Some people are constantly working for the fusion of various denominations. Ecumenism seems more important to them than anything else, but there is no Biblical background for their position. Christ spoke of sheep that were not of the Jewish fold, and said that He must bring them also, and continued, "There shall be one flock and one shepherd" (John 10:16). Note especially that we have used the Revised Version, for the Lord did not say what the King James Version records, that there shall be onefold. The Bible definitely teaches that there must be various branches of the church.
I once read an article by an English Baptist minister, Leslie Stokes. He wrote: "Once upon a time there was a tree. It was a lovely looking tree, shapely, strong, and stately. But appearances are not always to be trusted, and they were not in this case. For the tree knew inwardly that its massive strength was beginning to wane. When the wind was strong it had felt itself shaking ominously, and heard suspicious creaks. So, wisely, it took itself in hand. With much effort it grew another branch or two, and then looked stronger and safer than ever. But when the next gale blew, there was a terrific snapping of roots and, but for the support of a friendly neighbor, it would have been flat on the ground.
Not everything that is aimed at is hit. This is true of more than guns and targets. I once listened to some Japanese Christians trying to sing a hymn in four parts. They can see from the printed music that one note is higher or lower than the one they have been singing, but just how much they are not sure, for the Japanese musical system is entirely different from ours. It is a matter of chance whether or not they hit the right interval. More often than not, they plunge in the general direction of the printed note with results that are fearful and wonderful to our western ears.
Worship does not necessarily involve going to church. The word was originally "worth-ship," the quality of recognizing the worth of God. When we sing, "Oh, could I speak the matchless worth ..." we are getting at the real meaning of the idea of worship. In the Bible there are incidents which show that worship was carried out apart from any outward act of ritual or liturgy. "By faith, Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph and worshipped, strengthening himself with his staff' (Heb. 11:21). A careful study of the Old Testament passage to which the New Testament verse refers will reveal that the worship consisted in being firm to the end, in giving his sons a good example of faith in God, and following the commands given to Him by God.
Anyone who believes that one who has been truly born of God can get out of relationship with God and be finally lost is blind to great sections of truth in the Word of God. They look at some experiences in life instead of at the Word of God, and judge the Word by what they see in life, rather than judging life by what they see in the Word.
