Ignorance And Religious Divisions
The right to personal conviction, and the consequent privilege of religious division, are guaranteed in most countries today, No other liberty is more widely utilized. All over the world large and small denominations exist as an expression of religious freedom. Here in West Africa every man has almost become a law unto himself. In case of the slightest difference with the sect of which he is a member, he simply starts a new denomination.
But since the Bible so clearly condemns division, why are there so many parties and sects? Is the Bible so complex that it is the cause of all these differences? Rather, it is ignorance of the Bible that causes most of the division among believers.
Hallelujah Societies
Here in Nigeria many of the denominations, both the old ones and the new ones, are little more than "Hallelujah Societies". The people are not taught the Bible truths. They shout and dance for joy; they blindly follow a preacher in saying the 23rd. Psalm, the "Lord's Prayer" and the "Apostles' Creed". Then they go home after shouting "Hallelujah!" seven times! Indeed, if the blind lead the blind, they will surely fall into the ditch.
In more sophisticated societies the church services are conducted with more pomp and ceremony, but the people still receive very little real Bible instruction. Current events, political propaganda and social education are the principle topics of prominent preachers. Even some brethren think a blackboard is unbecoming on the rostrum but books by Pike and Peale are very suited to the preacher's hand.
But the church must always be a Bible teaching body (I Tim.3:15; Eph. 4:11,12). Let us never be ashamed of a blackboard or a chart or any proper teaching arrangement. If I were designing a meeting house I think I would put more emphasis upon a blackboard than upon a baptistry. We will manage to get the people baptized if we can just get them taught!
Misplaced Emphasis
Some brethren place more emphasis upon culture and refinement than on "what is written". I heard a gospel (?) preacher in America speak to a large, educated crowd on "The Hound Of Heaven." Not a word was misplaced. No sentence was awkwardly arranged. Pronunciation and enunciation were virtually perfect. But that large crowd went home with empty minds unless they had already been filled before from a more edifying source. Not even a verse of scripture lingered in my mind as a result of the sermon that day. In fact the only verse that would have been suited as a remembrance of that day would have been I Cor. 14:38--"If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant".
The Teaching Preacher
In some sermons we exhort, in others we reprove, but in every sermon we ought to teach. To do this, we must study, learning more truth, re-learning other truth, but always searching for all truth. We must even dare to speak a previously unrecognized truth, but we must also be willing to repeat--to say over and over again those same old principles of righteousness. A preacher is in grave danger who always insists he must have "fresh" material in his sermon. Of course we may need to change our illustrations and re-arrange our material, but those who insist upon "fresh" messages should watch lest their lessons also be false--and if not actually false, at least flat (empty).
Gospel preachers must teach the people what the Bible says and how to understand its meaning. We must urge them to respect the full authority of the Word and we must warn against speculation and addition. Any people can be united and divisions could be eliminated if all people will:
(1) Know the Word
(2) Understand the Word
(3) Respect the Word
(4) Refuse to speculate
(5) And decline additions Paul warned that people would "Turn away their ears from the truth" (2 Tim. 4:4), and he urged, "Preach the Word". There is no substitute! Preaching alone won't do. Only the preaching of the pure gospel will avail. Pleasant sayings for "itching ears" will not prick evil hearts or edify lazy minds. Neither the loud but vain "hallelujah" in Africa, nor the cultured but empty "Hound Of Heaven" in America will replace the old-fashioned gospel story when it is told in words that are made significant only because of their simplicity, sincerity and soundness.