Un-denominating Christianity Progressives, Liberals, Conservatives, Ultra- conservatives, Legalists, Traditionalists and other Christians

Where are you in the Spectrum? Prog. Liberal Conservative U.C. Leg. T. Question: Which spectrum?

Challenges in defining denominations Many propose that the churches of Christ have developed into denominations. And that many are sectarian. What is the measuring line upon which such an accusation can be made?

Who Makes Up The Church? “The church Christ built includes all the saved; and it includes no one else. There is not one saved who is not in it. There is not one in it who is not saved. The guarantee of this is that the same one does both the saving and the adding to the church. The church is the saved.” -- Cecil May Jr. Firm Foundation, June 10, 1969

Are the churches of christ the totality of the church of christ? Or can we include the Disciples of Christ? First Christian Church? International Churches of Christ? Others? Which of us has all insights into the hearts of men to be able to make that call?

Are We Any Of Us Perfect? We each assume we ourselves have been added to the body. We do NOT extend that assumption to those outside the churches of Christ. Yet, intellectually at least, we are aware that we cannot add ourselves to Christ’s body. Only HE can do that.

Are There Any Perfect churches? I Corinthians 5:1 – “It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife.” Philippians 1:15-17 -- Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment.

James 2:1-4 -- My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,” have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?

All These Were The church! With all of its sins and shortcomings, the church at Corinth was still called the church. With their sinful partiality and doctrinal shortcomings, James still referred to those Christians as “brethren”

Among The Lampstands? Ephesus: “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” Pergamum: “But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam….”

Thyatira: “But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond- servants astray so that they commit acts of immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.” Sardis: “I know your deeds, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.”

Laodicea: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spit you out of My mouth.” Yet by the grace of God, all those churches with those accusations against them were still Christ’s church.

So what do we do about… “Brethren: We wish to compile and publish a list of LOYAL congregations….Describe every act of worship in your assemblies. Describe your position on communion Do you have one or two communions on Sunday? Do you use only one cup and loaf? Do you fellowship the Sunday School or cups brethren….” (1959) Do these things determine salvation? Inclusion or exclusion from the church?

What Are True concerns? Romans 2:17-24, 28-29 Paul speaks of those who are Jews outwardly – guides to the blind, lights to those in darkness, correctors of the foolish, teaches of the immature – who nonetheless didn’t teach themselves. God was blasphemed because of their attitudes. “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly…But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter….”

Romans 14:4,10 “Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand….But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.”

So Does Anything Go? No. 2 Thes. 2:15 – “So then, brethren stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us.” Jude 1:3 – “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith, which was once for all handed down to the saints.”

So…..What? Teach the truth to the best of your knowledge and ability. Be gracious toward others as God is gracious toward you. Leave all judgment to God. Study to show yourself approved.