Why So Many Denominations - Another Perspective

[aldona]

A friend of mine who used to be a member of a Pentecostal church, and now does not belong to any denomination but studies the Bible for herself at home and reads widely from many Christian sources, sent me an article recently.

Here is an extract:

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We wonder in Christianity why it is that there is no unity. And why it is that we have so many different denominations and beliefs, all claiming to have the truth. The reason there is no unity and so many different denominations and beliefs is because God will not allow the evil of the apostate church to become concentrated! He will not allow it to happen. It is a move of God -- not Satan! Read again the reason for the scattering in Genesis 11:4-9.

We see this selfsame thing happening in Daniel 12:7...

Daniel 12:7

7) And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.

The scattering of the holy people is an act of God so that the apostate church will not become too powerful. What we see in Christianity today is many, many different languages coming from many different denominations. Absolutely everyone has a different opinion about things and absolutely everyone is having a different revelation. Is this error or a mistake? I think not. It is as the Tower of Babel -- it is an act of God scattering the languages (thoughts, opinions, ideas).

Nimrod is the end result, the final manifestation of the spirit of religious apostasy. He IS that man of sin that sits in the temple of God (the church) showing himself that he is God! He's crept in our back door while we have been busy doing everything else!

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(Written by an independent Christian scholar/minister - not sure what denomination, if any.)

I'm sure there are many reasons to agree or disagree - but it certainly makes interesting food for thought.

aldona

[Kevin H]

Thank you for sharing, I like that! It is one of the worries I have of the spread of the conservative evangelical movement, with their calling everyone else cults and lost.

There is a second aspect that I would like to add to this: We are at different states of growth. God also uses denominations to help nurture us at our stage of growth. (Satan also uses this as an excuse to stay with our old group when it's time to progress in truth)

A third reason is sometimes we seem to be unable to understand the why different aspects can work together. Denominations have been with us. The Old Testament had a denomination focused on the priesthood of the family of Moses, and another focused on the priesthood of the family of Aaron, and they often had the same problems we have between our denominations. Both had their strong and weak points, and the writings of both became our Bible. The editor of Deuteronomy did not see eye to eye with the editor of Leviticus (notice I said editor, I believe in Moses authorship)

The Aaronites had a strong General Conference, had a very sober worship style, and would at times become oppressive and intolerant. The family of Moses tended to be more congragational, lively worship, but too compromising with the false religions. The Deuteronomic History tells how the family of Moses ended up getting a lot of curses that God was able to turn into a blessing (interestingly, most, if not all the curses in the deuteronomic history can be traced to being on one person, Jeremiah) and the book of Jeremiah points out how the blessings on the Aaronites can end up being a curse if they did not change how they were using them.

In the New Testament, we find the roots of denominationalism in the spread of ideas and background in the 12 disciples, including Matthew the cooperate with Rome tax collector and simon the murder the Roman's zelot. Latter there were the denominations of James, Paul, Peter and John. There appears to be particullar friction between the denominations of Paul and Peter, with John holding them together, otherwise in AD 135 when Christianity became a seperate religion from Judaism, we might have become three instead of two religions. Yet the yars they were intension was the high point of Chruch history. But later Petrine thought gaied superiority and we entered the dark ages. Then Paul was rediscovered and we entered into the Reformation. Now we are starting to see Paul gaining superiority over Peter, and judging from the past, little good can come out of it.

Thus it appears that the tension between some denominations help to keep us on the streight and narrow. And as we learn more about the Bible, the Old and New Teatament will be like scorpion stings to all of us as we realize that we all have things to learn and to unlearn.

If denominatons become too sepperate we hold our strong and weak points with out it being challenged by others. If denominations become too much together, there is too big a risk of loosing part of the picture of God, a sacrifice of truth for a mishmash into a super religion that persecutes others.

I heard a while back on UCTV someone saying (and this is probably not a word for word quote) that when there is one major religion it always becomes persecutory of others. When there are two they fight and kill each other. When there are more religions they learn about religious freedom and liberty of conscience.

[LifeHiscost]

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aldona said:

Nimrod is the end result, the final manifestation of the spirit of religious apostasy. He IS that man of sin that sits in the temple of God (the church) showing himself that he is God!

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(Written by an independent Christian scholar/minister - not sure what denomination, if any.)

I'm sure there are many reasons to agree or disagree - but it certainly makes interesting food for thought.

aldona

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[:"red"] "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in >>all the churches of the saints.<<" [/]

1 Corinthians 14:33 NKJV

My understanding of >> << is referencing the body of believers. This next text is counseling our Father's "called out ones" to disengage with confusion.

[:"red"] "And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!"For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality."

I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues " [/] Rev 18:2-4 NASB

My understanding of the root meaning of the word "Babylon" is confusion.

[:"red"] "There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism " [/] Ephesians 4:5 NLT

[:"red"] "Jesus saith to him, `I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one doth come unto the Father, if not through me " [/] John 14:6 YLT

[:"red"] "But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. " [/] John 16:13 NASB

My suspicions are that most (if not all) of God's children will have to do a little rethinking if they are to enter into life.

[:"red"] "“ For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD." [/]

Isaiah 55:8 NKJV

Keep the faith!

[bevin]

Different denominations have different views about why there are many denominations.

Most main-stream protestants simply accept that one size does not fit all, and that you should worship with the group that most matches your current walk - but that some other groups are of the devil.

The SDA, LDS, JW, and some others generally subscribe to the view that their group is is only right one to belong to, that some of the others have some limited truth, and that others are of the devil.

The Catholics tend to mirror the SDA view - except they differ on which denomination is the right one.

Me - every denomination I have looked at insists on some adherence to something I find objectionable. I like the early Israel / NT models - each person decides for themselves what God is teaching them, and they gather together in dynamically changing groups not for authority but for companionship.

/Bevin

[Robert]

The reason is because the Christian church, in its many branches, has failed to restore the full and complete gospel.

The gospel reveals two important issues:

1] God's legal justification of the fallen human race "in Christ Jesus."

2] The love of God revealed in Christ's selfless love at the cross.

[Derrell M]

Thank you Bevin, and thank you Robert. Good points there.

It is my opinion the the concept of denominations was the devil's most ingenious plan for the destruction of true Christianity. (Of course human nature does dictate that we form groups, follow leaders, build walls, and fight. Its a primordial instinct.)

[LifeHiscost]

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Friend said:

Thank you Bevin, and thank you Robert. Good points there.

It is my opinion the the concept of denominations was the devil's most ingenious plan for the destruction of true Christianity. (Of course human nature does dictate that we form groups, follow leaders, build walls, and fight. Its a primordial instinct.)

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[:"red"] "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." [/] John 10:16 KJV

[Derrell M]

Quote:

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"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." John 10:16 KJV

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How true. As in the time when that was written, there are still many people entirely outside of Christianity.

[bevin]

The 'one fold' does NOT refer to 'one denomination' - it refers to an informal brotherhood now and a heaven in the future.

Claiming to be christian no longer makes you one. Most USA christians seem to me to be social ones - who don't actually believe (judging by the way they vote) in loving their neighbors.

/Bevin

[Derrell M]

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The 'one fold' does NOT refer to 'one denomination'

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Yet every denomination likes to, by inference, replace the word "fold" with their own denominational name.

Clear back in the first century "christians" were already drawing up lines, and in the second century they were killing each other over petty doctrinal differences. The Egyptians insisted on Mary's divinity, while others swore that not even Jesus was born divine. The Jewish christians wanted everyone to adhere to the Mosaic law, and the Romans threw it out. So it goes until the very foundation of christianity which makes up the universal church gets lost in a mire of doctrinal confusion.

[LifeHiscost]

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Friend said:

So it goes until the very foundation of christianity which makes up the universal church gets lost in a mire of doctrinal confusion.

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[:"red"] "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber." [/] John 10:1 KJV

[:"red"] "Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep." [/] John 10:7 KJV

[benherndon]

Don't most denominations, in fact each of them....start out based on the 'cultism' around some 'guru' who tells them what the Bible says about being and living Christian?

Ordinarily this 'cultic' tendency lasts for 150 to 200 yrs and gradually fades back to the 'norm' of just being only Bible based in their doctrines and beliefs. Haven't our own doctrines and beliefs undergone some alteration as time has passed?

Even in our own church there are variations in beliefs even on our major doctrines. Things are not really totally static. EGW told us to not become 'static'.

Ben

[Gregory Matthews]

Re: "Haven't our own doctrines and beliefs undergone some alteration as time has passed?"

Yes, they have, and well they should. The Christian life is a life of growth.

[Gregory Matthews]

Re: "Don't most denominations, in fact each of them....start out based on the 'cultism' around some 'guru' who tells them what the Bible says about being and living Christian?"

Thought provocating question. I do not have an immediate response.

[LifeHiscost]

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Gregory Matthews said:

Re: "Haven't our own doctrines and beliefs undergone some alteration as time has passed?"

Yes, they have, and well they should. The Christian life is a life of growth.

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Perhaps there may have been no question about this, but just as we are not saved by any works we may do of our own,

so also we are not saved by our correctness of the knowledge we bear, though we suffer much less if we know enough to act better.

[:"red"] "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" [/] Hosea 4:6 KJV

[:"red"] "For we know in part...but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away....now I know in part, For now we see in a mirror dimly" [/] 1 Cor 13:9,10,12 NASB

[Raphael]

Why so many denominations?

Because it's the the devils liking.

Can't be if it wasn't.

Currently SDA denomination (don't know what's gonna be ap there),

Raphael