Christian Union by R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 16, 1872

Christian Union.

By R. F. Cottrell

NOT A CONFEDERACY OF SECTS.

Not the least prominent sign of our times is the proposed alliance of all the so-called evangelical churches. If they would form a union such as the word of God requires, they would give up their errors and unite in the truth. They say they cannot see things alike. They cannot, because the carnal mind rules and will not give up traditional errors for the truth. It is a slander upon the Bible and its Author, to say that we cannot understand the requirements of the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. It is all false. The blame rests upon men, and not upon God. “Let God be true, and every man a liar.” The commandments say the same thing to all. The difficulty is, men will not let them mean what they say, because they are out of harmony with their traditions and practices.

The sects, well knowing that it is vain to hope that the errors they hold will be given up, each particular party knowing their own unwillingness, propose to form a mere confederacy, letting each one hold all the errors they please; and this, it would seem, is to introduce their fancied millennium of the universal sway of the gospel. Nothing could be more absurd. But such a confederacy fills the idea of many. But what says God to his people concerning it? “Say ye not, a confederacy to all to whom this people shall say, a confederacy.” The people of God have nothing to do with a confederacy of nations or churches. Their only hope is in God. Says the Lord, “Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.” And what besides? “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Take the truth of God as he has himself given it. Heal the breaches which apostasy has made and sin has perpetuated. Restore the seal that has been taken from the law. In a word, take it as it is, and not as false traditions have made it. This is all. Let God himself speak. Hear him; and not tell him what he must mean.

When men will be willing to hear the words of God and do them, there will be no further difficulty of coming to unity. It is the carnal mind, which is not subject to the law of God, that has made divisions and perpetuates them. Says an apostle, “For ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” If Paul’s reasoning is correct, there might be real unity, but for the carnal mind. Says he, “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment.”

Such is the unity which the Lord requires. It might be attained, but for the carnal mind. Hence, a confederacy of sects is a confederacy of carnality. And what is the great object of the proposed confederacy? Civil power. If the object is obtained, civil government, though claiming to be especially Christian, will still be in the hands of carnal men. Carnal men will legislate for God, and religious persecution will be the result.

Let all who love God and his truth keep his word, and stand aloof from the confederacy.

R. F. COTTRELL.