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staff Member
Joined: 2007/2/8 Posts: 2227
| Denominational Christianity is Not God's Best for the Church | | Hi All, I am going to start by making a statement and then an explanation. "Denominational Christianity is not God's best for the Church"
If Jesus Was here right now on the planet their would be no denominations.Why?Simply because he would be able to teach,answer and explain all our difficult questions with the Authority to back his answers up.Thus ending this unnatural division in the Church. Furthermore we can even say That if Peter or Paul were here their would be no denominational division because they could answer all our difficult questions on doctrine that divide us using scripture. For instance if Paul was in your Church on Sunday and we asked him "What does the Bible say about Losing your Salvation" he could answer that accurately with Authority .If we asked him questions like "Can A Christian have A demon" he could answer that or is the "Rapture Post,Mid or Pre Trib" he could answer these questions 100% correctly. These questions or any other teaching could not cause division because the Apostle would be able to correct it with correct teaching given in Authority. All of the points in the scripture below are important but look at the fact that Apostles teaching is included.
Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Whats Your Point? 1.Like I said Denominations are not the God's Best and we need to recognise this failing. 2.Its poor teaching that causes splits.Although the answers are in the scripture for us all their is no universal understanding to doctrine that cause division accepted by all. 3.We dont have the Apostles of the First Century Church around that can fix the problem.We may have Apostles as in Church Planters but not ones with the Authority of James ,Peter and Paul who can spiritually discipline with love teachers who step out of line 4.God will restore Apostolic Doctrine to end division in the Church 5.We however cannot restore Apostolic Doctrine,thats up to God but we can pray for it.Its a bit like David and the temple,he couldnt build the temple himself but he could help prepare for it.
I feel I should share what God has given me so that it may help you understand why we have so many voices but no uniformity,staff
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2019/11/5 20:51 | Profile |
passerby Member
Joined: 2008/8/13 Posts: 742
| Re: Denominational Christianity is Not God's Best for the Church | | I guess even during the time of the apostles, there were already distinct christian groups, denominations were emerging and bound to happen.
What we can do now is to show charity, goodwill, and respect as we meet and pass one another in the course of our life.
A group of christians which are strongly bounded to each other perhaps is a better way for the survival of the entire church or for personal survival of a christian.
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2019/11/6 0:52 | Profile |
staff Member
Joined: 2007/2/8 Posts: 2227
| Re: | | Hi Passerby, The simple answer is that although divisions arose Paul quickly or as quick as possible brought Teaching to close those divisions and denominations only happened when the Apostles had passed.The divisions not denominations we can see are in Revelation when we had the seven Churches but they were all measured to the Apostles Doctrine. Charity goodwill and respect in fairness wont stop division thats like saying "lets all get on together" On the qoute below the it is clear that the early Christians were bonded under the Apostles Doctrine and it wasnt about Survival at all The qoute: A group of christians which are strongly bounded to each other perhaps is a better way for the survival of the entire church or for personal survival of a christian.
How could anyone think that God wanted or is satisfyied with "denominations" when you think of it,its such a silly idea and so far away from God's Best its scary.God wants unity under in the word.Thanks for the reply but God could never be happy with division in the Church of any kind,How could he?staff |
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2019/11/6 5:29 | Profile |
| Re: | | In the Pyongyang revival of 1907-10 the Methodist and Presbyterian missionaries put aside their doctrinal differences, sought the Lord in fervent prayer, and saw a Gospel explosion result in hundreds of thousands coming to salvation in Christ.
When the communists came into power in the late forties many believers fled south, hence the strong Christian presence in South Korea to this day. |
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2019/11/6 6:19 | |
narrowpath Member
Joined: 2005/1/9 Posts: 1522 Germany NRW
| Re: Denominational Christianity is Not God's Best for the Church | | All these divisions and denominations are man made. Some of their doctrines are approved of God, others aren't. Some denominations came into place because they countered apostacy in their generation. They are a fact we have to live with for the time being.
Some denominations are very strong where others are weak. The Brethern put great emphasis on communion, and right so. The Baptists on baptism and the word, and right so. Calvary Chapel on teaching through all the bible, and right so. The Pentecostal on the Holy Spirit, and right so The Mennonite on holiness, and right so
This is, of course a crude generalisation.
I once went into a brethren assembly that turned pentecostal, and they blended both into something beautiful.
Can we all learn from each other?
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2019/11/6 6:34 | Profile |
MrBillPro Member
Joined: 2005/2/24 Posts: 3422 Texas
| Re: | | No denominations or anything should have any effect on all believers being one in Christ. Jesus built one church and prayed for unity, not division, we must be of one mind on the essentials of the faith. _________________ Bill
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2019/11/6 8:22 | Profile |
staff Member
Joined: 2007/2/8 Posts: 2227
| Re: | | Hi Bill, Of course denominations have an effect on all believers being one in Christ .The fact that they exist means we are not one in Christ and the essentials of the faith vary from denomination to denomination and this is not God's best for the Church . My point is that if Paul was here or James the essentials would all be the same in every church and so ending denominations and these divisions caused by not understanding the Scriptures correctly. Paul or James would correctly preach the truth about such things as "Losing Salvation" vs "Once Saved Always Saved" or Whether the rapture is "Mid Pre or Post" etc and in so doing end devision.And although at the moment some of the truth is preached correctly by one denomination and another truth by another their is still division because denominations cant agree on what is the truth.If Paul or James were here this would not be the case or if it was then action would be taken,staff |
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2019/11/6 9:24 | Profile |
staff Member
Joined: 2007/2/8 Posts: 2227
| Re: | | Hi Narrowpath You Qoute: All these divisions and denominations are man made. Some of their doctrines are approved of God, others aren't. Some denominations came into place because they countered apostacy in their generation. They are a fact we have to live with for the time being. I agree totally with this statement and I think in my original post I said the same in point 5 I said: 5.We however cannot restore Apostolic Doctrine,thats up to God but we can pray for it.Its a bit like David and the temple,he couldnt build the temple himself but he could help prepare for it. We can and should recognize that denominational Christianity is not GOD'S BEST God does not want any Church to be good in one area and bad in another as pointed out in the book of Revelation, Can we learn from one another?Certainly but it wont end denomiational division.Before the sickness can be cured we have to recognise that it is a sickness.staff |
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2019/11/6 9:31 | Profile |
staff Member
Joined: 2007/2/8 Posts: 2227
| Re: | | Hi Calvary, Think what could happen if all the denominations came under Apostolic Teaching like in the early Church and were of one correct teaching with no need to put aside doctrinal differences as their would be none,This revival of 1907 would be like a drop of water in a waterfall,staff |
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2019/11/6 9:36 | Profile |
MrBillPro Member
Joined: 2005/2/24 Posts: 3422 Texas
| Re: staff | | Thanks! great explanation, so in today's terms, we might say, so we would all be on the same page. _________________ Bill
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2019/11/6 9:49 | Profile |