Church of Christ Studies

The Church: It's Identity

I am very glad to-night, my friends, to be honored by your presence and to receive the encouragement that necessarily comes therefrom.

 

In Matt. 16: 18 there is this direct statement on the part of the Savior in response to a confession made by Peter: "Upon this rock I will build my church." I want you to get from that statement just one point especially to-night, and that is the determination on the part of the Savior to build the church, to establish that institution of which he is to be the possessor and the head.

 

In a text to which attention has been called several times (Eph. 5:25, 26) there are these words: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water by the word." That thing spoken of in these passages is not referred to as a church among many of the same kind or sort, but it is spoken of as the church; and so I now want to ask every person in this audience tonight: Are you a member of a church, or are you a member of the church? Which is it, personally and individually, with you? If you are just a member of a church, I think you would have considerable difficulty in finding a thing of that kind in God's book.

 

It is called in the Bible the "church of God," the "pillar and ground of the truth," "God's building," "God's temple," the "household of faith," the "house of God." it is referred to as the "kingdom of God" or the "kingdom of heaven," carrying in every reference the idea of definiteness, oneness, and distinctiveness.

 

I want to ask: Is there such an institution in reality today? Is it a mere matter of fancy, existing only in mind and in our emotional nature; or, as a matter of fact, is the church of the Bible as much a reality as is the government of the United States, the republic of France, or the kingdom of Italy? Does it have a within and a without? Can a man be conscious of the transition and have definite knowledge that he has passed from outside of its pale and influence on to the inside, under the influence and flag and dominion thereof?

 

I suggest to you that it is an actuality—a thing definite, fixed by the God of our being, certainly established for the consideration of the sons and daughters of men. I want to ask you now: Is that institution in existence to-night? According to our Federal report, there are something like two hundred different religious bodies in our land. Now, out of them all, I raise the question for personal investigation and for individual satisfaction: Is there among all that number the institution to which Christ referred when he said: "Upon this rock I will build my church?" it would be a reflection upon this audience if I were to indicate, or even raise the suspicion, that you think all of these two hundred are the one thing mentioned by the Christ. We have so many conflicting institutions, differing in origin, in doctrine, in practice, in form, in ritualistic service, that all of them cannot be that thing mentioned by the Lord himself. But, as a matter of honest investigation, is there such a thing as the church of Christ upon the earth to-night? If so, it is ours to try to find out something about it. Now, it is not the point of this study to find something that resembles the church of Christ. I am not interested in that. I am not trying to find something that is like the church of Christ. I am not trying to find something that is more like it than anything else. That is not the point of my investigation. I simply want to allow: Is the thing itself in existence upon the earth? Can we identify it and be certain of the fact?

 

Now, there is one thing that must be admitted—namely, that during the lifetime of the apostles and in the days of Bible account there was, as a matter of fact, an institution upon this earth known as the church of Christ. Christ was the head of it, the Holy Spirit was the life of it, and God's love was the governing power connected therewith. Christ was its King, and people who were born again, born from above, born of water and of the Spirit, made up the membership thereof.

 

Let me submit to you this very careful statement, and I do hope to-night that you will follow in the study with that degree of interest and unbiased consideration the theme demands. Hear it: Any religious organization whose history is exhausted before you go back to the days of the apostles could not be the church of which Christ Jesus spoke in the text of the hour. If, for instance, in the study tonight of the various religious bodies round about us they cannot trace back and identify themselves with the church of the Bible, they are certainly not the church for which we are looking, not the one planted by Christ.

 

Now, to make clear what I mean, it is necessary for me to be concrete and definite. I want to assure you that in referring to religious bodies I do it with absolutely the kindest and the very best of feeling, with no desire whatever to reflect upon or to discredit any organization under the heavens. Suppose you were to take up the Mormon Church. Let me say that I do not doubt the uprightness of character, the purpose, and the motive of those who compose it. But commencing today-April 11, 1923—the Mormon Church is in existence. I grant that fact. Now, then, as you begin to run back up the stream of time, I want to ask: Can you trace the history of the Mormon Church back and identify it with that institution built by Christ? Well, as a matter of fact, the Mormon Church was in existence twenty-five years ago. There is a history of it written by its friends, as well as allusions to it in the various literature of the world. Go back fifty years, and the Mormon Church and Mormonism still are in existence. Go on back up the line still further until you come to the year 1830, and you there find the origin, the beginning, of Mormonism. Beyond that, in sacred or in profane history, in any kind of reference in all the literature of the world, there is not a trace or a hint, there is not the slightest reference on the face of the earth, to Mormonism or to Joseph Smith, Jr., or to the book based upon the imagination that was wrought in his wonderful, fertile mind. So, then, as a matter of fact, with no unkindness, with nothing discreditable said, with no unfavorable reflections even hinted at, every student of history knows that previous to that date Mormonism—the Mormon doctrine and the Mormon book—was absolutely unknown, unheard of, unthought of by any man in all the world.

 

So, then, with all that you can say about Mormonism, it cannot be the church of Christ, because it was born eighteen hundred years after Christ said: "Upon this rock I will build my church." This was in the year 33. So the difference in time between the establishment of the church of Christ and the Mormon Church is seventeen hundred and ninety-seven years. This is sufficient for any reasonable, sober man to draw the conclusion that certainly the church designated is not that of the Mormons. Mormonism is not the thing contemplated by the Christ when he said: "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it."

 

But the study demands and the thought suggests that others likewise be brought to mind in a fair, honest, sincere investigation. Much more popular than the Mormons are others in this country. Among the membership of these, even among preachers, I am glad to say that I count some of my strongest personal friends. The great Methodist Church, a splendid organization, which has done a great deal of good in the world, boasts of its vast numbers, of its wonderful zeal, and of its great enthusiasm. All of these are admirable traits; but, as a matter of fact, is the Methodist Church the thing that Christ talked about? Is that what he had in mind when he said: "Upon this rock I will build my church?" Now, that great institution, about which I have no unkind personal feeling of any kind whatsoever, is in existence in 1923; it was in existence one hundred years ago; it was in existence one hundred and fifty years ago; and they have written histories of it. I have read the story and the origin as told by the friends of that organization. References to it are to be found in the literature of the last two hundred years. Unfortunately for those who rest their claims upon it, when you drop back to the year 1729, you have traced up the stream of time and have come to the point beyond which the history of the world and references in all kinds of literature to that organization are absolutely unknown and unheard of. Previous to the days of John Wesley, previous to the year 1729, such a thing as Methodism was not and had never been in existence.

 

Is that the church of Christ? it could not be, friends, for this reason—namely, it was born seventeen hundred years out of time. Paul never heard of a Methodist organization. In all candor and before God and the judgment, as you and I must stand and give an account for our deliberations even at this hour, I think you know that Peter never was a member of the Methodist Church in all his life. I think you will agree with me that none of the apostles ever knew anything about such an organization. So, then, friends, when Christ said, "Upon this rock I will build my church," and when he said, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it," he had no reference whatever to the Methodist organization.

 

Now, there isn't anything in these statements to wrangle about, nothing over which to dispute. They are just plain, positive, certain facts, which no man dare deny if he has any regard for his scholarship or his knowledge of historic affairs.

 

Prompted by a desire to learn the truth, let us study another very prominent denomination and organization of people whom I appreciate as citizens and against whom I have nothing unkind to say. I now refer to the great Baptist fraternity of this country. When Christ said, "I will build my church," was it to be a Baptist Church? Every one should know that there is not the slightest reference to such an institution in all the book of God. The Baptist Church is a respectable body of people. Honest and good men are in it. But, as a matter of fact, is the Baptist Church the one built by the Christ? The time was within the memory of man when some Baptists undertook to establish a line of succession back to John; but, for reasons best known to themselves, they have abandoned that effort.

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The Baptist Church is in existence to-night in the city of Nashville, Tenn.; it was in existence one hundred years ago; it was in existence two hundred years ago; it was in existence two hundred and fifty years ago; but now, friends, you are nearing the beginning of the first Baptist Church in all the world known either to the Bible or to profane historians. According to Baptist historians, the first Baptist Church was originated in Holland in the year 1608. The man who thus initiated it was called a "se-baptist" which means a self-baptizer. John Smyth, therefore, baptized himself, Thomas Helwys, and thirty-six others, and hence began the first church. In 1639 Roger Williams, of America, came to believe that none save adults were fit subjects for baptism, and that nothing but immersion met the demands of the Scriptures. Ezekiel Holliman accepted the same idea; and so Williams baptized him, and he, in turn, baptized Williams. Eleven others were then baptized. Thus, at Providence, R. I., was the first Baptist Church in America organized. Back in 1608. such a church is unknown and unheard of in all history, either sacred or profane. In vain will you search the Scriptures to find any reference whatever thereto.

 

Again, you may take the great Presbyterian fraternity, with its learning and influence and its human confession of faith. They are in existence now; but does their history go back unto the days of the apostles and the time when Christ said: "Upon this rock I will build my church?" You can trace them back one hundred years, two hundred years, three hundred years, and three hundred and fifty years; but when you get back to John Calvin (1535), you are at the fountain head of the doctrine and of that church. Back of John Calvin, previous to his time, there was never known such a thing to exist as the Presbyterian Church. Previous to Calvin's day there is no reference to it, neither in the Bible nor out of the Bible. The world never heard of a Presbyterian Church before 1535. Now, if this is not true, there is somebody in Nashville that knows it. Let him publish when it was, and I will suffer any exposure that may come. So, then, friends, when Christ said, "Upon this rock I will build my church" was he talking about something that was born fifteen hundred years after that time and about which there is not the shadow of a hint in all the book of God? As Paul said to the Galatians: "Brethren, friends, fellow citizens, am I become your enemy because I tell you the facts about these things?

 

Let me now refer to the Episcopal Church characterized by many of the finest citizens of earth, whose lives are up right, honorable, and splendid in all their relationships toward their fellows. The Episcopal Church is in existence now. You can trace it back up the stream of time to the days of Henry VIII, but back of him no such organization was ever known. There is the origin and the genesis, according to the plain facts of history.

 

But you ask, my friends: "What about the great papacy, the Church of Rome?" This organization, incorrectly known as the "Catholic Church" better known as the "Church of Rome" or the "Church of the Papacy," differs from an those others about which I have been talking. it has a distinct history for a thousand—yea, for twelve hundred-years before denominations were born. On every continent where it has gained a footing its history is as separate and distinct as is the history of England or of France or of Germany or of any other country. But as you trace back up the stream of time, the further you go, the dimmer becomes the historic features of the Roman hierarchy, until by and by, when you pass the fifth century A.D., you begin to lose sight of any reference thereto. Popes, cardinals, bishops, and priests are lost, and soon you are at the first council ever held. Back of 325 there is no council; back of that there is no pope; behind that there is no cardinal nor any of the ecclesiastical dignitaries that are eminent in connection with that organization.

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But as Catholicism fades away, grows dim and obscure, brighter and brighter becomes the path of the church founded by Christ and bought with his blood; and when in the backward trend Catholicism is absolutely unknown, there looms up on the pages of profane as well as sacred history this organization known as the "church of God," the "church of Christ."

 

But, my friends, let us take it from another point of view. The church of Christ was established in the year 33 and organized in the city of Jerusalem. Now, any religious body founded at any other time or at any other place or by any other person could not be the one designated se the church of Christ. 

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To illustrate, the Mormon Church was organized in 1830, in Illinois, by Joe Smith, Jr. This was a long time after Pentecost and a long way from Palestine and from Jerusalem. it could not, therefore, be the church of Christ, because it was founded by the wrong person, set up at the wrong time, and established at the wrong place.

 

The great Methodist Church of which I have spoken according to its friends and according to Bishop McTyeire's history, was founded by John Wesley, together with three other young men, in the year 1729, in the country of England. It could not, therefore, be the church of Christ.

 

Thus it is with all the other religious organizations originating with man.

 

The church of the New Testament Scriptures was governed purely and solely by God's law. I think nobody would question that. But those denominations to which reference has been made are governed, guided, and controlled by creeds, disciplines, and rules not found in the book of God. As a matter of fact, the Methodist Church is governed tonight by its episcopal form of government, according to its "Discipline," all of which is man-made and of human origin. The Presbyterian Church is governed by its synod, by its diocese, by its general assembly, and by the rules laid down in the "Confession of Faith," written out, compiled, and legislated by uninspired men. The Episcopal Church is governed and guided by the prayer book and the rules laid down therein.

 

But the church founded by the Christ of which the apostles and early disciples were members was guided, governed, and controlled wholly by the Bible, God's spiritual law and God's inspired ritual.​

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And, again, the church of the Bible was not governed by any council, assembly, synod, or conference. Each congregation, with the Bible as its guide, is an independent body.

 

But, my friends, I want to ask this very practical question: How can you and I know something definite, absolutely and positively certain, regarding the church founded by the Christ? Its history cannot be traced to Pentecost. A line of succession cannot be found. What is our hope? Let me answer that there is but one hope, and that is as to whether or not we have in our midst that which, when planted in the hearts of men, will produce a crop, not somewhat like, not resembling, but identical with, the crop produced in apostolic days.

 

Ever since God bade the earth to bring forth trees yielding seed after their kind, all vegetation and crops have come from the sowing of seeds. Our Lord once said that the word of God is the seed of the kingdom. The apostles were bidden to go into all the world and preach the gospel—sow the seed. Let us ask: What was the product from this sowing? Men and women became Christians. Churches were built up and set in order. In this matter the apostles sowed the seed, literally preached the gospel; the people heard it, believed it, and obeyed it; and the Lord added them to the church. Is that same church to-day in existence? I care not if we cannot trace its history. I am not especially interested in its history. I am after its identity. Can we identify it?

 

Seeds buried in the earth for a thousand years have been brought to light, and, when planted, produced a crop as well as if they had been last year's seed. They brought forth their kind, which was in all respects identical with the original. The word of God—the seed of the kingdom—lay buried for hundreds of years under the rubbish of popery and denominationalism; but it was finally dug up, planted into "good and honest hearts," and resulted in turning them to the Lord, adding them to the one body. They are, therefore, the same kind of product as came from the same seed when planted by the apostles. Seeds of red clover have been covered under the earth for a number of years, during which time other crops have been grown and harvested; but in the course of time these clover seeds have been brought to the surface and produce a bountiful crop. The farmer at once identifies this crop as red clover, exactly like the crop years before. it matters not to him where the seed have been nor what they have been doing. He cares nothing about their history. He knows the crop is the same, and with that he is content.

 

Friends, just as certain as it is that we have the same seed used by the apostles, we can have the same product and the same church. No one will deny that we have the same soil—"good and honest hearts." The crop produced then was Christians. The seed, the word of God, did not and will not produce Mormons, Methodists, Baptists, Presbyterians, or Campbellite. These must come from other plantings. Let us cut loose from all such and stand on the original ground.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, if you will take God at his word, believe what he says, become and be what he requires, live as he directs, it will make you happy upon the earth and permit you to stand among the redeemed in the sweet by and by.