346 – Proper and Improper Recognition of Other Churches

SEMESTER 3

346 – Proper and Improper Recognition of Other Churches

BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE

COURSE: ECCLESIOLOGY III LESSON # 46
PROPER AND IMPROPER RECOGNITION OF OTHER CHURCHES

Read II Jn. 1:13

INTRODUCTION:

1. I cannot question seriously that the elect lady of II John 1:1 is a church, and that the elect sister of verse 13 is another church.
2. Even if you question this, you cannot question that the prin­ciples of II John all apply to church conduct.
3. There is much controversy today as to necessary or proper latitude in the recognition of a group as a church.
4. In our zeal to be charitable we must not recognize and sanction that which the word of God condemns. (II Jn. 10, 11)

I. TWO NECESSARY VIEWS OF PROFESSED CHURCHES

1. What must the government of the United States recognize as a church?

i. Constitutionally, they are committed to “make no laws” regarding the practice of religion.
ii. It thus follows that governmentally as U.S. citizens or law­makers we may not define or make such judgments.
iii. We, as Christians, are thus bound to respect religious freedom governmentally, without respect to doctrine.

2. What must the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ recognize as churches?

i. Only the Bible has the answer and it is built on two things: doctrine and practice.
ii. We are thus forbidden, as Christians and church members, to regard or denominate any group a church, which does not meet Bible criteria.

II. HOW DO WE RECOGNIZE A GROUP AS A TRUE CHURCH?

1. By accepting the validity of their baptism.

i. This ordinance was committed to the church, no one else has license to administer it.
ii. Thus, if we accept the validity of any group’s immersion as baptism we are declaring them a church.

2. By either granting or receiving letters to, or from, a group.

i. This action is, in essence, an extension of baptismal authority.
ii. To grant a letter is to say the requesting group is duly baptized and that the duly baptized may rightly be added thereto.
iii. To receive a letter is to say the person baptized by them is duly baptized and may be added to a true body of Christ.

3. By unionizing or cooperating with them or their ministers in common religious causes (as per ministerial groups).
4. By intermingling with them in ecclesiastical fellowship as churches.
5. By financially supporting any of their causes.
6. By inviting their ministers to our pulpits, or (as a fellow believer) going into theirs.

III. WHAT PROFESSING CHURCHES MAY WE PROPERLY RECOGNIZE?

1. Negatively, we may not reasonably demand absolute and total agreement with us. (We do not know everything.)
2. We may not reasonably demand absolute perfection in practice, even where we are totally convinced of our position.
3. We must demand the preaching of the gospel of Christ in basic purity.
4. We must demand basic soteriological soundness, as this is essential to the gospel.
5. We must demand biblical (Baptist) baptism.
6. We must demand abstinence from receiving alien immersion and external communion.
7. We must demand at least reasonable ecclesiastical separation, or we are interdenominational by proxy.

IV. THESE ARE NECESSITIES NOT OPTIONS

1. Because we are biblically commanded (II Jn. 10 and 11, Rom. 16:17-19, II Cor. 6:14-18). Dozens of other Scriptures are available, but these suffice.
2. Because we will become essentially what we walk among and sanction.

III: The children of Israel among the Canaanites.