One of the challenges in these dark days of spiritual compromise and apostasy is to be faithful to the true gospel and yet continue to have fellowship with those who may differ on secondary issues. It grieves me that some, in a genuine desire to be spiritually pure, move in ever decreasing circles and dis-fellowship from genuine believers.
I came across this beautiful statement on the matter by Robert Murray M’Cheyne, quoted in Iain Murray’s A Scottish Christian Heritage (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 2006 p296)
“Where any minister of any denomination holds the Head, is sound in doctrine and blameless in life, preaches Christ and him crucified as the only way of pardon, and the only source of holiness, especially if he has been owned of God in the conversion of souls and the up-building of saints, we are bound to hold ministerial communion with him, whenever Providence opens the way. What are we that we should shut our pulpits against such a man? True, he may hold that prelacy is the scriptural form of church government…..True, he may have inconsistencies of mind which we cannot account for – he may have prejudices of sect and education which destroy much of our comfort in meeting him (and can we plead exemption from these?) – he may sometimes have spoken rashly and uncharitably (I also have done the same): still, I cannot but own him as a servant of Christ. If the Master owns him in his work, shall the sinful fellows servant disown him?”