Church Union Ch5

The wheat and the tares grew together with relatively little disturbance until the great Reformation. While the turbulence of the Reformation made great strides in the search for truths lost since the first advent, the wounds it caused were rather readily healed and denominationalism was the victor. The wheat could not yet stand alone, but were planted in one or another denomination containing mostly tares.

The beginning of the nineteenth century, however, saw something unusual happening. In 1799, in the sight of all the world, Napoleon took the pope prisoner and carried him to France where he died. The psychological effect of this action was tremendous. All could see that the pope's power was inferior to Napoleon's, and the pope began from that point to lose his hold over the minds of the religious world.

Papacy has always been one of the most fervent opponents of the spread of the Bible, and even the Protestant world up to that time often frowned on widespread reading and interpretation of God's Word. But with papacy's humiliation, Bible societies sprang into existence almost overnight, and translations of the Bible in nearly all languages quickly were distributed worldwide. Honest searchers for truth began studying the Scriptures and began separating themselves from the various errors of Christendom. A new era had begun! The fractioning of the denominations became rapid and commonplace.

This trend was a threat to the established authority of Babylon, and so she tried to do something about it. In 1846 the major Protestant denominations formed the Evangelical Alliance. (See Appendix C) It was an attempt to state to the world that "if you agree with us, you are acceptable; you are orthodox." Here was the beginning of the church union movement which is climaxing so rapidly in our day.

The battle has been the same ever since: "orthodoxy" versus the spirit of free inquiry into the word of God. The matter is rarely stated that bluntly, but that is, in fact, the motivating force. Babylon is trying desperately to survive. It is the old spirit of "either we hang together or we will all hang alone." It is union based on fear. It is union based on a quest for power — not a quest for truth. It is not of God. It is of Satan.

Thus we see that the present church union movement has its roots in historical events of well over a century ago. And the prophetic warnings about it have been circulated for nearly that long also — although many think that discussion on the matter is of recent origin.

As a result of the fragmentation of the denominations, a small number of (completely) independent students of the Bible have been in existence since the middle of the nineteenth century. They have no organization except the Scriptural one which is that each little group of true Christians is autonomous in itself, giving its allegiance to its one and only head, Christ Jesus.

Many of these who strive to follow Jesus closely have published the Biblical truths on many subjects, church union included. Some of these individuals obtained prominence in the public's eye; others were known by practically no one. This was to be expected as the Lord promised that all in His Church would have different functions — some quite humble in station, and a very few that He would use as special servants or messengers to the Church.

We will here quote some of the forecasts regarding church union as published by these Bible students between the years of 1885 and 1912. This is done to show by this sampling that great understanding and foreknowledge of the ecumenical movement was available to all who searched the Scriptures daily as the Bereans of old. Our Lord asked that His Church be sanctified or set separate by the truth. The Father has and continues to honor that prayer.

Samplings of Ecumenical Warnings of Long Ago:

1. "Christian union is a hobby with many at the present time (1885). It is the pass-word to the very inner temple of self- styled 'orthodoxy.' Men will talk of a 'sweet union of loving hearts' when there is not a principle of true union with them. We think that this is well calculated to fulfill prophecy by securing union of action on certain popular points where there is no union in principle."

2. ". . . we find in Revelation (13:14-18) a prophecy of a special combination of influence by which Protestant denominations will be unified and, though separate, yet be brought into cooperation with papacy in a manner that will give both increased powers and deceive many into supposing that the new combination will be God's instrumentality for doing the work predicted of Messiah — and that it is thus his representative."

3. "While the world and the nominal church declare this to be a time of union and confederacy, God declares it to be a time of separating."

4. "In Revelation 16:13 we find mention of the False Prophet, another representation of the Image — the vitalized product of the Evangelical Alliance, which has taken the form of church federation and has today a great deal of vitality. (1912) Whether we can expect it to have more remains to be seen. The Scriptures clearly indicate that the Image of the Beast is to get so great power that it will do the same thing that the Roman Catholic Church did in the past; and that the two systems, Catholic and Protestant, will rule the civilized world with a high hand through the civil power — the Dragon."

5. "The . . . necessity for restricting liberty on political and social questions will probably be supposed to apply equally to freedom of expression on religious questions, which really lie at the foundation of all liberty. It would not be surprising if a 'strong government' . . . would someday replace this present Great Republic; and it is entirely probable that one common standard of religious belief will be deemed expedient and will be promulgated, to teach outside of which will be treated and punished as a political offense."

6. "The Church Federation which the Scriptures distinctly show will be effected, will include various classes. . . . But in the Federation, the Moralists and Higher Critics will be dominant forces. The saintly will less than ever be in evidence and appreciated. The outward and apparent success of the Federation will seem wonderful for a moment, but the results will be disastrous."