Crumbling Walls

W. Carl Ketcherside

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     The cracks are beginning to show in the artificial walls erected to separate brethren. The spite fences of the past are starting to sag. This is obvious to any observer who carefully scans the partisan journalistic organs of the "Church of Christ." Not a single segment of this multi-factional complex is escaping the spirit of reform. For the first time in over a century, since disintegration of the restoration movement began, even small peripheral groups are feeling the impact of the witness for fellowship and unity.

     A major journal of the largest faction, published in Texas, has been forced to devote more space to teaching on the Holy Spirit than ever before in history, and the Spirit has survived every attempt to explain Him away. One thing is plain, the writers do not agree with each other, but it is heartening to see them continue in "fellowship" with one another. This is proof that the Spirit is active even among some who are apparently uncomfortable in His presence.

     A Tennessee journal has had to call up the big guns to bombard the "liberals" as all those are designated who refuse to bow to the edicts and dogmas of the "powers that be." Some are becoming so "liberal" that they regard all of God's children as their brethren and freely demonstrate it. It is correct to assume that every real sectarian must be illiberal for this is the very essence of the sectarian establishment. Some of our brethren, not realizing that we now live in the twentieth century, are still breathing out threats and slaughter against those who are in the Way, but they have a hollow ring. The editors of these papers reveal that an enlightened membership is beginning to break the stranglehold of spiritual bureaucracy. The saints are starting to think for themselves.

     What is true of the orthodox "Church of Christ" is also true of the lesser fac-

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tions. Brethren who admit to making a test of fellowship out of cups and classes and who carve and slash the body to bits over such matters as how to break the bread, have had to call up reinforcements to hold the sectarian line. Some of the membership discovered that Romans 14 was in the Bible and that it was written specifically to tell brethren how to treat one another in spite of differences. In one issue of their chief journalistic organ, the editor apologizes for having to suspend publication of some serialized material to deal with "matters of pressing concern." It is easy to see that some in the faction are starting to receive their brethren as God received them, and the elite corps has been rushed to the ramparts to gun down and purge those who start loving all of their brethren. This will only drive them into the wider fellowship of the family of God.

     An editorial in one of the papers sponsoring the premillennial interpretation declares, "Yes, we would like to see the 'premillennial movement' die out. We long for the day when all of us will be 'Christians only.' " The editor adds, "The premillennialists have always maintained that there should be no divisions in the body of Christ." This is especially interesting because only a few months before the same editor was wanting to print a directory of the premillennial congregations, apparently so the brethren would have a "Who's Who" of "the faithful churches."

     More and more men are beginning to say things like, "I agree with a lot that Brother Ketcherside is saying, and he makes one think, but his program will not work." That is sheer poppycock. It will work if we'll work it. And if a lot of preachers were not afraid of their salaries they'd like to work it. Those of us who are not watching the congregational checkbook as closely as we do the Bible are making it work.

     We meet with a little congregation of saints which contains some brethren who are premillennial, some who see no harm in instrumental music, some who claim to have spoken in tongues, some who smoke cigarettes as if they were dying to do so, and others who oppose smoking for fear they will. Some are quite orthodox and some are not. We are free to listen to any brother in the Lord and do listen to all kinds of them. We make no hypocritical pretence that we are all of the same opinion. We rejoice that we strive for community and not conformity. Our unity is in Christ Jesus. It is not in our degree of intellectual attainment or our membership in a faction. Men can surmount their fears. They can be free! It does work!

     A great revolution is going on beneath the surface within the frightened ranks of all the factions. Nothing will stop it. There are already signs that the power of editors who once cracked the whip is on the wane. Their papers no longer speak for the members of the party. The sheep on the hills are hearing again the voice of the Shepherd. They are beginning to struggle and straggle homeward and some day there will be one flock and one shepherd. That day is coming. The Spirit is at work!