How can this be?

[Cameron143]

Matthew 8:20 says He had nowhere to lay His head. He was homeless. Start there with your theology and you'll be fine.

 

[Nehemiah6]

To the rest, claiming the most popular denomination may be doctrinally correct simply because of its popularity, is anti biblical.

Who claimed this? You said growth is no criterion, and the Bible says that growth is critical. It was nothing to do with denominations.

 

[birdie]

I was recently reading about a US religious survey which indicated that as of 2022 there we over 40,000 different nondenominational churches in the US. This number greatly exceeds the number of mainline Protestant churches (about 200) in the US.

https://www.christianitytoday.com/n...sus-nondenominational-church-growth-nons.html

My question is this. Today we have thousands of Protestant churches, all claiming to guided by the Holy Spirit, and yet all teaching something different.
How can this be? Either the Holy Spirit is very confused (Not likely), or these churches are confused. Which is it? How do I answer this question?

The nice thing about being in the Lord is the access directly to the Father, no matter where you are or how accurate or how wrong a person (including ones' self) or a group may be. I find absolutely immense comfort in the fact that in this present world of people and confusion there is a God who is not confused, who can guide you right every time, who is above all, and who has the power to save so completely. You can trust God, because his salvation and care for you is all coming from his love for you. That is why you don't have to go elsewhere for truth. And it is why you don't have to worry.

"And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. "

" The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you. "

"For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; "

 

[DRobinson]

Don't be envious we're winning

So is Islam in many countries.

 

[ewq1938]

Either the Holy Spirit is very confused (Not likely), or these churches are confused. Which is it? How do I answer this question?

The Holy Spirit being confused shouldn't even be an option. All denominations of Christianity, every single one is FULL of deceptions and untruths.

This is how the Apostasy happens.

Luckily salvation is on an individual basis and getting *some* things wrong doesn't automatically make someone unable to be saved.

 

[JimmyTheLock]

How can this be? Either the Holy Spirit is very confused (Not likely), or these churches are confused. Which is it? How do I answer this question?

They all claim their sect is correct!

That's one of the reasons I don't belong to any of the organized religious organizations.

I did in the past, and in most of these churches if you don't agree with all they teach they will either recommend you find another church or outright tell you to not come back.

You can easily get in to trouble with these folks if you go to a bible study and ask any questions about why they believe certain things and ask if they can provide biblical proof for their doctrine... which is a fair question.

 

[NightTwister]

Matthew 7:13-23

[13] “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. [14] For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

[15] “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. [16] You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? [17] So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. [18] A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. [19] Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. [20] Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

[21] “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. [22] On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ [23] And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

———

The majority of people who profess Christ are actually on the broad road, they may think it’s the road to heaven but in reality they’re hell bound.

The road is narrow, but it's not a tightrope.

 

[Gideon300]

Matthew 8:20 says He had nowhere to lay His head. He was homeless. Start there with your theology and you'll be fine.

Lord Jesus had an itinerant ministry. At one time, He had His own home. He wore sandals, so He was not poor. We do not know if He sold the house. It's not like today where you can jump in a car and head home. It is possible that He was simply pointing out His circumstance at the time. There was certainly enough money in the treasury to tempt Judas into stealing. And no, I do not follow the prosperity gospel.

 

[Cameron143]

Lord Jesus had an itinerant ministry. At one time, He had His own home. He wore sandals, so He was not poor. We do not know if He sold the house. It's not like today where you can jump in a car and head home. It is possible that He was simply pointing out His circumstance at the time. There was certainly enough money in the treasury to tempt Judas into stealing. And no, I do not follow the prosperity gospel.

Nothing stated is biblical other than He was a teacher and wore sandals. The rest is conjecture.
Most people have very little experience in trusting God for their provision. Jesus didn't struggle with this. Also, part what was engendered in being Messiah was suffering. This is part of it.

 

[JimmyTheLock]

He had His own home. He wore sandals, so He was not poor. We do not know if He sold the house.

Yep, and when he said he had no where to lay his head.... he was out of town and many of the business owners would not do business with Jesus and His entourage because the religious leader would threat to throw them out of the synagogue.

True prosperity is being in a right relationship with the Lord abiding IN Him having turned away from our sins... money is just a side bar, just a tool that can be used for either good or evil and in the over all scheme of things is not that important at all.

 

[Romans34]

All denominations of Christianity, every single one is FULL of deceptions and untruths.

That's a very bold statement indeed! What if it's not true? I agree that EVERY denomination has churches that are in error (even MOST of them), but to claim EVERY SINGLE ONE is FULL of deception and untruth is a very bold statement indeed!

 

[ewq1938]

That's a very bold statement indeed! What if it's not true?

What if it is true? That's a sobering thought and could explain how the Apostasy is able to happen.

Anyways, name a denomination that doesn't have deceptions and untruths...

 

[Romans34]

What if it is true? That's a sobering thought and could explain how the Apostasy is able to happen.

Anyways, name a denomination that doesn't have deceptions and untruths...

I didn't say that there was a denomination that was totally free of error. I said "to claim EVERY SINGLE ONE is FULL of deception and untruth" is incorrect; otherwise, Jesus lied when He promised her that the gates of hell wouldn't prevail against her.

 

[ewq1938]

I didn't say that there was a denomination that was totally free of error. I said "to claim EVERY SINGLE ONE is FULL of deception and untruth" is incorrect; otherwise, Jesus lied when He promised her that the gates of hell wouldn't prevail against her.

When I say "full" I am not saying 100 percent as in full literally. I am saying there is a lot of it in every denomination.

 

[Romans34]

When I say "full" I am not saying 100 percent as in full literally. I am saying there is a lot of it in every denomination.

That's the same sense that I use the word when I say that when I was young I believed the churches were 'full' of carnal people, but based on my observations in the last four decades I'm convinced they are 'full' of lost people instead.

 

[Nehemiah6]

The Holy Spirit being confused shouldn't even be an option. All denominations of Christianity, every single one is FULL of deceptions and untruths.

This is a FALSE STATEMENT. You should not go around making such statements. And how many errors do you hold on to?

 

[ewq1938]

This is a FALSE STATEMENT. You should not go around making such statements.

It is a true statement and it should be stated openly and loudly.

And how many errors do you hold on to?

Why does this person attack me personally? Because what I say is true (and not directly to them personally or anyone else for that matter)

 

[Nehemiah6]

Why does this person attack me personally?

That is not a personal attack.

Since you attacked every (all) denomination, you must establish that you yourself do not hold to any errors. That was a sweeping generalization which is not even true. "Deceptions"? "Untruths"? We are not talking about the cults or false teachers.

 

[Romans34]

It is a true statement and it should be stated openly and loudly.

Since you attacked every (all) denomination, you must establish that you yourself do not hold to any errors. That was a sweeping generalization which is not even true. "Deceptions"? "Untruths"? We are not talking about the cults or false teachers.

The statement is not absolutely true, though there is a lot of truth in it (in the sense that we have identified what is meant by 'full'). But 'technically speaking', making that statement doesn't require one to establish they don't hold to errors if they are including themselves in the statement. Yet Satan is so successful because he gets people to believe "sweeping generaliztion", especially about religion. And we may not be talking about cults, but we are talking about false teachers.

 

[Nehemiah6]

But 'technically speaking', making that statement doesn't require one to establish they don't hold to errors

We should remember "the beam" and "the mote".

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. (Luke 6:41,42)

And the post was NOT about false teachers but all denominations.