I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 1 Corinthians 1:10
True and undefiled religion does not consist in being of this or that particular sect or communion… perhaps you could say no more for yourselves than this, namely, that you belong to such a church, and worship God in the same way in which your fathers and mothers worshipped God before you; and perhaps, at the same time, you are so narrow in your thoughts, that you think none can worship God but those that worship God just in your way. It is certainly a blessing to be born as you are, in a reformed church; it is certainly a blessing to have the outward government and discipline of the church exercised; but then, if you place religion merely in being of this or that sect - if you contend to monopolize or confine the grace of God to your particular party - if you rest in that you place the kingdom of God in something in which it does not consist - you had as good place it in meat and drink. There are certainly Christians among all sects and communions that have learned the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. I do not mean that there are Christians among Arians, Socinians, or those that deny the divinity of Jesus Christ - I am sure the devil is priest of such congregations as these; but I mean there are Christians among other sects that may differ from us in the outward worship of God. Therefore, my dear friends, learn to be more catholic, more unconfined in your notions; for if you place the kingdom of God merely in a sect, you place it in that in which it does not consist.
George Whitefield Daily Readings, Randall J. Pederson, ed., Christian Focus Publications, 2010, from the reading for February 29.
True and undefiled religion does not consist in being of this or that particular sect or communion… perhaps you could say no more for yourselves than this, namely, that you belong to such a church, and worship God in the same way in which your fathers and mothers worshipped God before you; and perhaps, at the same time, you are so narrow in your thoughts, that you think none can worship God but those that worship God just in your way. It is certainly a blessing to be born as you are, in a reformed church; it is certainly a blessing to have the outward government and discipline of the church exercised; but then, if you place religion merely in being of this or that sect - if you contend to monopolize or confine the grace of God to your particular party - if you rest in that you place the kingdom of God in something in which it does not consist - you had as good place it in meat and drink. There are certainly Christians among all sects and communions that have learned the truth as it is in Christ Jesus. I do not mean that there are Christians among Arians, Socinians, or those that deny the divinity of Jesus Christ - I am sure the devil is priest of such congregations as these; but I mean there are Christians among other sects that may differ from us in the outward worship of God. Therefore, my dear friends, learn to be more catholic, more unconfined in your notions; for if you place the kingdom of God merely in a sect, you place it in that in which it does not consist.
George Whitefield Daily Readings, Randall J. Pederson, ed., Christian Focus Publications, 2010, from the reading for February 29.
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