The Truth in Print Vol. 21 Issue 7, Aug. 2015
A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,
2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)
Website
Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com
Human Creeds and Unity in
Diversity
The below article by the church appeared in
The Sun, Saturday, July 18, 2015. Some
immediately saw the point and said so — that being that the entire New
Testament is the standard of “sound doctrine” to be taught and contended for by
churches of Christ. Please take time to
read this.
Unity In Diversity Is the Great Lie!
The stock answer opposing “sound
doctrine” (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2-3, Jude 3) has for centuries been that differences
which divide the various denominations are not fundamental, and the articles of
faith in which they agree are more numerous than those in which they disagree.
This lie says unity cannot be solved by returning to the New Testament doctrine
for teaching, worship, and the organization and work of the local church. But
this is exactly what God says we are to do. You find “sound doctrine” in the
New Testament scriptures given for all time. Members at Philippi were to strive
together for the faith (Phil. 1:27) --- “the faith” is the entire New Testament
teaching (Jude 3). Paul did not shun to teach the whole counsel of God to the
church at Ephesus (Acts 20:27). Preachers are to speak the things that befit
sound doctrine (Titus 2:1). This is why epistles sent to one church were read
in other churches (Col. 2:16; I Th. 5:22, 27; Rev. 2:7, 11, etc.).
Liars want all to believe this is not
possible, but it is (I Cor. 1:10). We must all go back to the New Testament,
the one standard of Truth, in order to be right in the teaching, worship, organization
and work of the local church. When true Christians stand up in the community
and condemn false teachers, fight error, and state the one standard of truth is
the entire New Testament -- then the liars shout, “That’s a spirit of bigotry
and exclusiveness!” Liars admit via false charges that their hypocritical
“love” standard goes against sound doctrine (I Jo. 2:4-5). Visit with us and
hear this Lie exposed.
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Unity in diversity as seen by Philip Schaff:
Protestantism And Denominationalism — Philip Schaff ~ History Of The Christian Church Vols. 1-7, Vol. 7
pg. 49-50 (1910)
Most
Protestants are not aware of just how old the convenience of the “unity in
diversity” doctrine is among known scholars. Here is an example and note the
above date for Schaff’s work. He says as I divide
these for emphasis:
Schaff: “Division is an element of weakness in attacking a
consolidated foe, but it also multiplies the missionary, educational, and
converting agencies. Every Protestant denomination has its own field of
usefulness, and the cause of Christianity itself would be seriously weakened
and contracted by the extinction of any one of them.”
Notice here how
“pro division” this really is; it is beneficial to scholars to advocate
division with such glowing terms. Most individuals don’t see that this is a lie
against the truth of the scriptures!
Schaff: “Nor should we overlook the important fact that the
differences which divide the various Protestant denominations are not
fundamental, and that the articles of faith in which they agree are more
numerous than those in which they disagree.”
This stock
answer that has been around for such a long time (Schaff’s
work is dated 1910) is just another lie often used rather than taking a stand
in all the New Testament teaches. In the New Testament “sound doctrine” (2 Tim.
4:3-4) and “the faith” (Jude 3) is the entire New Testament teaching as a basis for fellowship— see I Jo.
1:7; Acts 20:26-32. Schaff’s nonsense is where
the desire for interdenominational fellowship comes from.
Now see how Schaff ties his “unity in diversity falsehood” to the
writing of human creeds. Unity in
diversity has always had its roots in the writing of human creeds — the creed
says believe this and leave the rest of the teaching, the organization, the
worship and work of the local church up to us. We’ll take care of the rest for
you! This is why so many human societies and churches give a few select
doctrines generally believed as their statements of faith — things like the
deity of God.
Schaff: “All accept the inspired Scriptures as the supreme
rule of faith and practice, salvation by grace, and we may say every article of
the Apostles’ Creed; while in their views of practical Christianity they
unanimously teach that our duties are comprehended in the royal law of love to
God and to our fellow-men, and that true piety and virtue consist in the
imitation of the example of Christ, the Lord and Saviour
of all. There is then unity in diversity as well as diversity in unity.”
First, all do
not accept the New Testament scriptures as a complete rule to follow in faith
and practice. Many have gone far beyond New Testament teaching as regards the
worship, organization and work of the local church. Secondly, this is a
hypocritical standard for “love” that goes against sound doctrine; just refer
to articles of a human creed, and then pick your favorite passage usually about
love (James 2:8 is a favorite in this venue of falsehood) — then conclude that
there is unity for all regardless of the contradictions in their doctrines and
practices without settling this with the Word (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Thirdly, this
overlooks the practical lessons on Bible love. Love is keeping Christ’s
commands — all of them (Jo. 14:15, 15:10, 2 Jo. 9). John tells us the liar is
the one who says otherwise (I Jo. 2:3-5). Moreover, by keeping them all we know
that we also love the children of God (I Jo. 5:2-3).
Unity can’t be solved by returning to a uniformity of belief and
outward organization (Schaff, ibid.)
Schaff: “And the tendency to separation and division is
counteracted by the opposite tendency to Christian union and denominational
intercommunion which manifests itself in a rising degree and in various forms
among Protestants of the present day…The spirit of narrowness, bigotry and
exclusiveness must give way at last to a spirit of evangelical catholicity,
which leaves each denomination free to work out its own mission according to
its special charisma, and equally free to cooperate in a noble rivalry with all
other denominations for the glory of the common Master and the building up of
His Kingdom.”
Do you see this
as it really is? His charge of “narrowness, bigotry and exclusiveness” admits
that his hypocritical standard for love goes against sound doctrine!
Schaff: “The great problem of Christian union cannot be
solved by returning to a uniformity of belief and outward organization.” Look!
He knows there is the New Testament standard to return to. In fact the first
volume of the series in which this appears is titled, “Vol. I, Apostolic
Christianity— A.D. 1-100.” And just why isn’t the truth as
presented by inspiration in the scriptures in the first century good enough!
Schaff: “Diversity in unity and unity in diversity is the
law of God in history as well as in nature. …Every denomination and sect has to
furnish some stone for the building of the temple of God. And out of the
greatest human discord God will bring the richest concord.” This is the great lie of Unity in Diversity.
Each local church has the responsibility of “striving together for the faith of
the Gospel” (Phil. 1:27), not furnish things different than the faith. New
Testament churches did so without human creeds, the control of human
organizations, or belonging to a cluster of churches attached to a hierarchal
organization with demands and man made rules coming
down to the churches from the “top.”
Feel free to contact us for questions or
study.
By Bob Lovelace
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learn more call, visit or visit our website at:
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