Divisions within Christianity

The website didn't really tell me anything I didn't already know, although I didn't spend a lot of time there.

We all know about the divisions, we all wish there weren't any, and we all wish that every saw things as clearly as we see them.

And we all know that the divisions won't end until Jesus comes and confirms that I was right all along.

 

Jesus prayed that all believers be one.

This oneness is not uniformity but unity.

Denominations are inevitable.

 

Most of us go back to what we were taught or read or what went on around us. Most of the churches kept their theology with in their church, so to speak, when I was a child. Most of us knew where we differs with other churches, but still looked upon them as Christians. When a pastor was leaving, most if not all of the churches would have a Sunday that they would go to the church where the pastor was leaving for a service.

I went to Hargrave Military Academy for a couple years to finish high school which was a Baptist school but they would have most if not all of the pastors from the churches in town to speak in chapel.

There was divisions but we all worked together to a point. I would say in my home town the RCC, liberal churches and Pentecostals were the only ones left out. Today the Pentecostals and maybe the RCC, liberal churches are among the few who are working among many groups. So many of the conservative churches don't seem to work as well among themselves today as they did yesterday.

 

There can be no unity except in doctrine. The following is the only acceptable view:

The Bible is the actual Word of God.
bullet Its authors were directly inspired by God.
bullet The first five books of the Bible were written by Moses.
bullet Since God cannot make mistakes their writings are also inerrant -- without error -- in their original autograph version.
bullet It is only when a person is saved -- they repent of their sin and trust Jesus as Lord and Savior that the Holy Spirit possesses them and shows them what the biblical text really means. Unless a person is first saved, their interpretation of the Bible will inevitably be in error.
bullet All passages are useful for the believer.

 

Just a minor comment Rev. I think in dwelt would be better than possesses for the action of the Holy Spirit. It may just be me but I don't think the Holy Spirit Possesses. Make an abode in you yeah but possessing?

 

As long as a local church is Bible-based as far as the essentials are concerned, then that is sufficient for togetherness for the sake of Christ.

 

Unity requires more than just an agreement on the essentials. There can be no unity if one church or organization supports that which scripture condemns. It is an impossibility to be unified with churches that support homosexuality, abortion, sexual relations outside of marriage, or any open sin.

It is impossible to unite with those who question the reliability of scripture, or make much of it out to be a myth. It is impossible to unite with those who deny factual events in scripture that explain the primary doctrines of the faith.

 

Then we are in agreement. :thumbs: