Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Pete and I busy just now working on the new website we discussed in recent
posts, so our posts here on the list will slow down a bit for the next week
or so.  In the meantime, I will forward for your enjoyment some messages
from Edward Fudge about Christian unity.  He has his own email list that
speaks on a wide variety of Christian subjects, and I apologize if you
already subscibe to that, but he has written a few posts in the past that
were specific to Christian unity and, imo, very good teachings on the
subject.  Also, he has started a new series of several emails about
Christian unity, which should be interesting to follow.

He comes from the Church of Christ background, which you might want to know
in order to understand his perspective.  In this first email, he seems to
say that he believes the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Seventh Day
Adventists are Christian, too, which I personally disagree with.  As I've
stated before, strict adherents to those groups reject either all or some of
my brethren in Christ from possibly going to heaven, so I side with the
believers and oppose these groups who would knowingly offend even one little
believer in Jesus.

Matthew 18: 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe
in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck,
and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.  7 Woe unto the world
because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to
that man by whom the offence cometh!  8 Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot
offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to
enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to
be cast into everlasting fire.  9 And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it
out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with
one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.  10 Take
heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That
in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in
heaven.  11 For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.  12 How
think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray,
doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and
seeketh that which is gone astray?  13 And if so be that he find it, verily
I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine
which went not astray.  14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which
is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

On the other hand, any person who might otherwise consider themselves
"members" in those three offending groups, yet who accept as brothers in
Christ, already destined for eternity in heaven with God, all who now
believe to repentance in Jesus of the Bible, (thereby rejecting the
offending official teachings of those groups) then they are most welcome as
brethren to me, at least for purposes of discussions of the Bible (and not
any other book).

Yet Fudge amazes me with his open heart and great spirit for Christian
unity.  I also come from a Church of Christ background, although not
attending one now, so I identify with, and appreciate very much, Fudge's
writings, especially about how some CoC members think and teach that they
are the only true church.  And I know how far Fudge has come to see the
truth of Christian unity of all believers.

I hope you study and enjoy his teachings.  I think he's really great!

Love in Jesus to all,
Tim

----- Original Message -----
From: "Edward Fudge" <Edward@...>
To: <cuprayer@...>
Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2002 6:06 PM
Subject: gracEmail (he feels betrayed)


~ gracEmail ~
Edward Fudge
_________________________

HE FEELS BETRAYED

A gracEmail subscriber writes: "Over thirty years ago I left the Baptist
church to enter into a new relationship with our Lord through the Church of
Christ and a new baptism. With all the changes going on in the Church of
Christ today, I feel like the leaders have betrayed me and others of like
belief. To suggest that one is saved before baptism and to accept as
brothers and sisters in Christ those who have not been immersed is to leave
the old paths that we have held as truth for many years."

*          *          *

Your feelings are common and natural to those believers who were once
persuaded that their standing with Christ was deficient while they were
associated with any congregation other than a Church of Christ.
Interestingly, the founders of the Churches of Christ did not believe that
their group encompassed all true Christians or that Baptists needed to be
rebaptized. Nor did David Lipscomb and many of the leading brethren who came
later. Those notions were popularized by Daniel Sommer, Austin McGary, Foy
E. Wallace, Jr. and others who sectarianized the Churches of Christ during
the half-century from about 1890-1940.

The notion that one must necessarily have the words of Acts 2:38 in mind
while being baptized rather than, say, the words of Matthew 28:19, is
horrendous and has done much harm to many good people. We in the Churches of
Christ ought to apologize publicly for ever having taught such a thing and
determine never to do so again. Jesus' true church consists of all who trust
and follow him -- including many who do not understand the details of
baptism just as we do. The gospel truth is that we are saved by grace
through faith. It is a tragic detail of our history that we have sometimes
become so fascinated with baptism as to obscure that truth.

If you were taught that the Churches of Christ represented God's only true
people, and that baptism must follow a formula based on Acts 2:38 and no
other Scripture, you were simply sold a bill of goods. Those who did the
deed were no doubt sincere and well-intentioned but they were also wrong.
Those same people always said that we should follow Scripture rather than
tradition. We honor them now by making whatever changes that priority might
require.

Ours is not the only Christian group that has erred extravagantly in
claiming to be the only true church. So, at times, have the Roman Catholic,
various Eastern Orthodox bodies, certain Presbyterians, Landmark Baptists,
Seventh-day Adventists, Worldwide Church of God, International Churches of
Christ and the more cultic Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) and Watchtower
Society (Jehovah's Witnesses). Others, such as the Missouri Synod Lutherans
and the Exclusive Brethren, do not claim to be God's only people but refuse
to eat the Lord's Supper with Christians outside their own circles. There is
room for repentance across the spectrum.

Prayer:  Gracious Father, we pray for your holy universal church. Where it
is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in anything it
is amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want,
provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus
Christ your Son our Savior. Amen.

 ____________________

© 2002 Edward Fudge - Unlimited permission to copy without altering text or
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