Preachers Belonging to No Church
We think it is quite proper for men who belong to no church to make it known, and then if people want to uphold such anarchy, disorderly men, as preachers of the gospel, they can do so with a clear understanding. If preachers can live out of any church and do the will of God, other people can do the same. This is not all nor the worst of it. These men claim not only that they can live out of any church and do the will of God, but they claim that they can do more good out of any church than in one. This only needs to be run out to its legitimate result to see the absurdity of it. Outside of any church is not only outside of churches of human device, but outside of the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth. The Lord has established one church, one body, one kingdom. He gave himself for that church. He built it on the rock. He sanctified and cleansed it with the washing of the water by the word. He made one new man, so making peace, or one new church. It is the Lord’s one flock of which he is the one Shepherd; the temple of God, in which God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit dwell; the kingdom which we have received that can not be moved. Outside of any church is outside of this church. Outside of this church is the world, and inside of it is the kingdom of God—all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.