by Keith Sharp
Introduction
When people ask me what I am religiously, I usually reply, “I’m just a Christian; I’m not a member of any denomination.” Some think I mean I am not a member of any church. But I am a member of the church Jesus built.
When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’ So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it’ (Matthew 16:13-18).
Well, isn’t that the denomination I belong to? What is the church Jesus built?
Denominationalism
The word “denomination” is not found in the Bible. However, the New Testament mentions denominations a number of times under a different name. The Jews in the days of the Lord and His apostles were divided into “sects.” “Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation” (Acts 5:17). “But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, ‘It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses’” (Acts 15:5). A “sect” is “a division or group based upon different doctrinal opinions and/or loyalties” (Louw & Nida. Lexical Semantics of the Greek New Testament. 11.50).
The sects of the Jews wore party names as a show of sectarian loyalty. As Paul addressed the Jewish council, “a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees; and the assembly was divided. For Sadducees say that there is no resurrection–and no angel or spirit; but the Pharisees confess both” (Acts 23:7-8).
Both the Pharisees and Sadducees bound doctrines unknown to the Scriptures as tests of membership in their sects. Christ rebuked the Pharisees, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? (Matthew 15:3). The Sadducees denied spirit beings and the resurrection (Acts 23:8).
They even considered Christians a sect of Judaism. Thus Tertullus called the apostle Paul, “a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). The Jews in Jerusalem said of the church, “concerning this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere” (Acts 28:22). The Jews derisively called Christians “Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). Paul implied Christians were not a sect. He informed Felix, the Roman governor, “But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets” (Acts 24:14).
The same Greek word rendered “sect” is also translated “factions.” “For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you” (1 Corinthians 11:19).
The word primarily means
a choosing, choice…; then, that which is chosen, and hence, an opinion, especially a self-willed opinion, which is substituted for submission to the power of truth, and leads to division and the formation of sects…. (W.E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. 2:217).
Everyone has opinions, things he thinks are true but cannot prove by the Bible. If he treats his opinions as if they were divine revelation, by teaching them as divine truth and/or insisting that others follow them, he becomes divisive and must be rejected. “Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition” (Titus 3:10).
Creeds
The various denominations have creeds developed by uninspired men. A “creed” is
“a brief authoritative doctrinal formula … intended to define what is held by a Christian congregation, synod, or church to be true and essential and exclude what is held to be false belief.” (Webster. Third New International Dictionary, unabridged. 533).
Thus, denominations follow the doctrines of men, human opinions, rather than the Word of God. We must neither add to nor subtract from the Bible as the authoritative guide for God’s people.
For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book (Revelation 22:18-19).
The only creed we may accept is the Bible.
The Bible only and only the Bible produces Christians only and only Christians. Both in the natural and spiritual realms, each seed produces after its own kind.
Then God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth’; and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good (Genesis 1:11-12).
The gospel is the spiritual seed sown in human hearts.
Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:22-23).
That seed only produced Christians.
And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11:26).
One will simply harvest Christians, if he teaches only the word of God, the “incorruptible” seed. The seed of the kingdom will no more produce the various denominations than seed corn will produce soy beans. The church Jesus built has no human creed.
Sectarianism
Furthermore, we must not be guilty of sectarian loyalty as reflected by party names.
Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. Now I say this, that each of you says, ‘I am of Paul,’ or ‘I am of Apollos,’ or ‘I am of Cephas,’ or ‘I am of Christ.’ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:10-13).
As individuals, we may be called “believers.” “And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5:14). We may be called “disciples.” “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest” (Acts 9:1). We could be called “saints.” “Then Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem’” (Acts 9:13). We may be called “Christians.” “And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (Acts 11:25-26). We could simply be called “members ” “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually” (1 Corinthians 12:27).
As a group, whether local or universal, we may be called “the church.” Saul “made havoc of the church” (Acts 8:3). We could be termed “the Way.”
Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem (Acts 9:1-2).
We might be called the church of Christ. “Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you” (Romans 16:16). Or we could be called “the church of God.” Paul wrote “to the church of God which is sat Corinth” (1 Corinthians 1:2). We might be termed “the church of the living God.”
These things I write to you, though I hope to come to you shortly; but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:14-15).
Or we could be called “the general assembly and church of the firstborn” (Hebrews 12:22-23). All these names are used to include all scripturally baptized believers in their relationship to Christ and God.
If we have loyalty to a religious party, a group larger than a local church and smaller than the universal body of the saved, we are denominational. This party loyalty is reflected by party names. Sectarian names include the various denominational names (Catholic, Episcopal, Presbyterian, etc.) but also names of less formal parties (Conservative, Liberal, etc.). We can also show sectarianism by insisting on only one divinely authorized name for God’s people, whether as individuals or as a group, to the exclusion of others. Those who claimed, “I am of Christ,” were also a party (1 Corinthians 1:12).
The church the Lord built has no human creed and no sectarian name. It is neither a denomination nor is it composed of denominations.
Body of Christ
The inspired apostle Paul described the church in its relationship to Christ as “His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23). The church of Christ is the spiritual body of Christ, and Christ is the spiritual Head of His church.
Christ is the Christian’s fullness, the One who supplies all our spiritual needs. “For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell” (Colossians 1:19).
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority (Colossians 2:8-10, English Standard Version).
Even so the church is the fullness of Christ. Anyone in Christ is in His church, and anyone in His church is in Christ. All spiritual blessings are in Christ, is in His church. “And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23). One can no more be in Christ and not be in His church than he could be in a bath tub full of water and not be in the water.
One Body
How many bodies does the Lord have? Paul affirms, “There is one body” (Ephesians 4:4). If there is one body, and the body is the church, how many churches does Jesus have?
The church is the fullness of Christ, and salvation is in Him. “Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory” (2 Timothy 2:10). Thus, all saved people are members of this church.
But, someone objects, “You believe the Church of Christ is what saves!” No, Christ is the only Savior. “Jesus said to him,’”I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’” (John 14:6).
But whom does Jesus Christ save? “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body” (Ephesians 5:23). The Lord saves His body, the church. The church is the saved, not the savior.
Another protests, “So you believe I have to join the Church of Christ to be saved!” No, one cannot join the church Jesus built. The Lord adds the saved to the church. “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47).
This does not mean that the church is some exclusive club that only lets select people in. We invite all to come to Christ and be saved. “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely (Revelation 22:17, King James Version).
It just means the church of the New Testament is nondenominational. Denominations have man made membership requirements, and men determine who may join. But the church of God is composed of all who have accepted Christ by the obedience of faith and have been saved by the gospel. No man or group of men determine its membership. There is no official roll of members on earth. The Lord adds people to His church, the body of the saved, as He saves them, and their names are enrolled in heaven. “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20). “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: ‘The Lord knows those who are His…’” (2 Timothy 2:19).
Definition of Church
The church Jesus built, then, is simply the assembly of people called out of the world into fellowship with God. The church is the spiritual assembly of God’s people, “the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven” (Hebrews 12:23). It is composed of those who have responded to the gospel call, for He “called you by our gospel” (2 Thessalonians 2:14). Its members have forsaken the fellowship of the world and its sin.
Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.’ ‘I will be a father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty’ (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).
They have been brought into fellowship with God. “That which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3).
Conclusion
I do not ask anyone to join a denomination, accept a human creed, or wear a sectarian name. I plead with people to avoid all these sinful practices. I simply implore all people to believe and obey the gospel, that the Lord might add them to His body, the church, for only in Christ, in His body, the church, is salvation found. Have you done this? If not, why not?
