Cled E. Wallace
Dr. Charles M. Sheldon, a pastor of a denominational church in Topeka, Kan., won national fame many decades ago by writing a book entitled, In His Steps. He later wrote a series of articles in Liberty, a magazine of nationwide circulation. These articles expressed Dr. Sheldon’s opinion of what Jesus would say and do should He come to Chicago, New York, etc. In one of his articles, he wrote of what Jesus would have said to President Franklin Roosevelt and a correspondent pleaded with him to tell what Jesus would say to Adolf Hitler.
The point that sticks out to me in all this is that so many preachers and others are so stirred up over what Jesus would say or might say under certain conditions, when they seem utterly uninterested in what He has actually said about certain vital matters. In these, they coldly ignore Him and follow the traditions of men or impudently exalt their own opinions.
Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18). He did and it is a complete and perfect divine institution fully described in the New Testament. Its origin, nature, mission, terms of membership, organization, and worship are fully set forth. A rich nomenclature fully names and describes it.
In the face of all this, pious looking doctors, with tears in their eyes, pay eloquent lip tribute to Jesus as Lord, speculate endlessly over what Jesus would say, and ignore what He has said. They have built up and maintain a vast system of denominationalism whose universal success would nullify the prayer of Jesus for the unity of believers and mock the teaching of the apostles. This false system is mistaken for Christianity itself, and by reason of it the way of truth has been evil spoken of.
Denominationalism is not identical with the New Testament church in origin, organization, membership, doctrine, name, or worship. It is a religious crime, a spoliation of things divine. There need be no guessing about what Jesus would say about Dr. Sheldon’s denominational business and that of his kind and other kinds, for He has already said it. “But he answered and said, Every plant which my heavenly Father planted not, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into a pit” (Matt. 15:13-14 ASV). If this does not teach that human churches and man-made ordinances in religion are about as welcome to God as noisome weeds are to a thrifty farmer, then it does not teach anything.
The weeds must be rooted up that the wholesome plants may thrive. They are enemies to a good crop. No compromise should be made with them. The field of religion is overgrown with denominational thistles, so that over wide areas should a pilgrim ask for a New Testament church by name, no one could be found who would even know what he was talking about. And men in high places talk sweetly about what Jesus would say when they are guilty of committing criminal assault on what He did say.
And why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Every one that cometh unto me, and heareth my words, and doeth them, I will show you to whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who digged and went deep, and laid a foundation upon the rock: and when a flood arose, the stream brake against that house, and could not shake it: because it had been well builded. But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that built a house upon the earth without a foundation; against which the stream brake, and straightway it fell in; and the ruin of that house was great (Luke 6:46-49 ASV).
If I were inclined to speculate about what Jesus would say were He here under present conditions, I would at least try to make it consistent with what He did do and say while He was here before. It is assumed that his supreme interest would become economic and political. Why, I cannot see. He possibly would not have paid any more attention to Roosevelt and Hitler than He did to Caesar. To imagine Him in the midst of a political fight does violence to the whole history of Him.
Pilate examined Him closely for evidence of treachery against Rome, honeycombed with corruption. All Pilate could get out of Him was, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). The one thing that sent Him into blazing eruption was the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, who led the people after their traditions into rebellion against God.
He did not pay much attention to Caesar, but He called these Pharisees, “sons of hell,” “a brood of vipers,” “whited sepulchres,” “fools and blind” (Matt. 23). If He were on earth now, it is more reasonable to think He would sting these “Doctors” who have played such havoc with His church than He would have told Mr. Roosevelt how to run his New Deal. If Jesus were to come and give foolproof directions to the world how to keep its stomach full, and people paid no more attention to Him than the divinity doctors do His prescription on how to be saved, the majority would starve to death anyway.
I found the question raised in my reading somewhere about what would happen were the apostle Paul to appear in a convention of delegates of all religions and inquire for the church he was a member of while he was on earth. Could any one delegate say, “I represent it?” Could all say, “We are all members of it?” Could he recognize it in one or all denominations? Here is what he said about it while he was here: “There is one body, and one spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all” (Eph. 4:4-6 ASV).
I am now going to indulge a little appetite I have for speculation. Should Dr. Sheldon, had he had the information and disposition to do so, have written a series of articles setting forth the fact that the church that Paul was a member of is older than all denominations, and that Christianity is older than all the creeds, and that the New Testament gives full information as to both, he could not have had it published in Liberty or any other magazine of like character.
As obvious as these truths are, the publication of such a series of articles would create a furor among religious leaders in this country that would be a cross between a tragedy and a comedy. You may have this bit of personal speculation for what it is worth without worrying over its relation to fellowship.
Jesus is Lord. His authority should be fully recognized. God, the Father, proclaimed Jesus as “my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” and shouted from heaven, “Hear ye him” (Matt. 17:5). He has spoken. This message from heaven is “the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3 ASV). There is nothing to be added to what He has said. All this bother about what Jesus would say smacks a little bit, if not a whole lot, of lack of confidence in the all-sufficiency of what He has said. It suggests that revelation is not complete.
The authority of Jesus is recognized in faithful adherence to what He has said rather than to some imaginative program He might launch were He here on earth. He is not here and He is not coming “until the times of restoration of all things, whereof God spake by the mouth of his holy prophets that have been from old” (Acts 3:21 ASV). In the meantime, preachers should respect what Jesus has already said and teach the people to follow it. It is on record and fully confirmed (Heb. 2:1-4).
Preaching Christ to the lost and showing them how to be saved is a better and more profitable work for preachers than telling Mr. Roosevelt how to run the New Deal. He probably didn’t pay much attention to them anyway. “I charge thee in the sight of God, and of Christ Jesus, who shall judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:1-2 ASV).
