Carl Hecker
In the beginning, the seed principle was stated and the law of reproduction has been confirmed in the experience of all mankind over the centuries. It is an obvious, continuous, and immutable fact of life. Everything produces after its own kind (Gen. 1:24). The seed of one plant brings forth of its own kind—always! Of course, this is true of physical man and all of the other facets of God’s creation. It is also true in the religious world.
A Baptist preacher, preaching Baptist doctrine, will always produce a Baptist. He will never reproduce a Presbyterian. Everyone surely knows this. The denominational proclaimer can and does depend upon the law that seed brings forth after its kind. He has seed to sow, and he depends upon it producing what he has sown.
The Restoration Principle
Early in the history of our country, denominational men began to see that division among the churches did not help a struggling frontier people. They needed unity to face the trying times of those formative years. Some in European countries also observed the fruits of the Reformation movement. They were not pleased with their harvest. Forced by necessity, they began to re-examine their seed.
Consider this Seed
Jesus declared the seed to be the Word of God (Luke 8:11). What if one preached only the Word of God? Would it produce something else other than a Christian? No one believes that it would. All agree that the Gospel is the Truth. That the Truth is the Word of God. That the New Testament is the revealed Will of the Father.
With that premise, what would happen if men only preached that Word and nothing else? If a preacher would only preach the Truth, the Word, the Will of the Father, revealed in the New Testament, he would only produce Christians. He could not make a Baptist—such is not in the New Testament. He could not make a Presbyterian—such is not in the New Testament. He could not make some brand of Christian—there is only one kind in the New Testament.
Why is there division? Why so many denominations? How do men become so mixed up in trying to explain the different churches, sometime meeting on the same corner across from each other? How come there are hundreds of different and conflicting doctrines all claiming to be from the same Christ? Is Christ divided? Is our Father the author of confusion? Is this His fault? Did He plan it this way?
There are some more specific questions. Did Christ want us to count beads or burn incense? Or both? Or neither? Did God want a priesthood to take our confessions? Did He want His people divided into clergy and laity? Did He raise up icons to preach faith only while another preached works only? Which one should we believe? Is God indifferent?
Consider the Restoration Principle
Who would want to charge God with the division of His own people? Who would want to charge God with supplying faulty seed? Now, according to the seed principle, division is caused by men sowing different kinds of seed. Remember, seed produce after its own kind.
What would happen if men sowed only the pure seed of the Gospel (1 Pet. 1:22-25)? Read this passage carefully. The seed principle affirms that the souls of men would be purified. If no other seed is mixed in, the souls of men would remain pure. The restoration principle calls for men to preach this Gospel in all its pristine, simple beauty. It calls for men to restrain from trying to reform old traditions and corrupt practices of the past.
The restoration principle calls for men to dedicate themselves to the restoration of preaching the simple terms of the New Testament. It calls men to organize God’s people in the same, simple, New Testament arrangement of local congregations.
The restoration principle calls for men to preach Christ and Him crucified. It requires men to put the authority of Christ first and to recognize no other. It pleads for men to strive for the unity for which He prayed so fervently (John 17:20-21).
Is this asking too much? History has shown that many will not give up their own religious past. But you and I can.
