Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us… it seemed good to me, having been round the ridges a bit in preaching the gospel for nigh on fifty years, to have something to say. (Please excuse my appropriation of Luke’s introductory statement to his gospel to introduce my first offering in writ on this website)
My name is Ian Coker, presently living in Morayfield in retirement with my wife Diane who has been my constant companion in my preaching over the years. Together we have seen a lot in various parts of the world and hopefully along the way we have gleaned some knowledge and insights from the experience and from the Scriptures.
Perhaps it would be good to say something about “my journey” which put me on the path I’m on, so that you know “where I’m coming from”. I must admit I’m not a fan of the expression “my journey” as it’s a saying that in the minds of many carries the connotation that “one’s journey” is all under the auspices of God with His approval all along the way. The Bible knows nothing of that idea. It’s true we are all on a journey, but its a journey to Heaven or Hell. Being on a journey through life is inescapable, but the journey, ipso facto, does not equate to salvation.
Anyway, back to “my journey”, for what it is worth. I grew up in a home in west Rocky and we were traditional Anglicans, having “inherited” this from our forebears. My mother went to worship religiously, we children went to the local Sunday School, but my father went nowhere. I’m not sure why he didn’t go – perhaps he was a little cynical from the war. Something happened in his thinking after a while for he started going to different churches. He would take notes, pick up tracts, and ask questions at each church he visited. All I saw of this process was him sitting at the dining room table during week nights with a Bible and the paraphernalia he had picked up at the previous church visit. He was trying to make sense of it all, but the problem was compounded by the fact each church taught different things – different answers were given to the same question.
This focussed him, fairly and squarely, on one of the greatest scandals of Christendom – its contradictions. And this is from a religion that claims to have the truth. The more churches he went to the more confused he got. One church’s creed disagreed with the next and even simple vital things such as the plan of salvation could not be agreed upon. Such division has resulted in the end of many a search for truth. Jesus knew this for in the very night He was betrayed He prayed for unity amongst His disciples to the end that the world might believe (John 17:20,21).
In the fullness of time, to cut a long story short, he came in contact with a group of people who were having a series of public meetings promoting the concept of non-denominational (or pre-denominational) Christianity. The thing that impressed him most was that in answer to his questions, chapter and verse were given, not appeals to traditions, creeds and other man-made doctrines. In a short while he obeyed the gospel and faithfully followed Christ till he died.
His story impacted on mine because it meant in my formative years I grew up with two religious influences – one a mainline denomination, and the other a body of people striving to conform to primitive Christianity. I regard it as a privileged upbringing for it enabled me to make a comparison between two approaches to Christianity. It certainly illustrated such statements as Jesus’ comments on the denominationalism of His day when He spoke of the teaching of the traditions of men in place of the word of God. It illustrated how His entry into a family could be like a sword, and also the suffocating power of family tradition and allegiance. It helped me understand the idea of speaking where the Bible speaks and being silent where it is silent.
Perhaps the most popular concept of Christianity today is that the church is really a conglomerate, a composite of all the differing denominations and that if you are in the market you simply find a church that suits you. This pervading concept is certainly contrary to the Biblical model, though in an age heavily into ‘tolerance’ and ‘equality’ it appeals as being broad-minded and catering to freedom of choice.
The only problem is Christianity was not made to suit us, it was made to save us (and in doing that it suits us). The Biblical model is of one body (not many) united under Christ with one plan of salvation and one voice. The Biblical model does not lend itself to a scenario with Peter being a Catholic, Paul being a Methodist, Andrew being a Seventh-Day Adventist, James a Presbyterian, John an Anglican and so on.
So we make a plea for the unity of believers, believing it is possible and necessary. Doubtless I will have more to say on this in future blogs, but for now I will bid you farewell.
