My Reasons for not being free to engage in Inter-Denominational Services

by the late W. Trew

(This is a copy of an address given in Shield’s Road, Motherwell in 1954)
(Submitted by J. D. McColl, Australia)

PART 2

SCRIPTURAL OBJECT OF EVANGELISM

So far we have been thinking of the attitude of the disciples, made that by the preaching of the Gospel. But we must remember that this is a responsibility placed upon the shoulders of the servant. "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." That necessarily includes all that the Lord afterwards commanded in the progress of Divine revelation until the Word of God was filled up. So that Paul says, "If anyone think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord," 1Cor.14.36-37.

That consideration brings me to the second passage we read together. Paul is brought before us as our pattern in service. He is our own apostle in a very real sense — Apostle to the Gentiles — "Minister of the Gospel" — "Minister of the Church." Again and again he appeals to us to imitate him, and he is the "Master builder" of assemblies of God. He tells us that, commissioned by the Lord Jesus, Whose steward he was, with heart aglow with a consuming passion for the souls of men, he went forth "testifying the Gospel of the Grace of God," "preaching the Kingdom of God," "declaring all the Counsel of God" and thus building "Churches of God."

"The Gospel of the Grace of God" tells out all the bounty of God in lavish blessing upon all who believe. There the modern evangelist finishes his work. But not so Paul. Inherent in the work of "Testifying the Gospel of the Grace of God" is the setting up of "The Kingdom of God" in the hearts of those who believe. Responsive affection gladly surrenders to the Rule of God and welcomes the Throne of the King to the citadel of life. Henceforth life will be held at the disposal of a loving Lord and lived within the limits of the Will of God. Immediately "All the Counsel of God" becomes a vital necessity. "The Kingdom of God" is the setting up of the Throne of the King in human hearts and lives. That is done by the preaching of "The Gospel of the Grace of God." "All the Counsel of God" is the will of the King made known in obedience to which His loyal subjects gladly order their every step; and by that means and in that way "Churches of God" are built.

Paul would not lead souls to Christ for salvation and deliberately leave them there. Far less would he consent beforehand to limit himself to the Gospel and let his converts do what they pleased afterwards, fearful lest he alienate from himself the sympathy of men. Paul never built anything but Churches of God, and he sought always to leave behind him, as the result of his Gospel labours, a Church of God witness to all the truth of God.

SOME OBSERVATIONS

Thus have I briefly outlined the New Testament principles that must govern and guide us in our service for God. For many years we have engaged in pioneer Gospel work, guided by these instructions. We go into a place where there is no assembly of God according to the New Testament, though in existence there is every denomination in Christendom, and we commence our meetings. We preach the Gospel and men and women believe. Christians who have their spiritual home in denominations come to the meetings and hear the Gospel and get established in the Grace of God. We place before them, in systematic teaching, the Will of God that would regulate their lives, and show them the pattern of the New Testament assembly. It has been our great privilege to see some of them receive the Word of God, bow to its authority in willing obedience, and we have left behind us, as we moved on elsewhere, a local assembly of God.

My experience is that those who today work inter-denominationally have never had the exercise to do pioneer work with the object of bringing assemblies of God into being. If they had done so, they would have realised the impossibility of building assemblies and, at the same time, work inter-denominationally.

With all that in mind, I must face another question. It is this: "If I consent to work inter-denominationally can I fulfil the terms of my Master’s commission?" My considered answer is "No." And I have to give you my reasons for that answer.

In my service for God during these 30 years, I have found that one of the greatest stumbling blocks before the unsaved, is the great multitude of parties in Christendom. If the assembly, with which all of us here today are publicly associated, each in our own locality, is but another party in addition to the many, the same constitutionally and essentially as all the rest, we have no right to exist. There are far too many sects already. Let us cease to exist and identify ourselves each with the denomination of our own choice. The only justification of the existence of assemblies is that they are fundamentally constitutionally and essentially different from everything that exists in Christendom. But if that be so, the existence of assemblies according to the teaching of the New Testament, is the condemnation, as being unscripturally constituted, of every religious community. If that be not true, we had no right ever to leave sectarian bodies. If it be true, no child of God has any right in Scripture to be a member of a sectarian body.

—to be continued (D.V.)