No Book But the Bible
By Roy Blackmore
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Back to the Bible! This was the watchword of those dedicated to the grand and scriptural plea of healing the divisions of "Christendom" by restoring the church of the New Testament in doctrine, ordinances and life. This had likewise been a cry among the Protestant reformers prior to the work and influence of the Campbells, but the writing of and adherence to the human creeds and confessions of faith among the denominations had supplanted simple obedience to the Word of God. Alexander Campbell wrote in his book, "The Christian System" as follows:
"As the Bible was said and constantly affirmed to be the religion of Protestants, it was for sometime a mysterious problem why the Bible alone, confessed and acknowledged, should work no happier results than the strifes, divisions and retaliatory excommunications of rival protestant sects. It appeared, however, in this case, after a more intimate acquaintance with the details of the inner temple of sectarian Christianity, as in many similar cases, that it is not the acknowledgment of a good rule, but the walking by it, that secures the happiness of society. The Bible in the lips, and the creed in the head and in the heart, will not save the church from strife, emulation and schism. There is no moral, ecclesiastical, or political good, by simply acknowledging it in word. It must be obeyed."
The restoration movement, as we know it, began on American soil in an era when religious division and traditions were perpetuated and sustained by the church creeds and confessions. The pioneers of the movement, coming from various denominational backgrounds, had a high respect for the authority of the scriptures. They observed that creedalism and traditionalism had fostered division and would never solve the tragic disunity of the church. Consequently, Thomas and Alexander Campbell, father and son, while still Seceder Presbyterians, and struggling over the blight and perplexing problem of denominationalism, adopted the guiding principle:
"Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent."
This was a momentous decision for at this point in their lives they practiced the Presbyterian custom of infant baptism. At the conclusion of the address in which Thomas Campbell enunciated this tremendous principle, Andrew Monroe, an intelligent Scotsman, was the first to speak, and said, "Mr. Campbell, if we adopt that as a basis, there is an end to infant baptism." Mn Campbell replied, "Of
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At this time the Campbells were not convinced that infant baptism was contrary to the scriptures. Sincere adherence to the principle of speaking where the Bible speaks, coupled with a careful study of the scriptures, led the Campbells to Buffalo Creek to be immersed on June 12, 1812. The adoption of the principle led them ultimately to abandon affiliation with any denominational body, to reject loyalty to any human creed, and to plead for the religious world to return to the "ancient gospel" and the "ancient order of things." They proclaimed that the Bible only would make Christians only!
The reasonableness of this plea had its effect upon a weary and confused church. It swept across America like a prairie fire. Entire congregations abandoned their denominational position, cast away their creeds and took the Bible alone. The movement with its slogan, "No book but the Bible," became the fastest growing one on American soil. Satan could not stand to behold such success for the Lord's cause. Failing to keep the church divided through the historic creeds, he struck out at the Restoration Movement through "opinionism" on the one hand and "liberalism and ecclesiasticism" on the other.
These modern day problems which plague the movement are merely old problems dressed up in new clothes. Opinionism is simply an unwritten creed which makes a test for Christian fellowship and divides the church over what is not found in the Word of God. Efforts to denominationalize the movement constitute a return to that which the pioneers regarded as sinful and destructive to the peace, harmony and love of the church, and detrimental to her effectiveness to evangelize the world. We should not be surprised that this powerful movement for a return to Biblical Christianity has been attacked by Satan.
The plea for "no book but the Bible" is still a valid and much needed one. The principle of "no religious authority but the scriptures" has produced unity among thousands of Christians in the world upon many essentials: the Lordship of Jesus, baptism for the remission of sins, the Lord's Supper upon the first day of the week, the simple but all-inclusive name Christian, the freedom of the local congregation from super-church organizations, and the divine purpose of the church to preach the gospel of Christ.
We are challenged to search the scriptures and test our beliefs by the doctrine of Jesus Christ. We take our stand with John I. Rogers, one of the courageous pioneers, who wrote in 1832:
"We have no system to support; but, thank heaven, we have a system to support us--to make us wise unto salvation--to furnish us thoroughly unto every good work. If we have any misconception of the Book it will remove them. Standing, then, upon this foundation, we have nothing to fear. If our opponents can convince us of error, we shall heartily thank them. We therefore challenge investigation--open, free candid, Christian investigation. Error, however sanctified by age, or supported by great names, has no charm for us. Just so far, therefore, as the sects promote the cause, so far they promote our cause; and so far as they oppose the truth, they oppose our cause; for we have lashed our fortunes to the Bible, the Bible alone, and nothing but the Bible, and with it, by the grace of God, we will rise or fall. Amen!"
(Roy Blackmore lives at 280 South Memorial Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma).