Why All The Denominations?

Why Are There So Many Denominations?

http://www.gospelpreceptor.com/Northrp9.htm

Denominationalism is Sinful

http://www.gospelpreceptor.com/HarperE2.htm

Are you in a denomination? If so,do you know if God approves of them? Surely our Lord would have mentioned denominations in the New Testament if they were pleasing to Him. If I were in a denomination this would worry me.

www.roysecitycoc.org

The story is told of a lady who always cut her ham in two sections when she cooked one. When asked why she cut the ham into two sections she replied,I am not sure exactly why. She then said,All I know is that my mother did it,so I do it.

The lady was asked to call her mother and ask why she cut the ham in two sections. When the mother was contacted she answered in the same manner. I do not really know WHY, but my mother did it and that was her reason for continuing to do it.

Finally the grandmother was asked why she cut the ham in two sections each time she cooked it. She said, the reason I once did it was because at the time my pans were not big enough to cook it whole.

This short light hearted story teaches us much about ourselves. Our parents have alot of influence in what we do,how we do it and why we do certain things. This is certainly true in the real of religion.

Many people attend a particular church just because their parents attended the very same church. Though the children have never questioned if the things they done in worship services were actually found in the bible they are perfectly content with How,Where and Why they worship they way they do.

It is very possible that the most important question has never been asked. That question would be -

Is the Lord pleased with How,When and Why I worship the way I do?

1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
3 For this is the will of God,(1Thess.4:1-3)

24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.(John 4:24)

God does not accept any an all worship according to (Gen.4:5-7)(Heb.11:4)(1John 3:12). These three verses teach us that the Lord does require certain actions from man. This proves that man has a part in the salvation process.

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.(2Cor.5:10,11)

6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:(Rom.2:6-10)

7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2Thess.1:7-9)

Note also -(Phil.3:16-19)(Acts 2:42)(1Tim.4:1)(1Tim.1:3)(Deut .4:2)(1Cor.4:6)(Rev.22:18,19).


Reply To A Denominational Preacher

http://missionprinting.us/html_pubs/denom_pre .

It seems the above URL does not work. Try this one. You can learn more about what the church of Christ teaches here.

http://www.missionprinting.us/pub.html

thetruthinlove.com

You stated,“…I believe the objective standard of righteousness is the Word of God as well. However, I understand that anyone of us that reads the standard is going to view certain subjects in a differing manner.”

Jamaican Joe - I wonder if God endorses the latter part of your claim, that he understands and accepts that people are going to view things differently. If, as you imply that God leaves things up to our individual and personal interpretation, then there is an indictment on him for his demand for believers to “be of the same mind” and “speak the same thing.”

You stated also,

“This is simple human nature, and those that have similar viewpoints are going to congregate together.”

If this is, as you claim, then Christ’s plea for unity in John 17 is empty and futile. From the evidence of the Scriptures, there is nowhere and at no time that God has ever endorsed sectarianism and denominationalism. I believe it to be a fact that God is not the author of confusion (I Cor. 14:33). He will never request of us to accomplish things he knows we cannot do.

You insist that,

“The very text of the scripture itself shows that Paul, Cephias, and Apollos were teaching different things.”

I requested for you to provide the evidence of this claim from the Scriptures. One of the basic rules of correct interpretation is that one does not draw more conclusion than that which is warranted by the evidence. I asked you for scriptural evidence, and all that you have given me is conjecture. I am afraid that no one can afford to base his eternal destiny on conjecture. If that were the case, then religionists such as Mohammad, Joseph Smith, and Ellen G. Whyte would be right on track. So, I want you to supply me with a single thread of evidence that any of these inspired writers ever contradicted each other, as is the case in denominationalism.

Another claim of interest is,

“There are differences in the four gospels, Peter's writings, Paul's writings, James’s writings etc. This is not opinion. It is fact. It does not make it wrong.”

Are you saying that these men taught contradictory and opposing doctrines in the Bible? Are you saying that the Gospel writers recorded opposing events and doctrines in their respective account of the life of Christ? You will agree with me that the pointed feature of denominationalism is that each denomination becomes distinct from each other – because of the different, contradictory things they espouse. Just ask each one the fundamental question,“What must I do to be saved.” You will be intrigued by the discordant, contradictory and confusing responses that are proffered. The question, therefore, is: can they all be right? Is God pleased with this cacophony that goes forth as the answer to such a critical and fundamental question?

Finally, you see the solution as,

“We need to look past denominational differences...”

In other words, a resort to ecumenism. The solution as God sees it, however, is to dismantle all denominations and become members of the one true church that Christ built. Let us remember the plea of the Saviour: "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me”– John 17:20-21.

By: Jamaican Joe

thebiblespeaks.com

The last post was posted because of its power to teach the truth (John 17:17)(1Tim.2:4). It is a part of a discussion between a member of the church of Christ (Jamaican Joe) and another person who is involved in denominationalism.

I found this one particular post so powerful I decided to post it on this thread. I hope people will look into their bibles and seek to do the will of God (Mt.6:33)(Acts 17:11)(John 5:39).

http://www.searchingfortruth.org/