THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
SPREADING THE SOUL-SAVING MESSAGE OF JESUs
“Out of Denominationalism”
Introduction by narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. Spreading the soul-saving message of Jesus. And now, Ben Bailey.
“’Come out from among them and be ye separate,’ says the Lord” (2 Cor. 6:17). Paul penned these words to teach the Corinthians that they needed to come out of a world of sin into a place of righteousness. He used these words to teach them that they needed to leave the idols, the false religions, and the Belials, and to come into the body of the saved. We use the words of Paul today in the same tone and tenor to say, “One must come out of denominationalism to be pleasing to almighty God.” As we read through the New Testament, we do not find God saying that we should divide or that we should have many different groups all claiming to be a part of the body of Christ. We do not see that as a message from the New Testament. In fact, everything we do see teaches us that we need to come to the Bible with unity of heart in order to obey God’s will. Please understand that in the things I say today, it is not my intention to cause anyone to become angry or upset. That is not my purpose at all. Rather, I want to help us “provoke one another to love and good works” (Heb. 10:24) through the preaching of God’s message. It is the Word of God that provokes and encourages us. We are to “speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11) —which means that we will say what God has already said. So please understand that my motive in teaching about denominationalism, and why people must come out of it, has to do with the fact that God has not authorized it.
I am here today to speak the truth about this subject. The Bible says in Ephesians 4:15 that we are to “speak the truth.” In the long ago, the Proverbs writer said, “Buy the truth and sell it not” (Prov. 23:23). Whatever the cost, I can guarantee you that truth is well worth it. We need to be sure that we know God’s will, that we love it, and that we live our lives according to the teaching of Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 8:32 that we can know the truth and that the truth will make us free. Today, therefore, I am here to plainly say what God has said. In Habakkuk 2:2, God said, “Make it so plain that he who runs may read it.” God wants His Word so plain that if you are running down the road you can still look up and read it because it is that clear. That is how the Word of God ought to be, and that is how we plan to talk about denominationalism today. As I pointed out earlier, Hebrews 10:24 teaches us to provoke one another to love and good works. To do that, we must say what God says. I am reminded of John 10:24 when the Jews came to meet Jesus and said to Him, “If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus went on to say to them, “I have already told you plainly.” Today, I want to talk to you plainly about God’s message of salvation through the church, not through denominationalism. I want to speak the truth in love. I want you to know that we have a sincere love for your immortal soul. The rest of Ephesians 4:15 tells us to “speak the truth in love.” I want you to know today that we have a love for the lost. If you are a part of denominationalism, I want you to know that it is a love for your soul that is motivating this message. As I think about the love of Christ, I am reminded of the fact that, at times, God had to say some things that were difficult for people to hear. We are taught in Proverbs 27:5 that “open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed.” To come to the Scriptures and to say that we love you, but to never say what God has said, is not real love. God so loved the world that He gave His only Son. He sacrificed. Even though it hurt Him and He knew that it would hurt Him, God was willing to do that anyway.
Why must one come out of denominationalism? As we think about this important subject, we must understand that denominationalism naturally divides the body of Christ. People must come out of denominationalism because rather than bringing unity, it divides God’s people. God’s people cannot have unity while at the same time being divided into a variety of different groups here, there, and everywhere. In John 17:20-21, Jesus said, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” In His prayer, Jesus said that He was hoping and pleading that His followers would all be one—just as He and His Father enjoyed unity. As Christ’s followers, we must strive for that unity. Ephesians 4:3 says that we are to have “the unity the Spirit and the bond of peace.” I am reminded of the passage in Psalm 133:1, which teaches us just how beautiful unity is. Psalm 133:1 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” Unity is something that is both good and pleasant in God’s sight. If that is how God feels about it, why would we ever want to do anything that divides the body of Christ? I am reminded of Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 1:10—“I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” If God wanted to make His feelings on unity any clearer than that, how could He accomplish that? If God wanted to say, “I want there to be one body, and I do not want it to be divided,” how would He say it any plainer than He already has in the Bible? People must come out of denominationalism because it divides the body of Christ.
People also must come out of denominationalism because it is not commanded or authorized in the Word of God. When we think about the Bible and how we are to live our lives, we must recognize that Christians are not to operate by the principle that says, “Well, God didn’t condemn something, so it’s OK to do it.” That is not how we are to operate. We operate on the principle, “What does God say on the subject?” Colossians 3:17 is such an important passage as it deals with authority. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” We are told to do only that which Jesus gives us the authority to do. So I ask you today, “Where in the New Testament do you find the authority to be a part of a group named after a man, after a group that follows a certain teaching, or after a group that is named after a certain act without giving full attention to what the Bible says?” Where is the authority for doing that? In Hebrews 8:5 we see that the people of the Old Testament were told, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” The people were to follow to the letter the pattern than God had provided them. They were to follow exactly what God had told them. Things are no different for us today. God has given us His Word, and He expects us to follow it to the letter. Does that mean that we somehow “earn” our salvation? No, not at all. But God did give us the Bible, and He does expect us to follow it. The text of 1 Corinthians 4:6 makes it clear that we are not to even think “beyond that which is written.” What does that passage teach us? If it is not written in the Bible, we do not even need to think about it. We must think only on those things that can be found within the pages of God’s Word. We must not let our thinking go astray—toward what some person or group thinks is right. According to Matthew 28:18, Jesus has “all authority in Heaven and on earth.” We must not add to or take from the Word of God. Proverbs 30:6 says, “Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.” If something is not commanded or authorized in the Bible, then we must not do what God has not told us to do.
A third reason why denominationalism is not scriptural is because it is specifically condemned in the Bible, and we must not add to the teaching of Jesus Christ. I want us to think for just a moment about the passages in 1 Corinthians 1:10 where God condemns denominationalism.
“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”
This text teaches us not only that denominationalism is unauthorized, but also that God comes condemned it in the first century. Let me illustrate. If you were to ask the Christians in Corinth, they would say, “Yes, we are a part of the one body of Christ. We are just the sect of Cephas because we really like the way he preaches.” Or, “We are the sect of Apollos because he is a very eloquent speaker.” Or, “We are a follower of Paul because of all he has done for the cause of Christ.” Or, “We are followers of Christ.” But Paul said, “Let there be no divisions among you.” You cannot be a part of the body of Christ and then say, “We are of the sect of Cephas” or “We are followers of Paul” or “We are of Apollos.” We must come to the Bible and realize that denominationalism is wrong. Now let’s make the modern-day application. Suppose you were to ask someone, “Are you a part of the one body of Christ?” They might say, “Why of course we are. But we are of the sect that follows the teachings of John Calvin.” Or “We are of the sect that follows the teachings of Martin Luther.” Or “We are of the sect that follows the teachings of John Wesley.” But what did Paul say? “Let there be no divisions among you.” Just like it was in the first century, so it is today. You cannot be a part of Christ’s body and follow some other man’s teachings or have his name placed on the church building in order to honor him and give glory to him instead of to Christ. As we think about denominationalism, we need to realize that it is specifically condemned in the Bible.
People must come out of denominationalism because it follows the teachings and principles of men rather than those of Christ. In Matthew 15, Jesus chastised some of His own brethren because they were holding to the traditions of men. In verses 8-9 of that chapter, Christ said, “'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” What were these people doing that was wrong? They gave Jesus lip service, but their hearts and minds were far from Him. Why? It was because they taught as doctrine the commandment of men. If we look in Mark 7, we learn something about those “commandments.” Some said that people had to wash their arms up to their elbows in order to be clean. Some said that you had to eat out of certain cups or that you had to sit on certain furniture that had been properly washed. You could not do certain things unless you held to the traditions of the elders. Jesus said, in essence, “You are commanding something that I have not commanded.” You are going beyond the law and are teaching as doctrine something that men have invented. We need to realize today that if we cannot find denominationalism authorized in the Bible, and if we cannot find the doctrines of denominationalism in the Bible, then how are we today any different than the people Jesus condemned? We are not! If we do things that men have thought up, and if we follow their teachings, then we are just like the people of Christ’s day and we are not pleasing the Father by our actions. The Bible tells us in 2 John 9 that whoever goes beyond the doctrine of Christ does not have God as his Father. This is how serious a matter this is. If we go beyond the Bible, and if we do something that some other person teaches us, then we are not in a relationship with God. That is sad. And that is why it is important to know how serious things of this nature really are. We must follow the teaching of God, not the teaching of men.
People must come out of denominationalism because it naturally creates confusion and doubt. Let’s stop and think for just a moment about how denominationalism it naturally creates confusion and doubt. In John 17:20-21, Jesus said, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us….” But what does the last part of that passage say? It says “that the world may believe that You sent Me.” The unity of Christ’s followers has an impact on the world. Denominationalism detracts from that impact. When people look at Christianity and see how divided it is, do you think that attests to how powerful Jesus and His followers are because of their unity? No, it does not. Instead, it creates confusion and doubt in people’s minds. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 14:33 that God is “not the author of confusion.” We need to have the unity that is commanded in the Bible so that we can reach out to those who are lost and bring them to salvation in the way that Jesus intended. In John 8:32, Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” If we cannot even convince people that we know what the Bible says and that we have unity, then how are we going to reach out to people and convince them that they need to obey Christ and His plan of salvation? Denominationalism creates a lack of coherency, confusion, and doubt in people’s minds.
I want us to turn our attention to some biblical passages that call people out of denominationalism. There are some clear biblical teachings that call one out of denominationalism. I would like to mention four of those specifically. The first is found in Ephesians 4:4-6, where Paul says, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” Of all the “ones” that Paul mentions, one of them is “one body.” The fact is, there is only one group of saved people—“the body.” Ephesians 1:21-23 teaches that the body and the church are one and the same. Jesus is the Head of the church, which is His body. If the church and the body are the same, and if there is only one body, then the fact that Jesus established only one church should call us out of denominationalism and into the body of Christ. Isn’t this exactly what Jesus taught in Matthew 16:18 when He said, “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock [the deity of Christ] I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” Do you really want to give God the glory? Do you really want to give Christ the honor of which He is worthy? Then be a part of the church that He established. Be a part of the church that He established in the first century. Go back to the Bible. Go back almost 2,000 years in history and look at what they did in the first century so that you can be a part of what they were.
Another principle that calls us out of denominationalism is the fact that we must learn who the true owner and builder of the church is. Who owns the church? The person whose name is on the church owns it. When you own a house and your name is on the deed, you own that house. Who owns the church of the New Testament. In Acts 20:28, we learn that Jesus purchased the church with His own precious blood. When Jesus hung on the cross at Calvary, and when He spilled His blood for the sins of humanity, He paid the ultimate price for the church. No one today can claim that the church of the New Testament is theirs. Nor should they attempt to place their name on that church. Only Jesus’ sinless blood could buy the church. Has anyone else ever lived a life free of sin so that he or she could be a sacrifice for humanity? Absolutely not! Hebrews 4:15 says that Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
Another principle that goes right along with the ownership of the church has to do with who is the Founder of the church. In 1 Corinthians 3:11 Paul clearly stated, “No other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the sole Foundation and Founder of the church. There is a valid principle to be learned here. If Jesus is the Foundation and Founder of the church, how can men come along 600, 800, 1,500, or 2,000 years later and say that they have founded a religious organization that is the church about which we read in the New Testament? They cannot say that. Men cannot come along years after Jesus founded the church and say, “We founded this group, and it is the church that is the body of Christ.” It is impossible to do that. We must go back and be a part of the original body that Jesus established in the New Testament. Acts 20:28 and 1 Corinthians 3:11 call people out of denominationalism.
Another passage that calls people out of denominationalism is Ephesians 1:22-23. Understanding that Jesus is the true Head of the church should call people out of denominationalism. Many religious groups today have a “head” who lives (or lived) on Earth. This head may live in Rome or in some other city, but this person is the one to whom adherents of the group look as their authority. Is it possible, according to the Scriptures, that this could be correct? No, it is not. Jesus is still the Head of the church today. Ephesians 1:22-23 makes it clear that He is the Head of the body. He was in the first century, and He still is today. Hebrews 1:3-5 says that He sat down at the right hand of God. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. We must let Him be the Head of the church since He is the One Who established it. If Christ has all authority (Mt. 28:18), why would we want to look to a mere man as head of Christ’s church?
Another principle that calls people out of denominationalism is the biblical plan of salvation. This plan is so simple. In Acts 18:8 we are told, “Many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized.” God did not create a plan of salvation that was intended to confuse us or that was difficult to understand. Anyone who teaches a plan of salvation that does not present all that God says is teaching something that cannot make you a Christian. And anyone who teaches a plan that contains more than what the biblical plan of salvation contains cannot make you a Christian either. The only way you can become a Christian is by doing what the Bible says in exactly the way God said to do it. The Bible only, makes Christians only, and the only Christians. What, then, did they do in the first century? They first had to believe that Jesus was the Son of God—the Christ Who had died for them. Jesus said in John 8:24, “Unless you believe that I am He, you shall surely die in your sins.” People not only had to believe, but they also had to change their lives by turning from sin to God. In Acts 3:19, Peter urged the people to “repent and turn again” so that their sins could be blotted out. The people not only had to repent, but they also had to confess Jesus as their Savior. In Acts 8:37ff., the Ethiopian nobleman made the good confession when he said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” Afterwards, he then was baptized. Baptism is also an essential step in salvation. Jesus said, “He that believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk. 16:15). If someone teaches you that you have to do more than what the New Testament says, they are not making you a part of the New Testament church. If anyone teaches you that you have to do less than what the New Testament says, then they are not making you a part of the New Testament church either. We ought to do what the Bible says. One of the reasons that people should come out of denominationalism is that most denominations do not teach the full plan of salvation. They may have parts of the plan correct. But do they, for example, teach the necessity of baptism? In Acts 2:38, Peter said to the people on the Day of Pentecost, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” What was the purpose of baptism? Was it merely “something good to do” or “something like Christ did?” No. Peter said that it was “for [in order to receive] the remission of sins.”
If a person comes out of denominationalism, there are some important reasons why that person should never go back into denominationalism. The first one that comes to mind has to do with the fact that if we were to return to denominationalism, we would be returning to the way of error. Peter made it clear in 2 Peter 2:20-22 that if people had once escaped the pollution of the world, but then had returned to the world, it will be much worse for them because to do such a thing would be like a dog returning to eat its own vomit or like a sow that had been washed returning to wallow in the mire. If, after you have known the way of truth, you go back into error, it then will be worse for you because you once knew the truth and what was right, but you decided to return to error. Jesus said in Matthew 7:13-14 that there are two ways. First, there is a wide, broad way that leads to destruction. Second, there is a narrow way that leads to eternal life. Which way are you walking today? If you are now a part of the body of Christ, you should not seek to be involved in denominationalism.
Another reason that a person should not return to denominationalism is because it will be worse mentally for them on the other side. Hear me out. In Luke 16:25, the rich man who was in torment was told, “Son, remember….” Those two words speak volumes about how, on the other side, we will remember! Imagine if you had heard the truth and you knew the truth, but you had never obeyed it. What will it be like for you on the other side as you are in torment? You will know that you knew the truth, yet you decided to give it up for the teachings of men. I guarantee you that such knowledge will cause you to agonize, and it will give you horror throughout all eternity. You cannot receive the spiritual blessings that are promised to those who are a part of God’s body if you are involved in denominationalism. The Bible says in Ephesians 1:3 that all spiritual blessings are ours “in Christ Jesus.” These blessings are afforded to us by the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith.” We cannot experience the grace of God if we are outside the body of Christ. We also receive the mercy of God when we are in the body of Christ. Lamentations 3:22 reminds us that “through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed.” We cannot experience the mercy of God if we are outside the group of the saved. Outside the body of Christ, we cannot experience the beautiful avenue of prayer that God has promised to those who are a part of the church. Jesus said in Luke 18:1 that “men always ought to pray and not lose heart.” We learn from James 5:16 that prayer overcomes much. But such blessings are afforded only to those who are a part of the body of Christ.
Finally, those who return to denominationalism will not be afforded the beauties and the joy associated with going to Heaven. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 1:9 that salvation is found only “in Christ Jesus” (that is, in His body). We learn from Revelation 22:14 that those who are blessed are those who “do His commandments.” Now, let me make this very practical. If salvation is in Christ, and if being in Christ means that you are a part of the body of Christ, and if God’s blessing come only to those who keep His commandments, how can you keep the commandments of God while being a part of something that is not found in the Bible? Can you really be obedient to God while being a part of a religious group that is not found in the Bible, and for which Jesus gave us no authority? Can you say to yourself, “I know the group of which I am a member is not found in the Bible, but I think I will go to Heaven anyway”? This is not a matter about which a person needs to be guessing. It is a matter of eternal important. And every person must make sure that he or she is right with God. Just as Paul called the Corinthians out of the world and out of idolatry, so today God says, “Come out from among them and be ye separate. I shall be your Father, and you shall be My people.” Today, I plead with you to come out of denominationalism and to be simply a New Testament Christian. Be nothing more and nothing less. You do not need all the “fluff” that you see in the modern religious world today. You can obey God and be a part of His church by obeying the Gospel of Christ.
Narrator accompanied by a cappella singing:
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1. Why did Paul say to the people of Corinth, “’Come out from among them and be ye separate,’ says the Lord” (2 Cor. 6:17)?
2. What does it mean for us to “speak as the oracles of God” (1 Pet. 4:11)?
3. Rather than bringing unity, denominationalism brings something else into the body of Christ. What is that “something else”?
4. For what did Jesus pray in John 17:20-21?
5. For what did Paul plead in 1 Corinthians 1:10?
6. What is the message of Psalm 133:1?
7. According to 1 Corinthians 4:6, what are we not to do?
8. What, according to Proverbs 30:6, is something else that we are not to do?
9. What is the impact of 1 Corinthians 1:10 on modern-day denominationalism?
10. Why did Jesus chastise some of His own brethren in Matthew 15?
11. According to 2 John 9, what happens to those who “go beyond” the doctrine of Christ?
12. In the latter part of John 17:21, Jesus gave a specific reason as to why Christians should be united. What was that reason?
13. According to Ephesians 1:21-23, who is the head of the church?
14. According to Acts 20:28, who owns the church?
15. What principle is contained in 1 Corinthians 3:11?
16. What is wrong with the teaching of most denominations regarding the plan of salvation?
17. According to 2 Peter 2:20-22 , what would be the state of a person who once knew the truth, but then went into denominationalism?
18. According to 2 Timothy 1:9, where is salvation found?
19. Why does denominationalism create confusion and doubt in the minds of people?
20. What effect does such confusion and doubt have on those who are lost?
21. In Revelation 22:14, God promised to bless a certain group of people. Who are those people?
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