Churches of Christ -- Sermons; Sermons, American -- 20th century
Upon the sufficiency of this plan I am sure we are agreed. This being
true, would it not be wrong to include anything else? Would it not be
wrong to insist upon adding something to this simple Bible plan and
thereby cause division and destroy the possibility of the unity that the
Bible requires? If the above plan is sufficient to take one to heaven,
what more do you desire? Why add anything to it? Would it not be wrong
to add anything else?
Another question: “What will the following of this plan make of one?” I
am sure we will also agree that it will make him a Christian and only a
Christian. Let it be noted that one can do all that is suggested above
and which we have agreed to be sufficient unto salvation without
belonging to any denomination. You can believe, repent, confess your
sins, and be baptized without belonging to any denomination. You who
have done so can meet in groups upon the first day of the week and
worship God as the Bible directs without becoming members of any
denomination, and you can certainly perform your duties in the field of
Christian service without joining a denomination.
III
More Points of Agreement
But while we are in this agreeing business, let us take it even further.
In this country there is a large religious community known as the
Baptist Church. This group includes many fine people. Many of them are
honest, intelligent, cultured, refined, and good citizens. They have
taken their denominational title from their emphasis upon immersion as
being the only scriptural baptism, in contrast to those who accept
something else. I agree with the Baptists that immersion is baptism and
that nothing short of immersion will meet the definition of baptism
found in Romans 6:4 or Colossians 2:12. I agree with them that the Greek
word “baptidzo” is properly translated by the word “immerse.” But I can
agree with them upon this great truth without belonging to the Baptist
denomination. I can fully accept the very truth from which the Baptist
Church has taken its name and still be just a Christian.
The Methodist Church is one of the largest in this country. I have more
kinspeople in that denomination than in any other. For all of their good
points I give them due respect and credit. Because of their insistence
upon method and system in their religious work, they were nicknamed
Methodists many years ago. This name was later accepted by them as their
denominational title. I agree with the Methodists that system and method
are important. I endeavor to be systematic and orderly in every phase of
my work and activity. I believe that the Lord’s work should be carried
on orderly. “Let everything be done in decency and in order” (1 Cor.
14:40). We should use order, then. We should use the Bible order. But
one can certainly do this without belonging to the Methodist Church.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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