Why should one exalt the name of this one aspect of Christian activity to the point of adopting it as a religious title? One can be methodical without being a Methodist. Just as one can be systematic without being a Systematist. One can be just a plain Christian and practice everything the Bible teaches in reference to order and system.
When I was attending the Union Theological Seminary, one of my professors told me that the New Testament churches were “congregational presbyterian.” He explained his statement by saying that each congregation was independent of all other congregations and that each was overseen by a group of men known as elders or presbyters. I agree with him exactly. According to his explanation his statement was entirely correct. But I am not a member of the Presbyterian Church. One can believe all the Bible teaches upon the presbytery and practice the same without belonging to the Presbyterian denomination. Why should this characteristic of church government or organization be exalted by using it as a religious or denominational title? One can be just a Christian and still believe and practice what the Bible teaches in reference to the presbytery. One does not have to be a member of the Presbyterian Church to obey God concerning the presbytery.
One can believe in the universality of the Gospel without being a Catholic or Universalist. One can believe in the second coming of Christ without belonging to the Adventist denomination. One can teach and practice holy living without belonging to the Holiness Church. If one had to join the Baptist Church because he believed in baptism and the Methodist Church because he believed in method and the Presbyterian Church because he believed in the presbytery of the local congregation (1 Tim. 4:14) and so on down the list, what would he be when he had finished? One can agree with the denominations on the very truth from which they have taken their names, insofar as they have taken their names from truth, without belonging to any of them.
One can believe all truth and obey every commandment of God without belonging to any denomination. Can you think of an exception to this statement? Can you think of any truth which you cannot believe or any commandment that you cannot obey without joining a denomination? I don’t believe you can. Can you think of any truth which you cannot accept or any commandment which you cannot obey while being just a Christian?