Religion: Divine And Human
That denominational churches are filled with both devout and scholarly people is freely granted. But honesty and scholarship are not standards. For Christ personally taught that worship to God to be acceptable must be not only sincere but according to the specific actions of truth. (John 4:24) He also taught that worship founded on human doctrines was vain. (Matt. 15:9) Hence, the final test of worship acceptable to God is what Christ says, and not what seems good to us.
Points Of Difference
Denominational religion differs in all essential points from the New Testament Church 1. In Origin
The Church recorded in the New Testament was of Divine conception and origin, being built by Jesus Christ (Matt. 16:18), as the Spirit carried out His authority (John 16:13; Matt. 28:18), working through the preaching of the apostles. (Acts 2) Centuries later the human denominations were created gradually, strictly as the products of human ideas.
2. In Creed
Men of God — hence, members of His church — are "completely furnished unto every good work" by the "scripture inspired of God." (II Tim. 3:16-17) Thus, the scriptures of God constitute the creed, discipline, and manual, of His Church. On the other hand, the whole framework of denominationalism rests upon creeds and disciplines written by uninspired men. These interpretations and rules are in addition to the scriptures which God furnished. But the passage above alluded to affirms that God's men are furnished completely by the scriptures. The very existence of denominational creeds denies that scriptural statement. Men thereby say, "We are not furnished completely by the scriptures." Therein is a fundamental and radical difference in the two systems.
3. In the Laws of Entrance.
Men became members of Christ's Church by faith in Christ (Rom. 10:10), repentance (II Cor. 7:10), confession of Christ (Rom. 10:10), and baptism into Christ (Rom. 6:3). Upon such obedience, they joined nothing, but were added by the Lord to His Church. (Acts 2:41-47) But denominations teach the doctrine of Salvation by faith in Christ and that men then join such, all of them having different laws for the joining. Here is revealed a manifest difference in the Divine and human entrance requirements.
4. In Duration.
Christ said the gates of Hades should not prevail against His Church. (Matt. 16:18) That Church was referred to in Heb. 12:28 as the "kingdom which cannot be shaken." But denominations will be destroyed. They were not planted by the Lord, but admittedly by men, and will, therefore, "be rooted up." (Matt. 15:13)
5. In The Name
Christ's Church wore and now wears only Divinely authorized names. Denominations wear humanly conceived names of party brand. We are told to "do all in the name of the Lord" (Col. 3:17), but the various sects differ in that they operate in sectarian names.
6. In Legislation.
A final difference is in the fact that the New Testament Church recognizes no head but Christ, legislating through His own word. Party churches look to human heads for laws, interpretations, and government, Christ being "head over all things to the church" (Eph. 1:22-23) there is no room left for other heads. Now, since denominational churches differ from the Church of our Lord in origin, creed, laws of entrance, duration, names, and headship, it follows that such a system of religion is in competition with Jehovah's system in practical effects. Such a state of affairs necessarily labels denominationalism as sinful merely on the ground of being different from the Lord's system.
Sinful Systems
Denominational religion is sinful because:
1. It Causes Division.
The very existence of the different religious parties proves the point of division. The Lord's creed, in Rom. 16:17, tells us not only to mark those that cause division, but also to "turn away from them." Though good people are led to believe that denominationalism is proper, on the other hand Christ prayed for utiy. (John 17:20-21) Any system which tends to defeat that Divine prayer is manifestly and necessarily sinful.
2. It Causes Unbelief.
In John 17:20-21 Christ clearly explained why He prayed for unity — "that the world may believe that thou didst send me." Thus, if unity promotes belief, division produces the opposite effect — unbelief. Since denominationalism is actual division, it causes unbelief and infidelity.
3. It Hinders Progress.
The Lord said: "Every city or house divided against itself shall not stand." (Matt. 12:25) The Christ simply states a truth of life that has always been true — division causes any group of society to falter in its progress. If the denominations propose to represent the cause of Jesus Christ, their representation in a divided state hinders the very cause they propose to promote. Surely any system thus hindering the Kings' cause is sinful.
4. It Separates Man From God.
How could a system with the professedly noble aim of serving Christ have such a terrible effect? Here is the answer. It must be conceded that denominationalism is outside of, in addition to, and opposed to the teaching and will of Christ. As a system it goes beyond the teachings of Christ — being unauthorized, causing the very evils He prayed against: division and infidelity. The Book says, in II John 9, "whosoever goeth onward and abideth not in the teaching of Christ, hath not God." Hence, it logically follows that the man who seeks to serve God in such a system does not have God — separates himself from God by being in something that "goes beyond."
These two systems of religion — Divine and human — are thus spread out clearly before you. You can solve the problem so far as you are concerned by getting out of the human system and entering the Divine on its stated terms. Many good people are unknowingly living in open rebellion to God's plan.
— GOSPEL GUARDIAN, Feb. 1936