Scripture Reading: Deuteronomy 12:29-32
Dealing With Denominational Influences
Intro.
1. Jesus built His
church (Matt. 16:18;
Acts 20:28; 2:47).
His church will continue to glorify God “to all generations, forever and ever.
Amen” (Eph. 3:21).
2. Forces of error attack churches from without and within (Acts 20:29-30, denominational influences). These forces aim to weaken and devour souls. In a battle for souls, Eph. 6:12.
3. Stern warning reflects our time for both listeners and preachers: 2 Tim. 4:3-4.
a. What message do brethren want to hear today?
b. What message are preachers preaching? Gospel preachers are not itch-scratchers and people-pleasers; Preachers are proclaimers of God’s word (4:2, 5).
I. WHEN DENOMINATIONAL INFLUENCES EXIST IN CHURCHES OF CHRIST.
A. We Must Admit these Influences Exist and are Infecting the Hearts and Lives of Christians and, thus, Churches. (“Is there not a cause?” 1 Sam. 17:29)
B. These Influences Exist When:
1. We fail to grow in knowledge (of God’s word) and spiritual discernment, Phil. 1:9-11.
2. We have lazy ears that do not want to grow and are untrained through failure to use God’s word, Heb. 5:11-14.
3. When we lose sight that God’s work includes contending for the faith, Jude 3-4.
4. When the truth is not preached and received as absolute, John 18:37-38.
a. When studying God’s word becomes an academic endeavor to offer different perspectives instead of proclaiming transformative truth, John 17:17.
b. Application preaching gives way to academic facilitation, James 1:22 (Acts 20:27).
5. When we want to be like the churches around us, 1 Sam. 8:5-6, 19-20.
a. Israel warned not to follow Canaanite’s forms of worship, Deut. 12:29-32 (1 Cor. 10:11).
b. When we view denominational authors and influencers as the truly “spiritual” ones, we have already drifted into the trade winds of error.
II. HOW TO DEAL WITH DENOMINATIONAL INFLUENCES.
A. Identify the Influences, cf. 2 Cor. 11:3-4.
1. Recognize counterfeits by knowing the genuine, 11:4.
2. Error is often subtle, cloaked in good intentions, 11:3 (Matt. 7:15-16); Jude 4.
3. Examples of such good intentions:
a. Neglected grace (movement away from true grace of God toward Calvinism), Gal. 1:6.
b. Lifeless, emotionless disciples (emotionalism enhanced by doctrine of personal indwelling of H.S.), cf. Luke 24:32, Hearing the Scriptures stirs the heart of disciples.
c. Concern for young people (leading to church-sponsored recreation).
B. Some Current Denominational Influences Moving Among Us.
1. Diminishing respect for and/or rejection of how to establish and apply Bible authority (Matt. 28:18; Col. 3:17).
a. CENI is scolded and ridiculed as unworkable legalism, patternism, blueprint hermeneutic, and stale “church of Christ tradition.”
b. Some offer a Christocentricity hermeneutic (The Second Incarnation, Shelley and Harris).
c. Recently, John Mark Hicks: “The gospel is not a pattern of prescribed forms for the church. The pattern is Jesus” (emp. his, Searching for the Pattern: My Journey in Interpreting the Bible, 103).
d. These are broken cisterns, not wells of salvation with living waters (Jer. 2:13; Isa. 12:3).
e. Stand fast and hold the apostolic traditions, Acts 15:6-21; Phil. 4:9; 2 Tim. 1:13.
2. Minimizing and misunderstanding the church of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; Acts 2:47).
a. The church of Christ is not a collection of churches (denominational structure). Independent congregations, not centralized oversight.
b. Yet, we hear Christians say: “I'm Church of Christ,” or, “I am a member of the Church of Christ Church.” Some are heard to speak of “sister congregations,” etc. Such language of Ashdod belies a lack of biblical understanding and of error that subtly creeps in, affecting the tone, tenor, teachings, culture, and practices of churches (Gal. 4:20).
c. “The church of Me” – Forgetting the church belongs to Christ, not us (1 Cor. 3:11).
3. Distorted preaching (2 Tim. 4:2).
a. Applicationless preaching. Preaching generalities wins friends but does not necessarily present every person “perfect in Christ Jesus,” Col. 1:28.
b. Dangerous influences of denominationalism include:
(1) Positivism in the pulpit. The preaching of Jesus, John, Peter, Stephen, Paul, and others identified truth and sin, reproved and rebuked sinners, and pleaded for repentance and obedience (Matt. 15:7-14; Mark 6:17-18; Acts 2:36-40; 7:51-53; Gal. 4:16). We are positively against error and sin! Eliminate the self-serving descriptions of “positive” and “negative” preaching and insist on “sound words” (1 Tim. 6:3).
(2) Unwillingness to identify false doctrine and false teachers, Rom. 16:17-18.
(3) Preaching opinions, experiences, and speculations. Shades of “personal testimonies” infect some pulpits. Heard a preacher (over 25 years ago) say, “Most of what I will say tonight is my own opinion,” 1 Cor. 2:2.
(4) Eloquence over Scripture, 1 Cor. 2:3-5. This can become an invitation to put faith in men, not the Lord (Rom. 4:3). Emphasizing secular education over faith (Acts 4:13).
4. Unity in moral and doctrinal diversity, Gal. 1:8-9; 2 John 9-11 (Eph. 5:11; 4:3). cf. The progressive church movement.
a. Denominational ecumenism has infected brethren with a broader fellowship, agreeing to disagree over issues of revealed truth.
b. Romans 14 has been the battleground to assert “the right of brethren to differ in matters of ‘faith’” and, thus, to disagree “in matters of considerable moral and doctrinal import” without forfeiting fellowship (Harrell, The Bounds of Christian Unity, Parts 3, 4). MDR was the initial salvo, but it did not end there. The length of the days of creation, social drinking and dancing, immodest clothing, and more are now tolerated by many under the same license of personal, subjective faith.
c. Gospel truth has become an academic endeavor without application and devoid of warnings against endangering error! Gal. 1:6-10 [After all, “everyone is off on something,” and “nobody is 100% doctrinally pure.”]
5. Direct, personal guidance from God (Heb. 1:2).
a. Claims of direct Holy Spirit intervention (even messages) have been made by some.
b. Internal impulses and external experiences are being assigned to the Holy Spirit personally leading and directing Christians.
c. Claims that God moves, leads, and directs us in extra-biblical ways are subjective and contradict Scripture.
d. “God has a plan for you.” Yes, and He has revealed His plan in the gospel, Phil. 2:12-13.
e. Much for careful study of the Holy Spirit and His work is needed to guard against attributing human attitudes and emotions as “promptings of the Spirit of God.”
6. The influences of Calvinism.
a. The balanced truth of grace-faith-works is upended by T-U-L-I-P.
b. Consistent consumption of Calvinist authors (Charles Swindoll, Charles Stanley, John MacArthur, Max Lucado, and many others) will distort one’s knowledge and discernment of truth. False gospels pervert God’s grace, Gal. 1:6-7.
c. God’s grace does not tolerate (much less accept) error, Rom. 6:1.
d. Grace does not replace or remove repentance, Acts 17:30.
e. We understand we do not have an inherent “sin nature” because we are human, Rom. 5:12. Yet, we hear Christians say, “I’m only human” when confronted with sin (1 John 2:1).
f. The
righteousness of Christ is not imputed to sinners. One preacher has said, “God
sees you as holy even though you are not holy” cf. 1
Pet. 1:15-16.
g. In misapplying Romans 10:3, he
said, “God does not see you as you are, but as He is.” No, God sees your “faith
is accounted for righteousness,” Rom. 4:5-6.
h. Calvinism’s perseverance of the saints (impossibility of apostasy) rears its head in the “continuous cleansing” abuse of 1 John 1:8-10. Cleansing is continually available when we walk in the light and confess, repent, and pray for forgiveness).
C. How Christians and Churches Can Guard Against Denominational Influences.
1. Take personal responsibility.
a. To grow in knowledge and discernment, to use the Scriptures to know good and evil.
b. Keep growing in grace and knowledge, 2 Pet. 3:18 (17).
c. To test what we are taught, 1 John 4:1 (6); Acts 17:11.
2. Be watchful. 1 Cor. 16:13. Give and accept Biblical correction with gentleness and love (2 Tim. 2:24-26).
3. Demand gospel preaching that makes applications, 2 Cor. 10:3-5; Acts 20:20, 27. (Includes preaching the gospel invitation.)
4. Expose error and give it no quarter, Eph. 5:11 (2 Cor. 6:14-16; 11:4).
5. Practice corrective discipline, Rom. 16:17; Titus 3:10-11. Discipline is instructive and corrective, a mark of genuine love, and confirms our obedience to Christ (Heb. 12:5-7; 2 Cor. 2:9).
6. Refuse fellowship with the enemies of the cross (truth), Phil. 3:17-19; 2 John 9-11.
Conclusion
1. Many have escaped the clutches of denominational error to be saved in Christ.
2. Some Christians have turned to these corrupt errors, overthrowing faith and condemning souls (theirs and those they take with them), cf. 2 Tim. 2:16-18.
3. Give earnest heed to God’s warning, lest we drift and are lost, Heb. 2:1-3.
By: Joe R. Price
Posted July 5, 2023