Divisions. Denominations.

Because we all have a sin nature.

 

This is a familiar Church of Christ mantra.

There are probably about 10,000 Churches of Christ in the USofA - each is unto itself a different sect, union, group, denomination, or 'church'. Each Church of Christ was started following the 'woe is the denomination church.' mantra. Unfortunately, there are only about 40,000 different sects, unions, groups, or denominations. That means at least 1/4 of the different sects, unions, groups, or denominations were started to combat the TOO MANY DENOMINATIONS problem. Why are there so many different sects, unions, groups, or denominations started because there are too many different sects, unions, groups, and denominations?

Anyway, I'm always naughty about this.
My first wife of 34 years was the Piano Player of the Church I now belong to for 27 years. But Jesus needed her piano playing more than I did so she went home to be with the Lord. So I married the the organ player of my church and we have been married 7 years, less a month. And I married 7 lovely grandchildren as well!

OP: // Surely there must be just one true faith (Ephesians 4:5), one true doctrine (2 John 9), one true church (Romans 12:4-5). //

Try believing that. Then for your homework figure out how wonderful God is to have figured out how to serve the interest of BILLIONS of Christians by giving them different feeding posts.

I know a corner near my house. A person with a $20 DENOMINATION paper money or a $50 DENOMINATION paper money or a non-DENOMINATION (well from $5.00 up to maybe $30K) plastic money can buy:

pizza - 3 places
chineese - 2 places
Mex-Tex - 2 places
quick stop/7-11 type food - 3 places
burgers - 3 places
chicken - 2 places
doghnut - 1 place


Does anybody sit around briefing people on a overhead projector about their concern that (sorry, my spell check doesn't work right) there are too many denominations of money or too many denominations of food dispensing around? How dull the world would be if all money was in $3 paper bills with the picture of Hillary Clinton on it? How dull the world would be if all food dispensing points were generic slop kictions?

 

Hey, I think I know which "true church" you're talking about, that holds to the true faith and true doctrine.

Baptists.

 

Now before anybody points out that there are 40-lebben kinds of Baptists, let me clarify which Baptists I'm taking about.

Those who old the truth regarding baptism and eternal security.

The truth regarding baptism:
1. For regenerated believers only.
2. By immersion
3. No saving efficacy.
4. The foregoing by a NT church of like faith and order.

 

The name does not define the church; the doctrine does.
For example, if any church believes in the heresy of baptismal regeneration, one of the earliest heresies in church history, then they would not be part of that "true church," so-called. For we all know that baptism cannot save. That is just one example.

 

As one who has studied many religions (I know which are correct and which are in error) - I cannot tell the difference between a group that says 'there is one right name for a church (local), if it ain't that name, then it ain't a church' AND the one-Savior-one-name cult of Messianic Jews. Their name for my Savior is NOT any that I use (or can remember, for that matter). In my KJV1611 Edition and my Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition, my Lord and Savior is called 'Iesus'. In my NIV my Lord and Savior is called 'Jesus'. My Hebrew Speaking friends (except the one namers) call him 'Yeshua'.

My church (local) is called by the name of the street upon which the building is located. The nearest 'Church of Christ (CoC)' is on the same street. We get lost (spatially disoriented) people at both places confused with the names. The churches are called:

Alameda Baptist Church (ABC) & Alameda Church of Christ (ACC)

The Baptists believe in Christ, the CoC doesn't believe in Baptists.

Or as they also say (Humor warning):

Atheists do not recognize God.
Jews do not recognize Christ.
Baptists don't recognize each other at the Liquor Store.
:laugh:

 

I can conveniently direct you to countless of threads throughout this and other forums on the BB, and throughout the years where baptismal regeneration has been thoroughly debunked, every verse put forth refuted, answered to, explained, and in much detail.
But alas!
A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.

 

So typical of cultic groups - to attack the "denominations" of Christian churches. This is one of the tactics of Mormons.

All who believe in the true Jesus Christ, saved by faith and regenerated by the Holy Spirit, are one in Christ, no matter the denomiation.

The Churches of Christ do not consider Baptists or other Christians outside their church to be saved, from what I understand.

 

// Isn't the church, the faith, the gospel, the truth - more important than money/food (as in your example)? //

Luk 8:10 (Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition):
And he sayd, Vnto you it is giuen to know the secrets of ye kingdome of God, but to other in parables, that when they see, they shoulde not see, and when they heare, they should not vnderstand.

Of course the church, the faith, the gospel, the truth is more important than money and food. But my example is a parable, which you were obviously unable to receive not knowing the truths of the church, the faith, the gospel, and the Truth.

And here is theTruth I learned from a guitar singing CoC preacher's kid: the Truth is not a lofty idea or ideal, the Truth is the God/man Messiah Jesus. It is politically correct (PC) to be seeking the Truth, but if you ever find the Truth - you will be damned by the world system (AKA: the New World Order /NOW/ & the old Paganism).

 

Defender and anyone else must first establish from Scripture the significance of church names on a building as essential.

Throwing out a bunch of designations would not do it.

 

Cocers who think like that are a sad bunch.

The positions they cling to are mostly manmade traditions that they use as weapons against those who do not agree with them.

 

I direct you to the same URL that you posted.
That is a good one for starters. It is current, and one that you are sadly failing to gain any ground.
Your salvation is a salvation by works.
If salvation is not by grace it is no salvation at all.

 

Yes, this is still a common problem in the Churches of Christ: they do not consider those outside their church group to be saved Christians.

It is by no means universal, however. It is becoming less the case as time passes.

I know of multiple Church of Christ congregations in my area that do not believe this. Of course, there are self-named Church of Christ places that would refuse to acknowledge such Church of Christ congregations as legitimate.

 

Now, let me reply to the subject of this thread.

Divisions are one thing. Denominations are something else.

Divisions are where one group withdraws from others and has as little as possible to do with them. Another word that describes this is "faction."

Many denominations are simply associations of congregations with no desire to be withdrawn from any other church group.

If I am not mistaken, the Bible prohibits "divisions" and "factions." I would say that if a church group was trying to stay `unwarmly' separate from `everyone else,' it is guilty of this.

The phrase "one true church" came up. There is only one church. Agreed. It is made of people on one foundation: that Jesus is "the Christ, the Son of the living God." At Matthew 16:15-8, Jesus Christ said “I will build My church” (NBV) on that precept.

The word translated "church" is used in ancient Greek culture about the community of followers of Pythagoras.* This parallels how Christians are followers of Jesus Christ. Before the time of Acts 11:26, Christians were called “disciples”; “the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch” (NASB). Greek translated “disciples” is also translated “followers” (ICB). Jesus Christ's church is the community of His followers.

How does Christ build His church? Acts 2:47 examples how “the Lord added to them day by day those |who were being saved” (ASV|NASB); the church is built of people added to it by the Lord.

We do not set the boundaries of the Lord's church by our decisions of whom to fellowship with. The Lord sets the boundaries of His church. Any Christian is a member of His church whether we accept that Christian for fellowship or not. It is sheer presumption for mortals to think that they can determine the boundaries of the Lord's church.

There is only one church. All Christians are in the same church whether we accept it or not. Those who find it unacceptable that they might be in the same church as `those other Christians' better hope the Lord does not grant their wish.

____
*Arndt, Gingrich, et al, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, page 240.