Are denominations evil?

[UnitedWithChrist]

The answers to your questions are simple. There are no denominations mentioned in the Word of God and the last 8 chapters of the book of Eze speak of a new temple here on earth from which Christ and the resurrected saints will reign for 1000 years.

When did the purpose of Christianity, and how believers worship God become required to conform to what YOU believe?



Pot calling the kettle black?

View attachment 212377

I was making a point....many desire one unified church, but the problem is they are not willing to compromise their own theology in material ways..and neither am I ...sorry you missed the point.

 

[UnitedWithChrist]

The answers to your questions are simple. There are no denominations mentioned in the Word of God and the last 8 chapters of the book of Eze speak of a new temple here on earth from which Christ and the resurrected saints will reign for 1000 years.

There most certainly were more than one group with different practices within Scripture. The divisions were addressed by Paul in 1 Corinthians, for example.

This is the essence of denominationalism.

 

[UnitedWithChrist]

Interesting since Reformed Baptists have varying views on eschatology and not a chiseled in stone system.

Right..most are amillennial, but there are premillennials (John MacArthur, for example) and postmillennials (Jonathan Edwards would be one example).

 

[massorite]

I was making a point....many desire one unified church, but the problem is they are not willing to compromise their own theology in material ways..and neither am I ...sorry you missed the point.[/QUOTE
No I didn't miss your point at all and I wasn't asking or requiring anyone to conform to what I believe. I was informing you that there is no such a thing as a denomination spoken of anywhere in the Bible, especially not the your denomination. God never intended for us to take His Word and create divisions between ourselves which is exactly what men have done. If you can find any word such as Methodist, Catholic/Universal, Lutheran, Episcopal, 7 Day Adventist, Jehovah's Witnesses or any other words that tell us that we should belong or believe in any denominational doctrinal beliefs that men have created, I will gladly switch from not belonging to any denomination and make a quick switch to sign up with the one true denomination that God has commanded me to sign up with. But you can't find anywhere in scripture that tells us that we should conform to your doctrinal beliefs or p_rehbein's doctrinal beliefs or any other of the doctrinal beliefs of any man made denomination. There is only the Word of God and we are commanded to conform to His Word only and there is only the body of Christ. If you want a unified church then kill your self labeled doctrinal beliefs, separate yourself from your denomination and abide in the Word of God only.
Problem solved.

 

[UnitedWithChrist]

Denominations aren't evil, although they may have been formed as a result of some misguided teachings.
Those cults which deny and/or twist Scripture preventing their adherents from receiving the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ...are evil.

I really should have phrased it...are denominations necessarily evil?

Because some denominations are liberal Christians who believe ordaining homosexuals or women is acceptable.

And, I don't consider cults to be denominations, although I used the labeling of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as an example.

 

[UnitedWithChrist]

Well..allow me to ask if you attend services anywhere, and if so, what affiliation does this church have?

If you tell me you don't have elders and are not associated with a local fellowship, and you don't have extenuating circumstances, you are in disobedience to God automatically, because Scripture teaches we are to belong to a local, face-to-face fellowship where we assemble regularly, observe the sacraments and are led by elders.

If your group calls itself non-denominational, I will ask if the church has a name. If it has a name, that is in essence a denomination even if the name includes only one church congregation.

denomination - a recognized autonomous branch of the Christian Church.

"Autonomous" means to be self-ruling. One given church is, in fact, a denomination whether it claims to be non-denominational or not.

And, if you break it down further, the origin of the word "denomination" involves having a name, so if they have a name (and an associated identity), they are a denomination.

I used the cultic group I belonged to, as an example. Their prideful claim was that they were not a denomination. I agree with them, because I don't consider cults to be denominations. However, they definitely had a name, and when the parent organization fell apart, the group broke into several splinter groups, so in essence the movement became a "denomination" in a sense, because there were multiple autonomous groups that came from a single group. They aren't Christian denominations, though, since they are a cult.

One of my main points, though, is that there are differences of opinion on what the Bible teaches in some areas, and groups separate based on this, or other reasons. Two honest believers can differ on significant issues that make constant fellowship impossible. For instance, if you have one faction who wants to run through the church whooping and hollering during the services, and disturbing the teaching of the pastor, what are you going to do about it? You might try correcting them once or twice, but in the end, if both parties are determined in their view of worship, then there's going to be a problem.

I certainly wouldn't sit in a church with a bunch of nutty people causing disturbances during the sermon.

 

[Lightskin]

Would you be willing to submit yourself to my belief system and my way of worship in order to have perfect unity?

Are you posing a hypothetical question or did you hit your head? Asking for a friend.

 

[Dino246]

Are denominations evil?

"Well, most are, but mine isn't,"

says almost everybody.

 

[Jackson123]

"10: Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11: For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 12: Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13: Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?" (I Cor. 1.)

It tell that divisions happen since apostle Paul time, and Paul tell to perfectly join together.

But Paul never teach to kill other that not agree with him.

So killer is evil, and denomination that teach killing is evil, not every denomination evil, only that teach killing and teach to worship other than Jesus or teach other that bible.

Makes Christ a contradictory Lord. Have you ever really stopped and thought about all the mixed messages of denominationalism? For instance, some teach that all babies are born sinners and if they die in that state, they are eternally lost (hereditary total depravity). Others present babies as pure and innocent (Matt. 18; 19). Some say the non-Christian must be scripturally baptized (Acts 2: 38); others contend water baptism has nothing to do with salvation. Calvinists teach that unless God arbitrarily selected you for salvation before he created the world, there is nothing you can do to alter your lost condition; others maintain salvation is available to all (Jn. 3: 16). The point is that denominationalism is responsible for contradictory messages being given to the lost. Some in hearing these conflicting te

If denomination teach killing or worship or pray to other than Jesus than it look like make Jesus contradinary Lord, but no body able to make Jesus contradinary Lord, Jesus is maker we not able to shape Jesus.

Denominationalism produces unbelief. Beloved, the state of many different churches, teaching many different doctrines is a prolific cause of unbelief. Notice why Jesus prayed for unity: "that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me" (Jn. 17: 21). The atheist is heard to say, "how can you expect me to believe the Bible when there are so many different religions that claim to believe and go

Depend of what denomination. Jesus teach love, if denomination teach killing than this denomination produce unbelief. If denomination teach love than this denomination produce belief.

Denominationalism makes Jesus an incompetent Lord.

Jesus say preach the gospel to all nation, make people to my disciple, is the fact that not every body accept Him make Jesus incompetent?

No killing people that not believe your religion make your God look like incompetent, not every denomination do.

 

[UnitedWithChrist]

By the way, folks, if you really want to know where modern non-denominationalism came from, I think you can safely trace it back to the hippie movement. It is the Christian version of the hippies.

You know the hippies? They were younger people in the 1960's whose parents were working their butts off enabling their children to enjoy a higher standard of living while not working. Hippies would spend time criticizing the materialism of their hard-working parents which enabled their indigence.

Non-denominationalism prospered amongst these sorts of people, who thought their parents were ignorant old traditionalists. Calvary Chapel would be one such church home for individuals like this.

And, while Calvary Chapel insisted it was non-denominational, and did not contain church membership lists, they still had distinctives such as premillennial dispensationalism. Their "membership list" was informal, but existed in the minds of the leadership. They knew who gave regularly, and who did not.

So, 'non-denominational' churches can exist for good reasons (such as sharing the group benefits of health insurance amongst the full time staff with other organizations) or other reasons. EFCA affiliated churches (and Calvary Chapel) are reasonably sound but are not denominational.

But, in some non-denominational churches, there is a self-righteous, hippie mentality that I would associate with the 1960s. Non-denominational groups can also hold funky doctrine such as charismatic stuff, and they don't want to come right out and identify themselves with a label that helps others avoid them.

 

[Whispered]

I was making a point....many desire one unified church, but the problem is they are not willing to compromise their own theology in material ways..and neither am I ...sorry you missed the point.

We didn't miss the point. You appear to have thought we'd forget your Calvinism posts. And your lengthy signature then that defended Calvinism by casting barbs at members here opposed. Just as you've done now castigating aspersions against SDA's.
There is nothing united nor that of seeking unity in the church in anything to date that you've posted. Just the opposite in fact.

 

[UnitedWithChrist]

Are you posing a hypothetical question or did you hit your head? Asking for a friend.

I was making a point, but I guess it went beyond the capabilities of some to understand.

The point is that those who want unity want it on their own terms. If someone is charismatic, they will likely not want to give up their charismatic behavior in order to join a "unified church".

 

[Lightskin]

I was making a point, but I guess it went beyond the capabilities of some to understand.

The point is that those who want unity want it on their own terms. If someone is charismatic, they will likely not want to give up their charismatic behavior in order to join a "unified church".

It definitely went beyond my capabilities of understanding because you’re a demagogue who demands people see things the way you see them, hence why I asked the question.

 

[UnitedWithChrist]

It definitely went beyond my capabilities of understanding because you’re a demagogue who demands people see things the way you see them, hence why I asked the question.

Call me what you want

I was making a point that everyone wants unity, but they don't want it at the expense of their cherished understanding of Scripture and their worship practices, which is either accurate or not.

Including me.

 

[UnitedWithChrist]

It definitely went beyond my capabilities of understanding because you’re a demagogue who demands people see things the way you see them, hence why I asked the question.

By the way, I don't demand that others see things the way I see them.

If they are saved, God can deal with them if their issues are great enough.

If they are unsaved, God can deal with them on matters of truth.

However, I don't cower down in front of individuals who are teaching false things, such as denying the deity of Christ, the Trinity, or demanding that others keep the Saturday Sabbath.

If you guys expect that from me, good luck at getting it

 

[Jackson123]

By the way, folks, if you really want to know where modern non-denominationalism came from, I think you can safely trace it back to the hippie movement. It is the Christian version of the hippies.

You know the hippies? They were younger people in the 1960's whose parents were working their butts off enabling their children to enjoy a higher standard of living while not working. Hippies would spend time criticizing the materialism of their hard-working parents which enabled their indigence.

Non-denominationalism prospered amongst these sorts of people, who thought their parents were ignorant old traditionalists. Calvary Chapel would be one such church home for individuals like this.

And, while Calvary Chapel insisted it was non-denominational, and did not contain church membership lists, they still had distinctives such as premillennial dispensationalism. Their "membership list" was informal, but existed in the minds of the leadership. They knew who gave regularly, and who did not.

So, 'non-denominational' churches can exist for good reasons (such as sharing the group benefits of health insurance amongst the full time staff with other organizations) or other reasons. EFCA affiliated churches (and Calvary Chapel) are reasonably sound but are not denominational.

But, in some non-denominational churches, there is a self-righteous, hippie mentality that I would associate with the 1960s. Non-denominational groups can also hold funky doctrine such as charismatic stuff, and they don't want to come right out and identify themselves with a label that helps others avoid them.

To me non denomination is denomination

Definition of denomination by Merrimack webster

4: a religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices people from several different Christian denominations

 

[Sipsey]

[By the way, folks, if you really want to know where modern non-denominationalism came from, I think you can safely trace it back to the hippie movement. It is the Christian version of the hippies.]

It’s rather easy to find and point to a culprit. The problem of a flawed relationship with God has existed since “prior” to Genesis. My personal opinion is that the best way to affect a society is through righteous living, not truncated sermons and group meetings. Let’s be honest and admit that our greatest obstacle is the reflection that peers back at us as we pass a mirror.

 

[massorite]

Well..allow me to ask if you attend services anywhere, and if so, what affiliation does this church have?

If you tell me you don't have elders and are not associated with a local fellowship, and you don't have extenuating circumstances, you are in disobedience to God automatically, because Scripture teaches we are to belong to a local, face-to-face fellowship where we assemble regularly, observe the sacraments and are led by elders.

If your group calls itself non-denominational, I will ask if the church has a name. If it has a name, that is in essence a denomination even if the name includes only one church congregation.

denomination - a recognized autonomous branch of the Christian Church.

"Autonomous" means to be self-ruling. One given church is, in fact, a denomination whether it claims to be non-denominational or not.

And, if you break it down further, the origin of the word "denomination" involves having a name, so if they have a name (and an associated identity), they are a denomination.

I used the cultic group I belonged to, as an example. Their prideful claim was that they were not a denomination. I agree with them, because I don't consider cults to be denominations. However, they definitely had a name, and when the parent organization fell apart, the group broke into several splinter groups, so in essence the movement became a "denomination" in a sense, because there were multiple autonomous groups that came from a single group. They aren't Christian denominations, though, since they are a cult.

One of my main points, though, is that there are differences of opinion on what the Bible teaches in some areas, and groups separate based on this, or other reasons. Two honest believers can differ on significant issues that make constant fellowship impossible. For instance, if you have one faction who wants to run through the church whooping and hollering during the services, and disturbing the teaching of the pastor, what are you going to do about it? You might try correcting them once or twice, but in the end, if both parties are determined in their view of worship, then there's going to be a problem.

I certainly wouldn't sit in a church with a bunch of nutty people causing disturbances during the sermon.

Oh my, now your using trickery and trying put me in a corner. Not going to happen.
I attend a "Non Denominational" church named Fellowship Bible church which is a stand alone church. But I am not a member of that church and I don't intend to become a member of that church. Why??? Because I am already a member of the Body Of Christ and I don't need nor am I required by scripture to become a member of any denominational church of any kind or any stand alone church. I attend this church because I agree with most of their doctrinal beliefs, the congregation has a very sweet spirit and it is one of the few churches I have ever been to where there are so many well Biblically educated believers in one place.
I attend a church because I am commanded to keep fellowship with and to congregate together with other believers for Praise and Worship.
Each of us has to answer to Christ as an individual and not as a congregation so if folks want to woop, hollor or run through the church that is not for me to decide on whether or not it is right or wrong in the eyes of God. It is for me to decide if such things are right for me or not, or if I want to attend a church/congregation that allows such things go on in the service and I don't so I attend a church that doesn't do such things. However I still believe that the gifts of the spirit never died out and are still sanctioned by God and being used today.
My attendance at this church doesn't in any way change that fact that God never intended for us to create and divide His word up into different denominational beliefs. There is only one congregation in scripture and it the congregation of the people of God and there is only one body of believers and it is the Body of Christ.

 

[oyster67]

you can't simply say they are evil.

Actually, we can.

 

[UnitedWithChrist]

Oh my, now your using trickery and trying put me in a corner. Not going to happen.
I attend a "Non Denominational" church named Fellowship Bible church which is a stand alone church. But I am not a member of that church and I don't intend to become a member of that church. Why??? Because I am already a member of the Body Of Christ and I don't need nor am I required by scripture to become a member of any denominational church of any kind or any stand alone church. I attend this church because I agree with most of their doctrinal beliefs, the congregation has a very sweet spirit and it is one of the few churches I have ever been to where there are so many well Biblically educated believers in one place.
I attend a church because I am commanded to keep fellowship with and to congregate together with other believers for Praise and Worship.
Each of us has to answer to Christ as an individual and not as a congregation so if folks want to woop, hollor or run through the church that is not for me to decide on whether or not it is right or wrong in the eyes of God. It is for me to decide if such things are right for me or not, or if I want to attend a church/congregation that allows such things go on in the service and I don't so I attend a church that doesn't do such things. However I still believe that the gifts of the spirit never died out and are still sanctioned by God and being used today.
My attendance at this church doesn't in any way change that fact that God never intended for us to create and divide His word up into different denominational beliefs. There is only one congregation in scripture and it the congregation of the people of God and there is only one body of believers and it is the Body of Christ.

My position would be that your church is a denomination, because it is an autonomous group of believers.

But, I don't really care.

My main question was, are denominations evil? I could have phrased it better by saying, are denominations necessarily evil?

And, the answer is no.

It was mainly meant to address the claims by non-denominational people that denominations are by nature evil, which is the same claim cults use.