Give Me Jesus...Only

Introduction

Tonight we begin a six-lesson series on Undenominational Christianity. I want us to have time for some open discussion at the end of each lesson. We have done this once before and I think this series needs to have some feedback, so you are forewarned that at the end we will have time for questions and comments.

Tonight we are going to lay the foundation for the series. I have entitled this lesson “Give Me Jesus…Only” for a couple of reasons. First, and perhaps most obvious, Jesus is the center of our faith. This is not to exclude God or the Holy Spirit, but the name we wear—Christian—signifies the centrality of Christ. Second, our emphasis on Jesus will by its very nature be exclusive but it is also extremely broad. It is not by any other name that we are saved; yet, the exclusiveness of following Jesus is available to all. So it is exclusive but it is also very broad.

We live at a time when there is great disunity among those who claim Jesus as Lord and Savior. This disunity is not the will of God. Jesus in John 17 prayed that all of his followers would be one even as he and the Father are one. This oneness is not a part of our religious landscape. It is easy to assess blame, what is more difficult is to seek solutions. But disunity is not new. Almost from the beginning there have been issues which caused disunity.

In the Jerusalem church, the Grecian widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. As a consequence there was disunity. It was not doctrinal disunity; it was disunity of fellowship. With the Gentiles being welcomed into God’s family, doctrinal matters arise producing disunity. Some taught that the Gentiles must engage in Jewish practices of circumcision, celebration of special days, and the keeping of food laws in order to truly be a follower of Jesus. Acts 15 answered that question once and for all and unity was maintained. Then we find in the Corinthian church a disunity based upon preference as much as any on doctrinal matters. Some prefer one preacher over another; some have different ideas about marriage; the disunity evidenced in the taking of the Lord’s Supper is a disgrace; and there is disunity about how to treat an incestuous relationship as well as each other. Paul addresses this disunity and succeeds overall in restoring harmony.

We live at a time in which disunity is clearly seen in the various labels given to different religious groups. And the labels have existed for so long that the desire of Jesus for unity among his believers is lost in a call to loyalty to a label rather than loyalty to Jesus. I am not naive. These lessons will not result in the dismissal of labels, but these lessons can alter the way we think about our relationship with others who claim to love the same Jesus.

Basis for Unity

The question which must be answered is “what is the basis for our unity?” In John 8 there are a series of dialogues between Jesus and the religious leaders. The essence of these conversations has to do with truth—what is the truth about Jesus, what are the religious leaders going to believe, and who do the religious leaders really follow. There are several bold statements from Jesus in this text.

In verses 14-18, Jesus agrees that two witnesses are necessary to verify testimony one may offer. In verse 14, Jesus says his testimony is valid because he knows who sent him and he knows where he is going. In verse 16, he says that he stands with the Father who sent him. And in verse 18, he says that the two witnesses are himself and God. In other words, Jesus clearly identifies himself with God and that anyone who is going to follow him will also believe that he is who he claims to be.

To further convict the religious leaders, Jesus states further in verse 19 that to know him is to know the Father. In fact, according to verse 24 forgiveness of sin is possible only through him. In verse 29, Jesus states that his entire life is found in pleasing God and he has been completely faithful in pleasing God. The claim is sinlessness. Just to make sure there is no misunderstanding, in verse 46, Jesus offers the challenge to prove where he has sinned.

Unable to assess any sin to Jesus, the religious leaders attack his character by calling him demon possessed and a Samaritan. Jesus clinches the conversation by referring to Abraham as one who saw him before he was born. The religious leaders scoff at such an idea. Jesus then calls himself “I Am” which is the designation for God. Such a claim is not lost on the religious leaders as they seek to stone him, but Jesus slips away.

From this text it is very clear that one comes to relationship with God through Jesus. This is central to Christianity. It is faith—obedient belief—in Jesus which brings about relationship with God. Those who hold to the centrality of Christ to Christianity will exalt scripture for Jesus himself proclaimed scripture as valid. Those who hold to the centrality of Christ will obey God for Jesus himself declared that obedience and faith are not exclusive. The debate centers on what does it mean to come through Jesus into relationship with God. The purpose for tonight is not to go through a systematic dissection of scripture. What is clear is that faith—active obedience—in the sacrifice of Jesus is necessary in order to be in Christ. This faith includes repentance and baptism. Anyone who comes in faith expressing that faith in a change of heart and in immersion in water is in relationship with God through Jesus and that person belongs to the family of God.

That is what it means to have Jesus at the center. And when Jesus is at the center there is no such thing as a denomination. The idea of denomination is to recognize a set of central beliefs around which a group forms and distinguishes itself from other groups who follow a different set of beliefs. While there is recognition in scripture that there are differences of opinions, the opinions were not allowed to produce disunity. From the New Testament the core belief was the centrality of Jesus, his sacrifice, and turning to him. No other belief was needed or accepted. If we are to return to true undenominational Christianity then our emphasis is to be on Christ.

Language

So far you wouldn’t disagree with what I have said, but let me expand it a bit more. In the first century when a person expressed faith in repentance and baptism that person was a Christian. Nothing more or less. There was no name attached to that person. They were not called Corinthian Christians or Jerusalem Christians—just Christians. Other names were used for these followers. They were called children of God, the household of God, body of Christ, a holy nation, disciples, believers, and saints. All of these names served to unify the people. None of these words excluded anyone. Instead they were used interchangeably. Unified and nondenominational, the goal of these early believers was to serve as viable witnesses to those who did not know Jesus. The only categories were believers and unbelievers. There was no middle ground.

But this view has fallen by the wayside. Partisanship exists. Disunity is the norm. We can name the groups. Denominations exist and to some, churches of Christ are just one more denomination. It is evident that we hold to that in some way. It is perfectly fine to talk about Christ’s church using the designation “church of Christ.” But the church also belongs to God and is called in scripture “the church of God.” But we should not use that designation someone says because to do so would mean that we would be confused with the denomination by the same name. Such thinking is sectarian. I had someone tell me that our sign out front must say “church of Christ” otherwise no one would know where we are and wouldn’t know what practices to expect should one come into the building. That is denominational thinking. We aren’t Baptist, Methodist or Presbyterian; we are church of Christ and that means we do things differently. No wonder there is disunity.

Groups exist because of a set of beliefs which holds them together. Christ is not at the center. Issues are. There is one church. Its head is Christ. We get our marching orders from him not from a set of issues which differentiate us from another group. It is not issues which define us. Our identity comes from our head, Jesus, who is the Christ. Changing the way we think of ourselves means that we are going to have to change the way we think about the church, our language, and maybe even obvious things such as a sign. Why? Because any attempt to call others into unity must begin with Jesus at the center. Issues may divide. But when we institutionalize our thinking; when we make issues the tests of fellowship then we have displaced the gospel. And if the gospel is displaced then we are a denomination protecting a core set of beliefs against all who may want to change our thinking. Our identity as a people is the gospel. That is what saves and changes the lives of people now and for eternity.

If we are going to be nondenominational, then we are going to have to help folks find Jesus. For he is the one who brings unity.

Follow Jesus

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