Wild Grapes

W. Carl Ketcherside

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     Have you ever read the song of the vineyard by Isaiah (5:1-7)? It is a portrayal of God's disappointment with his people. It demonstrates how little esteemed are the blessings which heaven bestows. The Lord planted his vineyard in a fertile hillside. He fenced it for protection; gathered out the stones, thus removing obstacles and impediments; planted it with the choicest vines; constructed a tower for guarding it; and made a winepress in anticipation of the fruit. But when the time of vintage arrived it consisted of bitter, acrid wild grapes. The vineyard was the house of Israel, the men of Judah were the pleasant plants. From them God expected to glean a harvest of justice and righteousness. Instead he received only oppression and strife. The lament of the husbandman is thus recorded: "What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?"

     After the congregation of God was given two great wings like an eagle, and fled into the wilderness, to be nourished of God in the secret recesses of the human heart for more than twelve centuries, the time came when under the intrepid leadership of Wycliffe, Luther, and other noble souls, the veil which had eclipsed the face of truth was slowly lifted. As the word of God began to have free circulation, however, men followed leaders and thinkers of great ability, who sought to codify their interpretations and make them the basis of fellowship and salvation. Thus the work of the reformers crystallized in the formation of a group of intolerant, schismatic sects, the adherents of which battled against each other with a fury unsurpassed by even the papal dogmatists.

     Then, about the commencement of the nineteenth century, began a movement which seemed destined to sweep the world for Christ. It was launched by men of deep conviction who were affiliated with various sects. It did not begin in America. The fire first burned in the bosoms of honest individuals in Ireland and Scotland. But it was in this new land where there was no establishment of religion, where men were reaching, grasping, seeking, searching for new homes, new fortunes and liberty, that a fertile hillside was created for planting the restoration vineyard. Here where men were free to think, free to speak, free to act, to question, challenge and dispute, it seemed that providence had combined her talents to provide the proper setting to present a great drama of the ages.

     The choicest vines were planted. Persons of noble character, high ideals and brilliant intellects, abandoning the parties of which they were members, resolved to be no longer partisan defenders, but to use their talents and fortunes to advance the cause of the King to whom they declared

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allegiance. They did not seek to unChristianize others. They recognized all truth, regardless of who held it; they rejoiced that Christ was preached regardless of who proclaimed him. They opposed error but loved all men; they sought to maintain even the human dignity of an opponent. They did not "stoop to conquer."

     Seldom did two of them agree in all points. They held widely divergent views as to the work of the Spirit, the functions of grace, the nature of man, the subject of future judgment and the problem of eternal punishment. But they conceived that Christ was greater than their personal views, and they tolerated the divergencies of opinion, believing that to make of an opinion a test of fellowship, would only create two diverse parties, and they had but too recently fled from partisan division to the city of refuge. The sound of their plea fell like welcome rain upon a parched earth. The religious world was jaded and jaundiced. The petty bickerings and fierce antagonisms of the sectarian world had driven many to skepticism and infidelity. The plea that all who recognized the sovereignty of Jesus could be one in him, and no one surrender any truth he ever held, was one to rally the thinking hearts. It appeared that simple Christianity would sweep the universe. Some believed it was a millenial harbinger.

     What happened to the powerful movement to restore the ancient order and to unite all believers in the Christ? As it was in the days of Isaiah, it has come to pass again. In spite of all that heaven did in behalf of the vineyard, it is producing wild grapes, bitter, acrid, poisonous with venom and hate. The noble effort of the giants of yesteryear has been diverted by men of pygmy spiritual stature into an excuse for civil and fratricidal strife which makes it a laughingstock to the world. The restoration movement which proposed to unite all in Christ is now shattered into more than two dozen warring factions, each of which proclaims itself to be the bride of the Messiah, and all of which are contesting the provisions of his will before the court of human opinion.

     That you may savor just how wild are the grapes, we mention but a case or two by way of illustration. The Son of God left the community of saints a feast of fellowship by which the citizens are to proclaim His death until he has returned. All who are sealed unto God are to participate in unity of purpose. "We are all one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread." But the children have fallen out with each other, and because the Lord has delayed his coming, they have taken to smiting each other. The very expression of unity and fellowship of the one body has been made one of the most fruitful causes of division and disfellowship.

     Think of it! Men have divided over whether the bread which represents his body should be leavened or unleavened; whether it should be prepared with oil or some other ingredient; whether it should be broken or passed whole; whether it should be made of wheat or some other grain. Congregations of believers have actually been divided over whether the fruit of the vine should be fermented or not; whether it should be passed in one container, several, or in many. Here is the spirit of intolerance and the love for factionism gone to seed! And when factionism exists in the hearts of the members, it does not make any difference how they partake of the elements--it is not the Lord's Supper! When a congregation is filled with party spirit, until the members eye each other with disdain and suspicion, they need not be concerned about how they prepare or pass the emblems, for they are an abomination unto God when they pretend to communion with him and hate their brethren.

     The one who died in agony for my sins has bound upon me to eat the bread and drink the cup in memory of him until he comes. When I sit down at the table with the saints, I shall not scrutinize or examine the bread to see if it is leavened or unleavened, or made with oil or not. I am not told to examine the bread. I am told

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to examine myself that my motive in participating be without reproach. I shall not concern myself with how it is broken or how it is passed. I am told to eat the bread and thus share in his death. Regardless of the grain from which the flour was made, whether there is yeast in it or not, it is bread, sanctified by the giving of thanks to its purpose and I shall seek to discern the Lord's body, rather than trying to discern what my brethren are thinking.

     I know that factionism is sinful! It is a work of the flesh. To build a party around a type of bread, or a manner of presenting it, is a sin! A man may have scruples as to the type of bread. I should recognize them in the community of saints, and out of love should seek to keep from offense to my brethen It is a sin for either of us to build a party so that the body will be rent into a "leavened party" and an "unleavened party." And that goes for the cup of the Lord. There is no such thing in Christ as "cups churches" and one cuppers." These terms represent divisions created by men. These designations are the vernacular of narrow, intolerant, factional spirits. They are disgraceful and sinful. Those who love the Lord should purify their hearts of the attitude which creates such unscriptural verbiage so that they may purge their tongues and pens of such language. We are disappointing God with our wild grapes of hate, bitterness and the party spirit, God help us to rise above the schisms which men have created!