WILL “RECONCILIATION” ATTEMPTS
BRING TRUE UNITY?
At the beginning of April the Associated Press ran an article under
the title,“Churches Mulling Healing Schism.” This article speaks of reports
of a “possible reconciliation” between what it calls churches of Christ
(acapella)
and Independent Christian Churches (instrumental). That the Associated
Press is reporting such is not surprising since this year marks the centennial
of the recognition of two separate religious groups by the United
States Census. Further, there have been, and are plans for meetings,
this year between some churches known as Churches of Christ and members
of same together with some from the Independent Christian Church (two of
these being the Abilene Christian University Lectures and the Tulsa Workshop).
Many of these meetings include speakers from both groups of churches in
efforts that are claimed to be for the purpose of seeking “reconciliation.”
A book has been published under the title “Together Again Restoring Unity
in Christ after a Century of Separation.” On the website of the publishers,
Leafwood Publishers (incidentally, the publishers are
clearly associated with Abilene Christian University as checking
the “element properties of the web site shows - http://bibleacu.com/leafwood/catalog.asp
). On that web site, the publishers state, “Time for a Family Reunion.
2006 is the centennial of the official separation of Churches of Christ
and Christian Churches. Rick Atchley and Bob Russell mark this milestone
with a resounding call to renew our unity in Christ. After a century of
division, it's time for a Family Reunion. Time to put aside differences
and work as one to accomplish Christ's mission to save a lost world.” Rick
Atchley is the preacher for the Richland Hills Church of Christ in Fort
Worth, TX and Bob Russell is the preacher for the Southeast Christian Church
in Louisville, KY. I am not opposed to unity among brethren, indeed, no
faithful member of the Lord’s church can be opposed to unity. Our Lord
prayed for it (John 17:20-23), Paul pleaded for it (Ephesians 4:1-6). In
the long ago, the Psalmist said, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it
is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm. 133:1). However, when
it comes to “reconciliation,” as is promoted by those involved in these
current efforts, by the putting “aside of differences, I must oppose such
efforts for they are not the unity for which our Lord prayed and for which
Paul pleaded. They are simply efforts to compromise the truth. Note, they
desire to “put aside differences.” How can that
be accomplished? Their response is basically “agreeing to disagree”
over the issues that divide. What are those issues? The issues that caused
division in the years leading up to 1906 were the formation of the Missionary
Society to do the work of the church and the use of instrumental music
in worship. Both of these are WITHOUT biblical authority. Thus for there
to be unity, it can only come about when those who introduced these unauthorized
elements into the church to repent and cease using them. Only then can
biblical unity be restored.
However, when it comes to 2006, there are more innovations that
have been accepted by those in the Independent Christian Church without
biblical authority. Also, there are those among them that denied the necessity
of baptism for the remission of sins and that hold to the thousand year
reign theories of premillennialism which teaches that the kingdom is still
to be established contrary to the teaching that the kingdom is already
in existence (Colossians 1:13; Revelation 1:9). Further, the church and
the kingdom are used interchangeably in Scripture to refer to the same
thing. Can those that deny that baptism is for the remission of sins or
who deny that we can be in the kingdom today really be our brethren when
they do not teach the truth concerning these matters? As many may know,
in the mid 1960’s I was a member of the Associated Churches of Christ in
Australia, as the Christian Church is known there. The churches with which
I was associated had much in common with the Independent Christian Churches
in the United States. Further, I have kept up with the Independent Christian
Church since that time. As a result, I don’t support, in any way, such
efforts of “reconciliation,” as proposed because they ignore the real problems.
There is a way for unity to be brought about and that is by those who teach
and practice that which does not have biblical authority to repent and
abandon their unauthorized practices and return to the truth that their
forefathers left when they brought in those practices. True unity can only
be had when all submit to the authority of the Lord (Matthew 28:18). That
kind of unity we should pray for and labor in efforts to accomplish it.
Ken Chumbley