37. The Peculiar Sect

Sermon 37 The Peculiar Sect

As this is an age of churches and societies, and as religious institutions are erected all around us, it is sometimes necessary to stop and inquire into that religious sect we read about in the Bible, and find that it is today, like it was then, everywhere spoken against. As all churches have a beginning and have a name by which they are known, it may be well to first inquire the name of the church we are trying to find. Knowing that it is hard to find a correct history of any religious organization from its enemies, we shall, in this investigation, not look among other people for the true history of the church of Christ.

If a man wants to learn the history and doctrine of the Methodist church, he will inquire among its friends—he will go to the Methodist histories and to the Discipline for information. If a man desires the correct history and doctrine of the Baptist church he should read Baptist articles of faith, and Baptist historians. So it is with the church of Christ.

.......1. If we want to find its doctrine and history we must read the Bible to find it. Paul was often called upon to give an account of his faith, and at Rome

the church was looked upon as a sect everywhere spoken against. It is to that church and its doctrine I now call special attention.

1. It is the church of Christ as founded by Him, afterwards written to as the church of God (Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 1:2).

2. The foundation of this church was to be laid in Jerusalem, after the stone had been tried; after the covenant with death was disannulled, and the agreement with hell was abolished; after they made lies their refuge, and hid themselves under falsehood (Isaiah 28:14-16). All these things were literally fulfilled in the life, trial, crucifixion and resurrection of the Son of God.

3. This church was to begin its work as a live organic body, having authority to teach remission of sins in the name of Christ to all the world, and was to begin at Jerusalem after they were baptized with the Holy Ghost (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5; Acts 2:4).

4. This church first preached the gospel by which we are saved, in Jerusalem, and promised salvation to those who would believe and obey its teaching (Matthew 7:21; Matthew 12:23; Acts 3:22-24)

5. After hearing all things commanded them by God, people were expected to believe it with all their hearts in order to be accepted of God (Hebrews 11:6).

6. After believing all things commanded them of God they were expected to repent, as God had commanded all men to do that (Acts 17:30).

7. In repenting, or turning from their sins, they were expected to let the outside world know that they had accepted the teaching of the Son of God. So what they had believed they were required to confess, "for with the mouth confession :.. is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:8-12)

8. After they confessed with the mouth what they believed in their hearts, the God of the Bible required them to be baptized for the remission of sins.In doing this they had the promise of the forgiveness of all past sins.

9. As Christ was recognized as a proposition through faith for remission of sins that are past (Romans 3:25) they then became citizens of the kingdom, children of God, spiritual, governed by the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus walking by faith, not by sight.

10. Those who were added to the church continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine, breaking of bread, in fellowship and in prayer (Acts 2:42).

11. All of them tried to work out their eternal salvation with fear and trembling, realizing that it was God working in them to will and to do of his good pleasure (Php 2:11-12).

These twelve propositions came into every scriptural congregation organized in apostolic times. Then they were of the same mind, speaking the same thing; then they would strive together to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. They recognized the thought that there is one Lord, one faith, and one baptism; one body, or church, in which Christ is head, and all members of His body; one building, built together on the same foundation; one vineyard, in which all were working together for the advancement of the Master's cause; one army, in which Christ was captain, and all members soldiers, fighting with the whole armor of God on.

What was the result?

Profane historians tell us that in seven years' time the church at Jerusalem numbered 40,000 members; that in thirty one years' time 300,000 disciples were numbered to tell the story of Jesus and His love. Heathen temples soon began to be vacated, heathen mythology began to give way, and heathen gods began to fall before the King of Peace. Warriors began to lay down their carnal weapons, and preach the story of the cross. In Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia Minor was the story heard.

Notwithstanding there was no society for three hundred years to send out missionaries, save the church of Christ, Christianity triumphed above all outside opposition. The church of Christ is a divine society within itself, able for the accomplishment of all good, equal to every case of emergency, governed only by the Spirit. But alas! This state of affairs did not stand.

Notice that the diagram containing only the round dots represents the church in apostolic times, when men were governed only by the word of God, and that each dot represents a congregation containing all the twelve items mentioned. Certainly it would be a great pleasure to belong to such a church.

But alas! Three hundred and twenty-five years had hardly rolled upon the scroll of time till men began to add to and take from the word of God. What was the result?

One man said, "I don't like all that is in the Bible." So he took his theological pen, ran through the Bible, and cut off the part he believed. As a result he had to get up a creed, attach some name save Christian to himself, and some name save the church of Christ to his church, to show the world that he did not believe the whole Bible. Had he used no other name than Christian it would have suggested that he took the whole Bible, like the name Mormon is suggestive of Mormonism, and the word Democrat suggestive of Democracy. Then is when the bad work of division began.

The next man, not liking the first man's church, got up one of his own with a different creed and name, until finally the church of God was lost sight of by the doctrines and commandments Of men, till at the present day we find over tour hundred religious institutions, governed by the commandments of men, where the glorious church of God should be.

......Sometimes it has been ours to see the wife in one church, the husband in another, the daughter in another, and the eon in another. The wife could go to hear her preacher preach, and commune, but could not invite the preacher home with her for tear he would hurt her husband's feelings. The husband could do the same about his preacher. They could read in the bible that what God had Joined together, let not man put asunder, yet in their religious life man had put them asunder. They could not be of the same mind, nor speak the same thing. As to bringing up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, the devil had closed their mouths against talking of the Bible, for tear that wife or husband would not like for the child to become a member of the other's church,and the child was turned loose upon the world without religious instruction. The father and mother could not be zealous members of their respective churches and life, religiously, in many cases, proves a failure to them here, and certainly in the life to come.

This is sad. What is the remedy? Reformation? This I deny, for such a thing as reformation in religion or politics is something unknown to history.

Political governments exist until they become so corrupt that they are overthrown, and other governments are built upon their ruins.

Turn to religion. Luther tried to reform the Catholic church. Luther is dead and gone. You see the success of his effort by the Catholic church being today just where it was then.

Wesley tried to reform the High Church of England. Wesley is gone. The High Church of England is today, just what it was then.

Campbell tried to reform the Presbyterian and Baptist churches. Campbell is dead and gone, but those churches, are today what they were then.

Seeing that efforts at reformation have, in all cases, failed, we conclude that it is not the remedy to try to reform any sectarian church, but rather restore, by giving to the world the same gospel, the same doctrine, and the same religion that was established by Christ and the apostles.

This is what Ezra and Nehemiah did when Israel fell, and the Jews wandered into foreign nations. They did not stay there to reform the nations, but raised the cry, called for volunteers, and went back to Jerusalem, and built up the city, erected the ancient manner of worship and worshiped God like their fathers had done one thousand Years prior to that time.

Then, what say you, dear friends, to becoming a co-laborer with that peculiar sect everywhere spoken against? Do you wish to become a Christian—nothing more, nothing less? Do you desire to be a member of the church of Christ?

Then will you not hear His call, accept His teaching, come to the Son of God, and be saved?