- Although we individually, or as a group, may believe and cherish
certain doctrines, the basis of our fellowship is life in the
Christ of the Scriptures rather than light on the teaching of the
Scriptures. Those who have part with Christ have part with us. Because our
communion is one of life and love more than one of doctrine and opinion,
we seek to show that the oneness in the life of God through Jesus Christ
is a stronger bond than that of being one of us - whether organizationally
or denominationally.
- Because our fellowship is based on our common life in Christ, we do
not reject anyone because of the organization or denomination with which he
may be affiliated; nor would we hold him responsible for the conduct within
that system, any more than we would a child for the conduct in the home of
which he is merely a part.
- We do not feel it desirable to withdraw from fellowship with any
Christians except at the point where they may require us to do what our
consciences will not permit, or restrain us from doing what our consciences
require. Even then, we maintain our fellowship with them in any matter where
we are not called upon to so compromise. This ensures that (inasfar as we
understand the Scripture) we do not separate ourselves from them any further
than they separate themselves from Christ.
- We do not consider an act of fellowship to be indicative of total
agreement; indeed, we sometimes find it a needed expression of love to
submit to others in matters where we do not fully agree, rather than to
prevent some greater good from being brought about. Our choice would be to
bear with their wrong rather than separate ourselves from their good.
- We believe it more scriptural to reflect a heart of love ready to
find a covering for faults, than to constantly look for that with which we
may disagree. We will then be known more by what we witness for
than by what we witness against.
- We feel it biblical never to pressure people to act in
uniformity further than they feel in uniformity; we use our
fellowship in the Spirit as an opportunity to discuss our differences and
find this to be the most effective way of leading others - or being led by
them - into the light of the Word.
- While enjoying such a wide range of Christian fellowship, we would
not force this liberty upon those who would feel otherwise minded. In such
circumstances, we enjoy fellowship as far as they will permit, then
pray that the Lord would lead them further into this true liberty of the
common life in Christ. note
Therefore, we strive to promote faith in God, unity of the Spirit
among believers, love and understanding among all people. We pursue
righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those who call on the Lord out
of a pure heart (2 Tim. 2:22). We seek to walk worthy of the calling with
which we were called, with all lowliness and humility, and with
longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, being eager to keep the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph. 4:1-3).
Note:These principles of Christian fellowship
are based on the research and experience of Keith A. Price. He wrote: "These
principles are based on many years of inter-denominational fellowship and
are conclusions I have reached after making many mistakes and after having
had considerable discussion with scores of Christian leaders."
Additional Notes on Christian Fellowship
"We believe that a calm and child-like trust in God, a
steadfast confidence in the undeviating rectitude of all
His ways, and an unwavering belief in that unalterable and
eternal love of the Father, which embraces all created
intelligences, constitute the highest powers and graces of
the Christian character. And these can proceed only from an
abiding and deep conviction that God is, and that
He reigns in supreme and unmingled goodness over all the
affairs of the universe that He has made." (See Rudiments of Theological and Moral
Science, By Rev. I. D. Williamson, D.D. - 1874)
"Dogmatic
adherence to a particular creed or confession as the
basis for unity will produce unity only for the adherents
to that particular system. And this, in practice, appears
to be about the only basis for unity that is generally
recognized. We suffer from what I call the "legacy of
orthodoxy," the idea that one must submit to a particular
set of dogmatically proclaimed orthodox beliefs to
be a Christian, or to be a member of some church, or to
have fellowship with other Christians." (Daniel Andersen. Be Likeminded, page
4)
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The
problem with all Creeds is that they contain some truth and
some error. If a Creed teaches more than the Bible on any
given subject, it teaches too much. If it teaches less than
the Bible teaches, it teaches too little. If it contains
what the Bible teaches, WHY THE CREED?
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"Doctrine is
not the divine basis of fellowship. That is life and
conduct. Those in Corinth who held fundamental error,
denying the resurrection, were not excluded (1 Cor.
15:12). But the morally unclean person was expelled
(1 Cor. 5)." (A.E. Knoch. Eternal
Torment or Universal Reconciliation page 50)
"Scholars of
Church History have indicated that the concept of
orthodoxy was introduced into Christendom, not in
the 1st Century, but early in the 4th Century, under the
leadership of the Roman emperor Constantine. He desired a
unified Christianity as a state religion, in order to
consolidate his own power. (see, for example, Martin A.
Larson's,
The Religion of the Occident, chapter 16.)
"It seems
that in the earlier centuries of the Christian era, there
was a fairly healthy and free enquiry among Christians with
respect to the most profound Scriptural topics, including
the nature of the God-head and the Person of Christ. Once
orthodoxy was established this changed. To be
orthodox was to be safe. What was orthodox was well defined
by creeds and could be stated and applied with absolute
dogmatism. Not to be orthodox could mean the loss of home,
possessions and family, even life itself. Healthy enquiry
was displaced by an unhealthy fear.
"We are
grateful that, in our Western democracies, religion is not
an arm of the government. However, we have been affected,
to some degree, by the legacy of
orthodoxy which
includes the idea that a Christian is one who subscribes to
a set of doctrinal statements or to certain creeds. There
are certain doctrines which have to be believed and are
safe. To tamper with them is to risk loss -- loss of
friends, loss of fellowship, even loss of salvation and
eternal life.
"Fellowship
and membership are based upon doctrines which have to be
subscribed to, rather than upon an attitude of heart and
mind in a quest for truth. Yet it is believed and taught
that a personal faith is vital for a relationship between
the individual and God. Is not this a contradiction -- to
insist that individuals must initiate a direct relationship
to God through a living and growing faith, yet must
subscribe to a fixed set of doctrines in order to obtain
membership or fellowship with a Christian Group?"
(Daniel Andersen. Bible Study - A personal
quest, page 3)
"It is a
tragedy that Christians unite on doctrinal or creedal bases
when there can be no absolute certainty about them. The
basis for fellowship ought rather to be in the realm of
love, commitment, and trust than in systematized doctrines,
codified beliefs and intellectual thought. Should any
grounds for fellowship be more important than faith and
love in relation to our Lord Jesus Christ and a patient
on-going quest for truth? Love, prayer, worship, praise,
study, questioning, and discussion can all be part of
fellowship one with another. Believers should be encouraged
to question and discuss among themselves the most profound
topics of the Scriptures as freely as they talk about the
weather or the World Series in sports. there should be no
strife, contentions, factions, no fear of recrimination or
embarrassment or of being branded a heretic."
(Daniel Andersen. Bible Study - A personal
quest, page 22
"The
doctrines of the Bible, we believe, have never divided
Christians; but human opinions of those doctrines without
charity, have always done the mischief. Man, poor,
ignorant man, would dictate to the consciences of his
fellows, and if they do not receive his
dogmas or
opinions, they are branded with the odious names of
heretic, infidel, etc., and their names and
sentiments are trumpeted abroad, distorted, misrepresented
and blackened--for what purpose? Professedly to promote the
interests of religion--but intentionally, I fear, with
many, just to excite the popular clamor and indignation
against them, and to raise themselves on their
ruins.--Poor, weak man wishes the world to believe him
infallible. If not, why so tenacious of untenable
principles? Why not abandon them when proved to have no
foundation in truth? Why not relinquish them when refuted
with the clearest evidence? It must be because he can not
brook the idea of being accounted a fallible man. ....."
"Believing
mankind to be fallible creatures, we therefore feel a
spirit of toleration and union for all those Christians who
maintain the divinity of the Bible, and walk humbly in all
the commandments and ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and who live by faith in his name, though they may hold
opinions contrary to ours. We wish others to exercise the
same spirit toward us, that we might be mutually
edified--that the interests of our Redeemer's kingdom might
be advanced--and that foul blot upon Christianity,
the
division of Christians, might be wiped away, and thus a
powerful weapon against revelation be wrested from the hand
of infidelity. We ardently desire to see this spirit
universally prevail throughout the churches of the various
denominations."
(See An Address to the
Churches, by Barton W. Stone, 1821)
"We are far from
imputing blame to any one on account of the religious
sentiments which he may entertain. Let those sentiments be
ever so erroneous, they are not of his own invention, and,
in very many cases, we are quite convinced, they are only
held by him because he has not had the opportunity of
choosing between them and better.
"But, even
where it is otherwise, error in points of doctrine is not a
ground for regarding any one with unkindness. It is sad to
say that this sentiment has been too little received and
acted upon in the professing Christian world, and
persecution on account of difference in religious
sentiment has been too generally and cruelly practiced.
"We believe
that the doctrines we hold dear teach us better. They teach
us to regard all mankind as our brethren and to be lacking
in love towards no one because we think him mistaken in his
beliefs. They instruct us that in forming his divine
judgments, God looks not with the eyes or understanding,
but at the heart, and where this is right with him, he
rejects no one for his mistakes in opinion. We believe
that which is the practice of our heavenly Father should be
what we practice." (See Important
Doctrines of the True Christian Religion, page 20, by
Rev. S. Noble, 1848)
Here are some other articles that should be read
relating to Doctrines and Christian Fellowship:
