of faith, unity; in matters of opinion, liberty; and in all things, charity (love)". The first statement is ostensibly a rendering of 1 Peter 4:11 "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."
The second statement is often purported to be based upon Romans 14, although I see it as a condensation of various scriptural principles. The unity in the faith seems aptly described in:
Ephesians 4:11-16 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."
Regarding opinions and liberty, Romans 14 is indeed a good study of the subject, but I include 1 Corinthians 8:9 "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of your's become a stumblingblock to them that are weak." (Read the surrounding verses--the context is similar to Romans 14.) Also consider, 1 Corinthians 10:29 "Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?" (Again, read to know the context.)
2 Corinthians 3:17 "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
Galatians 5:13 "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."
James 2:12 "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty."
Charity (read "That Which Is Perfect"), perhaps, is best described in I Corinthians 13, and in 1 Corinthians 16:14 "Let all your things be done with charity."
If we had the proper charity toward our brothers and sisters in the Churches of Christ, we would not constantly be at one another's throats. We could then concentrate our efforts on a return to scriptural behavior and character, and the effort to bring all those calling themselves Christians into one fold in Christ Jesus. Jesus tore down the wall of partition between Jew and Gentile. We build a wall between our own local congregations and the rest of the world.
The Modern Church of Christ
Regrettably, in the Church of Christ today there is the Seceder or Separatist spirit of partisanship, of contention, and of bondage to the opinions and musings of men. We forget the Apostle Paul's admonition in :
Ephesians 4:1-6 "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all."
And our Lord's words in:
John 17:20-23 "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."
The Apostle Paul decried such contention as we see in the modern church in his writings.
1 Corinthians 1:10-13 "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?"
1 Corinthians 11:16 "But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God."
Romans 2:8-9 "But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;"
The modern Church of Christ began with two mottoes: "We speak where the Bible speaks, and are silent where the Bible is silent"; and, "In matters of faith, unity; in matters of opinion, liberty; and in all things, charity". If we truly followed these guiding principles of the early Restoration Movement, there would be little contention and no factions. What has driven us to the point that the Churches of Christ are in rapid decline, splintered to the point that few will have anything to do with others of the same name and shared history?
The problem lies with the fractious secessionist history of the movement, as well as the very methodology that Alexander Campbell employed in his attempts to establish the church based upon Bible truths. The Campbells drew heavily from the works of John Locke, and the school of Scottish Common Sense Realism. Alexander Campbell attempted to apply science and logical induction to the Bible, following the concepts of Francis Bacon. From his attempts are derived our present dogma of "command, example, or necessary inference".
Our current lack of cohesion in the churches of Christ lies with the use of hermeneutics to find "inferred commands" in the scriptures. Unfortunately, each person being schooled differently, coming from various cultures and environments, and at different stages of spiritual development, brings his or her own opinions into play when ferreting out these "inferred commands".
Contrary to what the Bible teaches, many present students and teachers of the Bible in the Church of Christ allow for no opinion whatsoever, no leeway on matters of conscience. To them, everything is a matter of faith, and if we cannot agree with them, then there can be no unity of faith--therefore, they "withdraw fellowship" from us. While these people abhor the apostasy of Catholicism, and renounce the incomplete results of the Protestant Reformation, they become apostate themselves in that they reject many of the teachings of the Bible. Most of them are stuck in the incomplete teachings of Alexander Campbell and his associates and students. This is why Calvinists derisively refer to them as "Campbellites".
New Radical Reformation Needed
The answer is to recapture the spirit of the radical reformers without becoming disciples of men. Campbell was so appalled by the Calvinists--for good reason--that he overreacted, and placed too much emphasis on theology as a science. (The application of "science" to almost everything in those days was a fad.) The presence of the Holy Spirit within the individual Christian is an idea that is often rejected, although scriptural, because the Calvinists abused the scriptures in regards to the Spirit. Campbell, in resisting this abuse, leaned upon logic instead. However, the Bible itself tells us that God's truth does not always conform to the reasoning and logic of man.
1 Corinthians 2:4-7 "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:"
1 Corinthians 2:12-14 "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
Romans 8:9 "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
Using "science" and logical reasoning to find the commands of the Bible substitutes the devices of men for the Spirit of God. Man's wisdom does not override the guidance of God's Spirit.
1 Corinthians 1:18-21 "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."
The truth is not found in the Calvinistic search for a sign, nor is it in the Campbellite quest for scientific discovery, but rather is found in Jesus Christ, and the wisdom of God:
1 Corinthians 1:22-24 "For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."
The use of science to discover the truth has fostered a blind search for "hidden truths", with the result that the movement has ground to a halt, and the remnants of the movement are falling apart. Each little faction thinks that it is the "one true church" and all else are hell-bent hypocrites. Unfortunately, these factions continue to splinter even further under the "scientific" inquiry method that continues to produce strange, new doctrines.
1 Corinthians 2:4-10 "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God."
I propose the abandonment of the so-called science of hermeneutics and a return to a spiritual assessment of ourselves against the scriptures, measuring ourselves comparative to the will of God, not by the measures of men. (Read "Spirit & Truth".)
2 Corinthians 10:12 "For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise."
Instead of turning to science, and man's wisdom (logic) for the answers, why not turn to God?
James 1:5-7 "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord."
The church (the body) of Christ
Christ established His church, which is rightly called the church of Christ--because it is His, (read "What's In A Name")--almost 2,000 years ago. The Bible plainly describes many of the early church's practices and undergirding principles. The reformers attempted to rediscover Biblical principles and practices, but were too burdened by Catholicism and Protestantism. We need a new radical reformation in which we by-pass both these approaches in an attempt to uncover and understand Christianity from the first century AD. It will not be found in Judaism, as some would suppose, because the early Jewish Christians often tried to impose their life-style upon the Gentile converts. In fact, many of the scriptures used by the Calvinists to justify their doctrines are a perversion of Paul's struggle to get the Jews to quit trying to impose the Law of Moses upon the Gentile Christians.
The answer lies in Jesus, the Word made flesh. If we study His teachings, and His life, as well as that of His chosen Apostles, we will begin to move away from the baggage of our Catholic and Protestant heritage. This will require the ability to cast off any of those trappings, and accept what the Bible teaches. It will mean a radical change in our approach, in our beliefs, and in our attitudes. Isn't that what growth is all about? If we never change, we will never mature, but remain spiritually stunted. The scriptures tell us to grow up to match the size of our head, Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-16 "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love."
We are not a Protestant denomination, unless we behave like one. Let us understand that the Restoration Movement, though a laudable event and a move in the right direction, was built upon the Protestant Reformation, which was itself a rework of the Catholic Church. We can only be the true church of our Lord when we learn the teachings of Jesus, become a follower of Him, and worship God in spirit and in truth. Let's not call the trappings of Catholicism-cum-Protestantism the teachings of Jesus Christ. Let's look past Campbell, past Calvin, past Luther, past Catholicism, and learn the ways of God as presented to us by His Son Jesus, and the Apostles of Jesus. To do this requires a new Radical Reformation. We simply need to become a part of the body--the church--of Christ.
God bless all!
Love, in Christ,
Bernie
1gopher://ccat.sas.upenn.edu:3333/00/Religious/ChurchWriters/ApostolicFathers/1Clement 04/18/02
2gopher://ccat.sas.upenn.edu:3333/00/Religious/ChurchWriters/ApostolicFathers/Didache
3gopher://ccat.sas.upenn.edu:3333/00/Religious/ChurchWriters/ApostolicFathers/Hermas
4http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-01/anf01-16.htm#P1093_206499
5http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-01/anf01-46.htm#P3876_724358
6http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/ANF-01/anf01-60.htm#P7317_1944667
7http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/bible/jc.html
8http://www.creeds.net/ancient/nic_int.htm
9http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/1382wycliffe.html
10http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-luther.html#sw-bio
11http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page19.asp
12Calvinism http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03198a.htm 05/24/02
13Nelson, Stan The Anabaptist Story http://www.hccentral.com/nelson1/part1.html#humanist 05/29/02
14John Knox http://www.gracevalley.org/theology_notes/John_Knox.html 05/24/02
15Established Church of Scotland http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13627a.htm 05/24/02
16A Brief History of the Presbyterian Church in this Country http://www.history.pcusa.org/pres_hist/briefhist.html 05/27/02
17Free Church of Scotland http://www.freechurch.org/heritage9.html 05/27/02
18McBeth, Leon Baptist Beginnings http://www.baptisthistory.org/facts.htm#Baptist%20Beginnings 05/27/02
19Baker, Robert A. Southern Baptist Beginnings http://www.baptisthistory.org/facts.htm#Baptist%20Beginnings 05/27/0220Burnett, J.F. Rev. Abner Jones http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/jburnett/raj/RAJ.HTM 05/28/02
21Jones, Abner Memoirs http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/ajones/jonesbio.html 05/28/02
22A Brief History of Methodism http://www.methodist.org.uk/welcome/history.htm 05/27/02
23O'Kelly, James A Plan of Union http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/jokelley/union.html 05/28/02
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Hope On The Horizon: The Early Work of Thomas Campbell http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/Tcamp-1.html 05/27/0225Disciples History http://www.disciples.org/internal/dchist.htm 05/27/02
26Olbricht, Thomas H. Who Are The Churches Of Christ? http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/who.html 05/29/02
27Olbricht, Thomas H. The Rationalism of the Restoration http://www.hugsr.edu/hicks/Olbricht-Rationalism.htm 05/28/02
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29Gowen, George Tolbert Fanning http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/jtbrown/coc/COC1336.HTM 05/29/02
30Holton, A. R. Tolbert Fanning http://www.restorationquarterly.org/Volume_001/rq00101holton.htm 05/29/02
31Tolbert Fanning http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/wmoore/tlp/TLP25.HTM 05/29/02
32Lipscomb, David Sand Creek Address and Declaration http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/dsommer/lipscomb.html 05/29/02
33Lipscomb, David Christian Unity http://www.mun.ca/rels/restmov/texts/dlipscomb/cufo/CUFO01.HTM 05/29/02
