Restoring New Testament Christianity

FORWARD WITH THE BIBLE


(Importance of the Word in the Restoration of Authentic Christianity)

New Hope Christian Church, 10/1/23

“Back to the Bible” is a slogan often heard when the church or society seems to offer no hope in the present time. The prophet Jeremiah (ca 600 BC) lived in such a time, predicting the oncoming destruction of Israel as a result of their idolatry and wickedness. He called them to repentance: “This is what the Lord says: Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it’” (6:16). This was a call to return to the Law of God so that the coming exile might be averted.

“Back to the Bible” is always a good practice, but it is not enough to look to the past—we must consider the Bible as our infallible, God-inspired guidebook for the present and the future. This month we are looking to our heritage as an independent church that arose out of a movement to restore authentic, New Testament Christianity. This movement began in the early 1800's as an attempt to unite all Christians by following the Bible alone, looking to the prayer of Jesus that we be one, that the world may believe (John 17:20-23).

A restoration of authentic Christianity requires a strong foundation, the eternal word of God. “‘Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away’” (Matthew 24:35). “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11). Consider these three areas in which the word is important in the restoration of authentic Christianity.

Faith

First, our faith is established by the word of God. When we speak of “our faith,” this term refers to what we believe—the word creed comes from Latin, credo, “I believe”—as well as our believing (trusting) it. Jude 3 refers to the former, what we believe, “Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” Note that this usage refers to a body of doctrine (teaching) that is to be believed. The Gospel of John summarizes this faith, “that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (20:31). The apostle Paul listed four specific items included in this faith (1 Corinthians 15:1-5):

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: [1] that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [2] that he was buried, [3] that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and [4] that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.

He then (15:6-8) listed other witnesses to the resurrected Christ.

In addition to the testimony about Christ, faith also refers to the process of placing our trust in Christ—believing the gospel, the facts and truths listed above. This aspect of faith is not just mental assent, believing that it is true, but also committing our lives to Him, trusting Him as Lord and Savior. Faith is not “just believing,” nor is it an opinion, idea, or inward feeling. Rather Biblical faith is based on evidence, logical reasons for believing. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). And so, John sums up his purpose in writing his account of the gospel, “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (20:30-31). When Paul was brought to trial before the Roman governor, he was accused of being crazy for believing in the resurrection of the dead. “‘I am not insane, most excellent Festus,’ Paul replied. ‘What I am saying is true and reasonable. The king [Herod Agrippa II] is familiar with these things, and I can speak freely to him. I am convinced that none of this has escaped his notice, because it was not done in a corner’” (Acts 26:25-26).

Because the testimony about Jesus has been authenticated by the evidence, those who do not trust Christ will suffer the consequences: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36).

Unity

The word of God is important for both what we believe and why we believe. It is also important for effecting and maintaining the unity of all who are in Christ. All who have obeyed the gospel are one in Christ (spiritually, in the eyes of God), but this unity is visible to the world only when we accept as our brothers and sisters all who are in Him. This visible unity is the kind Jesus prayed for in John 17:20-23 “that the world may believe.” Paul expressed the importance of this unity: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:3-6).

The word of God (not human creeds or personal interpretations) sets forth the terms of fellowship, i.e., what it takes to be in Christ and what it takes to recognize others as being in the fellowship. The terms of fellowship are (1) what is necessary to be believed in order to be saved and (2) how the believer is to enter into relationship with or become one with Christ. The items to be believed are summed up in the gospel (“the faith”).When the apostle Paul was challenged on this point, he went to Jerusalem, upon God’s instruction, to compare his version of the gospel with that of the other apostles. “I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain” (Galatians 2:2). After presenting his case to them, “James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me” (2:9). Those who put their faith in the gospel then enter into union with Christ through repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26-27).

Therefore, unity in Christ comes through “obeying the gospel.” And those who obey the gospel are to consider all others who have obeyed the gospel to be in the fellowship, the body of Christ; and they are to treat one another as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Division in the church, other than required by geographical expedients, is disobedience to Christ and a hindrance to bringing others to Him.

What does the word say about our disagreements? After all, differences of opinion are inevitable. The short answer is found in Romans 14:1, “Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters.” “Faith,” in this context, refers to the strength of one’s convictions regarding different interpretations of or inferences from what the word actually says. We are to allow for liberty of opinion in these matters without drawing lines of fellowship over them. No one is free to disagree with what the Scriptures expressly teach; but in matters not related to the terms of fellowship (see above), we are to give one another time to come to a fuller understanding of these other matters. “All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained” (Philippians 3:15-16).

Regarding the visible unity of the church, an important factor is the congregational structure. Factions and sects, including denominational institutions, are contrary to the God-ordained unity of the church. Discord, dissensions, and factions are among the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:20). Each congregation, just as each Christian, is to be working in submission to, cooperation with, and partnership in the gospel under the God-ordained leadership. Christ “gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists [preachers], and some to be pastors [shepherds, elders] and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13).

Direction

The word for Law in the Old Testament basically means instruction. Or, it might be better to understand it as direction, God directing His people in the path of life. “‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go’” (Isaiah 48:17). Indeed, all of Scripture is intended as direction for us who otherwise would be lost in a world of spiritual darkness. Revelation from God and inspiration of His messengers were necessary for equipping His people for His work. Therefore, we have the reliable, trustworthy, and efficient word of God. It will never lead us astray. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The Bible, properly studied, understood, and applied, will guide you in making personal decisions regarding morality (right and wrong) and service to God. When we look to the culture around us or the traditions of mankind, we are easily led astray into the darkness. Rather, we must look back to Scripture and apply it to our future. “This is what the LORD says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls’” (Jeremiah 6:16).

The Bible also offers instruction for a stable home life. It speaks to our roles within the family, our place in the community in which we live, and our service to others in society. The book of Proverbs is especially helpful in these areas. The teachings of Jesus (e.g., the Sermon on the Mount) and the writings of the apostles (e.g., Ephesians 5:22-6:9) help us to act wisely in all areas of life.

Much of our life is affected by the various levels of government. Again, the Bible instructs those who rule and those who are ruled regarding each one’s respective responsibilities to provide for a peaceful and orderly society. For example:

Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. (1 Peter 2:13-17)

And, of course, the Bible charges the church with a mission and instructs us regarding our aspirations and decisions. When the early church needed direction, they returned to the apostles, for they knew that Christ spoke through them. “This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question” (Acts 15:2). The apostles and elders are no longer with us, but their teachings are, in the New Testament documents.

When nothing seems to be working, read the instructions!

Conclusion

Are you like the Bereans? When you are not sure what to believe or what to do, where do you turn?  “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (Acts 17:11). Are you daily searching the Scriptures?

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous.

They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:7-14).

IMPORTANCE OF BAPTISM


(Importance of Baptism in the Restoration of Authentic Christianity)

New Hope Christian Church, 10/8/23

What do you think is the number one obstacle to restoring unity among those who claim to follow Christ? The Lord Jesus Christ commanded us and expects us to be one. In Him we are one body, and yet His people have divided into sects and factions almost from the beginning. Spiritually speaking, we could say the number one obstacle is pride. (We also recognize Satan’s hand in creating division.) However, historically speaking, a case can be made that past and present factions within “Christendom,” although divided over many points, have been and are divided over the doctrine of baptism more than any other doctrine.

Practically and doctrinally speaking, it seems indisputable that the greatest obstacle (although certainly not the only one) toward restoring a visible Christian unity (such as they had in the first century) is the doctrine of baptism. A Biblical understanding of baptism involves three questions: How is baptism to be performed (the action)? Who is to be baptized (the person)? How does baptism relate to salvation (the purpose)? These three questions lie at the heart of divisions over what the Bible teaches about baptism.

Until we accept what the Bible actually says, in express statements, about baptism, we will never be able to make real progress toward Christian unity and the restoration of authentic New Testament Christianity. One reason that leads to the rejection of what the Bible says about baptism is that many have based their doctrine of baptism on verses that do not even mention baptism!

Give careful and prayerful consideration to the following three important factors in the Biblical teaching about baptism. Then ask yourself, if you reject any of these, is your objection based on what the Bible actually says about baptism or merely on what you have been taught?

One with Christ

The Bible teaches that in baptism we become one with Christ. Becoming one with Christ is at the heart of everything else that the Bible teaches about baptism. This becoming one is described in Galatians 3:26-27 as being clothed with Christ. “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” How do we know we are all sons (and daughters) of God through faith in Christ? Because those who were—KJV is more precise, “as many of you as have been”—baptized into Christ have clothed themselves with Christ. It’s pretty tough to find an expression that describes a closer union than you have with your clothes!

This oneness with Christ is also called being in fellowship with Him. “God . . . has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:9). Fellowship (koinonia) in the Bible refers to sharing something in common with someone. Having fellowship with Christ means that we share in His life. Thus, we are baptized “into Christ.”

Oneness with Christ also extends to all others who are one with Him. “For we were all baptized by [“in” (mg.)] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). Baptism is the point when we are included in the body of Christ, and therefore we are all one in as well as with, Him (Galatians 3:28). (Baptism “in the Spirit” occurs at the same time as baptism in water—see John 3:5—for in Christ there is only one baptism, Ephesians 4:5).

Forgiveness of Sins

The Bible teaches that since we become One with Christ in baptism, then it is at that time when we receive the forgiveness of our sins. This teaching is one of the most difficult to accept by those who have been brought up in a tradition that denies this point. But, without going any further, we can ask, does it not make sense that only those in Christ are forgiven, and since we are clothed with Christ in baptism (see above), then baptism is the time when we are forgiven?

However, Scripture does not leave it to us to draw that conclusion—it says it outright! First, we must acknowledge that we are saved by grace through faith, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Does that rule out baptism? Not according to the Bible! First, let us read some verses about baptism, then we will explain how baptism is not ruled out by “through faith.”

* “‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38). According to Peter, baptism is “for the forgiveness of your sins.” What is meant by “for the forgiveness of your sins”? The exact same expression, minus the word your, is found in Matthew 26:28, “‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’” Here, the expression must mean “so that their sins may be forgiven”!

* “‘And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name’” (Acts 22:16). Saul (Paul) is told that in being baptized his sins will be washed away. The Bible says, “‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’” (Romans 10:13); and here in Acts we read that Paul was told that calling on the name of the Lord (for salvation) is done by being baptized, washing away his sins. He had been a believer in Jesus and praying for three days (Acts 9:9), and yet he was still told to “be baptized and wash your sins away.”

* Using the water of Noah’s flood, which purified the earth, as an analogy to baptism, Peter wrote, “this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God” (1 Peter 3:21); not the washing of the body, but God’s pledge to us (or, in some translations, our plea to God) for a good conscience. Either way, Peter says that baptism saves us!

If this is true, that baptism is the point at which our sins are forgiven, how doe that fit the expression, “saved by grace through faith”? The problem is that we fail to see that Paul was writing, in context of all that he taught, to Christians who already knew that baptism was included, not excluded. Let us combine the phrase with other Scriptures: saved by grace through faith in God’s promise.

You might object: we are saved by grace, not by works (Ephesians 2:8-9). Since baptism is a work, then it must not be required for salvation. Where does the Bible call baptism a work? Is a work just anything you do? Then would that not also rule out faith and repentance as prerequisites for salvation: After all, they are something we do. (There is one major theology that takes that position and therefore makes salvation totally up to God’s decision and action! We do not have time to rebut this theology here, but it is clearly contrary to the teaching of Scripture.) There is one place (see above, Colossians 2:12) where baptism is called a work, but it is not our work; it is God working in us. God is the One doing the work. Baptism is not something we do, but something done to us: we are baptized; we do not baptize ourselves! We simply submit to God’s command.

Faith in God’s promise is often implied in the word faith. (Compare Genesis 15:6 with Romans 4:13,16,20,21.) In the Scriptures above (Acts 2:38 and 22:16) faith is implied, though not stated, and promises are made: the forgiveness of sins, receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, and washing away sins. When Jesus told Jairus (Mark 5:36), “‘just believe,” He implied a promise, that the little girl would be helped; but she was not raised until Jesus actually spoke to her. Just prior to that, the woman who was cured of her chronic bleeding disorder was told by Jesus that her faith had healed her. Her faith brought her to Jesus, but she was not healed until she actually touched His clothing. Again, “by faith” meant more than just faith. An Old Testament example is found in 2 Kings 5. Naaman, a commander in the Aramean army, had leprosy. The word faith does not occur in the narrative, but he obviously believed the promise of the prophet that he would be healed if he dipped himself in the Jordan River. He obeyed the command, and he was healed.

In summary, we are saved by grace, through faith in the promise of God that our sins are forgiven when we obey the command to repent and be baptized in the name of Christ.

However, that is not all. Baptism is not just for the forgiveness (remission, removal) of our past sins. Because it introduces us into this new relationship with Christ, all our sins are covered by His blood, so long as we maintain our faith in Him. We have been “buried with him in baptism and raised with him through [our] faith in the power [literally, the working] of God, who raised him from the dead.” As a result, God has made us “alive with Christ. He forgave [literally, having forgiven] us all our sins” (Colossians 2:12-13). John refers to salvation as “walking in the light,” saying that “if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). In the Greek, “purifies” is in the present tense, implying a continual process of purification. He goes on to say, “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world” (2:1-2). He does not want us to sin, but he knows that from time to time we will, and he assures us that those who are walking in the light (living by faith in Jesus) will be forgiven.

New Life

Because we are one with Christ and thus having our sins forgiven, in baptism we are also initiated into a new life. The old, sinful self has been cut off from us and buried.  "In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ” (Colossians 2:11-13).

Paul is saying that our spiritual uncleanness was buried as we were, through faith, baptized into Christ; and therefore we arose from the water with our sins forgiven, being initiated as a member of the New Covenant that God had promised His people in Jeremiah 31:31-34. (In the Old Testament, circumcision was a sign of being heirs to the covenant between God and Abraham. Being uncircumcised was a sign of not being an heir to the covenant but also symbolically referred to living a life contrary to the worship of God.)

In Romans 6:1-14 Paul goes into more detail regarding the connection (or disconnection) between our sin and our new life:

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him

For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

Notice that he connects it all to grace even though he asserts that this initiation into a new life occurs in baptism. Because we have been baptized into Christ, we have risen, not just with forgiveness, but also with power over sin. Sin has no hold on us, although we, from time to time, voluntarily act like it does. The old life has been buried, and so we must live according to the ways of the new life.

How do we live in this new life under grace rather than the law? By living in the Spirit—that’s why the promise of baptism in the name of Christ includes “the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Paul wrote to a church that was demonstrating that they knew this new life: “We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction” (1 Thessalonians 1:3-5). Their work of faith, labor of love, and endurance of hope came through the power of the Spirit. Their faith was not mere words, but by the power of the gospel (see Romans 1:16).

Conclusion

For centuries the church was unanimous in what it taught about the purpose, action, and recipients of baptism. Satan has done a bang-up joy in muddying the waters about baptism, resulting in disagreements about baptism becoming the major hindrance to a serious discussion about unity.

A correct understanding of Biblical baptism answers the three questions we began with:

1. How is baptism to be performed? Immersion of the entire body in water. (Acts 8:38-39)

2. Who is to be baptized? People who trust in Christ and have repented of their sins, and thus old enough to believe and repent. (Acts 2:36-38)

3. How does baptism relate to salvation? In baptism, God keeps His promise to forgive our sins and bring us into a saving relationship with Him. (Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21)


If you need more information on any of these, we have a tract available to guide you through more Scriptures.


Have you been baptized in the Biblical way? If not, “‘And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name’” (Acts 22:16).

IMPORTANCE OF WEEKLY LORD’S SUPPER


(Importance of Weekly Lord’s Supper in the Restoration of Authentic Christianity)

New Hope Christian Church, 10/15/23

The most serious difference between Restoration Movement Churches and Protestant and Catholic Churches is the doctrine of baptism. The most obvious (visible) difference is a weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper. Although there is no book, chapter, and verse that expressly commands the disciples of Jesus to observe the Lord’s Supper every Lord’s Day, we need to ask ourselves this question: why do the Scriptural teachings about the Lord’s Supper lead us to believe that the early church did indeed observe the Lord’s Supper every week. Then we need to ask: if it was important for them, why would it not be just as important (even required) for us?

Today’s proposition: Weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper is (should be) the regular practice of disciples (followers) of Christ. Here are three reasons why weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper should be important to us all.

Main Reason for Our Meeting

Christians commonly think that the primary purpose for the Lord’s Day meeting is to express our worship and praise to God. There are two problems with this assumption: (1) The Scriptures never mention the word worship in relation to the meetings of the churches in the New Testament; and (2) worship, as taught in the New Testament, should never be relegated to only a certain time of the week. Worship is an attitude toward God that permeates every aspect of our being, regardless of the time or place, and regardless of what we are doing. “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17). Is that not worship?

The very first church, under the direction of Christ’s apostles, set the example of what is important to being a church. “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). (Worship, praise, and singing are noticeably absent from this list!) Are we to assume that any one of these items to which “they devoted themselves” was only occasionally a part of their time together? Could we imagine that they did not “break bread” (a Book of Acts term for the Lord’s Supper) whenever they met as a body? Can we imagine that they prayed only once a month or four times a year? Or studied the apostles’ teaching? Or participated in the fellowship? How ridiculous! So why do many treat the “breaking of bread” that way?

So, what was the practice of the church after those first days? In Acts 20:7 we read about an assembly that Paul attended in Troas. We are told that he was hurrying back to Jerusalem (20:16) and yet he spent seven days in Troas (20:6), waiting for the opportunity to speak to the church there: “On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.” This verse tells us two important things: (1) They met on the first day of the week, indicating that this was their regular practice since, in spite of Paul’s hurry, they did not come together earlier in the week; and (2) the reason they met was “to break bread,” that is, to observe the Lord’s Supper. A reasonable conclusion, taking both of these factors into account, is that their usual practice was to meet on the first day of the week “to break bread.”

In 1 Corinthian 16:1-3, we can reasonably infer that the church in Corinth met every first day of the week. “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up . . .” (16:2). (Some versions, such as KJV, do not say “every,” but the Greek preposition when used with numbers and places is properly translated “on (or in) every.”) Their meeting or assembly is not mentioned, but it is certainly implied, for what else was special about the first day of the week? This day, when their minds would be especially turned toward “church,” would be a natural reminder of this collection which was to be sent to the poor believers in Judea. The next question, then, is what was their main purpose in such a meeting on the first day of the week? The answer is in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34. There Paul criticizes their meetings for doing “more harm than good” (11:17). What were they doing wrong? Their gatherings were failing in their primary reason, resulting in divisions within the body (apparently between the wealthy and the poor among them). “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat” (11:20). A more accurate translation would be, “it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper.” This statement implies that they were supposed to be meeting “to eat the Lord’s Supper” (which in the early church often, or maybe usually, included a regular meal, similar to the modern fellowship dinners). In fact, Paul clearly states that the intended reason for meeting was “to eat” (11:33) the Lord’s Supper (implied from 11:20).

From these three passages of Scripture (and supported by several Christian writings from the second century) we can be virtually certain that the churches met primarily to observe the Lord’s Supper. What would account for this practice? Obviously, that was what they had been taught by Christ’s apostles. (We call this, apostolic precedent, that is, a practice implying a previous command.)

Reminders as We Eat

The second reason why weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper should be important to all believers comes from the reminders that accompany this observance. First, and of course most importantly, is the reminder of the life and mission of Jesus. In instituting this supper, Jesus said, “‘do this in remembrance of me’” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25). We must never forget—and human beings are prone to forgetting, especially over the passage of time—(1) His body, offered to God as our propitiation (sacrifice that turns away wrath), (2) His blood of the new covenant, offering us salvation by grace rather than perfect obedience to God’s law, (3) His resurrection, (4) His presence in our lives through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, and (5) His return.

The second reminder is a result of the first: we are to remember that we are all members of His one body. “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17). The word for “participation” in the Greek is koinonia, referring to sharing something in common with others, and so it should be understood here as “joint participation.” A failure to remember that they were one body in Christ was the reason for Paul’s admonition in chapter 11: “In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you” (11:17-18).

Church assemblies (“services”) were often held in the evenings since most people had to work during the day. Those who did not were able to arrive early, before the designated time for meeting. As a sign of their common bond in Christ, everyone brought to the meeting what they could afford and ate together. Thus the wealthier shared their abundance with the poorer members. However, at Corinth it was not working like it should. Paul complained that their practice was ignoring the main reason for eating, that is, to share with one another in the Lord’s Supper, “for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk” (11:21). He accused them of despising the church of God and humiliating those who had nothing (11:22). Then, after narrating the Lord’s Supper narrative from the Gospels, he warned, “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself” (11:27-29). In these verses we need to understand that the “unworthy manner” did not speak of being spiritually worthy but rather the manner of their attitude toward one another. Also, “the body of the Lord,” here, does not refer to our mental images of Jesus upon the cross but rather the church (see Colossians 1:24). As a result of their behavior, those who had been eating up the food and drink, leaving little for the poorer members, was a failure to recognize that all were part of Christ’s body. In that particular case, God’s judgment upon such behavior had resulted in some becoming physically ill and even dying (11:30)! That’s a strong warning to us about how God views our own attitude toward fellow believers when we are partaking of the Lord’s Supper.

Combining these two reminders (of Jesus and our unity in the body of fellow believers) leads us to one more reminder: we need to keep our priorities straight. When we miss the Lord’s Supper (other than for reasons that we cannot help), what does that say about our priorities?

While Here for Communion

Finally, we do not just partake of the Lord’s Supper and go home. It is only appropriate that our assemblies provide opportunities for other important spiritual activities. A professor of mine liked to use the word concomitants (the only time I have ever seen or heard the word). A trip to the dictionary tells us that this word refers to other things that accompany something. What are the concomitants of the Lord’s Supper?

The New Testament emphasizes that in our meetings we should encourage one another. “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). The world urges us to pursue other things, but we need to be encouraged to keep up our spiritual fire for the Lord and His teachings. The Lord’s Supper assembly is the natural place for this encouragement to keep our priorities straight. In fact, the Scripture implies that a habit of missing church often leads to falling back into the ways of the world and thus coming under the judgment of God (10:26-31).

We all need encouragement, but we must first look to see how we can encourage others. Only then does an environment of encouragement happen. When we look first to see what we “can get out of church,” we are more likely to be disappointed in our church experience. As we come to church, we should look first to getting closer to the Lord Jesus, then look for opportunities to encourage others. Sometimes it just takes a smile. Even our presence here is an encouragement to others. When you have to look for a seat, that’s a good thing! It means something important is going on. So be here, smile, look for something encouraging to say to others.

By encouraging others, an environment of encouragement occurs; and then, when we need encouragement, we are more likely to find it.

The Lord’s Supper assembly is also an opportunity for us to expand our understanding of Scripture. The preacher and Bible teachers have been chosen for their experience in the word and the life of the Lord. We all need to read and study the Bible at home, but “the assembly of the saints (God’s people)” helps us to understand more about what we have been reading and studying on our own.

Our look into the word of God also expands our understanding of discipleship, what it means to be a follower of Christ and how to navigate life in this world from God’s perspective.

The Lord’s Supper assembly is a reminder of our mission for Christ. The Lord’s Supper itself is a reminder: “For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). The church’s mission is to spread the good news that Jesus died for our sins and offers forgiveness and eternal life to all who obey the gospel. And each of us has a part to play in that mission.

CONCLUSION

After reviewing these reasons to observe the Lord’s Supper weekly, not just whenever we want to, then perhaps we can draw this conclusion: If there’s no communion, you haven’t been in church. And the assembly may not be just for an hour or so on Sunday morning. The early church assemblies were much longer than that. In these times, the weekly assembly may be broken down into segments, for the sake of time, but the segments (for Bible study, fellowship, involvement in ministry) should be parts of the whole: the Lord’s Day assembly.

So, have you been taking too lightly attendance at the Lord’s Table? What in your life is more important?

IMPORTANCE OF UNITY

(in the restoration of authentic Christianity)

New Hope Christian Church, 10/22/23

The most serious difference between Restoration Movement churches and Protestant and Catholic Churches is the doctrine of baptism. The most obvious (visible) difference is a weekly observance of the Lord’s Supper. The most important difference is the way we view the Scriptural commands for Christian unity: the success of the mission of the church is limited by a failure to understand how important Christian unity is in God’s plan to save the world. Many have contended that the church is already one, that it is not divided in God’s eyes; but they have failed to see that the unity Christ desires for His church is a unity that is visible here on earth. Others, considering the failed attempts through the centuries to achieve a visible unity, have simply given up and sought to fulfill the church’s mission through the many factions, sects, and divisions. Some of the latter have even argued that the church is more effective by being divided into denominations! They must know better than Jesus and His apostles!

The apostle Paul wrote about those who cause division within the church: “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people” (Romans 16:17-18). The evangelist Titus was told, “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:10-11). Therefore, a divided church is a disobedient church. We must not be a party to division nor accept division as an inevitable state within Christianity. So, what would it take to promote a Biblical, practical, and visible unity? Here are three keys necessary for doing that.

Christ’s Desire for Unity

The first key to achieving unity is to understand (1) Christ’s desire for unity and (2) the kind of unity He desires. We understand both, especially in His “death-bed” request to the Father. Following the Last Supper and on His way to Gethsemane, Jesus prayed for the unity of His apostles: “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11). He also prayed (17:20-23) "'for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.'" Unity is related to the glory of God and His name—that is, when God’s people are one, then it “makes Him look good.” What does that say about the lack of our unity? Furthermore, Jesus connected unity of believers with the world’s coming to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.

Christ’s desire for unity is also indicated in His Parable of the Good Shepherd. After describing the relationship between the Shepherd and His flock, He said, “‘I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd’” (John 10:16). These ‘other sheep,’ of course, were the Gentiles who were to come to faith in Him and be baptized into the one body (1 Corinthians 12:13), the church.

Unity was not just a wish for Jesus or a preference, for it was related to His death. When He raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:43-44), not everyone was thrilled. Some saw this incident as an opportunity to report His activities to the Pharisees (11:46). This extraordinary miracle, performed almost in their backyard, was more than they could handle. Some expressed their fear that Jesus’ popularity would raise the Romans’ attention: “‘What are we accomplishing?’ they asked. ‘Here is this man performing many miraculous signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place [that is, the Temple] and our nation’” (11:47-48). The high priest tried to calm their fears by suggesting that Jesus should be killed in order to protect the nation: “‘You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish’” (11:50). The Gospel writer observed that Caiaphas was more right than he realized: “He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one” (11:51-52). His death would be not only the means of providing salvation from sin for both Jews and Gentiles but also the mechanism by which they would be united into God’s one family. (Ironically, the execution of Jesus, their Messiah, brought down the wrath of God, resulting in the destruction of the nation and their Temple by the Romans. See Luke 19:44.)

That God’s intention was to unite all believers into one body was a frequent emphasis in the apostles’ teaching. For example, “so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (Romans 12:5); and, “This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 3:6).

Therefore, because of Christ’s desire, we must not be satisfied with or accepting of division among His followers..

Distinguishing Between Faith and Opinion

The second key to a visible unity of Christ’s followers is the necessity of distinguishing between faith and opinion. In this context faith refers to believing what the Bible actually says, “in so many words” rather than “in other words.” “In so many words” refers to express statements (and logically necessary inferences arising from those statements). Paul wrote, “Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, ‘Do not go beyond what is written’” (1 Corinthians 4:6). When we have to explain what the scripture means, then we have inferred the meaning; and our inferences may or may not be the actual meaning of the writer. Of course, we must accept all that the word says; but those statements that set forth the criteria for salvation are the only standard for terms of fellowship (unity), for all who have been saved (obeyed the gospel—2 Thessalonians 1:8) are in the one body. We can summarize this point with the words, “in faith, unity.”

Does that mean that our inferences are not important? Not at all. We should study together and help one another come to a common understanding of Biblical teaching so that we can do more together, but we must not divide the body over these inferences. Even Paul allowed his readers time to come to understand and agree with him on some points: “All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained” (Philippians 3:15-16). We can summarize this point with the words,  “In opinions, liberty.”

Therefore, nothing should be made a test of fellowship that is not an express condition for salvation.

(When it comes to leadership in the church, we should realize that the criteria for leadership are not the same as for recognition of fellowship. Not everyone who has obeyed the gospel is qualified to be an officially recognized teacher in the church. For example, an elder “must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it” [Titus 1:9]. Paul told the evangelist Timothy, “the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” [2 Timothy 2:2]. Even deacons, technically helpers rather than leaders, “must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience” [1 Timothy 3:9].)

Emphasis on Commands and Actions

A third important key to achieving unity is putting the emphasis on commands and actions rather than theological systems or personal interpretations. By their very nature theological systems are comprehensible by only a relative few. These systems require comprehensive and extensive study of Scripture. By their very nature, they involve many inferences. Personal interpretations, also, are often based more on inference than express statements, partly because they rely on selective verses (sometimes even one verse) rather than the entire Biblical context.

In contrast to theological principles, commands and actions are more easily understood and applied by the average person. Of course, the commands and actions must be accurately translated; and for most Christians that means relying on teachers who are well-versed in the original languages in which the Bible was written. For that reason, it is helpful to consult several translations when a question arises as to the true meaning of commands and actions. For example, it is easy to understand commands such as the one given to Paul, “‘And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name’” (Acts 22:16). We may not understand all that was involved, but it is easy to see what he was told to do. It is also easy to understand actions such as, “Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water . . .” (Acts 8:38-39).

Why the emphasis on things easy to understand? According to 2 Peter 3:9, God wants everyone to be saved; and according to Luke 19:10, Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. Does it not make sense, then, that the conditions for salvation would be among the easiest to understand statements of Scripture?

Where in Scripture should we primarily look for the commands and actions that tell us how to be saved (and thus the terms of fellowship and unity)? All Scripture is true, and we learn much about salvation in all of the New Testament, particularly, but we must remember that every book in the New Testament from Romans to Revelation was written to people who were already Christians and thus knew how to become a Christian. Therefore, not every mention of salvation presents the whole picture as to how to be saved. Where do we go to learn how people became Christians—where to look for the easier-to-understand commands and actions? The book of Acts says it in the title!

Therefore, in the interpretation of Scripture, for the sake of the unity of the body, we must give precedence to our study of the easier-to-understand Scriptures, the commands and actions.

Conclusion

Unity must be based on what the word says, not on what we think it means.

Christian unity is extremely difficult to achieve and maintain because division is the normal state of affairs among sinful human beings. Listed (Galatians 5:20) among the works of the sinful nature (“the flesh”) are discord, selfish ambition, dissensions (being disagreeable), and factions (another word for sects or denominations). As hard as it is, however, we must do what we can for Christian unity, for a divided church is a disobedient church.

IMPORTANCE OF THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT

New Hope Christian Church, 10/29/23

For a generation the Restoration Movement begun in the 19th century by preachers and members of Presbyterian, Baptist (regular and separate), Methodist, and other denominations, in an effort to “unite the Christians in the sects,” drew many Bible-believing people to this work. With the passing of the initial leaders, the effort to unite started to disintegrate in the second generation, eventually separating into more and more groups. It has all but disappeared as a movement. Only a relatively few of us understand the Restoration Plea and are actively seeking to follow its principles.

The world, nevertheless, still needs the saving message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but most people are not listening on account of the fractured state of those who claim to speak for Him. Therefore, the movement for unity is still needed. Surely we can learn from mistakes of the past with a commitment to its goal (worldwide evangelism) through the unity of God’s people on the basis of the inerrant (incapable of error) word of God, that is, the Bible. The movement will be renewed and revitalized when individuals and congregations, one by one, respond to the call for unity. Who knows? God may again be looking for those who will “stand in the gap”: “‘I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none’” (Ezekiel 22:30). Will you answer the call?

The movement for unity will take off again when we respond to the following three calls.

Call to Adopt the Word of God as the Only Rule of Faith and Practice

The Protestant Reformation of the 16th century declared three principles as the basis for reforming the Catholic Church: sola fide (faith only), the priesthood of all believers, and sola scriptura (Scripture only). Properly understood and applied, these principles could restore New Testament Christianity to the faith and practice of the apostolic age. Unfortunately, none of the principles has often been widely understood properly and applied in practice. The primary reason for failure has been in the substitution of human systems for what the Bible actually says. The Restoration Movement seeks to place the Bible above all man-made creeds and theologies. The Bible, nothing added, nothing subtracted, must be our only rule of faith and practice (what we believe and how we put our faith into practice).

Of course, “the Bible alone” does not rule out certain expedients necessary to carrying out the Biblical teachings. For example, the Bible teaches that we are to meet weekly on the first day of the week, but it does not say what time or in what kind of building; so we must come to an agreement on the best time and place. When we adopt such expedients, we must never let them become binding rules that define the practice of the church.

As we seek to follow the Bible as our only rule of faith and practice, we must recognize that the church is under the New Covenant. All of the Bible is the inspired word of God and thus to be accepted as true (2 Timothy 3:16-17); but the church follows the teaching of the apostles of Christ. Before He returned to the Father, Jesus told His apostles, “‘I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth’” (John 16:12-13). Based on His authority as God’s Messiah, He told them to make disciples by “‘baptizing them . . . and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you’” (Matthew 28:18-20). Therefore, although we can and should learn much from the Law and the Prophets (the Old Testament), the church’s manual is the Gospels and the Apostles (the New Testament).

Accepting the word as our only rule of faith and practice requires a commitment to express statements of Scripture, not the opinions and traditions of uninspired creeds and theologies. How do we come to a proper understanding of those express statements and how they are to be applied? Since God has given no one living in this world a special set of rules of interpretation, we must use the rules of interpretation used in understanding normal human communication. (We could call this the common sense method of interpretation.) After all, God wants us to understand His word, as the apostle Paul wrote, “For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand” (2 Corinthians 1:13); but this does not mean that everything in Scripture is easily understood (2 Peter 3:15-16). Therefore, the serious study of Scripture requires an understanding of the rules of interpretation. (However, we must make certain that we do not interpret Scripture in a way that negates what it says.)

Call to Repentance

To restore New Testament Christianity, it is not enough to read and understand what the Bible says. We must bring our lives individually and congregationally in line with that teaching. We must repent of attitudes and actions that work against our own souls (1 Peter 2:11) as well as our witness to the world.  First, we must repent of worldliness, that is, the ways of this sinful world. Examples of these can be found in Colossians 3:5,8,9; Ephesians 4:25-31; 5:3-5; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21.

We also need to repent of our acceptance of the inevitability of division. After the failure of many efforts through the centuries, including those of the 19th and 20th, that held promise for more cooperation and unity among various denominations, many have just accepted division as inevitable—“it just can’t be done!” Others have justified denominational grouping as a positive way to reach more people with the gospel, effectively denying that such division is really a sin—“after all, there is one body, and we are spiritually one!” The reference to Ephesians 4:4 (“there is one body”) is thus understood in a way that denies the importance of 4:3, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” If it takes effort to “keep the unity,” then it must be possible for the unity to be broken—and that is exactly where we find ourselves. If it was necessary to keep the unity, then it must be necessary to make every effort to restore that unity when division has occurred. We cannot just accept division.

In addition, we need to repent of drawing lines of fellowship other than those expressly taught in the New Testament for membership in God’s family. That family includes everyone “in the circle” and excludes everyone else. Some draw the circle too large, accepting those who have not obeyed the gospel, in accord with the express teaching of Scripture regarding how we come into a relationship with Christ. Others draw the circle too small, requiring people to meet certain criteria of faith or practice that are not expressly taught in Scripture. We are not the judge of anyone, but Christ and His apostles did teach what was necessary to believe and do in order to be saved. (See, for example, Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Galatians 3:26-27.)

Call to Return to the Simplicity of New Testament Christianity

The third call necessary to restore the unity of the church is to recognize and return to the simplicity of Christ’s church. When we compare what currently is called church, it looks far more complicated than what was considered church in the New Testament.

When we read about the church in the book of Acts as well as the teaching of the apostles in the letters, we see that their primary activity was spreading the gospel of Christ. Everything else they did was seen as promoting the preaching of the gospel. Preaching the gospel led to saving souls. Equipping the saints (Ephesians 4:11-12) led to efficient working of the church for the preaching of the gospel. They met together weekly to share in the Lord’s Supper, remembering the life and teaching of the Savior, and thus proclaiming (preaching) “the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). Everything came together in their lives to promote the unity of the church “that the world may believe” (John 17:21).

The simplicity of the church had no place for massive organization. In each location, the disciples (Christians) came together as independent congregations, many times gathering in house churches. That does not mean that they worked independently, however, for they provided financial and prayer support for those who went to other locations to preach the gospel and establish new congregations (see 3 John 1:7-8; Philippians 1:5; 4:15-16). They also joined with other congregations in providing financial aid for believers in need in other geographical areas.

Furthermore, there was no organizational structure with leaders in authority over more than one congregation. The leadership (elders) was local, not area or global. Not until after the apostles had all died did the concept arise of bishops having charge of more than one congregation. This local leadership concept helped greatly in preventing the corruption that comes with power. (Corruption  in the church, thus eventually leading to the need for reformation, arose as its leadership and organizational structure became more centralized.)

Conclusion

Will we respond to the call to restore New Testament Christianity? Will you? No, not many will, but God has always worked with small numbers to make big changes. In one of the Old Testament prophecies about the coming church, God said, “‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 4:6).

WHY RESTORATION?

New Hope Christian Church, 10/2/22

Restoration of art, furniture, houses, or relationships presupposes an original and a loss or corruption of that original. An honest appraisal of that which passes for “the church” in modern times (and indeed throughout most of church history) should acknowledge the need for a restoration of the original Christianity and the church as laid out in the pages of the New Testament. Most members and other attenders of congregations designated by the name of “Christian Church” or “Church of Christ” have little or no idea of why churches such as theirs exist. Even many of the leaders of such congregations rarely understand it themselves and spend little if any time teaching on the subject.

New Hope Christian Church, although founded as an independent congregation in May of 2005, exists within a tradition of a movement begun in the early 1800's. Usually referred to as the Restoration Movement, this movement was an effort by people living primarily in western Pennsylvania, northern Kentucky, and southeastern Ohio to recover simple, New Testament Christianity. In this first message on our heritage we are going to explore the reason for and need of this particular movement to restore New Testament Christianity. As we further explore in succeeding messages our relationship to this movement, we will be challenged to evaluate our own place in the kingdom of Christ. In the present study we will examine three perspectives that help us to understand just what is the Restoration Movement.

Condemnation of Division within the Church

The primary impetus for the movement was the realization that divisiveness within the church had made it weak and largely ineffective in reaching the world for Christ. Division had never been considered to be a good thing. Division has always been condemned as contrary to the will of God. Scripture clearly condemns division within Christ’s church. The apostle Paul wrote to the disciples in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:9-13):

God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?

God had called them into fellowship with Christ, but they had divided into factions that were based on merely human preachers rather than Christ. (Paul may have been condemning even those who just called themselves by the name of Christ to the exclusion of others who had also been baptized into Christ.) Writing to the churches in Galatia, Paul included dissensions and factions among the works of the sinful nature (“the flesh,” Galatians 5:20). (The KJV uses the word heresies instead of factions, but the Greek word refers to divisions, not necessarily false teachings, as understood in modern times.)

Following the scriptural example, church tradition down through the centuries has also universally condemned division. Ironically man-made creeds were developed as a remedy for division, but they always resulted in more division.

The leaders of the Restoration Movement made it clear that their primary goal was uniting the believers among the various sects of Christianity. An early architect of this movement was Thomas Campbell, a clergyman who had emigrated from Ireland for health reasons and soon found himself embroiled in ecclesiastical divisions on the American frontier. A licensed preacher of the Old Light, Antiburgher, Seceder Presbyterians, he had one Lord’s Day offered communion to other kinds of Presbyterians. This violation of the traditions of his church brought him up on charges; and he felt the need to resign his position in order to keep from being discharged. Campbell started meeting with others who had become, in his words, “tired and sick” of denominational divisions. Not intending to form a new church, they nevertheless found themselves having to do so since they found no other church willing to accept them simply on the basis of the New Testament. The most common element among those who made up this and similar movements on the frontier (apart from their solid commitment to the Bible) was their disgust with divisions among Christians.

In spite of universal condemnation of divisions within the church from the beginning, this condemnation failed to prevent more and more division! Even now everyone condemns it, but nearly all find an excuse for perpetuating it. Certainly, there is still a need for discovering a solution that is practical as well as scriptural.

Consequences of Division

Perhaps one reason the church has accepted in practice what it universally condemns in theory is a failure to consider adequately the consequences of such acceptance. When the doctor says, surgery or death, we tend to be a little more likely to go for the surgery! Regrettably, it is easier to ignore spiritual consequences for unwise decisions; but we must at least educate ourselves about those consequences. One of the consequences of division is ineffectiveness in reaching unbelievers with the gospel. Jesus illustrated this in a positive way in His prayer recorded in John 17. He prayed (17:20-23): “‘My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father . . . so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one . . . . May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.’” Jesus’ primary mission on earth was to seek and save the lost; and in this prayer the night before His crucifixion, His primary concern for believers was that they might be one “so that the world may believe.” We can infer, then, that division among believers is a major reason that “the world” does not believe.

A second consequence of division is also related to the world’s not believing: we waste time arguing and fighting with one another rather than evangelizing the lost. (Fighting over theological differences is called polemics, a word related to warfare!) This behavior not only wastes time; it also discourages us, wastes our emotional energy, resulting in a lack of zeal for the Lord. This does not mean that we should not discuss our differences in understanding scripture, for many of them are important for our church and personal lives. However, we must not forget (in theory and practice) our prime directive from scripture: to make disciples.

Another consequence of division is a failure to give proper recognition to the body of Christ. This body consists of all who are in Christ. “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf” (1 Corinthians 10:17); “in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others” (Romans 12:5). This point was emphasized (and too often misunerstood) in Paul’s instruction regarding the proper attitude in observing the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:18-22,27-29):

I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. . . . When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? . . . Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.

The bread reminds us of the crucified body of Christ, but it also symbolizes our unity with one another. The recognition of “the body”—he does not mention the blood of Christ at this point—is clearly referring to our joint participation in the Lord’s Supper. The context—see the early part of the passage—clearly refers to properly recognizing fellow-participants as co-members in the body of Christ. Therefore, one consequence of division is a failure to show proper attitude toward those who compose “the body” of Christ.

“Last, but not least” is one other consequence of division: disobedience to the Lord. “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:9-11). We must not ignore divisive attitudes and actions.

Causes of Division

In order to fight division—and it will require a fight!—we must understand the causes. Many are of the opinion that division is caused by different interpretations of scripture. In a few cases that may be true, but not most of the time. It’s true that many interpretations abound regarding many issues in scripture, but most divisions have other causes. Illustration of this point: most people have good friends and even spouses with whom they disagree about certain matters, and yet, in spite of those disagreements, they maintain friendship and even work together in many ways.

So what are the primary causes of division? The number one cause is pride. People are uncomfortable when others disagree with them; and some people cannot tolerate disagreement. In response to such an attitude, Romans 12:3 urges, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” Pride leads us to make our opinions more important than fellowship when we require others to agree with our opinions. Division follows.

Probably involved in all division is the influence of the devil. Division often occurs when we are ignorant of the devil’s schemes. He knows that a house divided cannot stand. Paul warned preachers and congregations to be aware of the dangers incurred when believers fall into the traps Satan often sets. Speaking of the Lord’s servant, Paul instructs, “Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:25-26). The believers in Corinth were told, “If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:10-11). From these Scriptures we see two of the devil’s schemes: (1) inciting people to oppose servants of the Lord and (2) encouraging believers not to forgive offenders who have repented. A failure to realize that these activities are not “standing for what’s right” but rather fostering the devil’s opposition to the work of Christ will cause division. And such alliance with the devil is an avenue to condemnation.

Failure to submit to Christ’s command to promote unity will inevitably result, either passively or actively, in division. Thus the apostle warns: “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people” (Romans 16:17-18). Those who are acting in a way that produces division mistakenly believe that they are in the right. (There are a limited number of issues which require separation, but these are rarely the cause of church divisions.) However, we must always remember that dissensions and factions are works of the flesh. And we must remember the old saying, “No one wins in a church fight, except the devil!” 

Conclusion

As long as there is division in Christ’s church, there will be a need to commit to the restoration of unity. The restoration movement of the early 19th century arose with two commitments: loyalty to scripture and disgust with division. As we look further at our heritage in this series, let us focus on its perspective on both of these commitments and ask ourselves, does our view of unity promote or hinder the spread of the gospel?

(Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. ©1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.)

ESSENCE OF THE RESTORATION MOVEMENT

New Hope Christian Church, 10/9/22

Present-day Christian Churches and Churches of Christ (such as New Hope) exist as a result of an early 19th century movement to restore New Testament Christianity. We need to distinguish between the movement and the churches; otherwise, we may view these churches as just another denomination. A proper understanding of why we are here is necessary for our continuing participation as we move toward a more perfect expression of the church established by Christ. First, we need to understand what this movement is all about. This understanding requires us to examine the following three facets of this particular Restoration Movement.

PURPOSE: Visible Unity of All Christians

On the night He was betrayed, Jesus moved from the upper room, heading toward Gethsemane. Somewhere along the way He prayed for the unity of all His followers, “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me” (John 17:21-23).

Jesus prayed not for some invisible, merely spiritual, unity among them, but rather for a unity that could be witnessed by the people of the world. It had to be a visible unity: (1) Prayer for a merely  spiritual unity would be unnecessary, for in God’s eyes the disciples of Jesus are inherently one due to their unity with Him. The apostle Paul clearly affirms this unity in many ways and places. For example, “There is one body” (Ephesians 4:4); and, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). Furthermore, (2) unity that cannot be seen cannot influence the world. The contemporary church is not visibly one, and so it is actually amazing that it has grown as much as it has. Jesus prayed for the kind of unity that would be noticed by the world.

The scriptural imperatives to be one imply a visible unity as the target of these commands. Unity that is a given among Christians needs no command to be obeyed. Rather, Paul urges the believers, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Although that instruction implies the presence of unity, the command to keep the unity implies that it can be broken. Philippians 1:27 calls for a unity that is dependent on the actions of believers, “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel . . . .” 

Who are the ones who make up the one body? All who are in Christ. What is the minimal action by which this unity becomes visible? The very least that is necessary is the acceptance of all who are in Christ as brothers and sisters in the faith: "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God" (Romans 15:5-7).

BASIS: the Bible as the Inerrant Word of God

Okay, so we know we need to be one, but how is that to be accomplished? The first step is to determine the norm, the standard by which we are to determine just who is in Christ. Just calling yourself a Christian does not make it so. Just believing in Christ is not enough. The many divisions within that which is called Christianity or the Church demonstrate that a single basis or foundation for unity is required. Who shall decide what that basis should be? Just agreeing to disagree does not work. Neither does, let’s all go by “our” creed.” The Bible itself presents the teachings of Jesus and the apostles and prophets (both Old Testament and New) as the inspired word of God. All who agree that the Bible is the word of God should be able to unite on that basis.

Jesus acknowledged the Old Testament as the inspired word of God. In fact, one of His most serious contentions with the religious leaders was their elevating their traditions above Scripture. And He promised His apostles that they too would know and teach the truth through the work of the Holy Spirit in their teaching. “‘But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you’” (John 14:26). “‘But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth’” (16:13).

Paul’s view of the Bible (Scripture) likewise attributed its truthfulness to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). He set forth the method by which the truth was to be passed down through the generations: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others” (2 Timothy 2:2). Accordingly, we must also trace our teachings back to the truth as taught by the apostles of Christ.

It was this view of the Bible, that it is the truth of God, on which Jesus based the unity for which He prayed:

“Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. . . . Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified [or more literally, sanctified in the truth]. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one . . . .” (John 17:7-8,17-21)

If we accept the Bible as the inerrant (that is, incapable of error) word of God, then why would we seek unity on any other basis? Human beings are frequently in error. The Bible (as originally written) is truth.

GOAL: Evangelization of the Whole World

Standing on the Scriptures as the word of truth is not just for debating theological truth. The Restoration Movement desires to do much more than just deciding on what is true. Biblical truth is very practical. It informs minds, but it also changes lives. More than that, it provides a basis on which to unite Christ’s followers with the ultimate goal of preaching the gospel to the whole world, to persuade others to accept the salvation that God has promised in Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God" (2 Corinthians 5:17-20).

Unity in Christ is a blessed privilege. As the psalmist declared: “How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! . . . For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore” (Psalm 133:1,3). Experience demonstrates this marvelous privilege, highlighted in contrast to the opposite state when division rears its ugly head. However, Jesus had much more in mind when He commanded love for one another. His prayer, recorded in John 17, demonstrates that the unity of God’s people is much more than a blessing. The unity of disciples is apparently a necessity in effective evangelism: “‘I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, . . . so that the world may believe that you have sent me. . . . May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me’” (17:20-23).

Unity is not the prime directive for Christ’s church, but it is essential for getting the most productivity out of our efforts to carry out that directive. Jesus Himself came to earth to “seek and to save the lost.” Having returned to Heaven, He left the church with the mission to continue that purpose: “‘Therefore go and make disciples of all nations’” (Matthew 28:19); “‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation’” (Mark 16:15); “‘and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’” (Acts 1:8); “Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ . . . so that all nations might believe and obey him . . . .”

Alexander Campbell (the most prominent early leader of the Restoration Movement) summarized the relationship between unity and evangelism,  “Nothing is essential to the conversion of the world but the union and co-operation of Christians” (The Christian System, 1970 reprint, p. 87).

Conclusion

Even a brief survey of that which claims to be the church around the world exhibits the failure of the modern church to be what Christ intended, both in practice and purpose. Much needs to be done in order to call attention to and find solutions for our divisions.

A congregation is not an active participant in this movement just because it calls itself a Church of Christ or Christian Church (or to associate with those who do). Nor does a church need to be called such in order to participate in this movement. Surely Christ has always been and is still calling on all churches to become more like the church He taught us in the New Testament.

The salvation of millions depends on it.

IN FAITH, UNITY

New Hope Christian Church, 10/16/22

After God destroyed all but eight of the inhabitants of the world, He gave the survivors one duty: “‘Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth’” (Genesis 9:1). After some time, their descendants decided to do otherwise: “‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth’” (11:4). God, however, had a plan to prevent them from this massive rebellion. “‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them’” (11:6). When Jesus came to earth to set up His kingdom, a new humanity, so to speak, He taught them the importance of unity in accomplishing His new purpose, which was to gather all people under His banner.

The Restoration Movement recognized the importance of unity in spreading the gospel around the world. One of the early leaders, Alexander Campbell wrote, “Nothing is essential to the conversion of the world but the union and cooperation of Christians.” This sentiment is clearly in accord with what Christ had taught His apostles.

The Movement emphasizes unity, but not just any unity or unity at any price. True Christian unity must be based on truth. Unity in truth, but what truth? Carl Ketcherside, an advocate for unity in the 20th century, said, “All truths are equally true, but not all truths are equally important.” In regard to Christian unity, we must understand that it is based on a particular truth, the only truth that can unite. This truth is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Restoration Movement seeks unity in the faith, i.e., uniting Christians on the basis of “the faith” of the gospel. “In matters of faith, unity; in matters of opinion, liberty; in all things, love.” But, again, how do we determine what are the matters of faith? The faith that saves is composed of three elements: (1) mental assent or conviction regarding the truth about Jesus, (2) trusting God’s word as taught by Jesus, and (3) commitment of one’s life to Jesus. However, the truth that not only saves but also provides the core truth of Christianity, is also called “the faith.” Jude wrote to his readers to “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (verse 3). This faith was not everything they had been taught, obviously, for the New Testament had not yet been written when the first followers were gathered into that body that came to be called the church or the Way. (This is not to say that we are not required to have faith in all of God’s word in principle even before we come to learn and understand it in detail. But the faith mentioned by Jude is a particular body of belief about Jesus that one must know and commit to in order to become a Christian. The rest of our faith comes to us as we grow in our knowledge of the teachings of Scripture.)

Here are three essential steps in our quest for unity in the truth.

Realize Futile Approaches

The first step is to realize that the history of the church is rife with efforts to promote, even enforce, unity. Three major categories of unity efforts are still being promoted in spite of the fact that they are futile. They have not worked on a large scale, nor can they, for they are not based on the Biblical basis of unity. One way that was especially promoted in the 20th century is ecumenism, the ecumenical movement. This movement emphasized unity, to the loss of faithfulness to the truth. It also emphasized the union of denominations rather than the unity of individual believers. Of course, those who were loyal to their denomination and especially those who were loyal to Scripture, did not buy into this type of “unity.”


A second futile approach to unity emphasizes truth, that is, particular understandings of Scripture, often codified into man-made creeds, confessions, or other statements of faith. Although the desire was to unite believers, the omission of some teachings of Scripture and the misunderstandings of other teachings, inevitably resulted in sectarianism, forming themselves into sects, itself a “work of the flesh” (Galatians 5:20). The emphasis on truth became “agreement with me, with our church, with our creed, tradition or denomination.” To be recognized as “one of the faithful,” believers had to let the church, the preacher, or the creed to do the thinking for them. You can put a frog and a snake into the same shoe box, wait a bit, and then open the box—voila! Unity! The problem is, no one wants to be the frog!

A popular view of those who believe in unity and truth has been around for centuries. It makes so much sense that it has even been used as a motto for the Restoration Movement! (We will examine the actual motto a bit later.) Historically, it has been stated this way: In the essentials, unity; in opinions, liberty; and in all things, charity (love). Unity in the essentials? But essential for what? As Thomas Campbell put it: If Scripture commands it, then it is essential! The problem is that there are several categories of essentials.

* Essentials for salvation (some examples):

Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” ... “He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” (Acts 15:1,9-11)

There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied. Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 19:1-5)

The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. (Acts 8:34-38)

He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family. (Acts 16:30-34)

* Essentials for discipleship, spiritual growth for believers (some examples):

“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.” (Acts 15:19-20)

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; ... knowledge; ... self-control; ... perseverance; ...  godliness; ...  brotherly kindness; ... love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. (2 Peter 1:3-9)

* Essentials for leadership (some examples):

And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2)

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! (Galatians 1:8)

He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. (Titus 1:9)

Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. (1 Timothy 3:8-9)

Define Biblical Unity

The second step in our quest for unity in the truth is the defining of Biblical unity. Scripture defines unity in Christ several ways, but in the end they are different ways of saying the same thing; much like a diamond has several facets with different views, but each is of the same diamond.

* Unity in Christ as seen in the seven ones of Ephesians 4:3-6: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called—one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” Any unity must include these seven.

* Unity is of the saved, and therefore must include all of the saved and only the saved.

The core truth in which we must be united (examples):

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. (1 Corinthians 15:1-5)

But the righteousness that is by faith says: ... “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.” (Romans 10:6,8-11)

“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:15-16)

In addition to believing certain truths, unity in Christ also requires the proper faith response (examples):

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27)

When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”(Acts 2:37-38)

* What unites us with Christ: “having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12).

* What unites us with the (one) body: “For we were all baptized by [or in] one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13).

Biblical unity is, therefore, the unity of all the saved, all those who are in Christ.

Seek the Biblical Approach to Unity

Having reviewed human-formed approaches to unity, rejecting them as futile and as failing to achieve what the Bible defines as unity in Christ, we now look at the third step: to seek the Biblical approach. (In this sermon we will look at only the first of three components of this approach.) The apostle Paul wrote:

I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:10-13)

He does not mean that we should be in agreement about everything, for in a similar passage, he defines what he means by “mind and thought”: “make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose” (Philippians 2:2).

We will not ever come to an agreement on the meaning of every teaching of Scripture. (We will examine the place of opinions and interpretations in the next sermon.) However, we can come to an agreement regarding express teachings of Scripture—just take them for what they say. And the commands of Scripture regarding salvation are more easily understood than others. And so, Paul chides the Corinthians for making up their own interpretations. Rather, he says, “Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, ‘Do not go beyond what is written.’ Then you will not take pride in one man over against another” (1 Corinthians 4:6).

Paul emphasizes the importance of unity in our praise of God and evangelism of sinners: “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God” (Romans 15:5-7).

It is for this reason that the Movement adopted this procedure: “Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we  are silent.” We say only what the Scriptures say, and only to the extent that they say it. What do we believe about any point? What do the Scriptures say? That’s what we say. (Whenever we share our opinions, we label them as opinions and do not require our hearers to agree with us unless they see our reasoning behind those opinions.)

Conclusion

There’s an old story about a church that was arguing over whether to buy a piano for the accompaniment of their singing. The argument went back and forth until one day the people came into the building and there was a piano! After some bitter arguing, they let it go for that day; but the next Sunday it was gone! “Who stole our piano?” A search for the piano was unsuccessful. Three years later the piano was found in the baptistry! A fighting church does not baptize many people!

On the other hand, when we act in unity, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:15-16).

It takes a long time to learn everything in the Bible! And much in the Bible is difficult to understand. However, these elements of unity, relating to salvation, are quite easy to discover and to understand, if we’re willing to give up requiring people to agree with us on many nonessentials.

The slogans of unity require two more perspectives. We will be exploring them in the next two installments.

IN OPINIONS, LIBERTY

New Hope Christian Church, 10/23/22

What is the number one reason churches split (or individuals/families get upset and leave)? No doubt the answer is pride, a pride that exhibits itself as a failure to allow for differences of opinion. (The failure is not necessarily on the part of the group leaving, and not necessarily by those whose opinion is incorrect.) We need to understand that Christian unity is possible only when we (1) make a proper distinction between faith and opinion and (2) put faith and opinion in their respective places of importance. Indeed, unity in Christ, based on faith, is more important than our opinions and therefore requires us to hold to the explicit, express teachings of Scripture while allowing for differences of opinion when Scripture is not explicit. (Explicit, express teachings are those that actually say what is meant, “in so many words,” rather than “in other words.”) In other words, what Scripture actually says must be regarded as more important than what we think it means. We shall explore this concept as we examine the following three keys to forming a proper perspective on personal opinions as they relate to unity.

The Importance of Unity

The unity of the body of Christ is more important than our opinions or inferences. For one reason, congregational morale demands it. No one enjoys being a part of a congregation where there is constant bickering over matters of opinion. Sometimes people will stay in such a congregation out of loyalty, tradition, or even location, but they are not happy. When the joy is ripped out of a congregation, it fails to give spiritual satisfaction to the membership or a positive picture to the community around it.

Accordingly, the second reason that unity is more important than our opinions is that effective evangelism requires it. Fighting churches do not grow. They do not even hold their own members, especially their children as they grow up. Jesus’ prayer for unity in John 17:20-23 emphasizes this point: He prayed that His followers might be one “so that the world might believe.”

Third, Christ died for the unity of His church. Yes, we are aware that He died so that we might be forgiven of our sins, but that was not the only purpose for His death. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the Pharisees found out about it and wondered how to suppress His popularity. Some were afraid that so many people would follow Him that the Romans would consider it a rebellion and send troops to destroy their temple and their nation. "Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, 'You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.' He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one" (John 11:51-52).

Jesus died to make us one—so how could we be satisfied with anything less?

Finally, Christ commands our unity, expressed in love for one another: “‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another’” (John 13:34-35). It would seem that Jesus acknowledges that the world would recognize us as followers of Jesus only if we love one another—and that is another way to describe unity.

These four reasons, and we could probably discover even more, lead us to the conclusion that divisive attitudes and actions in the church are sin. This conclusion is verified many times and ways in the Scriptures including the following: “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people” (Romans 16:17-18). “But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned” (Titus 3:9-11).

Uncertainty of Inferences

A second key to forming a proper perspective on personal opinions as they relate to unity is the very uncertainty of inferences, our conclusions, whether or not they are based on Scriptural teaching. This uncertainty is demonstrated both by the many different views held by students of the word and by the fact that we often change our minds about the meaning of a particular verse or passage.

One caveat: this uncertainty does not apply to necessary inferences. So long as our premises are valid, necessary inferences can be considered to be certain. (An example of a necessary inference can be seen in the following syllogism: All cows eat grass. This animal is a cow. Therefore, this animal eats grass. As long as the first two statements are true, then so is the conclusion, necessarily.)

Other inferences, however certain we may be, can be in error—and honest, sincere students of the word can legitimately disagree. Indeed, we must develop a proper understanding of those Scriptures that seem to teach that we should all agree on everything (e.g., 1 Corinthians 1:10). W. Carl Ketcherside (preacher of the gospel and advocate for Christian unity in the 20th century) was known to affirm, “We can no more all think alike than we can look alike.” And also, “If two people say they agree on everything, at least one of them is a fool or a liar.”

How is it that students of Scripture can read the same verses or even entire Bible books and come to radically different interpretations? One reason is that we may not have all the facts (truths)—there’s a lot of information in the 1189 chapters of the Bible! Proverbs 18:17 warns us against drawing conclusions based on incomplete knowledge: “The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him.” Furthermore, even when we have the same facts or truths, we do not all have the same reasoning capabilities. Differences in experience as well as differences in intelligence often account for different conclusions.

Finally, God makes allowances for us, and He expects us to make allowances for others to draw their own conclusions. Paul often wrote of the importance of unity, even where there are disagreements. The longest such section is found in Romans 14 and 15. Here are some excerpts:

Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (14:1-4)

Faith in this context refers to the confidence a person has in his own convictions (see 14:14). If we think something is wrong, we should avoid it. And even if a second person does not think it is wrong, he should not encourage (by example or otherwise) the first person to violate his own conscience. And the first person should not condemn the second person on the basis of his own conviction. “Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way” (14:13). “We who are strong [in our convictions] ought to bear with the failings of the weak [in conviction] and not to please ourselves” (15:1).

Unity in Christ requires us to allow for differences in opinion (inferences). Nevertheless, no one has the right to disagree with what Scripture actually says. We are not free to disagree with God’s opinion!

Allowing for Room to Grow

The third key is allowing for others to grow in their understanding of Scripture. Many inferences are the result of a lack of Biblical knowledge (e.g., Paul’s prohibition of women in church leadership), superficial reading of the text (e.g., a failure to recognize or understand figurative language), or what they have previously been taught (e.g., the purpose of baptism). One’s previous teaching may make it difficult for a person to see even the clear and express teaching of Scripture. (The apostles of Christ did not understand His predictions of His death and resurrection because of a previous belief that the Messiah would never die—thus, their mental block against His clear predictions.)

Peter wrote to relatively new disciples, “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation” (1 Peter 2:2); and the writer of Hebrews admonished his readers (5:11-14): "We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." And Paul recognized that some of his readers were not yet ready to understand some of his writings: “All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained” (Philippians 3:15-16).

Christians have different levels of knowledge, understanding, and experience with the truths of Scripture, and so we must allow one another time to grow. At the same time, each of us must make every effort to grow to more advanced levels. (New Hope has a series called “Spring Training” that is helpful in growing from one level to another.)

Conclusion

The more we study the Bible together, the closer we will come to a common understanding of it; but there will always be differences of opinion. While we are to be united in the faith, there should always be liberty for differences of opinion.

Some opinions should be kept to ourselves, but all should be granted the liberty to express their opinions that they consider important for others’ consideration. “So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the man who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But the man who has doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Romans 14:22-23).

IN ALL THINGS, LOVE

New Hope Christian Church, 10/30/22

Alexander Campbell, preacher, Christian educator, and one of the founding thinkers in the Restoration Movement, wrote, “Nothing is essential to the conversion of the world but the union and co-operation of Christians;” and then,  “Nothing is essential to the union of Christians but the Apostles’ teaching or testimony” (Christian System, 1970 reprint, p. 87). Christian unity upon the basis of the revealed word of God for the evangelization of the world is the essence of this movement that has resulted in congregations like New Hope.

We need to understand that Christian unity is possible only when we (1) make a proper distinction between faith and opinion and (2) put faith and opinion in their respective places of importance. (See the previous sermon.) Coming to agreement on matters of faith that are taught expressly and explicitly in Scripture while allowing one another the liberty to differ in our understanding of those matters not explicitly and expressly taught must be framed in an environment of love for one another. “In faith, unity; in opinions, liberty; in all things, love” has been the underlying principle of this movement. When this principle has been neglected, divisions have occurred.

In Colossians 3:14 the apostle Paul challenged his readers to clothe themselves in love, which binds all Christian virtues “together in perfect unity.” To the churches of Galatia, he wrote that the “only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Galatians 5:6). Love in action must underlie our search for unity in faith and liberty in opinion. In order to have Biblical Christian unity, we need to understand three relationships involving love for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

The Relationship Between Faith and Love

As we have seen, true faith expresses itself in actions of love (Galatians 5:6). Often we fail to understand how faith and love relate to one another. Unless the context is clear—as in, just don’t you love chocolate cake!—we often misunderstand what it means to love, especially in a scriptural context. Agape love (pronounced a-gah’-pay) is not a feeling of fondness toward someone. Rather it has to do with concern for someone or even some thing because of the perceived value of that person or thing. This concern or value leads to an action. Our motive for serving God is faith. Love is the result of faith. Because we believe that God cares for us, that He has the power to do what He has promised, and that He always knows what is best for us, then as a result of that belief, we trust His word and His motives in His dealings with us.

The context of Colossians 3:16 (3:11-15) indicates that the apostle Paul is describing the means by which we develop love for one another. Love appears to arise out of a habit of searching and living by God’s word. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God” (3:15-16). In the parallel passage (Ephesians 5:17-20), Paul wrote, “be filled with the Spirit,” in place of, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Evidently, for Paul, the two expressions are strongly related to one another. This connection is an example of the New Testament teaching about the work of the Spirit in our lives that is also said about the work of God’s word in our lives. Jesus taught, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” If the alternative reading, capitalizing Spirit, is correct, then Jesus’ words, in a typical idiomatic way, should be understood as meaning that His words lead to a reception of the Spirit.

We can thus conclude that faith in the words of Scripture leads us to receive the Holy Spirit and will produce love in us. The second relationship explains how that love is demonstrated.

The Relationship Between Love and Obedience

Faith is the motive or reason for what we do. Faith acts through love. How is this love demonstrated? (The English word love has many meanings. The Greek language had several different words for the different kinds of love.) Is it just a feeling of fondness toward one another? Agape love should eventually produce such a feeling, but that feeling is not the essence of this kind of love. This love could best be defined as caring or valuing someone or some thing. (1 John 2:15 gives an example of loving an impersonal thing: “Do not love the world or anything in the world.”)

So how does faith express itself in love? That brings us to the second relationship involving love for our brothers and sisters in Christ: that is, the relationship between agape love and obedience to God. Obedience is not always the product of love; it could result from loyalty, duty, or even fear. However, true agape love cannot exist without obedience. We can even conclude from the Biblical usage that God’s commands are descriptions of how love behaves. The apostle John wrote, “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). And Paul wrote that the Ten Commandments “and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” He then added, “Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:9-10).

In Colossians 3:12-14 Paul describes this relationship between love and obedience in a slightly different way. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." In this passage Paul explains that these attitudes toward one another are not separate and distinct “rules of behavior” but rather various ways in which love is exhibited. When we care for and value one another as God does, then these attitudes of kindness, humility, etc., will naturally flow from hearts that are in tune with the Spirit of God. The fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) will be demonstrated in the love taught us by Christ. “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15).

Therefore, we should understand that faith produces love, and that love is real only if it operates within the revealed will of God. Faith in Christ, not an emotional fondness for others, is the real motive for our actions toward one another. Loving others as Christ loved (and loves) us is demonstrated by our obedience to God’s instructions regarding how we are to behave toward others.

The Relationship Between Love and Unity

So then, how does this faith-inspired love toward others relate to unity in Christ? As we saw earlier,  Colossians 3:16-17 describes the means by which we find and maintain this unity. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Faith in Christ, leading to loving obedience to God’s instructions in regard to one another, comes through immersing ourselves in the word of God, the Bible. Regular and frequent reading, study, and meditating on the word will draw us first into a closer relationship with God, thus transforming our hearts (Romans 12:1-8) into Spirit-filled people (Ephesians 5:17), who desire to be one with fellow believers. In this way we grow in our desire to be one with one another.

This faith-filled, loving unity grows as we come into a deeper fellowship with Christ. "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:16-19).

Then we see the importance of adopting for ourselves the attitude of Christ (Philippians 2:1-4): "If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better [that is, more important] than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

We must have a love for one another and a desire for unity. This means that our love will grant others the liberty to think for themselves. Our relationship in Christ is more important than our opinions.

Conclusion

Unity in faith and liberty of opinion live on the foundation of the truth of Scripture and in the environment of love. If we truly love one another, then we will always insist on the truth of Scripture and at the same time allow for differences of opinion when Scripture is either silent or ambiguous.

Unity in faith and liberty in opinion is the only way that we can truly have unity in the body. Unity in faith and liberty in opinion can only be maintained when we envelop both in love for one another.

The efficient and effective fulfillment of our mission as the church is at stake.