"CHURCHIANITY" vs. GOD'S MODEL - Part IV

[Reformer]

"CHURCHIANITY"
VS.
GOD'S MODEL
Part IV
 
Buff Scott, Jr.

WITHIN THE REDEEMED COMMUNITY
If reformation ever reaches its zenith within her borders, it will be because we rediscovered and recaptured the vocabulary of the Holy Spirit. For when we build sectarian walls around a bogus term like "church," allege that our Lord erected those walls, and deny entrance to other believers who do not carry our label and mouth our brand, we become puppets of the apostate church. And that is what this message is all about. Jesus prayed that His children would be united. Instead, we have chosen the opposite. "Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be united, even as we are united" (John 17:11).

IS THERE A SOLUTION?
Yes, dismantle and dismiss all of our factional creations and march under the banner of Jesus the Messiah. If our flag bears anything other than the blood of our Lord, it is an apostate flag. The only flag I will ever fly again, and the only label I will ever wear again, will bear the name of my Savior and Redeemer. All other flags and labels are bogus. For me to wave any other flag would compromise my relationship with my Lord and jeopardize my allegiance to Him. I will have no part of it.

    Like all divisive entities, the institutional church contains many beautiful people whose only wish is to follow their King and Shepherd in all areas of the Christian walk. I do not entreat them to leave the ones they love and start a "loyal church"—whatever that is. I entreat them to bid farewell to the sectarian party spirit and launch a ministry of reformation within the confines of their own church environment.

    The sectarian spirit is a separatist mindset that generates division. Believers turned reformers may choose to remain where they are and work for change. Many believers who are entangled in partisan religion would happily abandon the party spirit in favor of reformation and freedom if someone were available to lead and teach them. May God send reformers to reap the harvest!

    It is not always easy to work for reform within our contemporary sects. Martin Luther wanted to work within the Roman Catholic Church for reform, but the scandalous Vatican would have no part of it. Instead, they sought his life. He escaped the "Unholy See's" murderous hounds, but the sinister Vatican continued their efforts to find him and "do him in."

WHY DID JESUS DIE?
We may rest our oars that Jesus did not die for religious parties, churches, denominations, or cults. Instead, He died for Jews, He died for Gentiles, He died "for all the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one" (John 11:52). Jesus is not interested in uniting churches, denominations, and cults. He's interested in uniting all of God's scattered children, wherever they are, to bring them together into one body of believers "so that they may be united as we [Son and Father] are united" (John 17:11). 

    But another question to challenge our thinking: To which of today's denominations is Jesus aligned? Is He a Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, Muslim, or Hindu? Is He affiliated with the Church of God, associated with the Evangelical Free Church, lined up with the Seventh Day Adventists, allied with the Assembly of God, a member of the a cappella Church of Christ, united with the Christian Church, or linked to the Roman Catholic Church? Which? And I answer: None of them!

    All of the above are religious parties (sects), and Jesus is not a party man. He has children in most of the churches mentioned above, but He does not recognize the parties as such. And He does not endorse or condone their existence. In His own time on earth, He recognized that His Father had children scattered among all of the Jewish sects, but he confronted and opposed the sectarian Establishments and their leaders. If He were on earth today in the flesh, I'm confident He would view our present-day religious institutions as He viewed those of His time. He worked among partisan systems for reform, while not joining any of them. And so it should be with us—work within and among partisan groups, whenever possible, without subscribing to any of them.

[Part V next—Finale .]