Branches and Branches

You might wonder what branches have got to do with religion. We know that a branch is either a division of some larger or more complex organization or a division of a stem, or secondary stem arising from the main stem of a plant. In our desire for a "pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father", we look into the matter of "branches" in the Christian context. In John chapter 15, verse 5, the Lord talked about branches; and some organizations in Christendom are quick to identify themselves as these branches. 

Bro Warner considered this in the presentation below:

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Where in the Bible do we find the idea of sects being branches, as people talk about? "What branch of the church do you belong to?" is a common expression in these times of anti-scriptural language and practice. Why do not people read their Bibles better and learn that every individual believer is a branch in Christ--John 15? 

If a whole sect is a branch, then the individual must be a sub-branch; but this would make each one dependent upon the sect for his union with, and life from, Christ. This would be second hand salvation. We should not like to risk the coupling--I prefer a direct union with Christ. 

Taking Christ's parable of the Vine and Branches, there is but one way to represent branch sects; that is, imagine the branches adhering directly to the vine but pressed together and tightly bound into several bunches. Thus drawn together each bundle would have the appearance of a branch; but upon closer examination it would be found to consist of many branches each adhering to the vine, except a good many dead sticks, that had been killed by the unnatural confinement, and had rotted loose from the trunk. 

We think it is the great business of the pure gospel sword of holiness to cut those soul-killing chords, that the Father may purge the several branches, and that they may all straighten out in natural position--live, grow, and bear fruit unto holiness. 

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His account of how he was led to severe his connection with the holiness association, which he began to see was but a milder form of sectism, is given in an editorial for June 1, 1881. 

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To the above I wish to add: 

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the church of God is one unit, composed of every blood-washed one, the hearts in which God's will is done, both in heaven and on earth. Each soul in Christ Jesus is described as His branch, not denominations. Denominations or Demonic-nations are made up of headquarters and branches. If indeed, denominations make up the body of Christ, how many headquarters do we have in the one church of  the living God? ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

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