Why are there so many Churches?

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homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
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#61
The book of revelations mentions the seven churches oops I forget, I'm not sapose to take things out of context.

My brother belongs to the Church of Christ in Minneapolis, area in Minn. and when he would come to his root home here in WI he goes to another church called The Assembly of God (otherwise known as "Holy Rollers") because he claims it's the closest thing to his Church beliefs. Those rollers are quite the sight.

When I visit him and his family in Minn., I go to his church on Sunday and they pretty much believe the same things as the Pentecostal. Me, I'm brought up WELS Lutheran and this is the same Creed that the Roman Catholics have so all in all there appears to me one basic principal from God to us - from cover to cover in the what we have of his word.

We were made perfectly sinless and walked with God, we sinned, Christ suffered died and rose and now if we believe then we are once again walking with God and the perfection part is just a step away. I think this principal floats with the majority of christian denominations today. We are all in all in christ.
1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
15,146
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#63
That's like asking why are there so many flavors of ice cream. Sorry. Seriously, it could be that each one of the churches gets a new understanding and so they set up a banner of that new understanding and fail to keep going further into truth. They have some truth and perhaps some things not quite scriptural. Fortunately, God looks at each individual and judges the heart of that individual. In the meantime, stay in the Word, study, study, study and obey and trust in the Father and His Son.
seek truth and the truth will set us free. And if not free yet, I look at what truth I have adopted and thus see if there is nay error in that truth, that is keeping me in bondage. And thus ask God to separate error from truth to be set free in God, I wonder and change accordingly, as truth continues to take hold, in the errors I have performed
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
15,146
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#64
Denominations, doctrines scare me, let man read the bible with the help of the Holy Spirit and understand it that way. Why do we need a human mediator to God. Let the WORD be the mediator.
For this truth, and Thank you:

[h=3]Hebrews 8:10-12[/h]New King James Version (NKJV)

[SUP]10 [/SUP]For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. [SUP]11 [/SUP]None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. [SUP]12[/SUP]For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”

And today it is done in and through Christ at the cross.
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
15,146
139
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#65
Why does man got to be squarely planted in between God and his WORD along with a collection basket LOL
1 Corinthians 9:12 If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.

Hmm!!!! I wonder, has the Gospel been hindered?
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
15,146
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#66
There are things I don't understand but there are many things that are very clear
keep growing and seeing as God continues to be your teacher unto truth that does set you free
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
15,146
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#67
I'm seeing a trend here, of people thinking you don't have to go to 'church' to be close to God. It's true that so many churches have gone astray from the will of God, but then again one is not to forsake the assembly. I guess that would be the qualifier, what is it that makes up an assembly?

Actually, I'm going to make this it's own thread.
Heb. 8 the one God pitched not man and we are born again of the Spirit of God by the resurrected Christ and serve God in Spirit and truth, in God's Kingdom, heaven not earth.
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
15,146
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#68
I'd like to start a non-denominational bible study just to read the bible together and get everyone's different opinions keeping an open mind
I am ready PM me thanks
 
J

johnj208

Guest
#69
I truly like to see people fellowship together reading versus and sharing their views even if they are different than others. This forum is a great example. We share are views and respectfully read others. In some instances it is enlightening. I been seriously reading the bible for a year now and it has changed me in good ways. I find it interesting to reread verses and see something I haven't seen before. What I am seeing is that my understanding is growing and changing as I study. It scares me to have man planted squarely between God and his WORD (oh and the collection basket :)). Man is fallible. Maybe bible study should be more personal between God and you through his WORD and the holy spirit leaving the middle MAN out.
 
Feb 21, 2012
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#70
mkay.
but we already did this.
Yes, but you did ask me and I could kick myself for answering! lol

this idea here: "The Church of the body of Christ, aka the Administration of Grace"?....huh?

Ephesians 3
Paul’s Stewardship


1For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—2if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you;3that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief.4By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,5which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;6to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,7of which I was made a minister, according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.8To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ,9and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things;10so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.11This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,12in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him.13Therefore I ask you not to lose heart at my tribulations on your behalf, for they are your glory.
Yes, Paul was given the stewardship - oikonomia - also meaning dispensation, administration. Paul was given the stewardship of administering or teaching God's grace that the Gentiles would be fellow heirs and member of the body which was a mystery which was not made known in other generations. . .the mystery which is Christ in you, the hope of glory which makes a person a fellow heir and member of the body. He was given that responsibility, that stewardship.
this isn't excluding jews - it's just speaking of God's GRACIOUS grace to include the gentiles - which was always the plan, but just made known VIA real time revelation to Paul, who was a steward OF THAT MESSAGE.

the church is jew and gentile.

there's no separation. and it's not some TIME break. where he soon turns back to PLAN A - jews.

like...really
I never said that it excluded the Jews. . . but isn't being a fellow heir and member of the body of Christ dependent on faith/belief? If a Jew doesn't believe - he is still a Jew. If a Gentile doesn't believe - he is still a Gentile. But when ANY believe then they are joint heirs with Christ and members in particular of the body of Christ -

1 Cor. 10:32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God --- there are the three classifications of peoples

What makes a person neither Jew nor Gentile, etc. is being born again of the Spirit. . .

1 Cor. 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body -- whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free -- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. . . .

So the prerequisite for being one member in the body is to be born again of God - then and only then is anyone considered to be a fellow heir and fellow partakers in the promises of Jesus Christ.

 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
15,146
139
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#71
Why does MAN and his interpretation have to be planted squarely between God and his WORD (along with the collection basket) can't we fellowship together without forcing our interpretations down each other's throat
much learning and growing can happen from being open to each other, and taking what is said in and unto the hidden man of our new hearts that God has put in us, that believe God and are wanting truth and error separated
I am ready, God willing.
 
J

johnj208

Guest
#72
Thank you for all your different views. It helps. :)
 
J

johnj208

Guest
#73
What I am finding is there are some things in the bible that can be interpreted different ways. I also have found that I have changed my views on certain topics based on new understandings from what I have read. Is it possible that there are some things that we are not meant to fully understand in the bible and your views may change as time goes on but the full understanding may never really occur to Christ returns? Maybe in some cases all our views are correct we just can't see it unless we are above looking down.
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
15,146
139
63
#74
I think the big reason why there are so many different denominations out there is because a lot of Christians do not rightly divide the word of truth. And since they are not dispensational and don't rightly divide the word of truth, they get messed up doctrinally. You see when your not dispensational you can make the Bible say anything.

2 Timothy 2:15 is not a suggestion. It is a command. And when a Christian does not rightly divide the word of truth, then they have reason be ahsamed.
the only war I see left today after the cross of Christ is the war between Flesh and the Spirit of God
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
 
J

johnj208

Guest
#75
It is also interesting to see how science is starting to fit into the picture.
 
J

johnj208

Guest
#76
Thank you homeward for the Galatians versus.
 
J

johnj208

Guest
#77
Can you explain your view more? I have a problem with pride and at times it blocks my love off from my fellow man.
 
J

johnj208

Guest
#78
In some instances rejection KILLS me LOL
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
15,146
139
63
#79
I truly like to see people fellowship together reading versus and sharing their views even if they are different than others. This forum is a great example. We share are views and respectfully read others. In some instances it is enlightening. I been seriously reading the bible for a year now and it has changed me in good ways. I find it interesting to reread verses and see something I haven't seen before. What I am seeing is that my understanding is growing and changing as I study. It scares me to have man planted squarely between God and his WORD (oh and the collection basket :)). Man is fallible. Maybe bible study should be more personal between God and you through his WORD and the holy spirit leaving the middle MAN out.
sift all things through your new heart where all error gets sorted out by God and through God eventually as you continue to know him. For God is our teacher
Hebrews 8:11 and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
 

homwardbound

Senior Member
Oct 24, 2012
15,146
139
63
#80
What I am finding is there are some things in the bible that can be interpreted different ways. I also have found that I have changed my views on certain topics based on new understandings from what I have read. Is it possible that there are some things that we are not meant to fully understand in the bible and your views may change as time goes on but the full understanding may never really occur to Christ returns? Maybe in some cases all our views are correct we just can't see it unless we are above looking down.
On the first day one believes we are:
Ephesians 1:13 in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

Why? could this be for God to grow us from that day. As an apple grows into maturity hanging off the tree branch. When that apple is first born in and through that tree branch it is a perfect apple is it not? What does the apple need to become ripe, mature yes?
So maybe read from Hebrews 5:11- 6:6 and especially see
Hebrews 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.

So ask as I think you have already, and God does permit for us to see truth that sets us free from flesh bondage and be raised in the Spirit of God, unto maturity.