AN APOSTATE DENOMINATION:
STAY IN OR LEAVE?
Editorial
November/December, 1977
Volume 12, Number 6
In the matter of separation from one's denomination, there
are many gray areas where we may easily let personalities, prejudices,
and extraneous activities determine our decision. On the other hand, separation
from the denomination seems justifiable when the Church in its official
doctrinal statements opposes the Gospel and refuses to repeal its errors,
or when the Church compels the Christian to believe or to do things that
are contrary to the Word of God. If the denomination does not violate these
few basic principles, then it seems better not to reject it, even if it
has many faults.
One who decides to stay within the denomination is aware
of the fact that there is no absolutely pure and perfect visible church.
Only perfect people would result in a perfect church, and there is no such
body because there are no such people. Those who feel they are going to
find a paradise in another denomination, are likely going to be in for
a surprise. One must beware of thinking that all his problems will be solved
and that everything will be perfect in a "new field of activity." In fact,
without exception, those who have separated from apostate bodies, in the
course of time are themselves faced with doctrinal defection. Thus separation
is an endless chain that never really settles doctrinal departures.
Those who stay in the denomination must accept the limitations
as well as the opportunities entailed in working in constant tension with
programs largely directed by religious liberals. One's witness may not
always be effective. There will be tensions and frustrations. It would
be easier to look for another church in which the views would parallel
our own. But while some say that it doesn't help to stay in and "let your
light shine," nor to stay in and "put on the brakes" -- this writer has
seen some concrete examples of ways in which it has helped to stay within
the denomination and confront its members with the truth.
It is easy to live among those with whom we can agree.
But it may be more important to stand for the truth among those who don't
have the truth (or who misunderstand it). The Christian armor described
in Ephesians 6:11-20 has no protection for the back. Apparently the Lord
never calls for retreat. As a result, many have decided to stay within
the denomination and contend for the faith in a Christ-like manner, to
be patient about what cannot be changed immediately, to work hard at what
can be changed, and to always keep an ear tuned for the commands issued
by our Lord Jesus Christ in the Word of God.
--H.S.M.
An Apostate Denomination:
Stay in or Leave?
by Harold S. Martin
Down through the years the issue of leaving the church and separating
from apostasy has been a live one -- and it is still very much alive today.
What shall we do when we find ourselves within a denomination where some
church leaders deny the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ?
There are men in our pulpits who do not believe or accept the basic
tenets of the Christian faith. There are many teaching in our colleges
who do not uphold the faith of our fathers. There are some in the official
employ of the Church of the Brethren who are not faithful to biblical standards.
These are facts which need not be documented in this paper.
Can a faithful Christian remain in a denomination having the above characteristics?
Can he send his children to Sunday School classes where Scriptural principles
are often ignored or distorted? How far should we fraternize with those
who have turned aside to another gospel?
The problem is not really a new one. There has been genuine concern
about the purity of the church among believers down through the centuries.
The Montanists were a group who became concerned very early in the history
of the church. They were orthodox in their doctrine, emphasized the importance
of the Holy Spirit, and taught the priesthood of all believers. Tertullian
was their chief theologian. In succeeding centuries, there were the Donatists
and the Novatianists. In the time of the Reformation, there was Martin
Luther, Felix Manz, and Alexander Mack. All of these men struggled with
the issue of whether or not to stay within the larger body.
Many advocate the "umbrella principle" of "unity in diversity," and
say that sincere Christians should continue in the denomination to help
turn the tide and bring the church back once more to honor the Lord. Others
say that fellowship with those who advocate known error, is participation
in sin, and thus they urge finding fellowship with a church that is loyal
to the Scriptures and to our Anabaptist heritage. They say that to affiliate
with those in error, is disobedience to the Word of God -- and God does
not bless disobedience.
1. PRINCIPLES FOR SEPARATION FROM THE DENOMINATION
One cannot rub against a smutty stove without getting some of it on
him. If we hobnob with those who are doctrinally unfaithful, and if we
enter into dialogue with them, some of their thinking is likely to rub
off on us. Staying in among people who are drifting spiritually may tend
to cause us to compromise.
The following statements set forth some principles that are used to
argue for separation from the denomination.
(1) The teaching of 2 Corinthians 6:14-1 7
This passage is often said to be a direct commandment of the Lord to
separate from a church that has become unfaithful. Even the noted scholar,
Charles Hedge, says that the separation called for here, is primarily a
prohibition against association with the heathen. But, he says, it has
a wider application. The believer is forbidden ultimate fellowship with
all the enemies of God.
To appeal to 2 Corinthians 6:17 ("Wherefore, come out from among them,
and be ye separate"), in defense of separation from a church body, may
however be an over-simplification of the issue. On the other hand, the
prohibition is not only against complicity with the commercial world, but
also with the ecclesiastical world.
(2) The commandments to prohibit heresy
The word "heresy" speaks of any school of thought which is contrary
to the recognized, fundamental, historic doctrines of the Christian faith.
Throughout the New Testament, heresy is condemned, and believers are told
to separate themselves from heretics. False apostles had established themselves
in the congregations of the early church. However, the separation from
heretics (which was called for in the New Testament) -- was not to be accomplished
by the believers' withdrawing from the church, but by the expulsion of
the heretic (Galatians 1:8-9; Titus 3:10-11). Those who are apostates (an
"apostate" is one who has abandoned the essence of the faith) should be
corrected, or else purged from the body.
(3) The meaning of Revelation 18:4
Some argue strongly that Rev. 18:4 is a clear New Testament call for
separation from apostate churches. However, the call in (Revelation 18:4)
to "come out" is a call to separate from the vanity and greed and materialism
of the whole commercial system (known as "Babylon"), and described in Rev.
18:5-24. The religious system had already been destroyed in Revelation
17:6.
The context of Revelation 18:4 indicates that Babylon is here viewed
in its political and economic character, rather than its religious aspect;.
We read later on in the chapter, that industry and trade will come to a
standstill, the voice of the musicmaker will become silent, the craftsman
(who manufactured expensive furnishings) will no longer be found, the night-life
of earth's great cities will vanish away, and the streets will no longer
ring with the voices of laughing people. Man's achievements will some day
fall, and will give place to the city of God, which shall stand forever.
The call in Rev. 18:4 is a plea not to become entangled in the commercial
and materialistic system which will utterly collapse at Christ's Second
Coming.
Many who decide to separate from the denomination are sincere persons,
and should not be considered fanatical, self-righteous, and foolish. Some
say that separation from a denomination is evil, but we must remember that
unfaithfulness to the truth of God is yet more evil. If one insists that
loyalty to a denomination is correct and that separation from a denomination
is alruays wrong, then Alexander Mack was wrong, and the Lutheran and Reformed
churches were right, and we should all repent and return to the state churches.
If one does decide however to separate from a denomination, he must
guard against separatism. The word "separatism" is a term that denotes
the attitude of those who leave their church prompted by a wrong spirit.
The motive which prompts some departures is based upon personality conflicts,
more than it is upon concern about doctrinal matters. The New Testament
condemns all unnecessary schism (1 Corinthians 1:10-13; 1 Corinthians 11:18-22;
Galatians 2:12).
Separation from the denomination should be motivated by love -- love
for Christ, love for the truth, and love for peace. The aim should be to
find a place where the Word is preached, the ordinances are observed, and
where discipline is exercised. There may come a moment when believers must
say, "We can no longer stay in the denomination with a good and clear conscience.
We still love our Church, but we believe that it has become so immersed
with error that we can no longer stay within and maintain a clear conscience."
2. PRINCIPLES AGAINST SEPARATION FROM THE DENOMINATION
One who decides to stay in a corrupted denomination believes the situation
is never so hopeless that it cannot be improved. He believes (at least
in theory) that the church can be and should be reformed. He prefers to
remain within the old-line denominations, partly in the hope that there
may come a turn in direction toward the historic faith, and partly because
he has found within the denomination freedom to proclaim the Gospel and
freedom to observe the ordinances as ordained by our Lord.
The following statements set forth some principles that are used to
argue against separation from the denomination.
(1) The attitude of the prophets
The Old Testament prophets, in spite of the terrible corruption among
the people of God, never separated from that body in order to establish
a separate sect. The prophets lived in a time similar to ours. Israel had
strayed from the faith of the fathers and had aligned themselves with the
pagan nations around them. They adopted the practices of heathen people,
yet God commanded the prophets not to withdraw, hut to go to Israel and
preach fearlessly even though they were stubborn and not eager to hear
(Ezekiel 3:4-9).
Jeremiah speaks of the prophets who prophesy falsely, and the "people
love to have it so" (Jer. 5:30-31). He was called to witness to these people
who loved falsehood. Should Jeremiah have withdrawn?
(2) The concept of the remnant
The Old Testament people were preserved in the faithful remnant, and
so (the argument says) true believers have a duty to preserve the church
today by staying in it.
There was a "remnant" throughout the history of Israel. The "remnant"
speaks of "a spiritual Israel within the national Israel." In Elijah's
time, seven thousand had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18). In
Isaiah's time it was the "very small remnant" for whose sake God stayed
the destruction of the nation (Isaiah 1:9). During the Captivities, the
remnant appeared in Jews like Esther, Mordecai, Daniel and his three friends,
etc. At the time of our Lord's first advent, John the Baptist, Anna, Simeon,
and "those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38) comprised
the remnant.
The true believers stayed within the household of faith, and it was
the task of the faithful remnant to bear witness against the apostate nation
and call it back to the Lord and His message. In the New Testament, 1 Timothy
4:1, 2, 6 tells us that some will depart from the faith. Timothy's responsibility
was to stay in the church and warn the brethren of error.
(3) The example given in Revelation 2:24; 3:4
Revelation 2 and 3 tell about the idolatry and formalism and error within
many of the churches, but at least twice in these chapters we are reminded
that some in the midst of the apostasy had not compromised their convictions.
John says (in Revelation 2:24) that some in Thyatira "have not this doctrine"
(even though they were inside the wicked church); in Revelation 3:4, he
speaks about the church at Sardis, and says, "Thou hast a few names even
in Sardis who have not defiled their garments."
There was, within each of the above-named churches, a group of believers
which continued in the faith and had not been deceived by "Jezebel." Our
Lord (through the Apostle John) tells them to "hold fast till I come" (Revelation
2:25). Jesus himself (at His coming) will deliver faithful believers out
of the apostate setting.
It is significant that Jesus did not separate from the synagogue, nor
did the apostles separate from the faltering congregations of their day.
At Corinth there were all kinds of problems -- personality clashes, sexual
looseness, Christian freedom confused with license, turmoil at the lovefeast
services, and a group which taught that there was to be no resurrection.
The easiest choice for Paul would have been to "come out from among them"
-- but instead, he rebuked them, prayed for them, and visited their church.
Paul did not quit Corinth, bad as it was.
Should sound-minded conservative people separate from the wandering
denomination and thereby strengthen the hands of the liberals? Or should
conservatives stay in and try to strengthen an evangelical power base to
counter the trends? God has worked both ways to reform the church. He has
sometimes blessed those who stayed within to confront, and sometimes He
has blessed those who separated and started anew.
My own conclusion (after much heart-searching and Scripture-study) is
that it is not necessarily the duty of the Christian to withdraw from a
denomination somewhat influenced and harmed by the new theological looseness.
Many a faithful Christian has remained in such a church, teaching a Sunday
School class of children or adults, quietly witnessing to the whole Word
of God, and has been used of God as an antidote to the wrong or confused
teachings which are often accepted there. It is almost always possible
to find other true believers with whom one may have fellowship in such
a congregation. On the other hand, each person in his own heart must be
fully persuaded about his course of action.
We acknowledge too, that conditions vary so much, that a course of action
which may be right for one person, could well not be God's will for another.
Our decision to stay or to separate should follow very definite prayer
for God's leading with a request to the Lord that we be kept from allowing
personalities and prejudices to color our decision.