The Doctrinal Basis Of True Christian Unity -- By: Richard V. Clearwaters

Journal: Central Bible Quarterly
Volume: CENQ 01:3 (Fall 1958)
Article: The Doctrinal Basis Of True Christian Unity
Author: Richard V. Clearwaters


The Doctrinal Basis Of True Christian Unity

Richard V. Clearwaters

President Central Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary

THERE has never been so much need, during the long history of Christianity, for unity among believers nor has there ever at any period of history been less of it. The Gospel has apparently never seemed to have such world-wide freedom; but in reality; the Gospel has never suffered so many mortal enemies that make it ineffective and divest it of its power. To list a few of these enemies we would name:

1. Hostile legislation by many Governments.

2. Substitution by Science with a gospel of technocracy.

3. Deception by the many Cults and Isms.

4. Suppression by Communism.

5. But perhaps “peaceful co-existence” as a principle, being more widely accepted by Christianity, has devitalized it beyond human comprehension.

It was my privilege to go to school to a world-famous Christian scholar who made the statement that over 90% of the persecution that came upon the New Testament church-was suffered because of the believers’ intolerance. Today tolerance is a virtue and intolerance is a vice, and in an era of “peaceful co-existence” is practiced widely in every area of our life in America and in the civilized world in morals, politics, and religion particularly. The heroes of the hour are the Conformers, not the Reformers! Coexistence breeds softness! A quatrain from Pope is a warning!

“Vice is a monster of such frightful mien

That to be hated needs but to be seen ;

Yet, seen too oft, familiar with her face

We first endure, then pity, then embrace.”

The term and principle of “PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE is of COMMUNIST ORIGIN and is a necessary part of the communist program of world conquest. As early as 1920 Joseph Stalin wrote:

“Soviet Russia is performing an experiment, without parallel anywhere in the world, in organizing the coexistence of a number of nations and tribes within a single proletarian state on a basis of mutual confidence and voluntary and fraternal good-will. Three years of revolution show that this experiment has every chance of success” (from “Marxism and the National Question,” page 85).

The World Council of Churches at Evanston, Illinois, adopted this communist

line under the title, “Living together in a divided world” as reported by the Christian Century, Sept. 22, 1954, page 1148.

Paul’s word to the C...

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