That They May All Be One
Edward Fudge True Basis Of Unity
The statement that even the plainest New Testament teachings are the basis of unity must be questioned when one thinks in terms of spiritual allegiance and relationship. Note this statement from J. Z. Tyler, who asked:
Is it strictly true that the Bible is the basis upon which we are to unite? Would it not be much nearer the truth, yea, would it not be the exact truth, were we to say that we are to unite around Christ and in him? And does not the New Testament teach that in this union there may still be harmonious variety? As when from the circumference of a circle we advance along its radii toward its center, we must come nearer and nearer together, so must we, as Christians, come nearer each other, as, from our remote positions, we come nearer and nearer to Christ, the center of the spiritual kingdom.
This had been one point of emphasis even with the Campbells. In Christianity Restored, one finds that Alexander Campbell advocated "faith in Jesus as the true Messiah, and obedience to him as our Lawgiver and King, the only test of christian character, and the only bond of christian union, communion, and co-operation; irrespective of all creeds, opinions, commandments, and traditions of men."
Perhaps because of his excellency as a writer, Isaac Errett is better recorded today than some of his fellows. His statements on this theme include the following, which may be taken as indicative of a sizeable group of restorationists of his day.
With us, the Divinity and Christhood of Jesus is more than a mere item of doctrine — It is the central truth of the Christian system, and in an important sense the Creed of Christianity.
Faith in the unequivocal testimonies concerning Jesus...and obedience to the plain commands he has given us; are with us, therefore, the basis and bond of Christian fellowship.
All who trust in the Son of God and obey Him, are our brethren, however wrong they may be about anything else; and those who do not trust this Divine Savior for salvation and obey his commandments, are not our brethren, however intelligent and excellent they may be in all beside.
James C. Creel also put his emphasis on Christ, and we have already seen that he strongly advocated a "thus saith the Lord" for religious practices. Yet in all this he proposed that not anything...be made a test of Christian fellowship and communication and co-operation, but faith in Christ and obedience to Him in all things."
[The fact that men such as Creel held strongly to this view while insisting strongly on obedience to all the words of Scripture says something to a present and past controversy, i.e. the so-called Man versus Plan. The very fact that such a controversy exists shows that we have manufactured an unscriptural distinction between Christ and His teachings. And it suggests that we have wandered from a Biblical emphasis whenever preaching or teaching on the centrality of Christ brings forth heated response in the form of fear for the "church."]
If truth is truth, then truth can stand investigation, viewing from any side or position, and even a little bouncing around in the process of examination. If we are not guilty of misplacing emphasis, why are we so upset when someone suggests that perhaps we have erred here?
Essentials, Unity And Christianity
What does it mean to be a Christian? These pioneers would say it meant to be under the authority of Christ; it meant to be in unity with all other Christians; it meant that doing and believing of the absolute essentials. Or, to state it the other way, to do and believe whatever is necessary for salvation is all that is necessary to be a Christian or to have a basis for unity with other Christians. The pioneers left far more room for individual judgment or opinion than we are prone to do today.
J. S. Lamar presented the case of the Philippian jailor as illustrative of his concept.
The Philippian jailor had never seen a Bible — the few words of the Lord which he heard and received on that memorable night made him a Christian. It is possible to conceive that he never enjoyed the benefit and blessing of additional instruction. And yet, if faithful to the light originally imparted to him, and the covenant into which he then entered, it is evident that he lived and died a Christian.
Imperfect he certainly would have been,... but still a Christian. He had received Jesus Christ the Lord. His heart had bowed in loving allegiance to Him, and his life had been devoted in voluntary and unqualified submission to His authority. This was all. But this embraced everything that was absolutely essential.
It is right to emphasize the teaching of the New Testament Scriptures in dealing with the matter of unity. But any time one by this neglects or overlooks Christ's role as the true unifying element of Christianity, he soon finds himself in creed-making. Emphasis on Christ puts the emphasis on doing. And though proper beliefs are essential in many respects, one must always remember that even here, "faith without works is dead."
W. T. Moore must have had this in mind when he said:
It is well...that we are...beginning to seek for' practical channels through which to display our energies, instead of in theological hairsplitting, which serves only to confuse thought rather than clarify it, to hinder Christian unity rather than foster it.
And many Christians today, confused and perhaps even discouraged by much of the "hair-splitting" which has tended too often to replace "practical channels" of energy release, add a hearty "Amen."
It is very difficult for men to conceive of Christianity apart from the creeds, traditions, and denominationalism to which they have grown accustomed. Many times the advocate of restoration is tempted to replace written creeds with an unwritten one, and to exchange regular denominationalism for irregular and disorganized denominationalism.
It would be good for all to ponder carefully the challenge contained in these words from the elder Campbell:
It remains now with our brethren to determine upon the whole of these premises, to adopt or to reject, as they see cause; but...let none impeach us...of substituting a vague, indefinite approbation of the holy Scriptures as an alternative for...making the...human standards a term of communion...Nothing can be further from our intention.