ARE YOU A DENOMINATIONALIST?

". . . Let us make us a name . . ." (Genesis 11:4)

The body of Christ has long been plagued by the sectarian spirit and division of denominationalism. Webster, in his 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language, defines denomination as:

"The act of naming . . . A class, society or collection of individuals, called by the same name; as a denomination of christians."

Denomination comes from the word denominate, which is defined by Webster as:

"To name, to give a name or epithet to . . ."

During the current dispensation, God is using the glorious gospel of grace to call out a people unto Himself. Those who respond in faith to His message of Christ's finished cross-work are placed into living union with His Son. God has given this organism a name — the church, the body of Christ.

Throughout the dispensation of grace, many members of Christ's body have failed to fully understand and appreciate their Divine completeness in Christ (Colossians 2:10). They have therefore become dissatisfied with being what and who God made them in Christ. They have sought to establish their own institutions and have given them names of their own choosing.

Such human enterprises have often found acceptability, honor, prestige and respectability before the world. But the question we should ask is, "Does it bring glory to God to rival His organism and name with an organization and name of our own?" Is it not the SON, and the body that is identified with Him, what brings glory to the Father?

Paul wrote:

"But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" (Galatians 6:14).

When asked, "To what church do you belong?" or "Where are you a member?" why do we feel inadequate with simply being members of Christ's body? Why do we feel the need to go beyond what God has done? Are we ashamed of only being identified with what He has done, and is doing with the church, the body of Christ?

"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."

Why is it that we always believe the "the other guys" are the denominationalists? Do you have your own "church" that you have named? Do you belong to a "church" that bears the name thought up by some man? Then, by definition, wouldn't you be a denominationalist?

Think on these things.

Clyde L. Pilkington, Jr.
Gladstone VA

Clyde Pilkington

Gladstone, VA

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Visit Clyde's web site at http://www.pilkingtonandsons.com


Return to Index of Clyde Pilkington's Writings