UNION, TRUE AND FALSE

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 12, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 19.

UNION, TRUE AND FALSE.

The New York Voice, referring to the departure of Professors Briggs, McGiffert, and Shields from the Presbyterian to the Protestant Episcopal fold, without announcing any change of doctrinal views, remarks that “denominational fences do not seem to be in the best possible condition, if we are to judge by the ease with which offended ministers leave one field and go to another.” The Voice further says:—

The Episcopalians are just now discussing, furthermore, a change in the name of their church, the name American Catholic Church seeming to be, of suggested new names, the favorite one. The Independent, commending this name, even intimates that under it the church might even hope to gather all the Christians of America in time to come. Rev. Dr. Parkhurst, in a recent article, declares that denominationalism is “false to Christianity,” and calls, as so many before him have called, for a union of all branches of Christ’s professed followers around the one point of personal fealty to Him. The subject is one of perennial discussion. Yet, despite the very general feeling that the present divisions among the churches are dishonoring to God, the organic division is, if we are not mistaken, increasing rather than diminishing, and every decade finds us with more rather than fewer sects. Why is it?

To this the Voice has no positive reply. It suggests various things, but gives no evidence to show that the writer has any positive convictions drawn from a scriptural basis. The Voice thus concludes:—

There is no hope that the future will see us all thinking alike, and feeling alike, and acting alike on matters that pertain to religion. If we are ever to come together in one church body, there are but two ways to attain that end. One is by retracing our steps and receding to the days of the childhood of the race; and the other way is by advancing, allowing every individual full freedom in choosing his own creed and in changing it, but finding some bond of union other than that of uniformity in creed. Unless such a bond of union can be discovered, the dream of the anti-denominationalists will remain a mirage.

The latter will be found in a world-wide confederacy over some extra-biblical doctrine, like the pago-papal Sunday. This is false union, union of selfish interests. Such a union will be a federation of churches, but not a union of individuals.

The only true basis of union, Christian union, is Jesus Christ—not Jesus Christ merely as a man, nor as a sufficient Sacrifice, nor as the world’s rightful King, but Jesus Christ as “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Yielding all to Him and His Word makes us one with Him.

This is the union which men are to seek—oneness with Christ. This is primary and essential. When two are thus united to Christ, they are united to each other, and Christ, “the Way, the Truth, and the Life,” forms the bond of union. It is thus set forth by our Lord, who prayed: “That they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us. . . . I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one.” John 17:21–23.

Union, oneness, between denominations or men will never come by seeking that primarily. There can be no true lasting union among men or sects apart from individual union with Christ. That means the utter abolition of human rules, creeds, and doctrines, and the acceptance of the Word of God.