Interesting video from James White. A lot of groups who claim that their organization is the "one, true church" organization throw out the "Protestantism has splintered in 33,000 denominations" claim and then suggest that "That is not what Jesus wanted". The implication of course is that unity in Christ must equal conformity to a church organization. Dr. White is specifically dealing with Roman Catholicism here, but it also applies to mormonism and other, smaller groups claiming the mantle of "one, true Church".
It is hardly preferable to have one, authoritarian unBiblical organization with heretical practice and doctrines in place of a bunch of smaller groups that at least get the Gospel right (in some cases) and need work on their ecclesiology. Replacing some minor errors with a bunch of huge ones is not an improvement! Whenever someone starts off with a defense of their organization as being the only true organization, that should be a warning to you that some is awry!
I would say that those Dr. White refutes in this video are correct in one respect. I don't think that the various and sundry competing Protestant denominational organizations are what Christ instituted or the New Testament shows us by example. But until we shed our "my organization is better than you organization" mantra, we will have a hard time seeing the Church as it should be: a simple gathering of Christians, whatever the location, who fellowship, pray, break bread and teach one another.
That's interesting. Leads to the discussion of what do we say when people ask us where we go to church? Or what church are you affiliated with? So on and so forth. Micheal Edwards has an interesting post on this very topic...
ReplyDeletehttp://partofthestory.com/on-using-the-word-church
I like what Mike said, that just because so many people have hijacked the word "church" doesn't mean we have to abandon it. kind of like the word "Reformed"...but that is another topic for another day.
ReplyDeleteWell I suppose there is a difference in the essence of the words reformed and church. The argument had is not necessarily usage, but definition. As noted in previous discussions we've had, If reformed is a set of standards A+B+C and only then is it personified, then I am not reformed. Same can be said for the question, where do you go to church? Well, the definition has been equated to a set of standards again A+B+C.
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