In Protestantism there is a strong tide of denying the Lord’s name by replacing it with many other names, such as Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Presbyterian, etc. Many Christians say that they go to the Lutheran church, the Methodist church, or the Presbyterian church. There is also the Episcopalian church, the Anglican church, the Church of England. The word Episcopalian is from the Latin word episcopus, meaning bishop. The Church of England is a state church under the rule of bishops.
We can see that Protestantism has replaced the unique name of Christ with many other names. Today it is very convenient for people to set up a church and give a name to it. There are many Chinese churches in California with many names other than the name of Christ. One denomination calls itself the Taiwan Presbyterian Church. Another one is called the Taiwan Gospel Church. To denominate the church by taking any name other than the Lord’s is spiritual fornication. The church, as the pure virgin espoused to Christ (2 Cor. 11:2), should have no name other than her Husband’s. All other names are an abomination in the eyes of God.
It is serious for a woman to take another name besides that of her husband. If a woman is married to Mr. Jones, she should not call herself Mrs. Smith. When believers designate themselves with a name other than Christ’s name, this indicates that they are taking someone or something other than Christ as their Husband. If Mrs. Jones calls herself Mrs. Smith, this means that she has two husbands. The church is a chaste virgin espoused to Christ, so the church is the wife of Christ, and Christ is the Husband. A wife should have only one husband, and her husband’s name becomes her name. From the day of her wedding, she belongs to her husband, and her last name must be her husband’s name. But today the so-called churches use other names, names replacing Christ. This is a big insult to Christ.
In the early 1800s, some brothers raised up by the Lord in England dropped all these divisive names. They would keep only one name, that is, the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Eventually, others did not know how to denominate them, so they called them “The Brethren.” This is because they called themselves “brothers,” or “brethren.”
When we were raised up by the Lord in China, we realized that we should not denominate ourselves with any name. A denomination is a group of Christians who have denominated themselves with a certain name such as Lutheran, Wesleyan, Anglican, Presbyterian, Baptist, etc. They do not realize that this is an insult to Christ. Strictly speaking, it is spiritual fornication. If our Husband’s name is Christ, and we take the name Lutheran, this means that we are taking another husband.
Furthermore, the many names taken in today’s Protestantism strongly imply divisions. The recovered church has only the unique name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every group taking a name other than Christ is a division. Christ is unique and is not divided, but all the different names are very divisive. In 1 Corinthians Paul said, “Each of you says, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. Is Christ divided?” (1:12-13a). This is exactly the same as saying “I am a Lutheran,” “I am a Wesleyan,” “I am a Presbyterian,” “I am an Episcopalian,” etc. All such designations should be condemned and rejected. Furthermore, to say “I am of Christ” in the way of excluding the apostles and their teachings or of excluding other believers is as divisive as to say “I am of” this or that. The divisions can be eliminated and terminated only by taking Christ as the unique center among all the believers. Brother Watchman Nee in his book Further Talks on the Church Life said that those in the denominations may say that they love one another, but they “shake hands over the fences” of their denominations (see pp. 95-102). We must overcome to tear down all the fences so that we can have the fellowship of the Body of Christ in oneness.
In the recovery the Lord’s name, Jesus Christ, is unique, without any replacement. The church in the Lord’s recovery does not take a name. We are simply the church. The moon is just the moon. It is not designated with another name. The church should not be designated. If we designate the church, it becomes a denomination, a division. Denominations cut the Body of Christ into pieces. Any name of any denomination is a divisive and evil thing. We need to overcome the tide of denying the Lord’s name. To take another name besides that of Christ is abominable in the eyes of God because it is spiritual fornication.
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